Tobacco Products Regulatory Science Projects
Call For Proposals - Federal Tobacco Control Strategy Contribution Funding
Introduction
The Office of Regulations and Compliance, Tobacco Control Programme, Health Canada, is pleased to announce the availability of Contribution funding in support of projects to build capacity and share knowledge in Canada on tobacco product-related applied, social and regulatory sciences. The primary focus will be on those activities with the potential to contribute significantly to tobacco product science knowledge and product regulation efforts in Canada.
Proposals are being accepted up to November 16th, 2007. Proposals may be submitted in either official language (French or English).
If you wish to develop a proposal for funding consideration, please review the Applicant Guide to Contribution Funding and Application for Contribution Funding Form found above.
For further information about this Call for Proposals, please review the information below.
1.0 The Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS)
The FTCS was introduced in 2001 as a ten-year comprehensive, integrated and sustained strategy to achieve significant, realistic reductions in disease and death due to tobacco use.
The four mutually reinforcing components of the strategy are: protection, prevention, cessation, and product regulation. The component of the FTCS addressed by the Office of Regulations and Compliance Contribution funding is product regulation.
2.0 Contribution Funding Program
The Office of Regulations and Compliance, Tobacco Control Programme, Health Canada, is pleased to announce the availability of Contribution funding in support of projects to build capacity and share knowledge in Canada on tobacco product-related applied, social and regulatory sciences. The primary focus will be on those activities with the potential to contribute significantly to tobacco product science knowledge and product regulation efforts in Canada.
This is the first year that this program is being offered. The budget for this year is $250,000. This budget will be revised in future years based on factors such as availability of funds, potential benefits of continuing this funding program, and demand/interest.
3.0 Funding Priorities for 2007-2008
Primary Priorities
(i) Focus on Product Regulation
Given that one of the pillars of the FTCS is product regulation, proposals are sought to develop new ideas and new concepts in this area. Although product regulation is often associated with the contents and emissions of tobacco products, or their disclosure (as set out in Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC), in particular with respect to smoke chemistry, other applied science areas may be included, such as toxicology, dependence liability, and harm assessment. Proposals that address the social science or regulatory science aspects of such initiatives will also be considered.
There is limited knowledge of tobacco science outside of the tobacco industry. Proposals that seek to develop tobacco science capacity and the establishment of collaborative scientific expertise in Canada will be considered. Priority will be given to those projects that establish partnerships across the country to increase tobacco science capacity.
(ii) Focus on Evaluating New and Emerging Tobacco Control Regulations
The past few years have seen the implementation of new regulatory initiatives in Canada and abroad. Proposals to support the evaluation of such initiatives in Canada will be considered, in particular where knowledge on the effectiveness of these initiatives is expected to provide the most support in achieving the FTCS goals.
There is also an opportunity to contribute to and enrich the field of tobacco control regulations through supporting the exchange, transfer and uptake of knowledge relating to such evaluation. Proposals that relate to such knowledge development, exchange and transfer at the national level will also be considered.
4.0 Eligibility for Funding Consideration
The following groups of recipients are eligible for contribution funding consideration:
- registered not-for-profit non-governmental organizations including but not limited to hospitals, regional health councils, community organizations, professional associations (including health and labour groups and unions);
- universities and other centres of education in Canada;
- crown corporations for project specific funding (as per section 7.2.2 of the Treasury Board Policy on Transfer Payments); and
- other non-federal organizations whose work supports FTCS objectives;
- other levels of government including provinces, territories and municipalities.
Eligible Expenses
Only expenses directly related to approved projects and activities are eligible. These may include, but are not limited to:
- personnel (e.g. project staff salaries, employee benefits, contractor fees, replacement salaries);
- travel and accommodation up to the maximum allowed by Treasury Board Guidelines;
- rent and utilities (e.g. telephone, electricity, heating and office space rental);
- materials and supplies;
- costs of services or equipment rental (e.g. photocopying, printing, postage and rental or purchase of office equipment);
- process evaluation and dissemination of results, outputs and outcomes;
- other expenses directly related to the project that do not fit previously defined categories (e.g. bank fees, audit expenses, bookkeeping expenses, insurance, translation, training).
Ineligible Expenses
- Pure research;
- Purchase of buildings and vehicles, renovations or other capital expenditures;
- Capital costs or ongoing (core) operating expenses not associated with this project.
Project Funding and Duration
All proposals received under the Tobacco Products Regulatory Science Projects Call for Proposals will be assessed against total budget allocations for the current fiscal year, for completion by end of fiscal year. The level of funding awarded to a recipient will also be based on the assessment of appropriateness of budget, planned activities and timelines for the project.
Proposals for funding up to 12 months will be considered for funding (the 12-month period will begin from the date of Ministerial approval) depending on fund availability.
5.0 Proposal Requirements
Proposals must be developed following the Applicant Guide to Contribution Funding - Tobacco Products Regulatory Science Projects, from the Government of Canada (Tobacco Control Programme) Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS).
6.0 Evaluation
Outcome/Impact Evaluation
Some funded projects may be evaluated for project outcomes and impacts by an outside third-party evaluator with recognized expertise and experience in the field of program evaluation, if warranted by their scope and nature. The decision regarding which projects will need third-party evaluation will be made by Health Canada. If selected for third-party evaluation, all project sponsors must participate as a condition of funding approval.
The Tobacco Control Programme will be responsible for funding all costs associated with the third-party administered outcome/impact project evaluation. TCP evaluation staff will work with the sponsors of selected projects to facilitate participation in the evaluation.
Formative/Process Evaluation
A formative/process evaluation is required of all approved projects as a condition of funding, regardless of whether or not a project is selected for inclusion in the outcome/impact evaluation. The process evaluation will focus on collecting data with respect to the rollout of the program, including but not limited to, financial data, information on the nature and number of outputs and participation in the project.
Recipients are expected to complete quarterly progress reports as part of the process evaluation. Health Canada will also hire a third party organization to review and analyze data gathered as part of the process evaluation conducted by the funding recipient on all funded projects.
Funding for the process evaluation (staff time for reporting and data collection) should be built into the project proposal and budget (on average 10% of overall budget).
Complete evaluation requirements will be discussed with successful applicants.
Please refer to Applicant Guide to Contribution Funding - Tobacco Products Regulatory Science Projects, from the Government of Canada (Tobacco Control Programme) Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS).
7.0 Application and Submission Details
The application process for Tobacco Products Regulatory Science Projects is as follows:
All proposals, including the original signed copy and letters of support, must be submitted, using the application form provided by Health Canada, to the address below. Proposals must be submitted no later than November 16th, 2007 and may be submitted in either official language (French or English).
Mr. Mathew Cook
Manager, Scientific Regulations Division
Office of Regulations and Compliance
Tobacco Control Programme, Health Canada
Address Locator 3507C1
123 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
To be considered for funding, eligible applicants must provide all of the requested information as indicated on the application form. TCP will not review applications from ineligible applicants, those not adhering to the application form, or those that are received after the application deadline.
If you have additional questions or to receive an application package, please contact:
Mr. Mathew Cook
Office of Regulations and Compliance
Tobacco Control Programme, Health Canada
Tel: (613) 954-2375
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