Background Eligibility Special Requirements Review Criteria Funds Available Application Procedure

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
THE ACFD/AFDC BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

BACKGROUND

ACFD will support a Biennial Conference meeting every second year. Usually, these conferences will be held at a Canadian dental school in the late spring or early summer period. The purpose of a Biennial Conference is to bring together representatives from the Canadian dental schools to discuss issues and topics of current relevance and importance to the Canadian dental schools and university-based dental education in general.

Biennial Conferences are expected to provide full support (travel, accommodation and meals) for two representatives from each Canadian dental school who are appointed/selected by the Dean/Director. Additional representatives may attend at their own expense, space permitting. Attendance and participation of dental regulatory bodies, organized dentistry, dental accreditation organizations, corporate members of ACFD and other affiliated or relevant institutions is encouraged.

It is anticipated that a Biennial Conference will:

1. emphasize active faculty development and learning (workshops, participation, reactor panels, etc.)
2. address issues of national relevance related to university based dental education.
3. provide a forum for national debate and consensus-building among Canadian dental schools and
4. meet the objects of the ACFD. Application are invited to organize and conduct a two-day conference know as the ACFD/AFDC Biennial Conference on a topic of relevance and interest to university-based dental programs.

ELIGIBILITY

To be considered, an application must: (1) identify an individual who will serve as the Conference Co-coordinator; (2) describe the facilities and accommodations available at the proposed site; (3) outline the proposed format, theme, content and speakers of the Conference; and (4) contain a business plan and budget.

Only institutional members of ACFD are eligible to apply. Applications may be submitted from a single school or group of schools.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Each application must include the following elements: Dental school/institution commitment:
A strong commitment to the conference planning, presentation and success should be documented. The application must provide a plan that addresses how commitment will be established and sustained and how the school will maintain accountability for the conference. The school commitment may be in the form of recruiting and appointing a Director, provision of discretionary resources to the Director, co-sponsoring speakers and presenters, partnering with other member institutions and/or corporate members, assignment of space, cost sharing of resources and other ways.

1. Conference Coordinator:
   The Coordinator should have demonstrated experience both as a dental educator and as an administrator. The Coordinator must be a member of ACFD and preferable an individual member of either AADS and/or ADR.
   The proposal should outline the extent to which the Coordinator and other personnel connected with the Conference will participate in the planning, organization and operation of the Conference.
2. Linkages:
   Linkages to the community (health practitioners, agencies, institutions, etc.), other dental education programs, corporate and other organizations should be described and accompanied by letters indicating the resources to be contributed and their commitment to the Conference.
3. Advisory Committee:
   An Advisory Committee must be appointed by the host institution. The Advisory Committee should meet at least monthly and minutes of the meetings should be kept and forwarded to the ACFD Central Office. The Advisory Committee should consist of at least four individuals familiar with dentistry and university-based dental education representing ACFD, dental faculty members, the host institution, corporate sponsors and/or other participating organizations. Names of potential Advisory Committee members should be provided and accompanied by letters indicating their willingness to serve.
4. Fiscal Accountability:
   Within 60 days of the completion of the Conference, the host institution must provide a complete account of expenditures to ACFD Central Office.

REVIEW CRITERIA

An application will be judged on how well it responds to this RFP and on the basis of the following five criteria. These criteria will not have equal weight.

1. Feasibility: Is the proposal likely to succeed? Is the conference relevant? Does it address an issue/topic important to university-based dental education? Does it address the objects of ACFD? Will knowledge be advanced?
2. Approach: Does the application acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative approaches?
3. Innovation: Does the proposal employ novel concepts/approaches? Is faculty development and learning promoted?
4. Environment: Does the environment in which the conference is to be held contribute to the probability of its success? Is there evidence of school institutional support?
5. Budget: Is the proposed budget appropriate and justified? Are the resource contributions of the institutional partner explicit and appropriate?

FUNDS AVAILABLE

Applicants may request support for a single, two-day conference held in Canada. An application submitted in response to this RFP will be limited to a maximum of $50,000, up to $5,000 of which can be used for honoraria. The host institution will receive a monetary contribution from ACFD of $1000.00.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

A one page letter-of-intent should be submitted to the ACFD Board. Applications must be submitted by April 15, of the each year. Applications must not exceed five, double spaced, typewritten pages in length including references. Appendices may be attached to the application.


The completed, signed original and five single-sided copies of the application and appendices must be sent or delivered to:

The ACFD Executive will select one application form among those submitted. Although it is preferred that the Biennial Conference move throughout Canada, a single institution the may be awarded the funding in consecutive years. The ACFD Executive reserves the right not to award funding in any year that a Biennial Conference is scheduled. An application that is not accepted may be resubmitted once.