Sponsor
Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)
Program
COVID-19 Challenges (Phase 1)
For More Information
For more information visit the Covid-19 Challenges website.
Description
Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) in collaboration with Canada’s defence, security and public safety communities are looking for innovative epidemiological and healthcare solutions involving data gathering and data analytics technologies to support the early detection and community-based surveillance of outbreaks of contagious diseases. The goal is to provide actionable insights and to permit rapid decision-making with respect to the full emergency preparedness spectrum.
Background and Context
Within a few short months, the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has evolved from less than 100 cases in a single country into a global, public health emergency affecting nearly five million people in 188 countries. As of May 20, 2020, there were 81,194 confirmed cases and 6,106 reported deaths in Canada.
Government officials need to be able to make rapid and informed decisions at different stages of the emergency management spectrum when managing all aspects of a highly contagious disease of the magnitude of COVID-19. For instance, it is of the utmost importance that officials be able to detect the outbreak as soon as possible, and make rapid decisions for adapting to, eliminating or reducing the risks to Canadians (i.e., prevention and mitigation); be ready to respond to the emergency and manage its consequences through measures prior to and following the outbreak within Canada (i.e., preparedness and response); and be able to quickly restore conditions to an acceptable level (i.e., recovery). Healthcare officials and First Response organizations need a near real-time, accurate picture of the extent and patterns of disease transmission at the community-level, in order to better understand current and evolving healthcare demands, in order to be able to make informed, time-sensitive decisions about how to allocate limited and/or secure additional resources; and be able to relax mitigation efforts.
This challenge represents a call to action to Canadian innovators to encourage partnering across different sectors and among individuals within different fields to work together to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future outbreaks of contagious diseases. The goal is to support the development of new and innovative ways of collecting, sharing and analyzing real-world data (open source, social media, licensed proprietary, etc.) at the community-level in order to support improved prediction, situational awareness and enable better management of such outbreaks.
Eligibility
This CFP is open to individuals, academia, not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and provincial/territorial/municipal governments.
Applicants with joint ventures may also apply. See section 1.6 of the IDEaS Program Applicant Guide for more information.
Funding Availability
Phase 1 – award up to $200,000
Maximum Project Value
See 'Funding Availability'.
Indirect Costs
15%
Project Duration
Phase 1 is up to 6 months in duration
Special Notes
Please refer to the Office of Research COVID 19 web-page for directives related to research activities at the University of Guelph.
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Internal Deadline | Please submit your proposal, along with an OR-5 Form to research.services@uoguelph.ca. | |
External Deadline |
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through Canada Post's eConnect system which is a 2-stage process with DND and can require several days. Researchers are encouraged to complete the registration process as early as possible to ensure your application can be submitted by the internal deadline. Please contact the Office of Research (research.services@uoguelph.ca) if you require assistance with this process.
Stage 1: Proposal Submission
The Applicant is to complete the following:
- Read the Applicant Guide and determine eligibility.
- Review the S&T Challenges and determine if they can address any of them with an innovation.
- Complete the Proposal Form and submit on or before the closing date for the CFP.