February 13, 2019
As a benefit to members, friends, and WestDef delegates, WCDIA distributes by-weekly updates with opportunities and events within the aerospace, defence & security industry. WCDIA and its Board are not responsible for the accuracy of the contents. Please DO NOT contact WCDIA or the sender of the email for inquiries about third party information or events.
WCDIA News
2 Day Workshop
"Getting in the Game" - ITB's for SME's
How to do business in the defence industry

Price:  $899 (+GST) for WCDIA Members / $999 (+GST) for Non-Members
Includes the 2-day workshop (3 complete sessions), coffee breaks and lunch provided for up to 2 attendees (must be from the same company).
Dates:  March 20-21, 2019
Times:  8:30 - 4:30 each day
Location:  ATB Financial 2100-10020 100th Street NW Edmonton, AB
The capital portion of Canada's Defence budget is slated to grow from $4B/yr to $10B/yr over the next decade. Government policy requires that 15% of this value be directed to Small to Medium Enterprises. This means Defence contractors will be looking for up to $1.5B/yr of input from small companies.

Is your company prepared for this opportunity?

Seminar #1  will provide a basic understanding of the federal policy that ensures Canadian small business and public institutions benefit from military procurement. 
Seminar #2  will assist SMEs and public institutions develop their Value Proposition to harness ITB opportunities. 
Seminar #3  will provide SMEs and public institutions registered in the series with direct "hands-on" experience with a select group of prime defence contractors applying the lessons learned for "getting in the game".
SEMINAR #1: GETTING STARTED (day one)
Objective:
  1. SMEs and public institutions will gain a basic understanding of Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefit program/policy. 

Content:
  • What is the ITB policy framework?
  • How do off-sets work? 
  • Who is involved?
  • What are the opportunities?
  • What is the connection to the Canadian economy and innovation?
  • What are some success stories?
  • Is my organization/SME eligible?
  • Why is there an emphasis on Canadian content; Controlled goods, ITARS?
  • What are the risks and benefits?

SEMINAR #2: GETTING PREPARED (Morning day two)
Objectives:
  1. SMEs and public institutions will develop an understanding of the different types of ITB transactions and the importance of multipliers.
  2. Attendees will learn how to turn their thinking regarding their capability or their vision for change into an attractive "project". 
  3. Attendees will learn how to develop a strong Value Proposition.
  4. Attendees will learn to pitch themselves to primes and how to "get in the game"
 
Content:
  • What are the types of transactions?
  • What is the culture of ITBs? (projects)
  • Why is a Value Proposition a critical component of working in the ITB domain?
  • How do I develop a Value Proposition?
  • How do I pitch my company or organization to a prime and how do I prepare?

SEMINAR #3: GETTING IN THE GAME (Afternoon day two)
Objectives:
  1. Attendees will have firsthand experience interacting with prime defence contractors.
  2. Attendees will have the opportunity to first hear from prime defence contractors as to what they are looking for within a dialogue/pitch with an SME. (Panel Presentation).
  3. Attendees will listen to prime defence contractors describe their challenges and experiences with SMEs/public institutions.
  4. Attendees will have the opportunity to present their Value Proposition to primes in one-on-one B2B sessions.
  5. Attendees will have the opportunity to de-brief as a group regarding their experience and how it could be modified for future interactions with primes.
Only 8 seats left.
Deadline for registration is March 8, 2019.
RSVP today!
Featured News
Peraton is Hiring!

Peraton Canada Corp. (Peraton) is the leading provider of complete life cycle management of avionics for Canada’s CF-18 fleet. Their experienced team provides a broad range of services to the Department of National Defense including Automated Test Equipment, Engineering Services, Logistics Support Analysis, Electronic Systems Maintenance and Repair, and long-range planning for full fleet support.


Resumes can be sent to Alyssa Cory at acory@peraton.com or Apply Here .
January 2019 Funding Bulletin and January Overview of Federal and Provincial Funding Programs

Strategic Timelines releases a bulletin and overview to assist companies become quickly oriented to the 110+ Provincial and Federal innovation funding programs.

Find the latest releases below:
The Bitcoin Rodeo Presents The Blockchain and Technology Symposium

This symposium brings together blockchain, robotics, machine learning and IoT but adds the market aspects of government, academia, industry leaders and venture capital creating a space to not only showcase our tech industry but promote industry growth directly by connecting our partners with capital, customers, and opportunity.

For more information, visit the registration website HERE .
2019 New Materials, Biomaterials, and Nanomaterials Workshop

Location: University of Calgary
Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m

The workshop will focus on various technologies and applications of New Materials, Biomaterials, and Nanomaterials. Topics of interest include but are not limited to solving industry problems using new materials such as, soft material, space materials, nanomaterials, biomaterials, electronic materials, hard materials, sensing materials, preservation materials, growth materials.
The workshop will: (1) connect researchers at academic institutions with potential industry partners, (2) provide opportunities for industry to work more closely with academic institutions in Alberta through internships, shared research, and partnerships, and (3) highlight and develop funding opportunities between researchers and industry partners (e.g. NSERC, Mitacs, Industrial and technological benefits (ITB)).
If there is a particular Alberta based company that you would be interested in engaging with but have had no prior contact, please forward the company name please contact Christine at cesharp@ucalgary.ca and we will attempt to bring them to the workshop.
Organizers:
Dr. Belinda Heyne (Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry)
Dr. Gregory Welch (Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry)
Dr. Yujun Shi (Professor, Department of Chemistry)
Dr. George Shimizu (Professor, Department of Chemistry)
Dr. Christine Sharp (Outreach and Engagement Specialist - Faculty of Science)
2019 Alberta Sensor Technologies, Smart Cities & Internet of Things Workshop

Location: University of Calgary
Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

The networking-based workshop will focus on various technologies and applications of Internet-of-Things. Topics of interest include but not limited to sensor technologies in the ground, in the air, attached to infrastructure and new sensors; data streaming and consumption for human interpretation; sensor physics, mathematics and AI applications; data security and privacy.
 
The Smart Cities & Internet of Things Workshop will: (1) connect researchers at academic institutions with potential industry partners, (2) provide opportunities for industry to work more closely with academic institutions in Alberta through internships, shared research, and partnerships, and (3) highlight and develop funding opportunities between researchers and industry partners (e.g. NSERC CREATE, or NSERC Collaborative R&D grants).
 
 
Organizers:
Dr. Mea Wang (Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science)
Dr. Robert Ferguson (Associate Professor, Department of Geoscience)
Dr. Joshua Taron (Associate Dean – Research, Faculty of Environmental Design)
Dr. Christine Sharp (Outreach and Engagement Specialist - Faculty of Science)
 
If there a particular industry partner or research collaborator you would like us to reach out to, please contact Christine at cesharp@ucalgary.ca .
NITAC 2019: NCI Agency Industry Conference and AFCEA TechNet International

Location: Oslo, Norway
Dates: May 20 - 22, 2019

NITEC19 will focus on advancing technological solutions and business practices to strengthen NATO operations from the South to the High North.

For more information and to register visit https://nitec19.com/ .
Member Showcase
With a support network spanning over 125 years and six continents, Babcock is a recognized leader in the delivery of engineering support solutions. Our experts design, build, manage, operate and maintain assets vital to the delivery of a wide assortment of mission critical services.
 
In the naval sector, in Canada and around the world, our teams safely and efficiently support complex and critical assets on a large scale. We ensure our customers benefit from increased asset availability, improved efficiency and significantly reduced operating and infrastructure costs.
 
Our Canadian team is proud to be trusted to deliver key naval in-service support for the Royal Canadian Navy. Since 2008, we have been providing platform design, integration, configuration, management services, and maintenance and waterfront support, ensuring complete life cycle engineering support for Canada’s fleet of Victoria Class submarines.
 
In the aviation sector, we ensure that the air crew trainees of our partner nations receive the world’s best flying training. We have over 1,300 pilots within Babcock, and work with air forces, navies and armies throughout Europe to deliver world class technical instruction across multiple locations and aircraft types. Our expertise in each and all the associated support elements ensures the training programme is working as one.

We also deliver vital aerial emergency services around the world. Whether it’s fighting forest fires in Portugal, Italy or Canada, or operating emergency fleets of medical helicopters for the Italian or Norwegian governments, Babcock is an essential partner in complex and critical operations around the world.

Contact: (613) 567-2764
WCDIA Coffee Club
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February Coffee Club:
Hosted by VizworX


Date:  February 26, 2019
Location:  100 6 Ave SW, Calgary, AB - 2nd Floor
Time:  Registration opens 8:00am, starts 8:30am - 9:30am

VizworX provides custom software solutions, R&D projects and innovate products using augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, data visualization, and other leading edge technologies.

Join us for networking, coffee and breakfast fare at VizworX in Calgary for the opportunity to learn more about our company and to try these technologies.

Attendees must RSVP as space is limited.
Calling all WCDIA members:

Would you like to host the next coffee club networking event at your place of business or education facility? Please send us an email at  admin@wcdia.com  to let us know you are interested.
Available dates*:
  • March 12, 2019
  • April 9, 2019
  • May 14, 2019
*These dates are tentative and are subject to change. Hosting companies must be in good standing with WCDIA.
Industry Events at a Glance
PNAA 18th Annual Aerospace Conference
February 11 - 14, 2019
Seattle, WA

WCDIA "Getting in the Game" Workshop
March 20 - 21, 2019
Edmonton, AB

Western Innovation Forum
March 7, 2019
Vancouver, BC

Saskatchewan Aerospace and Defence Forum
March 19, 2019
Regina, SK


AUVSI’s Xponential
April 30 - May 2, 2019
Chicago, Illinois

NITEC19
May 20 - 22, 2019
Oslo, Norway

WCDIA AGM
June 25
Calgary, AB
Registration Coming Soon

WESTDEF - WCDIA's 10th Annual Aerospace, Defence and Security Conference
June 25 - 27, 2019
Calgary, AB
WCDIA | 403.710.0982   | admin@wcdia.com   | www.wcdia.com
This email was sent by Western Canadian Defence Industries Association (WCDIA). WCDIA promotes Western businesses as viable suppliers for federal defence procurement initiatives. WCDIA aims to provide a means of mutual support to Tier 2 and smaller Western Canadian companies; to help develop their ability to serve the procurement needs of the Canadian defence industry. The WCDIA’s intent is to provide its members with practical training and advice on critical tools and issues.