DRDC launches major transformation to sharpen focus, enhance value to clients

"Break away from the status quo"

With the federal funding tap quickly closing, publicly funded innovation in an age of austerity is prompting Defence R&D Canada (DRDC) to think outside the box and recast its priorities and programs. The R&D arm of the department of National Defence (DND) is instituting a series of measures to sharpen the focus of its R&D efforts on areas in which it can play a unique role.

The transformation comes at a time when science-based departments and agencies (SBDAs) are bracing for cuts of 5-10% as the government initiates an aggressive deficit reduction strategy to eliminate the annual deficit by FY14-15. While the changes being implemented at DRDC are not directly driven by the pending cuts, the agency's CEO says the confluence of tighter finances and the need to generate better outcomes comes at an opportune time.

"This is a very significant transformation period … With the deficit reduction plan it's an opportunity for us to seize the moment and really focus on what is important and also do a better job at communicating what it is we do in support of government," says Dr Marc Fortin, who also serves as DND's ADM for S&T. "We have an opportunity to break away from the status quo and present new models that will better answer the needs of clients, governments and decision makers."

Despite several attempts in the past, SBDAs have failed to present a successful argument for renewal and increased funding, although several —such as DRDC — have seen their budgets grow in recent years.

Yet initiatives to enhance collaboration and cross-disciplinary research have been modest, leaving many silos within government intact. Barriers to innovation have challenged senior officials to seek new ways of boosting outcomes in the form of better advice to decision-makers and DRDC is at the forefront in pushing for change. It is set to enact change on several levels although the details won't be known until later.

Since 2004, DRDC's annual budget has increased 40% and currently sits at approximately $350 million with 1,600 staff members. That growth has been largely in support of increased activity in the Canadian Forces, which have engaged in two wars in recent years as well as a series of major equipment acquisitions.

"Federal labs need to ask themselves, are they really focused on those unique roles of science and government? We are not universities, we're not here to make money. We're there to support policy development, decision making and so on. That's a significant transformation not only for DRDC but for many others. I know there's one large national lab that is taking a somewhat different path. That's life. The unique role of science in government is something worth having a discussion about."

— DRDC CEO, Dr Marc Fortin

Internal R&D accounts for about 60% of DRDC funding spread across seven research centres, with the remainder dedicated to external initiatives. In addition to basic research programs, the agency funds technology demonstration projects and operates a technology investment fund for "long-range, blue sky ideas".

"Our purpose is not to be profitable or near profitable. Our purpose — and I'll speak for DRDC — is to do unique, strategic sensitive research that cannot be done by anyone else," says Fortin. "It's also to be a catalyst for the research to be performed whether it's in industry or academia … There's been a tremendous investment in universities. How can we — federal labs — leverage those investments … Our third role is to be an integrator of that knowledge. We need to harvest that knowledge and translate it or transform it into a shape that's useful for decision-makers."

crti being merged with other programs

Among the changes being implemented at DRDC include an extension and expansion of its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI). Originally funded in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks with $170 million over five years, CRTI was renewed once in 2007 and is now being combined with two other programs that are part of the Centre for Security Science (CSS), a joint initiative of DRDC and Public Safety Canada.

DRDC is proposing to merge CRTI with sister programs within the CSS — the Public Security Technical Program (PSTP) and the Canadian Police Research Centre (CPRC). A key component of CRTI is to establish science clusters in each of its focus domains. Combining the three programs is intended to broaden and strengthen the clusters and serve a wider range of end-users.

The PSTP was established in 2005 to complement CRTI by aligning government, industry and academic S&T efforts in critical infrastructure protection (physical and cyber), surveillance, intelligence and interdiction, emergency management systems and interoperability. It received $15.5 million over five years and was renewed in 2010 at $3.5 million annually ending this year.

The CPRC is aimed at collaboration between federal scientists and first responders. It was spun out of the National Research Council in 2007 where it was a joint venture with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As part of DRDC, it receives A-based funding of $5 million a year.

"It's at Treasury Board right now … We're shifting the focus of these programs a little bit to better involve the user communities," says Fortin. "CRTI has also sponsored a great deal of foresight activities to not only equip Canada to deal with things like 9/11 but to foresee what might happen to put Canada ahead of the game with new science and technologies to mitigate those problems. Its mantra is to prepare and protect, not just recover."

"There is increasing recognition that the significant challenges this country faces will be answered through cross-cutting or horizontal answers, horizontal solutions. The historical mandates of departments don't fit well with the current challenges, whether it's health, environment, national security. There are cross-cutting challenges and we need to continue to work at making it easier to address (them)."

— DRDC CEO, Dr Marc Fortin

DRDC's foresight capabilities were boosted with the leadership of Jack Smith, a government foresight veteran who undertook similar duties with the National Research Council and later with the Office of the National Science Advisor. Since Smith's departure for academia in 2010, DRDC's foresight activities have been in hiatus. But Fortin says the time has been used to take stock and determine how to incorporate foresight into the agency's new direction.

"Jack brought in a number of methodologies so we need to look at how we do this in 2012 to achieve a focus to prepare and protect ahead of time for public security, as well as the CF (Canadian Forces) for future challenges, future threats," he says. "We have to re-examine methodologies and think through our approach to this. Certainly we need to do more."

SSTRM continues under DRDC leadership

One of DND’s most innovative new programs is the Soldier Systems Technology Road Map (SSTRM), formerly a joint DND-Industry Canada initiative (R$, June 22/11). With Industry Canada’s termination of its Technology Roadmap secretariat (R$, January 20/12) SSTRM is now managed solely by DND in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). Designed to match the future requirements of the Canadian soldier in the field with technologies emanating from industry, academia and government labs, it has attracted hundreds of firms which have participated in workshops and deal making.

"It's a bit of culture change to really engage with industry, working together rather than working by contracts," says Fortin. "SSTRM was the seed that led to the development of an even larger initiative (Project ACCORD) where, on a larger scale, we're trying to bring industry in early to understand requirements and for them to to play a more leadership role. It is in the spirit of resiliency — to be able to operate in a flexible environment rather than contracts and direct performance of research."

Project ACCORD is aimed at filling gaps in DND's information management and information technology capabilities. Like SSTRM it is "designed to ensure that industry and academia are engaged early and to streamline and influence the DND decision making process from capability planning to implementation". A two-year pilot to test the concept is now underway.

The federal S&T Integration Board, which Fortin co-chairs, is currently working with auditors to develop new metrics for measuring the impact of government science. It is also launched an initiative to examine barriers between government departments and outside organizations.

International collaboration is also increasing, with DRDC gaining considerable leverage through its NATO allies, which Fortin describes as "an asymmetrical sharing of knowledge".

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