Frequently asked questions about the Build in Canada Innovation Program

Learn how to submit a proposal to the Build in Canada Innovation Program.

Yes, as long as the innovations are completely different from each other. If a business has multiple innovations, they can submit a unique proposal for each innovation, but only one proposal can be submitted per innovation.

Yes, as long as they are for different innovations. Only one proposal can be submitted per innovation.

No, website references will not be reviewed in the evaluation of your proposal.

No, support letters from a testing department are not required and will not be evaluated. However, bidders can propose a testing department and provide contact information within the proposal submission form. If an innovation is pre-qualified, this information will be used to look for a testing organization within the federal government.

All bidders may submit a proposal, and efforts will be made to find a testing department for pre-qualified innovations. While the Call for Proposals covers a broad range of goods and services, there may be proposed innovations for which a testing department match will not exist.

No, a signature is not required at the proposal submission stage.

No, bidders must submit their applications on their own behalf. However, a consultant can help the bidder fill out the submission form.

Costs incurred to prepare or submit a proposal are the sole responsibility of the bidder and will not be reimbursed. This is in accordance with Archived—Article 15 of the Standard Instructions for Goods and Services, found in the Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions Manual.

No, potential testing departments should not help bidders fill out or submit their applications.

Innovations that are pre-qualified are not guaranteed a contract. Pre-qualification means the innovation is eligible for a contract, which is conditional upon matching the innovation with a testing department, subsequent contract negotiations and the availability of funding. Refer to the latest Call for Proposals for complete information about eligibility for contract award. You will find it under Solicitation Documents on the current tender notice webpage.

Yes, the innovation is still eligible for the BCIP, as long as the bidder has ownership or rights to the Intellectual Property.

Funding previously received by other programs does not impact the level of funding provided by the BCIP.

No, if an innovation is readily available in the marketplace, it would no longer be considered pre-commercial. Consult the technology readiness levels to learn more.

Yes, it is possible to join with other companies that could assume responsibility for commercialization. This should be explicitly stated in the proposal submission and there should be clear understanding and agreement regarding the Intellectual Property strategy.

Yes, if the innovation has not yet been commercialized and still meets all other program requirements.

An international entity must partner with a Canadian bidder to be eligible for the program. In addition, the proposed innovation must meet the Canadian content requirements. Refer to the latest Call for Proposals for more information about Canadian content. You will find it under Solicitation Documents on the current tender notice webpage.

To be considered a Canadian bidder, an organization must have a place of business in Canada where it conducts activities on a permanent basis that is clearly identified by name and accessible during normal working hours.

The bidder must certify that 80% of the total proposed price consists of Canadian goods and Canadian services. This is in accordance with the Canadian Content Certification and the definition of Canadian content in the Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual.

For more information, you may reference the PSPC Supply Manual, 3.6 Annex: Canadian Content Policy. If the innovation does not meet these requirements at the time of bid submission it is not eligible for the BCIP. Intellectual Property does not factor in to the determination of Canadian content.

Yes, an innovator can start commercialization after submitting a proposal.

The concept of commercialization refers to mass commercialization following an official launch into the marketplace. There can be a small, limited number of sales for Research & Development purposes as per the definition of Pre-Commercial Innovation.

The proposal will be viewed by the evaluating team for the sole purposes of evaluation. Sections of the proposal may also be shared to support the program's efforts to match a pre-qualified innovation with a department or for government communications such as press releases.

The bidder retains all rights to Intellectual Property under the BCIP.

Although the Government of Canada purchases the innovation and will own it at the end of the contract, the company retains ownership of its Intellectual Property.

The Government of Canada would purchase a license to use the software.

No, the BCIP will only pay for costs associated with purchasing and testing the innovation. All costs will be in accordance with Contract Cost Principles (1031-2), found in the Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions Manual.

The total cost of the innovation for testing purposes is determined by the sum of the applicable direct and indirect costs reasonably and properly incurred in the performance of the contract, less any applicable credits. These costs must be determined in accordance with the contractor's cost accounting practices as accepted by Canada and applied consistently over the duration of the project.

Yes, bidders can submit an element of general research and development expenses as part of their overhead costs as considered applicable by Canada, minus any tax credits. What is considered fair and reasonable will be part of the negotiation and price support that will be evaluated should the proposal be successful.

Yes, travel and living costs for training and support at the testing department site during the testing period can be included in the financial proposal cost. Refer to the latest Call for Proposals for more information about costs. You will find it under Solicitation Documents on the current tender notice webpage.

Yes.

No, the money paid under a contract is not associated with a tax credit. If a bidder exceeds the financial limit by investing its own money in research and development activities, then the money it invests itself may be eligible for tax credits as determined by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Any direct costs associated with the BCIP test should be included in the electronic Proposal Submission Form PR 8.2 (a) Financial Proposal Cost Breakdown, and contractors will be paid in accordance with the negotiated contract fee schedule. Reference Call 007 tender notice, section 3.3 - Financial Proposal.

Yes.

Yes, the bidder can submit another proposal later, but it must be for a different innovation.

Both companies could potentially receive a contract. Proposals are evaluated against goods and services currently available on the market, not against other innovations submitted to the BCIP.

Yes, bidders will receive their final scores and evaluation comments.

The length of time needed to find a testing department and award a contract can vary. It depends on, for example, the complexities of the innovation and test plan, the number of uses within the federal government and departmental approvals. If suppliers identify a potential testing department this may assist in accelerating the matching process.

In general, the anticipated timelines for the process include approximately 2 to 3 months from proposal submission to receipt of results, approximately 2 to 3 months for the matching process and SOW development, and approximately 2 to 3 months for contract negotiation. In the event a complex innovation is proposed, if there are security clearance requirements, or if the testing requires third parties (i.e. subcontractors) the process to award will likely exceed the approximate timelines mentioned above. In addition, at certain times of the year the timelines may be impacted by the volume of submissions; and PSPC continues to assess the timelines based on the new continuous intake approach in effect for Call 006.

The testing department will provide feedback to the innovator if the innovation does not perform as intended.

Potential testing departments are identified in Schedule I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act, and PSPC facilitates the matching of pre-qualified bidders with a testing department. The bidder is given an opportunity in the proposal to identify a potential testing department, or describe the setting that would be best suited to host the test.

Bidders can reach out to departments once they understand how the BCIP works and are fairly confident that their innovation would be a match for the department. Whether the bidder attempts to find a testing partner before or after the innovation is pre-qualified is their choice.

Only federal departments that are listed in Schedule I, Schedule I.1 or Schedule II of the Financial Administration Act are eligible to be a testing partner.

Here are some tips when reaching out to departmental representatives:

• approach them in a friendly, respectful and nonintrusive way
• when presenting your innovation, judge their interest level in testing provided it is or becomes pre-qualified under the BCIP
• direct them to information on why departments participate in the Build in Canada Innovation Program
• speak honestly about the status of your application. If you have not yet submitted an application, please say so. If, on the other hand, your innovation has been pre-qualified, do not say that you have been awarded a legal contract

All bidders may submit a proposal and efforts will be made to find a testing department for pre-qualified innovations. While the Call for Proposals covers a broad range of goods and services, there may be proposed innovations for which a testing department match will not exist.

Bidders can specify in their test plan that one or more units of the innovation can be tested in multiple locations or environments. Only one proposal per innovation can be submitted.

Testing departments are not involved in the proposal evaluations. Reference Call 007 tender notice, section 5.2.1 – Testing Department Match.

Provincial and municipal departments may only participate in partnership with a valid testing department, as long as the lead remains the valid testing department and the partnership falls within the mandate of the valid testing department.

For military component proposals not supported through the Defence Validation Committee (DVC), BCIP will seek a testing department match with other government organizations using the same matching process as that used for the standard component proposals. Reference Call 007 tender notice, section 5.2.1 – Testing Department Match.

Innovators can submit a proposal as soon as their innovations are ready to be tested. The program is now better positioned to fit in with a business' "go-to-market" strategy timeline.

After the bidder has received the results of the proposal evaluation advising that their innovation has not been pre-qualified, a proposal can be re-submitted if the innovation still meets the requirements of the program.

Innovators must now earn 18 out of a possible 35 available points when evaluated against the point-rated criteria. Innovations that achieve this minimum pass mark will be pre-qualified and become eligible for a test department match.

Previously, innovators could not sell more units of their innovation beyond the quantities procured under the original BCIP contract.

Now, innovators will have the opportunity for additional sales of their innovation under the following two scenarios:

• if the original federal testing organization expresses an interest in obtaining more units of the innovation for further testing, and/or
• if other federal organizations express an interest in obtaining specified quantities of the innovation for testing

Yes, additional sales will be limited to a two-year period from the date of the initial BCIP contract award, and will also be limited to quantities needed for further testing in different operational environments or applications.

If the current testing partner or another federal organization wants to buy more of an innovative good or service for further testing, innovators should direct this request to the BCIP which will provide further guidance. Although the BCIP pays for the initial testing of the innovation, additional sales will be fully funded by the interested organization with contracting performed by Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Yes, innovators who received a contract under BCIP Call for Proposal 4 onwards will be eligible for further testing for up to two years from the date of their initial contract except in cases where the initial contract was received after July 31, 2015.

No, the option of additional sales for further testing is not available for innovations that pre-qualified under the CICP pilot program.

Yes, an innovator can start commercialization after submitting a proposal.