October 1^st, 2012

Today, The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced Business Attraction support for Kitchener-Waterloo based Desire2Learn Incorporated.

We are always highly supportive of bringing companies such as Desire2Learn to Newfoundland and Labrador, adding expertise and capacity to the sector.  As the newest members of NATI we look forward to working with Desire2Learn and how their experience can add to the best practices in NL.

NATI supports the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador`s plan for investing in business attraction opportunities with established companies such as Desire2Learn.  World class firms with a proven track record and long term stable funding are sought after by competing jurisdictions.

Desire2Learn`s decision to locate operations in our province is a clear indication that technology firms competing globally see value in our sector.  These types of firms will add significant expertise and capacity in addition to full time permanent well-paying jobs, including much needed experience for new graduates.

The technology sector in NL is strong and growing, currently at over $1.6 billion in revenues, contributing over 6% of the provincial economy, and employing over 3800 full time employees.  It has never been more important than now to ensure we have an environment in place for the growth of technology in NL.  We are seeing not only great innovation, which has always been here, but much more of an economic and social impact driven by technology and the knowledge based industry.

NATI looks forward to continuing to work with our membership and our public/private partnerships as we accelerate the growth of the advanced technology sector in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Gerard Duggan

Chair, Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Technology Industries

Join the Atlantic Canadian delegation and discover business opportunities in San Francisco at the Game Developer's Conference (GDC). Under the International Business Development Agreement (IBDA), NATI is recruiting Atlantic Canadian companies to participate in the pan-Atlantic business mission to San Francisco during the world's largest conference, exhibit and business to business meeting event for the gaming industry: GDC 2013.

 As a participant of the delegation, companies will be provided with:

•  Access to dedicated meeting space and the online meeting scheduler application.
• Full access to the GDC Conference and Exhibit Hall (This includes access to all keynotes, educational sessions, networking events for one company representative).
• An in-market consultant to assist companies in arranging business to business meetings, and to ensure participating companies get the most out of GDC 2013.
• Entry into several Canada events including:
  • Access to the Canada Business Lounge
  • Invitations to the Canadian Reception and networking events
  • VC pitch/mentoring session with the C100 (in partnership with DFAIT)
  • Other VIP events and networking opportunities surrounding the conference.    

The participation fee is $1,000 per company. Participants are responsible for all travel costs, including round trip airfare, accommodation and meals.

To apply to participate in this mission, please fill out the participant profile form and return it to:

Natasha Hudson, Business Development Coordinator, NATI

ph: 709-757-3253

e: natasha@nati.net

 The deadline to apply is November 30^th, 2012.

What Is the IBDA?

The Canada-Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development strives to help Atlantic Canadian entities enter, explore and succeed in international markets. The IBDA is the leading component of a pan-Atlantic effort to foster economic relations, attract foreign investment and nurture technological co-operation, to feature the benefits of doing business with Atlantic Canada.

The Canada-Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA) strives to increase international business activities in Atlantic Canada by funding projects designed to help small and medium-sized companies explore, enter and succeed in international markets. The funding of the Agreement is cost-shared between the federal government (70%) and the four Atlantic provincial governments (30%).

The IBDA helps Atlantic Canada's companies explore markets near and far and successfully compete in the demanding global marketplace, which helps create a sustainable economy for the region.

Through the IBDA, the federal and Atlantic provincial governments have built a successful partnership that enables the Atlantic region to pool resources and move forward with a coordinated, strategic approach. This collaboration helps Atlantic Canadian businesses benefit from a wide variety of activities aimed at expanding international business opportunities.

GDC 2013 - Game Developer's Conference, March 25 - 29^th, 2013, San Francisco USA

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the world's largest professionals-only game industry event. Presented every spring in San Francisco, GDC is the essential forum for learning, inspiration, and networking for the creators of computer, console, handheld, mobile, and online games.

GDC annually attracts over 19,000 attendees, and is the primary forum where programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision-makers and others involved in the development of interactive games gather to exchange ideas and shape the future of the industry.

GDC features more than 400 lectures, panels, tutorials and roundtable discussions covering all aspects of the game business. The week-long event also features the GDC Expo and Career Pavilion, GDC Tutorials and Summits, the Game Career Seminar, the Independent Games Festival (IGF), and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

http://www.gdconf.com

As a member of the Atlantic Canada Bio-Industries Alliance (ACBA), NATI supports the upcoming 11^th Annual BioPartnering North America Conference, taking place February 24 - 26, 2012 in Vancouver, BC.

BioPartnering North America (BPN) is the only global life science conference in Canada. In 2012 the conference welcomed over 680 delegates from 422 companies, from 28 countries, making it a truly international event. BPN offers a heavy focus on business to business meetings; the 2012 conference saw 1875 meetings scheduled through the online biopartnering.com scheduling portal.

For more information about the conference, please contact Natasha Hudson, NATI Business Development Coordinator, at natasha@nati.net, 709-757-3253.

Thank you for making 2012 such a successful year for the technology sector in NL.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and much success in the New Year.

NATI'S 2012 IN REVIEW

The advanced technology sector in NL employs 3700 people in 170 companies, and produces revenues of $1.6B, representing 6% of the provincial GDP.

2012 has been a busy year here at NATI! Through our working partnerships with OceansAdvance, The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, The St. John's Board of Trade, The International Business Development Agreement ICT  group (IBDA), and the Association of Canadian Information Technology Professionals (CIPS), we continue to accelerate the business of technology.

This year NATI led two pan-Atlantic trade missions: The first to Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, the second toFuturecom in Brazil. NATI also represented the technology sector of NL at BIO Boston, the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), the South Eastern United States-Canadian Provinces (SEUSS-CP) Alliance Conference, and Oceans 2012.

In March NATI hosted its annual industry conference, Solutions Summit 2012. An outstanding line up of speakers and an engaged audience of representatives from private sector, public sector, and students, made for an excellent event. 

NATI also chaired the committee responsible for the 2012 CIPS Women in Technology (WIT) conference. WIT 2012 was the biggest yet, with almost 400 girls in attendance and a Corner Brook location was added for the first time.

NATI serves as provincial ambassador for Startup Canada, and led the NL Startup tour in July. This included town hall sessions with local entrepreneurs, workshops with entrepreneurial minded students, and meetings with members of the entrepreneurial support community. The NATI Summer Barbecue kicked off the tour, and was a huge success with over 250 people in attendance.

This year NATI also brought in experts on topics such as proposal writing, business development in the tech sector, and mentorship, to work with member companies in these areas.

NATI's Business Development Coordinator, Natasha Hudson, was selected from a pool of over 70 applicants to participate in theTechWomen Canada program in Silicon Valley. Upon her return from the program she launched TechWomen NL, a working group for professional females in the tech sector.

NATI also hosted its annual Bio Partnering event, and is coordinating the NL portion of the Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada. 

NATI worked to better engage with the students of the province. Students were invited to attend the Solutions Summit conference, NATI spoke to career development classes, and partnerships were formed with several student groups including SIFE, MUNTech, and NL WebDevs.

NATI partners with ACOA to execute the Export Program and the Internship Program. NATI's Internship Program is the only of its kind in the province, and supports local companies in hiring recent post-secondary graduates to grow export activities.

NATI has worked hard to ensure that as the voice of the NL technology sector it has been heard loud and clear in 2012 through social media, a constantly updated website and events calendar, and weekly newsletter. NATI represents the province's technology sector at outside events, and sits on various committees and boards to give the industry a voice where it needs one. NATI staff volunteer with the IBDA ICT committee, the NL Business Coalition, the St. John's Board of Trade, CIPS, Startup Canada, and the Innovation Council. Additionally, Natasha Hudson was recently selected as a member of the international advisory council for Canadian Women in Technology (CanWIT), extending NATI's reach to an international level.

At the Annual General Meeting in May a new Board of Directors was elected. NATI was thrilled to welcome June Turpin, Mandy Woodland, and Terry Hussy to the Board. These new directors joined Gerard Duggan, Geoff Davis, Suzanne Kenney, Weston Raske, and Chris Spurvey to form the 2012-2013 Board of Directors.

The NATI Board has enhanced its engagement with Provincial Government stakeholders. This included working with the Department of Innovation, Business, and Rural Development to ensure NATI had input in strategic planning consultation for economic development in the technology sector, and working with OCIO to help inform the mandate and support for industry development. The Board has also led the creation of a communications strategy and media management process with help from Cape Consulting. Additionally, the Board has drafted an initial framework for a more formal Post- Secondary engagement initiative.

Going forward the NATI Board will be working towards an improved membership value strategy and membership recruiting, board member recruiting, closing out 2012 fiscal year and lending support to the Knowledge Summit scheduled for March 2103.

It has been an incredibly successful year for NATI and for the technology industry as a whole. A special thank you goes out to all of our members, partners, and our Board of Directors for their continued commitment to ensuring the success of the sector.

We look forward to working with you all again in 2013, NATI's 25th Anniversary year and what is sure to be another excellent year for the technology sector in Newfoundland and Labrador! 

Halifax, Canada welcomes the 4th BioMarine Business Convention from September 9 - 12, 2013. This unique four-day international business convention is co-organized by BioTopics SAS and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). Dedicated to marine bio resources, marine ingredients, aquafeed and aquaculture, macro and micro algae, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, marine biotechnology for health and environment, bio materials, biofuels, renewable marine energies (tidal and offshore wind), green shipping, ports and environmentals, spatial planning, law of the sea, the BioMarine Business Convention brings together international participants from business, science and civil society communities to discover and share innovative solutions for advancing sustainable ocean development.

Click here for more.

LOOKNorth is soliciting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from small and medium sized
enterprises (SMEs) based in Canada which have developed remote sensing and other
monitoring technologies that can provide significant positive impacts for the
sustainable development of Canada's Northern, offshore, and oil sands resources.

CLICK HERE for full EOI document [PDF]

NATI's annual Industry Conference brings together the leaders of the local advanced technology sector. At the Knowledge Summit the key players and decision makers of the provinces technology community gather to learn from experts and share ideas.

This year's conference focuses on Embracing a Global Vision. Join us at NATI's Knowledge Summit and learn how your company can compete to win in a global economy.

Visit the conference website, www.knowledgesummit.ca, for more information on speakers, sponsorship, and to register today!

Technology is shaping the future of business. Technology has changed the way we do business, and evolved our local market into a global marketplace. Understanding this change is your key to success in the global business economy.

To compete in today's business world you need to operate with a global vision. That's what NATI's Knowledge Summit is all about. It's where you'll learn how to use technology to reach global markets. It's where you'll see why continued investment in new technology and skills is crucial. It's where expert speakers will deliver insightful talks on how and why you need to embrace a global vision.

The Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development is inviting expressions of interest to participate in multi-sector trade development missions to Ireland and the United Kingdom in early Spring 2013 (TBC). These missions will be planned over a two week period, offering the opportunity for interested companies to travel to both regions.
The mission program features matchmaking services with an in-market consultant prior to the mission and on-the-ground support during the mission as well as networking opportunities with key industry contacts in the market.

Contact: Tonya Norman, (709) 729-3641

NAVALSHORE Marintech South America 2013

Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Expo and Conference

Sulamerica Convention Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

August 13-15, 2013

NATI invites expressions of interest from eligible NL companies to participate in the upcoming mission to Navalshore 2013 Expo and Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 13 - 15, 2013*. 

Navalshore is the strategic event for the maritime value chain in Brazil and provides opportunities for companies to drive new revenue with a highly qualified audience.

Navalshore 2012 attracted more than 16,000 highly qualified professional visitors, five international pavilions and business opportunities presented by 350 Brazilian and international exhibitors from 17 different territories, as well as professionals who came in from more than 40 countries.  Navalshore 2012 attracted more than 40 shipyards and participation from 86% of Brazil's most important shipyards, representing 10 different Brazilian states.

Navalshore 2013 also offers a technical workshops' series, Workboat South America Conference and Brazilian Shipyard Pavilion. The Technical Workshop Series features presentations from industry-leading experts on essential topics targeting the continual improvement of management and production strategies for shipyards and ship owners. The WorkBoat South America conference will present case studies and market perspectives for the workboat and support vessel industry. Finally, the Brazilian Shipyard Pavilion will be supported from the top two industry associations Abenav and Sinaval. 

Eligible NL firms will be offered graduated levels of participation based on their requirements.

The base project will offer booth space on the exhibition floor and access to the conference. 

Additional add-on services include an in-market consultant to assist with arranging meetings during the conference, and eligible companies may also apply to avail of longer term after care support from an in-market consultant, for up to 6 months after the conference. This after care will be designed to capitalize on the opportunities identified during attendance at Navalshore, and beyond.

To indicate interest in this proposed initiative, please contact Natasha Hudson, Business Development Executive at NATI, by March 22, 2013.

Natasha Hudson

Business Development Executive

p:709.757.3253

e: natasha@nati.net

www.nati.net

We are recruiting Canadian women rock stars in tech who are founders, Venture Capitalists or leaders of technology associations in Canada!

The TechWomen Canada program aims to connect and support Canadian women in the technology space to their peers in Silicon Valley.  This outreach initiative will expose the Canadian women to the high growth and impact culture of the Valley which they can use to enhance the growth of their technology companies. This four day program will take place in Silicon Valley, May 13^th - May 16^th.  

The Canadian women will be paired with mentors from Silicon Valley giants like Google, Facebook, IDEO, HP, LinkedIn, and Apple.  The mentorship will continue online for a period of up to two months. The program includes professional and business development opportunities with local industry experts/investors/strategic partners through networking events.

CLICK HERE for more information on the program, criterion and the link to apply.  The application process is highly competitive and the deadline to apply is April 5^th.  

NATI is now accepting nominations for Directors at Large to serve on the Board of Directors. Nominations will be accepted until Wednesday, May 8th 2013. 

CLICK HERE for nomination form, or contact brittany@nati.net to receive a copy.

Elections for the 2013-2014 Board of Directors will also take place at Annual General Meeting on Wednesday May 29th 2013. More detail on AGM to follow.

NATI Message from the Chair, April 19th, 2013

Hello NATI Members,

During the course of our 2012 - 2013 fiscal year the Board has been working on broadening the membership ranks and looking for ways to get more involvement from companies within our region that have a vested interest in Information Technology and related human capital.  As part of that process we reviewed the current criteria for membership and discovered that the descriptions in the current NATI Constitution (Updated April 2011) were vague and needed updating.  Upon a further review it was also determined that a number of other issues were not in alignment with NATI priorities, needed clarity or were no longer applicable.  The Board undertook a process to address and update the Constitution document and will be putting it to the membership for approval at the AGM in May of this year.

An unfortunate implication of the constitutional review was that two current Board members, Ms. Suzanne Kenny, Vice Chair (Johnson Insurance) and Ms. Mandy Woodland (Cox and Palmer) actually fell outside the documented criteria, even though both had been appropriately elected according to the prescribed processes.  As a result, the Board made and passed a motion to appoint both Ms. Kenny and Ms. Woodland as ex-officio Board members to the end of the current term in May of this year.  This ensures that their expertise and efforts are leveraged, especially in light of some of the work the Board is currently undertaking.  Having both of these individuals continued participation up to this point has been invaluable in furthering the interests of our membership and I am sincerely appreciative of their commitment and professionalism.

A further implication was that the Vice Chair role became vacant due to Ms Kenny's ex-officio status.  In order to ensure compliance with the existing NATI Constitution, the Board made and passed a motion to appoint Mr. Chris Survey as Vice Chair to fill the vacant position. The Board is also confident that Mr. Spurvey will make an excellent Chair of NATI as of the AGM in May and I look forward to working with him, the current Board and the new elected Board members that come forward in May as I move to Past Chair.

A revised NATI Constitution will be circulated for your review at least thirty (30) days prior to the NATI AGM scheduled for May 29^th, 2013.  The Board is recommending changes so that the Association has the ability to better serve the membership.

NATI has been working hard advocating for the creation of an environment in Newfoundland and Labrador that is conducive to the attraction and retention of skilled knowledge workers, ensuring there is an improved participation rate for the Technology industries in Non Renewable Resource initiatives and in lobbying Government decision makers for technology strategies aimed and creating a long term plan for our sector.  In addition, the staff has been driving programs that assist our members with various areas of support including, business development, exporting and networking opportunities.

Kindest Regards,

Gerard Duggan, Chair, NATI

Click here to open PDF of this message

Hello NATI Members,

During the course of our 2012 - 2013 fiscal year the Board has been working on broadening the membership ranks and looking for ways to get more involvement from companies that have a vested interest in Technology and related human capital.  As part of that process we reviewed the current criteria for membership and discovered that the descriptions in the current NATI Constitution (Updated April 2011) were vague and needed updating.  Upon further review it was also determined that a number of other issues were not in alignment with NATI priorities, needed clarity or were no longer applicable.  The Board undertook a process to address and update the Constitution document and will be putting it to the membership for approval at the AGM in May of this year. 

The Board is recommending changes so that the Association has the ability to better serve the membership. This will be the 14^th change or update in our 25 year history, a clear indication that  we are evolving at a pace complimentary to that of the sector. A Summary of key changes is attached, along with the new version of the Constitution.  Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or wish for any clarification.  NATI will vote to accept the changes at the AGM on May 29^th.  I look forward to seeing many of you there.

In addition, I would like to thank those who have been nominated for the Board elections on May 29^th and encourage those of you still considering standing for election to do so.

NATI has been working hard advocating for the creation of an environment in Newfoundland and Labrador that is conducive to the attraction and retention of skilled knowledge workers, ensuring there is an improved participation rate for the Technology industries in Non Renewable Resource initiatives and in lobbying Government decision makers for technology and innovation strategies aimed at creating a long term plan for our sector.  In addition, NATI has been driving programs for members in various areas of support including, business development, exporting and networking opportunities.

Kindest Regards,

Gerard Duggan

Chair, NATI

CLICK HERE for summary of key changes

CLICK HERE for new version of constitution

NAVALSHORE Marintech South America 2013

Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Expo and Conference

Sulamerica Convention Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

August 13-15, 2013

NATI, in partnership with ACOA & IBRD, invites eligible NL companies to participate in the upcoming mission to Navalshore 2013 Expo and Conference, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 13 - 15, 2013*. 

Navalshore is the strategic event for the maritime value chain in Brazil and provides opportunities for companies to drive new revenue with a highly qualified audience.

Navalshore 2012 attracted more than 16,000 highly qualified professional visitors, five international pavilions and business opportunities presented by 350 Brazilian and international exhibitors from 17 different territories, as well as professionals who came in from more than 40 countries.  Navalshore 2012 attracted more than 40 shipyards and participation from 86% of Brazil's most important shipyards, representing 10 different Brazilian states.

Navalshore 2013 also offers a technical workshops' series, Workboat South America Conference and Brazilian Shipyard Pavilion. The Technical Workshop Series features presentations from industry-leading experts on essential topics targeting the continual improvement of management and production strategies for shipyards and ship owners. TheWorkBoat South America conference will present case studies and market perspectives for the workboat and support vessel industry. Finally, the Brazilian Shipyard Pavilion will be supported from the top two industry associations Abenav and Sinaval. 

Eligible NL firms are offered 2 levels of participation based on their requirements. Delegate services include an in-market consultant to assist with arranging meetings during the conference, and eligible companies may also apply for longer term after care support from the in-market consultant, for up to 6 months after the conference. This after care will be designed to capitalize on the opportunities identified during attendance at Navalshore, and beyond.

As a participant of the delegation, companies will receive:

• 1 shared booth & dedicated meeting space at the Navalshore Conference & Exhibition for the exclusive use of the NL delegation.
• Full access passes for the Conference and Exhibition.
• Access to the pre-conference briefing session, held in partnership with the Canadian Consulate, in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, August 12^th, 2013.
• Access to an evening networking reception with the Consul General and invited guests.
• An in-market consultant will be provided to assist companies in arranging their business to business meetings, and to provide translation services.
• Assistance with the visa process and host hotel booking.
• Transportation to and from the conference site and the host hotel.

The registration fee for your participation is $1000 per company for delegate participation and matchmaker services for the conference. Registration fees for those companies interested in the extended aftercare services will pay $1250.00. 

Participants are responsible for the cost of round trip airfare, accommodation and meals.

To register for this initiative, please contact Natasha Hudson, Business Development Executive at NATI, by Friday, May 31^st, 2013.

Natasha Hudson

Business Development Executive

p: 709.757.3253

e: natasha@nati.net

NATI is hosting its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday May 29th 2013. Click here to register to attend the AGM.

An election will be held at the AGM to fill five (5) vacant director positions, each holding a two (2) year term, on the NATI Board of Directors.

The nomination process is now closed, and a total of eleven (11) nominations have been submitted. The following is a list of candidates running for director positions on the NATI Board. Click the name of any nominee to read his/her statement of interest in joining NATI's Board of Directors.

Geoff Davis

Chris Dillon

Brad Dobbin

Vincent Estick

Jude Hall

Suzanne Kenny

Scott Oldford

Ajay Pande

Shawn Ryan

David Steele

Mandy Woodland

All NATI members in good standing may have one vote at the Annual General Meeting. Those unable to attend the AGM can vote by proxy; CLICK HERE for a proxy ballott. 

UKTI Canada is excited to announce the launch of its second annual Global Adventure competition, a unique opportunity for dynamic and innovative technology companies to win a VIP package to the UK. Winners are awarded a complementary flight and two days accommodation, will receive advice & mentoring from specialists who've helped hundreds of Canadian businesses go global, opprotunity to meet and network with  world-class companies, investors and incubators, and will visit leading technology clusters including Tech City, Europe's most vibrant innovation hub.

For details on how to enter the competition, visit: www.ukti.gov.uk/competition

NATI, in partnership with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, will lead a provincial mission to Navalshore 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 13th to 15th, 2013.

This initiative will consist of three (3) days of scheduled business-to-business meetings, with optional follow up after care services for participating companies.

NATI is currently seeking proposals for the provision of consulting/matchmaking services. For complete RFP document please click here.

NATI Member Bluedrop Performance Learning was featured at the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI) for their work in addressing challenges in workforce development. Bluedrop, with project partners Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and Thunderbird School of Global Management are working to create an online entrepreneurship program for women. The program will be created and deployed on Bluedrop's CoursePark eLearning platform. Congratulations Bluedrop! 

CLICK HERE for full press release.

Emad Rizkalla, Founder and CEO of Bluedrop Performance Learning, on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative America.

The Government of Canada is seeking proposals in support of the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) Call for Proposals, for innovative science and technology (S&T) projects.

As of May 2014, up to $15 million will be available for new projects under the CSSP. The submission period for proposals will be from June 20th, 2013 and will close on July 18th, 2013. The selected projects will be announced by February 2014.

"This program brings together the best minds from the science and technology domains to support Canada's public safety and national security priorities," said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. "It helps strengthen Canada's ability to mitigate the impact from such things as acts of terrorism, crime and natural disasters."

"Investing in science and technology is important for ensuring public safety and security," said the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety. "The Canadian Safety and Security Program strengthens our preparedness and ability to respond to threats. Research that helps us to mitigate the effects of all types of incidents or disasters is of great value in building resilient communities."

This competitive call for proposals is part of the CSSP investment that ensures Canadians and their institutions have a greater resilience to global and domestic public safety and security threats, which may include common security and defence requirements. The call for proposals process is administered by Public Works and Government Services Canada, on behalf of Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). Interested bidders should consult the CSSP information available on the DRDC website at: http://www.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/drdc/en/centres/drdc-css-rddc-css/canadian-safety-and-security-program/proposals-propositions/.

DRDC is the national leader in defence and security S&T. As an agency of Canada's Department of National Defence (DND), DRDC provides DND, the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments as well as the public safety and national security communities with the knowledge and technologies needed to defend and protect Canada's interests at home and abroad.

Backgrounder:

The Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) is a federally-funded program. The program's mandate is to strengthen Canada's ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, serious accidents, crime and terrorism through the convergence of science and technology (S&T) with policy, operations and intelligence. The CSSP is led by Defence Research and Development Canada's Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS), in partnership with Public Safety Canada, and supports federal, provincial or municipal government-led projects in collaboration with response and emergency management organizations, non-governmental agencies, industry and academia.

Current Status

The CSSP is requesting submissions for innovative project proposals that address identified public safety and security capability priorities, which may include common security and defence requirements.The Call for Proposals (CFP) Solicitation was announced in September 2012 for a period of four years, with proposals being accepted during an annual bid submission period from 2012 - 2015. This process is administered by Public Works and Government Services Canada, on behalf of Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). Interested bidders should consult the CSSP information available on the DRDC website at: http://www.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/drdc/en/centres/drdc-css-rddc-css/canadian-safety-and-security-program/proposals-propositions/.

For this bid submission period, up to $15 million will be available as of May 2014, for new projects under the CSSP. Proposals can be submitted from June 20, 2013, closing on July 18, 2013. The selected projects will be announced by February 2014.

A Collaborative Model

Through projects, studies, exercises, workshops and other activities, the CSSP creates opportunities for S&T experts to work with partners from different public safety and security fields to support the development of knowledge, tools, processes and strategies that are essential for safeguarding Canada, its people, institutions, and infrastructure. This collaborative model ensures that key organizations from government, industry, academia and international organizations are brought together to work on the most pressing safety and security issues facing Canada.

Making Investments to Achieve Strategic Objectives

The CSSP funding will support projects and activities that respond to Canadian public safety and security priorities and address capability gaps. These gaps are identified through risk and vulnerability assessments, and in consultation with safety and security communities of practice, representing policy, operational and intelligence experts.

Ultimately, investments must contribute to achieving the program's primary goal of ensuring that Canadians and their institutions have a greater resilience to global and domestic public safety and security threats. These efforts are guided by a set of long-term goals and outcomes: a secure and efficient flow of people, goods, and services across Canadian borders and ports of entry; a connected and multi-jurisdictional security, intelligence and national emergency management system; and public confidence that hazards are being identified, assessed and addressed in a way that respects Canadian values.

About DRDC

DRDC is the national leader in defence and security science and technology. As an agency of Canada's Department of National Defence (DND), DRDC provides DND, the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments as well as the public safety and national security communities the knowledge and technological advantage needed to defend and protect Canada's interests at home and abroad.

A Systematic Approach to Export Development

The Department of Innovation, Business, and Rural Development (IBRD) is ready to help you navigate the global market and pursue international business opportunities through export. 

The Export Diagnostic is a guided self-assessment tool that assists NL companies in targeting and selling to new markets. In addition to saving you time and expense in preparing to export, the program also helps manage the risk associated with entering new markets.

If your company is exporting, ready to export, or working to become ready to export you are eligible to take advantage of this program! Access to dedicated international trade expertise, customized recommendations, and ongoing support are just some of the benefits of using the Export Diagnostic tool. 

If you're ready to go beyond your backyard contact Susan Vaughan to start your export diagnostic today!

Susan Vaughan, International Trade Officer

Department of Innovation, Business, and Rural Development

St. John's NL

709-729-4435