What to Expect
After you submit your intake, your application will go through a structured review and screening process to assess project fit, feasibility, and alignment with the NRC-IRAP CTO Program. In addition to program alignment, projects are assessed on whether the scope and requirements are a strong match for the AI Hub's available expertise and engagement streams.
Based on your submission, the AI Hub team will:
- Screen and prioritize projects
- Assess readiness and feasibility
- Determine the most appropriate engagement stream (Strategic Advisory, Applied R&D, or both)
Selected applicants may be contacted for clarification or invited to the next stage.
Program Timeline
Intake & Screening
- Submit intake form
- Initial internal review
- Discovery Call (shortlisted applicants only): used to understand your business problem, goals, readiness, and potential engagement pathway
Scoping & Selection
- One or more scoping calls to define project scope and expected outcomes
- Review data availability and technical constraints
- Assess feasibility and level of effort
- Shortlisting based on alignment, readiness, and program capacity
Approvals & Onboarding
- Workplan developed and reviewed
- Letter of Support signed confirming participation and commitment
- Project confirmed once invoice is paid and collaboration agreement is signed
Delivery Phase
- Advisory: 4–6 weeks (kickoff, mid-review & closeout)
- R&D: 12–16 weeks (weekly meetings, progress & feedback cycles)
Closeout & Next Steps
- Deliverables formally transferred to client
- Project-related materials securely deleted
- Closeout discussion covering findings, limitations, and next steps
Overall Timeline
- Intake to project start: approximately 4–8 weeks
- Advisory duration: 4–6 weeks
- R&D duration: 12–16 weeks
- All projects must be wrapped up by March 2027
This intake is for the fiscal year 2026–2027. Timelines may vary depending on client responsiveness, documentation, and resource availability. Due to limited program capacity, projects may be scheduled in different intake waves or quarters.
Deliverables
- Feasibility and readiness assessment
- Architecture and solution design documentation
- AI implementation roadmap
- Governance and risk considerations
- High-level cost and resource estimates
- Technical reports and findings
- Codebase or modular implementation components
- Containerized proof-of-concept (where applicable)
- Solution design and scoping documentation
- Recommendations for next steps
Important
All deliverables are advisory or proof-of-concept in nature. They are not production-ready systems, may represent partial or component-level implementations, and may require additional testing, feature development, security enhancements, and optimization before deployment. The AI Hub team will also provide guidance on limitations and recommended mitigation strategies.
Client Participation
Active client involvement is required throughout the engagement. Clients should expect to:
- Attend working sessions and decision meetings
- Share relevant business context, data, and technical documentation
- Provide timely feedback on recommendations and outputs
- Designate a primary point of contact who can make decisions
- Bring subject matter expertise to guide problem definition and solution alignment
- Involve decision-makers to support prioritization and approvals
- Include technical team members (where available) to support implementation and continuity
- Collaborate with the AI Hub team to align solutions with existing systems and technology
The engagement is collaborative. The AI Hub team applies AI expertise while the client provides domain knowledge and context.
Who Should Be Involved in Calls
To ensure productive discussions, clients are encouraged to involve:
- A representative who can explain the business problem and goals
- A team member familiar with the data and use case
- Someone who understands current systems, infrastructure, and integration considerations
- A person who may be responsible for continuing development after the engagement
- A decision-maker or someone who can support timely approvals
Not all roles are required in every meeting, but having access to these perspectives helps improve outcomes.
In-Kind Contribution (R&D Only)
For Applied R&D engagements, clients are required to track and report their in-kind contribution (time spent on the project). This is required for IRAP reporting purposes.
Advisory engagements do not require in-kind tracking.
Timing & Responsiveness
Engagements are time-bound and operate on a fixed schedule. Delays in client response, feedback, or data access may impact timelines and delivery.
Communication Channels
Email and Microsoft Teams (set up by AI Hub) are the primary channels for updates, file sharing, and discussions.
If your organization has a preferred communication platform, we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate where possible.
Closeout & Next Steps
At the end of the engagement, the AI Hub team will formally transfer all deliverables, securely delete project-related materials, and conduct a closeout discussion covering key findings, limitations, and recommended next steps.
Clients are responsible for further development, deployment, and maintenance after the engagement.
Post-Engagement Pathways
Depending on project outcomes, clients may:
- Continue development internally using their own technical team
- Engage the AI Hub for additional work on a fee-for-service basis
- Explore future project phases or expanded scope
- Consider funding options where applicable
Eligibility for funding programs (including IRAP) is determined by external funding bodies and cannot be guaranteed by the AI Hub. The AI Hub does not commit to ongoing support beyond the defined project scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does submitting an intake guarantee acceptance into the program?
No. Submissions are reviewed based on fit, readiness, and available program capacity. Due to limited project slots, not all applicants will be selected. Strong applications that cannot be accommodated in the current intake wave may be added to a waitlist and contacted if a slot becomes available, or invited to discuss alternative engagement options.
Is this a funded program or a paid service?
Engagements are delivered under the NRC-IRAP CTO Program. A client contribution is required: $750 CAD for Advisory and $3,000 CAD for Applied R&D. The remaining project cost is covered by NRC-IRAP funding, subject to eligibility. Details will be confirmed during scoping.
Do I need to have data already available before applying?
Not necessarily, but the availability of relevant data is a factor in assessing feasibility, particularly for Applied R&D engagements. You should be prepared to describe what data you have or expect to have.
Will AI Hub build a production-ready solution for my organization?
The program is designed to help you test the feasibility and validity of AI solutions, and to support early-stage solution development. Advisory engagements deliver reports, assessments, and roadmaps. Applied R&D engagements deliver working code, technical artifacts, and proof-of-concept components tailored to your use case. These are purposefully scoped deliverables and are not production-ready systems. Depending on your situation, you may need to complete additional user testing, optimization, and modifications before deploying to production.
Do I need an IRAP advisor before applying?
Yes. This program is exclusively for NRC-IRAP clients. You must be working with an active IRAP advisor before applying. Access is provided through your advisor or directly by the AI Hub. If you do not have an IRAP advisor, please contact NRC-IRAP to determine eligibility before submitting an intake.
How long does the process take from intake to project start?
Approximately 4–8 weeks from intake submission to project start, depending on scope complexity, client responsiveness, and program capacity. Due to limited project slots, accepted applicants may be scheduled across different intake waves or quarters. Not all projects will start immediately after acceptance. Scheduling will be confirmed during scoping.
Do project hours include intake, screening, and scoping activities?
No. Intake, screening, and scoping discussions take place before the project formally begins and are not counted toward project hours. The engagement clock starts after the project is kicked off and the collaboration agreement has been signed.
Is a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) required?
An NDA is not mandatory but is available at any stage of the engagement. Durham College provides a standard NDA template, or clients may request modifications or use their own. All NDAs must be reviewed and approved internally; allow additional time. We recommend establishing an NDA prior to sharing sensitive or proprietary information.