Request for External Reviewers
National Specific Populations HIV/AIDS Initiatives Fund

The HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division (HIV/AIDS Division), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), is seeking nominations for qualified individuals to participate in the process of reviewing applications for funding under the National Specific Populations HIV/AIDS Initiatives Fund.

As part of the application review, selection and approval process for each Invitation to Submit an Application (ISA), the HIV/AIDS Division is committed to seeking funding recommendations from a review committee which consists of external reviewers with experience/expertise related to HIV/AIDS and the specific nature of the National Specific Populations Fund.

The mandate of the external review committee is to review project applications based on established review criteria identified in the ISA of the National Specific Populations Fund and to provide funding recommendations to the HIV/AIDS Division of PHAC.

Reviewers must meet a combination of the following requirements to engage in the External Application Review Process:

• Knowledge of and/or experience with HIV/AIDS program development, implementation, and evaluation;
• Knowledge of and/or experience with national or community-based health programming;
• Knowledge of and/or experience with specific populations most affected by HIV/AIDS and most vulnerable to infection;
• Knowledge of and/or experience with Community-based Social Marketing;
• Knowledge of not-for-profit organizations, health care, social service, education authorities and Canadian professional organizations;
• Knowledge of and/or experience with HIV/AIDS in Canada;
• Knowledge of responses to the Canadian HIV/AIDS epidemic;
• Experience with application review at the regional and/or national level;
• Willingness to keep proceedings and recommendations confidential;
• Willingness to commit to reviewing proposals over a two-week span;
• Willingness to commit to an overall review of applications with all reviewers at a 2 to 3-day face-to-face meeting; and
• Bilingual (not essential, but preferred).

Reviewers will be required to familiarize themselves with the following documents prior to review: The Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, Leading Together: Canada Takes Action on HIV/AIDS (2005-2010), and The National Specific Populations HIV/AIDS Initiatives Fund Invitation to Submit an Application (ISA), Guide for Applicants and Application Form, which will be provided. Based on the reviewers’ knowledge of these documents and their expertise, reviewers will be required to complete written an  in-depth assessment of each application.

The total time commitment to participate in an external review process generally includes 2 weeks for meeting preparation (including a review of the committee's terms of reference and conflict of interest guidelines and completion of written assessments), participation in a two- or three-day meeting, and teleconference follow-up calls if required. The External Review Process is scheduled for April/May 2009.

All external reviewers selected to participate on the external review committee will be asked to adhere to the specific terms of reference established for the committee. All external review committee members must also comply with the PHAC conflict of interest and confidentiality guidelines. Individuals can self-nominate or be nominated by an organization to be an external reviewer. A nomination must include an up-to-date résumé with references and a brief letter containing a description of the skills and knowledge that the nominee will bring to the review process. Specific issues that should be addressed in the letter include the above requirements including the following:

• knowledge of the Canadian HIV/AIDS epidemic;
• experience with HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and/or support initiatives;
• previous experience in funding review processes; and
• language capabilities (English and French)

Please note that people living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to apply.

Nominations for reviewers will be accepted by the HIV/AIDS Division until March 27, 2009.

Please submit all nominations to:

Sonia Hamel, Senior Program Consultant
Public Health Agency of Canada
Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control
HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division
A.L. 0601A, LCDC Building
100 Eglantine Driveway, Tunney’s Pasture Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613-946-3569
Facsimile: 613-941-2399
E-mail:Sonia_Hamel@phac-aspc.gc.ca