A guide to Submitting Research Proposals

Insolvency Research Projects Initiative

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Table of Contents

Checklist

Appendix A

  • Submission deadline
  • Timeline from proposal to contract
  • Key OSB research issues

Section 1

Introduction

1.1 Background

The Insolvency Research Projects Initiative was established by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) to increase the body of knowledge on the Canadian insolvency system, financial literacy and other related areas. The initiative provides research contracts to academics at Canadian universities to support multidisciplinary and comparative research on insolvency issues linked with social and environmental analysis.

Completed research projects are accessible in the Academics section of the OSB website and results of these research contracts may be presented at OSB Research Symposiums.

Please see Appendix A for the list of key OSB research issues and timelines.

1.2 How to use this guide

This guide explains the Insolvency Research Projects Initiative and provides information to potential applicants on submitting a proposal. Please read all sections of this guide and Appendix A before submitting a proposal.

Section 2, Initiative Overview, outlines eligibility criteria and explains the funding structure.

Sections 3 through 5 detail the process involved in winning a contract with theInsolvency Research Projects Initiative:

  • Section 3 describes how to prepare and submit a proposal.
  • Section 4 explains how the OSB evaluates and selects proposals.
  • Section 5 describes how a contract is prepared after a proposal is accepted.

Section 6, Dissemination, explains how research results will be communicated to a general audience.

The guide also includes a Checklist to help applicants verify that all requirements for submitting a proposal have been met.

If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Section 2

Initiative Overview

Please read this section carefully as it will help you decide whether to submit a proposal for a research contract.

2.1 Eligibility

In order to be eligible1 to apply for a research contract through the Insolvency Research Projects Initiative, you must

  1. be an academic, or part of a team of academics, from a Canadian university, and
  2. currently hold a teaching or research position.

2.2 Funding and payment

The OSB has budgeted $100 000 to the Insolvency Research Projects Initiative for the upcoming request for proposal. The maximum amount allowed for a single research project is $25 000 (including all applicable taxes).2

It is important to note that, unlike a grant, no payment is made at the beginning of a contract in the Insolvency Research Projects Initiative. Payment will be made upon submission of deliverables and acceptance by the OSB according to a schedule that is agreed upon when the contract is drawn up.

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Section 3

Preparing a Proposal

Once you have determined that you meet the eligibility requirements described in Section 2.1 of this guide and decide to participate, you will move on to the next step: preparing your proposal.

Read the instructions carefully regarding content and format requirements in Sections 3.1 and 3.2.

Use the Checklist at the end of this guide to verify that you have met all requirements for submitting a proposal.

You also must meet the submission deadline as specified in Appendix A.

3.1 Content requirements

Your proposal description must address, in detail and in the following order, each of the following aspects in a maximum of five pages for the total proposal (Parts 1 through 6, excluding Annexes A and B).

Each proposal will be assessed against the proposal assessment criteria listed in Section 4.2.

Part 1 Identification number
Key OSB research issue number(s) of your proposed insolvency research (see Appendix A)
Part 2
  1. Title of proposed insolvency research
  2. Name of project leader and, if applicable, project team members3
Part 3 Research description
  1. Scope and objectives of the research and specific goals to be reached
  2. Research question(s) and hypothesis(es)
  3. Theoretical and practical importance of the research
  4. Plan of research and methodology4
  5. Anticipated impact with respect to the insolvency community
  6. Anticipated strengths and limitations of the research
  7. Steps taken to determine that very similar research has not already been undertaken
Part 4 Request for OSB insolvency data (if not required, please indicate "not applicable")5
  1. Please indicate type and volume
  2. Please indicate date the data will be needed
Part 5 Budget
  1. Salaries: Please include cost for researcher and research assistant, teaching release, university overhead labour, and statistical consulting (not provided by the OSB)
  2. Materials and supplies: photocopying, paper and miscellaneous supplies
  3. Other expenses, including travel, if applicable
  4. Total
  5. Specify if you have other funding, are entering into another contract for this research or intend to seek other funding and, if so, please indicate the amounts
Part 6 Timeline of major deliverables with corresponding payment amount for each.6 In general, research projects should be completed within 12 months.
Annex A Curriculum vitae of project leader and, if applicable, each project team member (no page maximum)
Annex B List of publications within the last five years project leader and, if applicable, each project team member (no page maximum)

3.2 Format requirements

A proposal must be presented in the following format:

  • Document produced using either Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect or, if you use another word processing package, document must be converted into PDF format
  •  8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 28 cm) paper
  • Single line spacing
  • 12-point Times New Roman font
  • Pages numbered consecutively
  • Margins at a minimum of 3/4" (1.87 cm)
  • Name of the project leader to appear within the set margins at the top right corner of every page, along with email address and telephone number

All proposals must be submitted to OSBoutreach-relationsexternesBSF@ic.gc.ca. Incomplete, late or incorrectly formatted or addressed proposals (including proposals that exceed the page limit) will not be assessed.

3.3 OSB acknowledgement of receipt

The OSB will acknowledge receipt of the proposal by sending an email to the project leader with a proposal submission number (we will contact only the project leader). Please cite the proposal submission number in all subsequent correspondence with the OSB.

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Section 4

Evaluation Process

4.1 How proposals are evaluated

Factors considered in the evaluation of proposals for the Insolvency Research Projects Initiative are:

  • Research proposals will be reviewed and assessed by a committee composed of government representatives from the OSB and other sectors, branches and agencies of Industry Canada with expertise in various disciplines (e.g., law, economics, consumer studies).
  • Proposals will be assessed according to the criteria listed in Section 4.2. The OSB will make the final decision on which proposals are accepted.
  • If the OSB receives multiple proposals addressing the same issue, the OSB may contact the project leaders to discuss possible options (e.g., submitting a joint proposal or assessing each proposal individually based on best value for money).7
  • Project leaders will be notified of the status of their proposals when the review process is complete.

4.2 Proposal assessment criteria

The OSB will assess proposals based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance to a key OSB research issue (see Appendix A)8
  • Multidisciplinary (must indicate two or more disciplines involved) and/or comparative in scope (projects that examine policy in jurisdictions other than Canada must also examine the relevant policy in Canada)
  • Methodologically sound
  • Original
  • Relevance to the Canadian insolvency community
  • Feasible
  • Appropriate budget
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Section 5

Contract

If a proposal is accepted, the OSB will contact the project leader to obtain the information necessary to create a Service Contract Agreement,9 which will be signed by the OSB and the project leader or the project leader's university, in accordance with university regulations.

5.1 Contract information

The OSB will prepare the Service Contract Agreement based on information submitted in the proposal regarding deliverables and scheduling.

The contract will contain the following information:

  • Maximum dollar value of the contract
  • Contract's start and end dates
  • Brief description of the research project
  • Schedule of deliverables and the corresponding payments10
  • Statement that the OSB reserves the right to publish the research paper on its Website
  • An undertaking by the project leader and/or project team members to acknowledge the OSB's contribution to funding if the research paper is published elsewhere

5.2 Invoicing requirements

Invoices must be submitted to obtain payment in accordance with the contract agreement. As described in Section 2.2 of this guide, payment is made only when deliverables are accepted by the OSB:

  • Once deliverables are reviewed and accepted by the OSB,11 the project leader must invoice the OSB to receive payment.
  • Only original invoices will be accepted (facsimiles are not accepted; however, invoices that are received as email attachments are accepted). Invoices must clearly indicate the deliverable completed and the dollar amount.
  • The delivery date indicated on each invoice must be within the start and end dates of the contract.
  • Payments are usually issued 30 days after receipt of the original invoice.

Please note: Only work completed within the contract period (start and end dates) can be paid for; therefore, work must not begin until the contract has been signed by both parties (the project leader or university and the OSB).

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Section 6

Dissemination

6.1 Information on the OSB website

All final papers must be accompanied by a summary of up to five pages which will be translated and posted on the OSB website in both official languages. The project leader may review the translation or have it reviewed. Research papers posted on the OSB website will be sent out by the OSB only upon request.

6.2 Acknowledgement

Should you wish to publish your research elsewhere, an acknowledgement of the financial contribution of the OSB must be worded as follows: "Financial support from the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada to conduct the research on which this report is based is gratefully acknowledged. The views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy, of Industry Canada or of the Government of Canada."

Checklist

  • All team members are eligible, i.e., each one is an academic at a Canadian university.
  • The proposal is no longer than five pages (excluding Annexes A and B) and covers all six parts:
  • Part 1 – Identification number of key research issue of proposed insolvency research
  • Part 2 – Title of research
    Name of project leader (and project team members, if applicable)
  • Part 3 – Research description
  • Part 4 – Request for OSB insolvency data (if not required, please indicate "not applicable")
  • Part 5 – Budget
  • Part 6 – Timeline of major deliverables with corresponding payments
  • You have included the curriculum vitae of all team members and the list of publications within the last five years (Annexes A and B respectively).
  • In determining timelines, keep in mind that payments will be made upon acceptance of submitted deliverables.
  • Your submission meets the formatting requirements:
  • Document produced using either Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect or, if you use another word processing package, document is converted into PDF format
  • 8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 28 cm) paper
  • Single line spacing
  • 12-point Times New Roman font
  • Pages numbered consecutively
  • Margins at a minimum of 3/4" (1.87 cm)
  • Name of the project leader to appear within the set margins at the top right corner of every page, along with email address and telephone number
  • Your proposal is sufficiently detailed for the review committee to assess it according to the following criteria:
  • Relevance to a key OSB research issue (see Appendix A)
  • Multidisciplinary (must indicate two or more disciplines involved) and/or comparative in scope
  • Methodologically sound
  • Original
  • Relevance to the Canadian insolvency community
  • Feasible
  • Appropriate budget

1 – Please note that eligible applicants who completed and received payment for a research project in the previous year may also participate this year. If the new proposal deals with the same issues addressed in a previous research contract, the proposed research must add significantly to the work accomplished in the previous project. Some conditions may apply if the applicant is a former public servant who left the government in the last two years. Return to text

2 – An applicant may submit more than one proposal if the topics of the proposals are not related. Return to text

3 – Where more than one academic will be working on the research, a project leader must be identified. The project leader will submit the proposal for the team. Only one contract will be issued per research project. Return to text

4 – Any survey, interviews or consultations must be fact-finding and will require pre-approval from the OSB. Any questions dealing with public opinion research are unlikely to be approved. Return to text

5 – Please contact the OSB Business Intelligence Centre at osb-bic-cia-bsf@ic.gc.ca to enquire about the type and availability of the statistical insolvency data you are interested in before submitting your proposal. If your insolvency research proposal is accepted, specific requirements and restrictions will be included in the contract. Once a data analyst has been assigned, you will be provided with a contact in our Business Intelligence Centre to discuss your statistical insolvency data needs further once the research contract is in place. Data requirements will need to be forwarded to the OSB contact in the Business Intelligence Centre at least one month prior to the date the data is needed. Return to text

6 – Should your proposal be accepted, these deliverable deadlines will become part of your contract and will determine when you can submit an invoice (once the deliverable has been accepted by the OSB) to receive payment. Return to text

7 – Solutions must meet Treasury Board Secretariat and Industry Canada contracting rules, principles and guidelines. Return to text

8 – Priority will be given to those proposals addressing one of the key OSB research issues listed in Appendix A. Return to text

9 – Only one contract will be issued per research project. This condition will be strictly enforced. Return to text

10 – In a case where unforeseen circumstances would make it impossible to meet the deadline, the project leader must send a written request (by email) to OSBoutreach-relationsexternesBSF@ic.gc.ca, describing the circumstances. If the OSB accepts the request, the contract period and final report deliverable will be changed and an amended contract will be issued and signed by both parties. Return to text

11 – Review and acceptance of each deliverable can take up to one month. Return to text