IRAP launches concierge service to help SMEs access maze of assistance programs

The Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) is rolling out the initial components of Canada's first comprehensive innovation concierge service to ease and facilitate business access to innovation-related programs from coast to coast. IRAP has contracted with 40 federal and provincial departments and organizations representing 80 programs, fulfilling the National Research Council's new mandate to deliver the service as announced in the 2012 Budget (R$, April 17/12).

The concept of a concierge was first proposed by the expert panel for the Review of Federal Support to Research and Development, chaired by Tom Jenkins (R$, October 31/11).

The program directly targets small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that typically don't have the in-house expertise or resources to navigate the maze of programs available to assist in R&D and other innovative activities. The concierge service aims to be a single point of contact for these programs, offering on-line, phone and in-person assistance through a new website (www.concierge.portal.gc.ca) and phone number (1-855-534-8433).

The services will be staffed with two advisors for each of IRAP's five operating divisions, augmented by four employees working out of a call centre operated through a partnership with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The concierge advisors all have strong industry experience and a select group of IRAP's industrial technology advisors have been assigned to train them on all government programs.

The concierge service will cost $1.2 million in its first year of operation, ramping up to approximately $2 million as more services are added.

"The work has just begun … This is the first stage. The concierge will evolve over time and add more capabilities and expertise … It will take 18 to 24 months for the build-out to be completed," says IRAP VP Bogdan Ciobanu. "We're open to suggestions. The concierge will grow bigger in terms of information and services but we want to keep it as flexible as possible while tapping into partner resources and existing IRAP resources."

Services to be added to the concierge include listings of SME-related capabilities at research centres and universities, provincial and federal research infrastructure, the creation of an open innovation environment where companies can communicate and exchange information through the concierge, and finally global access to international programs and facilities for which Canada has negotiated access via bilateral and multilateral agreements.

"Innovation concierge service — Establish a national "concierge" service and associated comprehensive web portal to provide companies with high-quality, timely advice to help identify and access the most appropriate business innovation assistance and programs for the individual firm." — Jenkins Expert Panel recommendation

The latter includes European programs such as the EU Framework program and EUREKA, an international network for market-driven industrial R&D which Canada joined through IRAP as an associate member (R$, July 5/12).

Although IRAP is considered to be a delivery vehicle for direct innovation support, the concierge services provides a window to all government support programs including the indirect sources like the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SRED) tax credit program,

"We open doors to both direct and indirect support and that certainly includes SRED, which is the by far biggest pool of assistance used by SMEs," says Ciobanu. "We're the door to open other doors for companies to go through."

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