Performance and Service Standards

NSERC is committed to providing a high quality, responsive and accessible service to all the organizations and individuals that interact with the agency. We will vigorously apply our service standards, including compliance with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, as follows:

NSERC Operations and Transactions

• Ensure that all services are available in both official languages and that clients be served in the official language of their choice.
• Protect the privacy and confidentiality of our clients and the security of their electronic transactions with NSERC.
• Uphold high standards of integrity in all areas of operations, in compliance with established policies and guidelines.
• Consult with stakeholders who have an interest in NSERC policies, processes and services, and maintain open channels for the receipt of unsolicited comments.
• Provide contact details (address, telephone, fax, e-mail and Web site address) on all correspondence and ensure that contact details on the Web site are up-to-date.
• Operate a central help line where clients can get prompt, accurate, informative and courteous replies to all incoming enquiries within one business day after receipt.

Program Delivery

• Acknowledge the receipt of on-line grant and scholarship/fellowship applications immediately, following their electronic delivery to NSERC.
• Acknowledge the receipt of grant applications that are submitted in paper format within six weeks of receipt.
• Within six weeks, acknowledge the receipt of scholarship/fellowship applications that are submitted in paper format by candidates applying directly to NSERC.
• Ensure a fair evaluation process for all applications submitted to NSERC.
• Notify all applicants of the outcome of their applications (deemed complete), from the date of receipt by NSERC, in accordance with the established deadlines.
• Make timely grants and scholarships/fellowships payments in accordance with established schedules.
• Operate a clear and effective process for considering and responding to general complaints and appeals of funding decisions and allegations of scientific misconduct.

Responding to Enquiries

• Reply to telephone enquiries as soon as possible and within a maximum of two working days after receipt.
• Acknowledge the receipt of all written enquiries (including e-mails and faxes) within five working days after receipt.

NSERC On-line Services

• Ensure and maintain an annual system availability rate of 98% for NSERC’s On-line Services, so that they operate swiftly and accurately without major break-downs and unscheduled interruptions.
• Make application forms, pertinent instructions, and information about policies and programs readily available via the Web.
• Strive to ensure that up-to-date forms and information are available from NSERC's Web site 24/7 and that all forms for general use can be downloaded as required.

Service Improvement Initiative (SII)

In compliance with the Service Improvement Initiative (SII) instituted by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, NSERC has developed and published service standards, and established baselines and targets for improvement. These baselines are based on surveys conducted since 2004 with the Council’s main clients regarding their satisfaction levels with the key services delivered by NSERC.