Appendix 5

Previous R&D Processes

Australian Pork Limited

The Research & Innovation (R&I) Division is a core component of Australian Pork Limited (APL) and when APL was established, the R&I Division undertook activities previously managed by the Pig Research & Development Corporation (PRDC). As a consequence, many of the processes previously utilised by the Pig Research & Development Corporation (PRDC) for research and development priority setting, project commissioning and project management were directly adopted by APL.

Project development, budget setting, calls for research proposals and the commissioning of research projects were based on a published annual cycle aimed at expediting contracts by July 1 each year.

Expert Working Groups: Groups of experts in specific disciplines, coupled with producer representatives were established to identify research priorities and to assess research proposals. Membership of the group was by invitation and the core disciplines covered were “Reproduction and Health”, “Nutrition and Genetics”, “Technology Transfer and Communication” and “Environment and Welfare”.

Call for Proposals: The bulk of projects commissioned were via a two stage proposal development process. Based on an annual cycle, APL made a call for two page preliminary research proposals in October each year that were then short listed by the expert working groups for progression to full-proposal. Full proposals were assessed in March/April each year and projects were ranked by the expert working group. Following a budget allocation by the Board, management then approved funding of projects based on rank until funds were fully expended.

In February 2006 the APL Board established an R&D Advisory Committee with the following terms of reference:

• To monitor guidelines, selection criteria and procedures for the initiation and management of R&I Division project investments to achieve better alignment to APL strategic objectives and improved reporting to the Board, and recommend changes as identified and
• to advise the APL Board on the business plans for all relevant R&D programs and for those major projects agreed by the Board.

In addition, the APL Board also requested that the R&D Advisory Committee develop a project identification and assessment process that will be used internally for developing recommendations for future R&D investments within APL.

Current APL revised R,D&E process

A revised R,D&E process was implemented in 2007-08. This new process outlined below consists of two key components:

• R&D Specialist Groups and
• R&D Advisory Committee (RDAC).

The Specialist Groups are comprised of ‘expert’ participants from industry, research providers and APL R&I program managers. This process is used to advise the R&D Advisory Committee on relevant research and development in the specialist area and assist the attainment of APL strategic objectives by:

• Utilising expertise within the Specialist Group to match R&D opportunities to APL strategic objectives
• prioritising projects and the most appropriate mode of commissioning (e.g. tender, general call)
• alerting the RDAC to potential shortages in capability, infrastructure or resources that are impeding the pork industry’s capacity to meet research and development objectives
• placing appropriate emphasis on technology transfer through recognition of the need for investment in the development of skills and infrastructure within the industry as a key element
• providing advice on opportunities for co-funding research projects and
• where appropriate, provide advice on the selection of research projects.

There are 6 Specialist Groups and these are:

Group 1 - Marketing, supply chain and product development.
Group 2 - Genetics, genetic modification and genetic transfer.
Group 3 - Production and product quality.
Group 4 - Industry capability and technology transfer.
Group 5 - Environment and welfare.
Group 6 - Quality assurance, bio-security and food safety.

The Chairpersons of the six Specialist Groups and the R&D Advisory Committee members together with the CEO of APL and the GM, Research & Innovation form the R&D Advisory Committee (RDAC ). The primary function of the RDAC , on behalf of the APL Board, is to give direction to activities around the development, management, performance and outcomes of APL’s research and associated activities through the:

1. Identification of research needs and opportunities as advised through the Specialist Groups
2. allocation of resources to specific areas of research and research projects through the Specialist Groups and
3. assessment of performance of the project portfolio and APL’s research management.

The specific Terms of Reference for the RDAC are to ensure APL’s research and development project portfolio:

1. Reflects the Commonwealth Government’s research priorities as appropriate to the pork industry
2. is developed and operates with transparency and accountability through all parts of its processes from application for research funds through to reporting of outcomes and deliverables, with appropriate safeguards for commercially sensitive information
3. comprises an appropriate balance of projects in terms of scope, duration and commerciality (public/private good) through appropriate apportioning of funds between early stage scientific studies and downstream pre-market launch product development
4. provides an accurate and comprehensive overview of the performance of the portfolio regarding alignment with the APL Strategic Plan and progress towards milestones, budget adherence, key deliverables and investment value to the APL Board and
5. is responsive to specific Board directives and provides feedback for use in strategy development.

In addition:

1. The RDAC will ratify membership of all Specialist Groups and
2. membership of the RDAC will be reviewed annually.

The key steps in the revised APL R,D&E process are:

1. Research priorities developed by Specialist Groups (January/February)
2. business plan developed by Specialist Groups (February)
3. submit Specialist Group business plan and ex ante Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA )^* (early March)
4. RDAC review Specialist Group business plans and recommends draft budgets to Board and APL research priorities communicated to industry (March)
5. board approves full budget and call for new R,D&E programs/projects (May/June)
6. new R,D&E projects commissioned (July-January)
7. R,D&E Process Review by RDAC (December) and
8. APL/RDC project ex post BCA submitted^* (June/July).

* RDC methodology for the BCA analyses adopted to review all APL R,D&E programs/projects.

Pork CRC

Research and Development Committee

The primary function of the Committee is to provide leadership for the research conducted by the Pork CRC and make recommendations to the Pork CRC Board in relation to the funding of research programs and projects. The Research and Development Committee conducts annual reviews of all projects and monitors research project performance. The R&D committee meetings are held quarterly.

The Research and Development Committee consists of the Chief Executive Officer of the Pork CRC and two Directors of the Pork CRC, five industry members and one government representative.

Education Committee

The Education Committee advises and assists the Pork CRC Board in discharging its responsibilities in relation to the education and training activities of the Pork CRC. The primary functions of the Education Committee are to make recommendations to the Board on:

• Priority post-graduate training areas relative to industry wide capacity
• recruitment and selection of suitable postgraduate students and
• adequacy assessments of the training and education subprogram during the life of the Pork CRC.

The Education Committee consists of the CEO, Pork CRC, Company Secretary and two Directors of the Pork CRC and two industry representatives.

Pork CRC R&D Committee Participants

Dr Roger Campbell, CEO Pork CRC (Chair).
Dr Robert van Barneveld, Director, Pork CRC.
Mr Rod Hamann, Director, Pork CRC.
Dr Ray King, Independent Consultant, Leader Program 1.
Professor Frank Dunshea, University of Melbourne, Leader Program 2.
Ms Heather Channon, APL, Leader Program 3.
Mr Dave Henman, Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Dr Brian Luxford, Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Dr Darryl D’Souza, APL, General Manager, Research and Innovation.
Mr Patrick Denham, Committee Secretary.

Pork CRC Education Committee Participants

A/Professor Wayne Pitchford, Director Pork CRC (Chair).
Dr Roger Campbell, CEO Pork CRC.
Professor Paul Hughes, SARDI.
Dr Darryl D’Souza, APL General Manager, Research and Innovation.
Professor John Pluske, Murdoch University.
Dr William van Wettere, University of Adelaide.
Mr Patrick Denham, Committee Secretary.

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