OCE will post ENCQOR 5G Technology Development Challenge Statements on a rolling basis. Applicants can apply for funding to execute a project in response to an active ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm-defined Challenge Statement by submitting an EOI.

All submitted EOIs will undergo an initial internal review by OCE for eligibility and application completeness. Subsequently, EOIs will be reviewed by the ENCQOR 5G anchor firm(s) for fit with the Challenge Statement. Anchor Firms will submit their recommendations to OCE. The OCE Internal Review Panel will make the final decision of applications to be invited to submit a full application.

Preference will be given to EOIs that:

• Address ENCQOR 5G anchor firms’ Challenge Statements and needs
• Demonstrate applicability and benefit to the specified 5G technology leading to novel, newly-adapted or adopted processes, products, or services that will keep the iPaaS testbed cutting edge
• Demonstrate innovation in the context of current technical and commercial developments
• Demonstrate appropriate skills, resources and methodology to complete the project
• Demonstrate an opportunity for close collaboration between the Applicant company and the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm
• Demonstrate opportunity for HQP training, including graduate students
• Are highly likely to be commercialized/implemented and generate economic benefit for Ontario
• Anticipate tangible deliverables in the form of new technologies, new processes, significant skills transfer, job creation, or other benefits to society.

Selected EOI applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Full applications will undergo an internal review for completeness and eligible expenses. Following confirmation by OCE of application completeness, applications will undergo review by OCE’s Subject Matter Director.

Recommendations will be reviewed by OCE’s Internal Review Panel, which will have responsibility for the final OCE funding decision.

Full applications will be evaluated on the basis of assessment criteria, which include, but are not limited to:

• Clarity of the significance of the opportunity and expected economic benefit to the Applicant Company, the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm Partner and Ontario (e.g. new revenues, job creation/retention, productivity improvements)
• Ability of the innovation to address the ENCQOR 5G industry partner challenge
• Expertise and experience of the team members, clarity of roles and responsibilities, and evidence of collaboration
• Clarity, feasibility and appropriateness of the project plan and budget
• Evidence of next steps, and clear strategy and capacity to bring the results to market and/or implement at the company
• Overall quality and completeness of the application

Prior to execution of the final funding agreement with OCE/Innovation ENCQOR the Applicant company must have an agreement with the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm.  This agreement will define a detailed statement of work and formalize the terms of the collaboration between the Applicant company and Anchor Firm Partner.

As part of this process the applicant company will be expected to undergo a procurement process with the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm company. This process will vary by ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm Partner and may vary by Challenge Statement.  Requirements may include: a financial assessment of the applicant company, negotiations around intellectual property or other requirements as defined by the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm. 

Applicant companies and ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firms are highly encouraged to start discussions on the Anchor Firm procurement process expectations as soon as possible after the applicant company has been invited to submit a full application.  Early discussions will ensure that both parties are aware of the expectations and requirements for this process and help to accelerate the contracting process if the project is approved.

Applicant companies and ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firms are also encouraged to develop the Anchor Firm Professional Services Agreement Statement of Work (SOW) in parallel with the full application to ensure that there is consistency between the full application content and SOW deliverables.

OCE is not a signatory on the agreement between the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm and the Applicant Company and is not part of the procurement process or partnership negotiations. 

When the agreement between the Applicant Company and the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm has been executed the Anchor Firm will provide documentation to OCE as confirmation. The Anchor Firm will provide a summary of the Statement of Work as well as a statement regarding the intellectual property agreement between the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm and the Applicant Company to be incorporated as a schedule of OCE/ Innovation ENCQOR Funding agreement.

If the ENCQOR 5G Anchor Firm and the Applicant Company are unable to execute an agreement or if the Anchor Firm Agreement Process causes a significant delay in project activation OCE may consider not awarding the project.

When OCE receives confirmation that the Anchor Firm Professional Services Agreement has been executed the OCE/Innovation ENCQOR Funding agreement will be generated. The OCE/Innovation ENCQOR funding agreement sets out the funding and reporting terms for the project.

A copy of the OCE/Innovation ENQCOR trilateral funding agreement is available for download.  Applicant companies are encouraged to review this document early in the application process.  OCE/Innovation ENCQOR will not negotiate or make changes to the funding agreements.

When all three parties execute the funding agreement the project will be activated and the project status will change in the AccessOCE system to ‘Active’.