Funding Pressures

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TDV undertook a comprehensive operational review and options design for the 350-person Food Directorate (FD) in terms of mandate, regulatory activities, business model, processes/procedures, management and control mechanisms, structure, HR capability and time/activity/unit output costing. This assignment was conducted to meet operating review targets and new regulatory responsibilities, find viable 10% reduction in operating costs and provide the branch with an activity/output-based costing model and tool, evaluate the use of fees for proponent food and natural health product market access approvals and move the directorate towards the branch’s ABC financial management approach. To support the implementation and transition a change management strategy and set of implementation plans were developed in collaboration with the project office.  

The International Centre for Infectious Diseases (ICID) was established as a not-for-profit, independent organization mandated to “work with government researchers, universities and the private sector to bridge gaps that exist among public and private institutions; and build upon and coordinate existing capabilities and strengths from across Canada’s infectious diseases sector”.  Six years into the Centre’s mandate, the ICID Board of Directors and management determined that it would be an opportune time to assess the organization’s overall effectiveness and develop recommendations for moving forward.   TDV, in support of the ICID CEO, conducted a third party organizational review that focussed on how the ICID has been performing since its inception. 

Reporting to the Vice President Science of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Mr. Ennis led the conduct of a Laboratory Capacity Inventory/Assessment of the Agency’s ten custodial and four leased laboratories. The project provided a performance snapshot of CFIA’s laboratory inventory/capacity; a notional assessment of laboratory capacity by business line; and capacity-building considerations (networking etc.) and proposed next steps.  

Government departments often look to project funding to provide the seed resources for the development of novel approaches to emerging issues as well as modern capacities and capabilities to support organizational mandates in more effective ways. Mr. James Dunlop has been engaged repeatedly to assist government clients with the development of multi-million dollar proposals and supporting material (including budgets and workplans) tailored to the unique requirements of a variety of funding initiatives, including the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP). Successful submission of these proposals help alleviate government funding pressures while providing clients with the means to broaden their scope of activity. 

Facing the challenge of effectively leveraging a brand new laboratory facility on their premises, the VIDO-InterVac, scientific centre, a world leader in the development of vaccines and technologies against infectious diseases, engaged TDV consultants Mr. Michael Ennis and Mr. James Dunlop to develop a strategic plan to coordinate activity across five areas of strategic focus and involving all of the facility’s personnel, including management, scientific personnel and support staff. Collaborative planning workshops allowed VIDO-InterVac to develop a common vision of the desired future state along with the key actions required to achieve it over the following 5 years. 

Upon establishment of CARPHA, TDV Global was contracted to research and develop and Resource Mobilization and Sustainability Plan. The CARICOM Member States supported CARPHA through quota contributions, but the funding level did not match the mandate given to CARPHA by CARICOM Heads of Government, both in terms of range of service and quality of service. CARPHA identified the need for further resource mobilization and the research developed various options within an organizational sustainability approach.