PTC Project Request for Proposals

(PDF)

Purpose

The Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) invites proposals for the funding of applied research projects that promote the use of Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies to enhance the lives of the people of the Pacific Hemisphere.

The goal of the PTC Projects is to fulfill the Vision and Mission of the organization. Therefore the subject and focus of each proposed project should be clearly aligned with the PTC Vision and Mission.

This PTC Project Request for Proposals is open to all PTC Members.  Non-Members can also be eligible to submit proposals, either by becoming a Member of PTC or by submitting a proposal in partnership with one or more PTC Members.  A broad range of projects will be considered for support.  Final selections will be based on the scope and scale of the proposals submitted. Collaborations among PTC Members and among non-Members and Members are encouraged.

Scope

Each Proposal shall specify all of the following in detail:

Proposed Project Title: 

Propose a title for the project that is descriptive, succinct, and has communication impact. Dry, unimaginative titles are to be avoided.

Project Objectives and Description

State clearly defined, realistic and specific objectives for the Project.

Provide a clear and concise description of the Project that is consistent with the Project’s proposed objectives.

Include a description of how the Project will advance PTC’s Mission, “to conduct trade in equipment, technologies, and services and to use the power of information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life in the Pacific Hemisphere.”

Include an explanation of how the Project will:

• Enhance the quality of life in the Pacific Hemisphere
• Leverage direct and indirect benefits, especially to PTC and its Members
• Involve one or more PTC Members
• Carry and strengthen the PTC brand
• Attract favorable public visibility for PTC

Note: In the case of a research project proposal, applied/practical research with quantifiable results is required.  Proposals requesting support for the writing of academic publications or the production of theories or models, etc. are disfavored.  Successful Projects will show some direct, immediate and measurable effects on improving quality of life, or at least of having the strong potential to do so.  Research projects that involve, or have the support or endorsement of a corporate or institutional PTC Member will be given preference.  Additional information for research projects may be required including, but not limited, to a statement of the ethical treatment of human participants, if applicable.

Implementation

Proposals must include an implementation plan for the entire Project.  In general, the Project should be able to be completed within twelve months of initiation.  The implementation plan should provide steps and milestones tied to specific dates, along with events or outcomes to be achieved by those dates.

Outcomes and Deliverables

Proposals must include a statement of the Project’s expected outcomes as well as a description of specific and quantifiable deliverables or outcomes and their relation to PTC’s mission.

Proposals must identify specific, tangible benefits the Project will produce.

Proposals must identify appropriate metrics to determine whether the objectives have been met both during the Project and after it has been completed.

Proposals should specify a process for reporting progress either in phases or stages, and should also include a Final Report.

Timeline

The Proposal must detail specific timelines for the implementation and completion of the Project.

All proposed Projects must be limited in duration and in general be designed to take no longer than one year to complete. Projects proposing a longer duration will require additional review, and if approved, will be subject to a progressive review as necessary before an extension is authorized to continue past the first 12 months.

Budget

The Proposal must outline the full scope of the Project with a corresponding budget that identifies all of the cost components.  Proposed budgets should relate to the stages/phases, implementation, and overall scope of the Project as described above, and account for all costs. For research projects, institutional overhead may not be included as part of the Project costs.  Once approved, Projects will have budgets and targets as part of the Project contract. 

While no specific budget amount is being identified for any individual projects, funding is limited.  Therefore, Projects requiring US$40,000 or less are preferred. Projects requiring more than US$40,000 will receive additional scrutiny and may require additional details beyond those specified in this Project RFP. 

All Project proposers are encouraged to seek financial and/or in-kind Project support from other sources to supplement PTC funding.  Proposals that indicate that such commitments have been made, especially by PTC Members, will be given preference.

If complementary funds for all or parts of the proposed Project are being sought or are already secured from sources other than PTC, then full details of the source(s) and the manner in which such funds are being allocated across the scope of the Project must be disclosed.  While complementary funding may be desirable, no funds from PTC may duplicate funds already secured or that are being sought from alternate sources for the same aspects of the Project.

Terms of Contract

PTC may offer to negotiate the terms of any Project Proposal.  Once a Project Proposal has been agreed to and accepted by both parties, PTC and the Project principal(s) will enter into a Project contract.  The contract will reflect the final specific terms of the agreement.

Funding

Project funds will be released progressively in line with the agreed upon milestones as set forth in the Project contract.  Proposals requesting that Projects be funded in full at the outset will be disfavored.

Requests for substantial prefunding or any project before the project goes “live” should be fully justified and based on measureable milestones.

Evaluation

A Project Review and Evaluation Committee will evaluate all of the Proposals and make recommendations to the PTC Board of Governors for Project approval.

Proposals will be evaluated on: overall merit; benefit to PTC and its Members; completeness; appropriateness; and compliance with all of the requirements described in this Project RFP. The Project Review and Evaluation Committee may require additional information or further detail prior to making a decision to recommend acceptance or rejection of a Proposal. Please note there is no review or appeal of the Committee’s recommendation to the Board, and the Board of Governor’s decisions are final.

Proposals received by the date specified in the “Deadline” sectionbelow will receive priority consideration.  Late proposals may be accepted or rejected at the sole discretion of PTC.  Proposal review and evaluation will be expedited with a recommendation to the Board of Governors. When a Project is approved, a specific Project contract will be promptly drafted and the Project may begin once the contract has been signed by the appropriate parties.

Contacts

The Proposal must include contact details, including full contact information, for all participants in the implementation of the project including, but not limited to, project principal(s). A bio/CV must be included for each of the Project principal(s).

The Proposal must indicate the person to contact for information about the proposal, if that person is someone other than the Project principal. The Proposal must include the name of the person who completed the online submission form, if that person is someone other than the Project principal.

Proposal Submission

All Member organizations, whether corporate, non-profit, civil society or academic, are strongly encouraged to submit Proposals either independently or in collaboration with other Members or non-Members.  Proposals involving appropriate partnerships are especially welcome.  Organizations that are not currently Members can apply by identifying a willing PTC Member with whom to partner.  Current PTC Members can apply directly, either on their own, or with partner(s).  The final awardee(s) will either be PTC Members or have PTC-Member partners.

Non-Member Applicants:  If you are interested in finding a PTC Member Partner in order to apply please review our membership list.  If you identify a likely Member partner, but do not know whom to contact, PTC will assist you in identifying someone in the Member organization.  Contact Emily Lee (emily@ptc.org).

PTC also welcomes new members.  Here is a link to the PTC membership application form. 

Proposals must be submitted through the online form available at: http://www.xcdsystem.com/ptc/.

The online submission form provides the required parts of the proposal in accordance with all of the above details of this Project RFP. All of the submission form items must be completed. Receipt of Proposal submissions will be acknowledged.

Deadline

The deadline for receipt of proposals is Friday, 16 March 2012, unless extended by PTC.  Any proposals received after the deadline, or any extended deadline, will be considered at the sole discretion of PTC.