Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

¹ As a sub-contractor; the project manager (and hence primary recipient of AIMAP funds) must be an industry partner.

² Applied research projects which can benefit from DFO internal capacity should be addressed through the Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP).  AIMAP funded applied research is expected to produce industry implementable results by the end of the project.

6) Other Requirements

Reporting Obligations
If your application is accepted, the Contribution Agreement between your organization and Fisheries and Oceans Canada will specify when you have to provide progress reports and the final report on your project. Outcomes and accomplishments must be reported in accordance with performance indicators identified in the Contribution Agreement.

Financial Reporting Obligations
If your application is accepted you will be required to provide an overview of your current financial position prior to a contribution agreement being finalized.  At minimum, you will be required to provide a balance sheet and income statement from your most recent fiscal year.  Further information may be requested at the discretion of program administration.

If your application is successful, and once the project has begun, you will be required to report how AIMAP funds have been used.  This may include auditor prepared financial statements, DFO specific reporting templates, and other requirements outlined in the contribution agreement.  The annual financial report to AIMAP must include separate line items indicating total project contributions (including matching resources) and expenditures.

All projects receiving $50,000 or more in AIMAP funding will be required to provide auditor prepared financial statements of the total project funding and expenditures with their final report. The cost of this statement is eligible for AIMAP funding and should be included in the budget.

Permits and Licenses
You will be responsible for obtaining the appropriate permits and licenses prior to the receipt of any AIMAP funds.   Further, permits and licenses must remain valid for the duration of the project.  Permits may take time to arrange, so you should address this need several months before the project start date.  A successful AIMAP proposal does not guarantee permits or licenses will be issued by other government departments or agencies.  AIMAP funds will not be released until all necessary permits and licenses have been obtained, and copies forwarded to the regional aquaculture coordinator.

Environmental Assessment Compliance
In some cases an environmental assessment may be required before a project can commence.  Consult your Regional Aquaculture Coordinator, or see the guidance on determining whether the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act applies at: http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=4F451DCA-1.

Should an environmental assessment be required, it will be necessary to plan several months before the proposed project start date to allow sufficient time for the completion of the assessment. Once completed, the environmental assessment may identify conditions relative to your proposal, such as mitigation measures and monitoring requirements. Your organization must comply with all conditions identified.

Public Notification
You will be responsible for obtaining the approval of the Regional Aquaculture Coordinator office (RACO) and the national AIMAP coordination office (DFO HQ – Ottawa) prior to making any announcements, signs or publications related to the project. All such communications products originating from your project will have to acknowledge the Department of Fisheries and Oceans financial support.

Official Languages
You may be required to serve and communicate with the public in the English and French languages.

Project Duration
All projects must start on or after April 1 and be of one year duration.

Intellectual Property (IP)
Any intellectual property rights arising from the project will remain with the Recipient. The Recipient must grant the Department of Fisheries and Oceans an unrestricted license to produce, publish, translate, reproduce, adapt, broadcast or use at no cost, any publicly available copyrighted work related to the project.

7) Criteria and Project Approval

Program Administration

Program administration is the responsibility of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  Aquaculture Management Directorate (AMD) (National Capital Region) manages and administers the program, with call letters for proposals being issued at least annually (approximately October/November) in Years 1 to 4 for the following fiscal year, unless funds are depleted through prior commitments.  A second call for proposals may take place if sufficient funds remain after the first call for proposals.  Proposal intake is through the Regional Aquaculture Coordination offices (RACO) which perform an initial review for application completeness and coordinate the regional review.  The DFO National Review Committee evaluates all recommended proposals from the regional review.

Innovation Priorities

Priorities are established by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and reviewed annually.  Provinces and Territories are consulted through the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM), and other sector stakeholders are consulted through industry associations and other methods, as appropriate.  

The current priorities can be found in Appendix 3, attached at the end of this document.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation process is broken into two assessment components: I) preliminary screen for basic requirements and eligibility (see Preliminary Screen Checklist below), and II) project relevance and quality (see Appendix 2 - Program Evaluation Form).  All projects will be assessed against these criteria at both the regional and national levels.

I  Preliminary Screen (all aspects must be met – Innovation and Market Access)

• Must be an eligible applicant
• Minimum 10% industry cash contribution
• Must address program priorities in a clearly innovative approach
• The proposal includes a clear executive summary
• The proposal is delivered in MS Word and hard copy versions
• An appendix disclosing any litigation against the applicant
• An appendix of all regulatory approvals
  

II  Project Relevance and Quality (Innovation element only)

• Commercial justification
• Scope of impact
• Plan and performance management
• Project team
• Budget
• Industry cash contributions
• Leverage

See the AIMAP Program Evaluation Form (Appendix 2) for complete evaluation criteria and ranking requirements.  You are strongly encouraged to self-evaluate your proposal prior to final submission in order to help you develop a better proposal.

As the demands for funding from the AIMAP are far in excess of funds available, there is no guarantee that your project will be funded. The program strives to provide you with the earliest possible notice once decisions are made.

Prior to the issuing of AIMAP funds the financial situation of any proponent could be evaluated in order to ensure that all resources are in place to allow the proponent to successfully complete the project. This may be a case-by-case assessment and will be dependent on the size of the AIMAP contribution.  You also authorize DFO to make any enquiries of such persons, firms, corporations, federal and provincial government agencies/departments and non-profit economic development organizations, to collect and share information with them, as DFO deems necessary in order to reach a decision on this application, to administer and monitor the implementation of the subject project, and to evaluate the results of the project and this program after project completion.

Information provided to DFO will be treated in accordance with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. These laws govern, protect and limit the collection, use and disclosure of personal, financial and technical information by federal government departments and agencies. Information provided to DFO is secured from unauthorized access.

8) To Apply

1. Obtain an electronic version of the application form from your regional aquaculture coordinator (or use the one attached to this document) and e-mail or mail it to the appropriate regional aquaculture coordinator (see list below); or
   
   
2. If you do not have internet access or encounter problems, please contact your regional aquaculture coordinator (listed below) who will assist you in the application process.

Deadline to Submit Proposals

A national call for proposals will be issued October 11, 2011 and proposals will be accepted until December 9, 2011. The National Review Committee will review and evaluate the proposals in a timely manner.

9.  Regional Aquaculture Coordinator Office Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact a Regional Aquaculture Coordinator office for further information.

Newfoundland & Labrador Chris Hendry A/Regional Aquaculture Coordinator Fisheries and Oceans Canada Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre St. John's, NL  A1C 5X1 Chris.Hendry@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (709) 772-6674	Gulf Stephen Lanteigne Regional Aquaculture Coordinator Fisheries and Oceans Canada Gulf Fisheries Centre 343 Université Ave Moncton, NB  E1C 9B6 Stephen.Lanteigne@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (506) 851-3407
Maritimes Cindy Webster Regional Aquaculture Coordinator Fisheries and Oceans Canada 176 Portland Street P.O. Box 1035 Dartmouth, NS  B2Y 4T3 Cindy.Webster@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (902) 426-8384	Québec Pierre Lauzier Regional Aquaculture Coordinator Fisheries and Oceans Canada 104 rue Dalhousie Québec, QC  G1K 7Y7 Pierre.Lauzier@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (418) 648-5923
Central and Arctic Adrienne Paylor Regional Aquaculture Coordinator Fisheries and Oceans Canada 501 University Crescent Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6 Adrienne.Paylor@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (204) 984-2403	Pacific Sean Irvine Senior Innovation Officer Fisheries and Oceans Canada 200 - 401 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC  V6C 3S4 Sean.Irvine@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (604) 666-3340

Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP)
Proposal Guidelines

Please write your proposal so that reviewers who are unfamiliar with the species, technology, or business will gain a full understanding of the intent and potential impact of your proposed project.

For efficacy please target a proposal length of 15 pages, with supporting information included as appendices.

Please include the following details with your project proposal.

Basic Applicant Information

• Complete and include a signed Proposal Submission Form (see Appendix 1)

Introduction & Overview

• Project Title: (must be clearly descriptive of the project)
• Executive Summary: Please provide a brief summary of the project rationale and objective(s) stating clearly how the project will addresses AIMAP objectives and/or priorities.  The project location should also be included in this section.  (This summary will be published and made available to the public for communication purposes.  Maximum length 1 page.)
• Introduction: Please provide a more detailed description of the project rationale and objectives and how the project clearly meets the goals, objectives and priorities of the Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program. (see section 1, 3 and Appendix 3 of this program guide)
• Stakeholder Engagement: The introduction must include a description of how the project involves producer, processor, industry association, or aboriginal groups or how the project benefits from their support.  Letters of support from key industry stakeholders indicating direct ties to commercial outcomes and how the project will impact the Canadian aquaculture industry should be included as an appendix.

Commercial Justification and Scope of Impact

• Technology Background: Provide a clear and concise overview of the proposed project summarizing the scientific or technical gaps that are to be addressed by the project with reference to additional supporting information, as deemed necessary, in appendices.  This summary must identify how the innovation project will fit the technology needs of the organization and/or aquaculture industry.  For example, this section could identify any product(s) or service(s) that will be produced or improved due to project success.  Supporting documentation may include expert assessments of the proposed innovation, patent searches, literature searches, third party validation of the technical viability and impact of the proposed solution, and/or a comparison of commercially available alternatives.
• Market Background: Provide a clear and concise overview of the proposed project summarizing the market and business opportunities that are to be addressed by the project with reference to additional supporting information, as deemed necessary, in appendices.  This summary must identify how the innovation project will fit the business needs of the organization and/or aquaculture industry.  For example, this section could identify the commercialization potential of project outputs and establish a plan to take them to market. Supporting documentation may include expert assessments of the proposed innovation, business plans, literature searches, third party validation of the market viability and impact of the proposed solution, and/or a support letters from individuals or organizations directly or indirectly impacted by the outcome of the project.

Plan & Performance Management

Provide a description of the work to be completed including an overview of the methodology, protocol, or technical approach proposed.  Please address the availability of equipment and facilities to support the proposed methodology.  Please establish a series of clear milestones linked to each project activity (or phase) and briefly describe the work to be undertaken in each, including:

• the activity objective;
• anticipated scientific/technical challenges;
• procedures or methods to be employed;
• expected duration of the activity;
• indicators of success;
• expertise required; and
• specific performance measures and detailed deliverables.

• Deliverables must include a final project report.
• Deliverables must include a brief communication plan outlining how the benefits and knowledge derived from the project will be communicated to the public.

Project Team

• Project Manager: Clearly identify a project manager, including address and position.
• Project Team & Duties: List all key members of the project team including brief descriptions of their duties within the proposed project. 
• Project Team Experience & Qualifications: In an appendix, list all key members of the project team stating their specific qualifications and experience for the work involved. Please include detailed résumés for each key team member that highlights unique expertise they bring to the project.  If a team member has not yet been specifically identified please provide a statement of qualifications. It is important that the roles of project team members be clearly described in the proposal.

Project Financial Information

• Project Financing (Table 1): List all organizations and individuals making contributions to the project, including a summary of their cash and in-kind contributions.  Include brief organization and partner profile(s) in an appendix.
• Project Budget (Table 2):  Please provide details of each budget item, along with requested and matching funding amounts.  If applicable, provide a separate sheet for each fiscal year being requested.  Please use the attached project budget form (Table 2) and provide a line entry for each major item or category.  Major cost items should be presented as individual line items, and multiple quotes (or if applicable, sole source justification) provided as an appendix. 
• AIMAP Cash Flow (Table 3):  Please provide cash flow projections for the flow of AIMAP funding, providing a separate sheet for each fiscal year being requested.

Key Financial Ratios:

Stacking Limit (Maximum 90% government funding)

• All government cash contributions / total project value

Industry Cash Contribution (Minimum 10%)

• 0.10 x (total project value less any in-kind contributions)

Leverage (Maximum 75% funding from AIMAP)

• AIMAP contribution / total project value

List of Appendices

• Summary and copies of all licenses, permits, environmental assessments, etc. (required)
• Team & People Strategy (required)
• On-going or pending litigation against the company/applicant (required)
• Technology research support (optional / validation letters)
• Market research support (optional / validation letters)
• Stakeholder support letters (optional)

NB: Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant.

Preliminary Screen Checklist

Your AIMAP application must have all of the following in order to proceed to the regional or national evaluation process.  Failure to provide all of the necessary information by the closing date for applications will result in the application being rejected as incomplete.  If you have any questions regarding these requirements, please contact your Regional Aquaculture Coordinator office as early in the application process as possible.

√	Requirement	Application Guide Reference
	The applicant must be eligible.	Section 2
	The applicant must invest a minimum 10% industry cash contribution in the proposed budget.  Greater levels of investment by the applicant are ranked higher.	Section 4
	The proposal must contribute toward the program priorities of Sustainable Production, Diversification or Green Technology in a clearly innovative approach.	Section 3 and Appendix 3
	The proposal must include a clear and concise executive summary outlining the project at the beginning of the proposal.	Proposal Guidelines (p. 9)
	The proposal must be delivered in MS Word format AND in hard copy before the deadline to your regional aquaculture coordinator office (see contact information on page 8).	Proposal Guidelines
	The proposal must disclose any current litigation involving the company in an appendix.  If the organization is not engaged in any litigation, the appendix must state no litigation is pending or in progress.	Proposal Guidelines (p. 11)
	The proposal must document that all regulatory approvals (e.g., license to operate, certificate of approval ensuing from an environmental impact assessment, etc) are in place, or will be by the time the project commences.  A summary of all regulations affecting the project and copies of related approvals must be provided in an appendix.	Section 6

Appendix 1 – AIMAP Forms and Tables

• Proposal Submission Form (Required)
• Table 1. Project Financing (Required)
• Table 2. Project Budget (Required)
• Table 3. AIMAP Cash Flow (Required)

Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP)

Proposal Submission Form – 2012/13 (this form must be completed and signed for the proposal to be eligible)

Table 1 – Project Financing

Instructions for columns:
a) List all organizations or individuals that will be making contributions to this project, including your organization, federal (including AIMAP), provincial, municipal, private sector, foundation, non-government, and aboriginal groups. 
b) Describe what and how much support will be provided (e.g. loan of vessel, seed stock, cash etc.) and, if it is in-kind, how it is to be valued (e.g. if an equivalent welder would charge $35/hr enter: 10hrs@$35/hr).
c) and d) Indicate whether the contribution is cash or in-kind. Proof of all contributions will be requested at a later stage.
e) Enter the total of c) and d) for each line.
f) Indicate whether or not the support (e.g. applications to various foundations) has been confirmed at the time of writing.
g) Indicate the period (month) during which this support will be provided.

Copy and paste into your proposal.

a) Organization / Name	b) Description and valuation of support offered	c) $ Value (Cash)	d) $ Value (In-kind)	e) Total	f) Confirmed? (yes/no)	g) Date to be received?
DFO - AIMAP	Cash contribution				No	April 1, 2012
Deep Bay Mussels	cash				Yes	April 15, 2012
North Island Hatchery Co-op	Seed stock				Yes	May 15, 2012
Fab Tech Welding	Vessel modifications (10 hour@$35/hr)				No	July 15, 2012
[add extra lines as required…]
Total

Note:  You must have a minimum 10% industry cash contribution toward the project.

Table 2 – Project Budget – by Fiscal Year (April 1 to March 31)

[provide a separate sheet for each fiscal year]

Use this table to develop a detailed budget for the project and specify the amount requested from the Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program. Provide detailed descriptions of each expenditure (e.g. technical labour, 3 months@ $2,000/month), how much of the expenditure will come from AIMAP funding and how much will come from non-AIMAP funds.  Provide budget notes (by line #) on a separate sheet to help clarify and explain budget items.

Copy and paste into your proposal.

Line #	Expense category* (see eligible categories below)	Detailed description and valuation based on personnel or equipments rates	Amount requested from AIMAP	Industry Cash	Industry In-kind	(AIMAP + Industry Cash/In-kind)
1	Contract & Professional	Financial audit of project (maximum $2,000 AIMAP contribution, if contribution >$50,000)	$2,000			$2,000.00
2	Human Resources	Ex: Project coordinator, Jane Doe, $100/day for 22 days	$2,200	$4,400	$6,600.00	$13,200.00
3
4
5		Add lines as required
Total:			$4,200.00	$4,400.00	$6,600.00	$15,200.00

*AIMAP only considers these categories: (1) human resource costs, including new or incremental salaries and benefits; (2) contract and professional service costs, including administration, accounting, audit, monitoring, legal or other professional fees; (3) commercial general liability insurance; (4) travel and field operating costs; (5) material and supplies costs; (6) printing and production costs; (7) public communications and distribution costs; (8) infrastructure costs; (9) equipment purchase; and (10) vehicle rental and operation costs.

Costs, other than those herein allowed, are ineligible unless specifically approved in writing by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans at the time of project approval.  For all costs, only those deemed to be a reasonable share for completing the project shall be considered eligible.

Note:  You must have a minimum 10% industry cash contribution toward the project. 

Table 3 – AIMAP Cash Flow Projections

Instructions:

Use this table to indicate desired AIMAP payments.  Please limit AIMAP payment requests to once per quarter.  Please provide a separate table for each fiscal year (April 1 – March 31), if applicable.

Copy and paste into your proposal.

AIMAP cash flow for the _____ fiscal year (April 1 – March 31)

MONTH	AIMAP Amount ($)
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
TOTAL

Appendix 2 – AIMAP Evaluation Form

Your proposal will be evaluated against the following criteria, at both the regional and national levels.  You are strongly encouraged to self-evaluate your proposal prior to your final submission.  You do not need to submit the self-evaluation with your proposal.
Instructions:

• On the basis of the information provided, select one of the four statements (A to D) that you feel best describes the proposal and record your rating in the shaded box below the statements for each Criterion. Use the letters A, B, C or D. 
• If a statement is not fully met but exceeds the preceding statement, you may use an intermediate rating, such as A/B, B/C or C/D.
• An A score does not mean automatic rejection and a D score does not mean automatic acceptance.

Basic Eligibility (All must be met):

Eligible applicant (Sec. 2)
Minimum 10% industry cash (Sec. 4)
Contributes to program goals of Sustainable Production, Green Technology or Diversification (Sec. 3)
Innovative approach (Sec. 3)

1. Commercial Justification

A	The technology and market assessment do not adequately support the claims of opportunity for the innovation.
B	The technology and market assessment do adequately support the claims of opportunity for the innovation itself.
C	The technology and market assessment clearly support the claims of opportunity for the innovation itself.
D	…AND also appended to the proposal is further support for the market and/or technology opportunity (i.e. literature review, market analysis, technology comparables, patent searches, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, gap analysis, business plan, comparables with other commercially available solutions, etc.)

2. Scope of Impact

A	The innovation or project will benefit a single producer only.
B	The innovation or project will benefit the industry on a local basis.
C	The innovation or project will benefit the industry on a regional or provincial basis.
D	The innovation or project will benefit the industry on a national basis.

3. Plan and Performance Management

A	The proposal does not adequately state the problem and objectives, or how they are to be addressed.  Key milestones, deliverables or performance measures are absent.
B	The proposal states the problem and objectives and how they are to be addressed, but key aspects of the methodology or solution remain unclear.  Milestones, deliverables and performance measures exist but they are not clear or are unreasonable.
C	The proposal clearly and concisely states the problem and objectives.  An acceptable implementation methodology or solution is presented.  Milestones, deliverables and performance measures are clear, concise and reasonable.
D	The proposal clearly and concisely states the problem and objectives.  A comprehensive methodology or solution is presented.  Quantifiable performance measures are clear indicators of how the project addresses program objectives.

4. Project Team

A	The team does not possess the necessary skills and expertise in one or more critical areas.  There is a strong chance that the project will not succeed with the proposed team.
B	The team is missing skills and expertise in some areas.  There is a good chance that the team will deliver on time and on budget.
C	The team includes expertise in all the necessary areas to bring the project to a successful conclusion.  The team is very likely to complete the project on time and on budget.
D	…AND the team is recognized as industry leaders or a world-class team, with a long track record of successful project management, including government grants and contributions programs.

5. Budget (refer to Sec. 5 of the application guide)

A	Many planned expenses seem unnecessary, questionable or unreasonably high, and do not contribute directly toward the innovation goals of the project.
B	Some planned expenses seem unnecessary, questionable or unreasonably high, and do not appear to contribute directly toward the innovation goals of the project.
C	All planned expenses seem necessary and reasonable for successful project completion, and contribute directly toward the innovation goals of the project.
D	… AND major cost items are supported by multiple quotes, comparables or a sole source justification.

6.  Industry Cash Contributions (refer to Sec. 4 of the application guide)

A	Industry cash contribution is minimal and is 10 - 15% of total project costs, excluding in-kind contributions.
B	Industry cash contribution is reasonable and is 16- 30% of total project costs, excluding in-kind contributions.
C	Industry cash contribution is substantial and is 31 – 50% of total project costs, excluding in-kind contributions
D	Industry cash contribution is very substantial and is ≥51% of total project costs, excluding in-kind contributions.

7. Leverage (refer to Sec. 4 of application guide)

A	Program contribution is 61 - 75%, resulting in minimal leverage.
B	Program contribution is 51 - 60%, resulting in modest leverage.
C	Program contribution is 26 - 50%, resulting in reasonable leverage.
D	Program contribution is ≤ 25%, resulting in significant leverage.

Appendix 3 - 2012/13 Innovation Priorities⁴

The following priorities have been established based on consultation with provinces, territories and sector stakeholders.  Innovation priorities are used as one of the evaluation criteria during project evaluation.  Those projects most closely aligned with the following priorities will rank higher during the project relevance and general quality assessment stage.  Projects not addressing these priorities will still be accepted, but will need to score higher in other areas of the assessment process in order to remain competitive.  Projects are invited from all eligible applicants: first nations, not-for-profit organizations, aquaculture producers, non-governmental organizations and aquaculture product processors.

Note: priorities are not presented in rank order

Sustainable Production
New technologies or practices focused on: Improving production systems - spat supply, hatchery, nursery, grow-out, alternate grow-out systems (such as closed containment or high energy environments) and predator/pest control Increasing operational efficiency Value-added production (primary product through to waste/by-products) Improving industry health management tools (including pest management) and biosecurity Improved quality (all-female/triploid stocks) and supply of progeny Invasive species control or mitigation Feed (or ingredient) development resulting in increased performance
Green Technology
New technologies or practices focused on: Increasing environmental performance Alternate energy use or improving energy efficiency Waste control, reduction or mitigation Discharge or effluent treatment Water conservation Feed related strategies resulting in increased environmental performance
Species Diversification
East Coast	West Coast
Atlantic Halibut Atlantic Cod Bay Scallops Giant Scallops Soft-shell Clams	Sablefish (Black Cod) Geoducks Mussels Scallops
Freshwater
Arctic Charr Sturgeon Walleye Perch

---

Your Regional Aquaculture Coordination offices (RACO) can assist you in the application process.