Quick introduction to the basics technical aspect of Canada's Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Credit.
The presentation focuses on the formulation of a hypothesis as this is the basis for a SR&ED Project
3. Definition
International:
“For a … project to be classified as R&D, its completion must be dependent on a scientific &/or
technological advance, the aim of the project must be the systematic resolution of a scientific and/or
technological uncertainty.”
Source: Frascati Manual 2002, paragraph 135
Canada:
Systematic investigation or search, that is carried out in a field of
science or technology, by means of experiment or analysis and that is:
a) Basic Research
b) Applied Research
c) Experimental Development *
*advancement for the purpose of creating new, or improving existing, materials, devices, products
or processes
Source: Income Tax Act Subsection 127
4. CRA Five Questions
1.
Was there a scientific or a technological uncertainty —an uncertainty that
could not be removed by standard practice?
2.
Did the effort involve formulating hypotheses specifically aimed at reducing or
eliminating that uncertainty?
3.
Was the adopted procedure consistent with the total discipline of the
scientific method, including formulating, testing, and modifying the
hypotheses?
4.
Did the process result in a scientific or a technological advancement?
5.
Was a record of the hypotheses tested and the results kept as the work
progressed?
5. 5 Sections
1.
Objective – Quantify what you are trying to accomplish
2.
Standard Practice – Explain why you don’t know how to achieve objective
3.
Hypothesis – Select variables to test
4.
Testing – Isolate variables and test a range of parameters
5.
Conclusion – What you learned about the variables
Repeat steps 3 to 5, refining hypothesis until project complete
6. What Qualifies?
• Employee hours
• Contractors
• Materials Consumed
*Directly related to resolving the uncertainty
Formulating hypothesis
Designing tests
Testing
Analyzing results
8. Examples of evidence to support the SR&ED work claimed
Supporting
evidence
Project planning documents
Records of resources allocated, time sheets
Design of experiments
Design documents, CAD and technical drawings
Project records, laboratory notebooks
Records of trial runs
Project progress reports
Minutes of project meetings
Test protocols, test data, test results
Analysis of test results, conclusions
Final project report or professional publications
Photographs and videos
Prototypes, samples
Scrap, scrap records
Contracts
Technological
advancement
Technological
uncertainty
Work done
Dates
Employees
involved
9. New Time Sheet
Date
Feb 14, 2014
Hours
Persons
4
Bob
Project
Process
Improvement
Variables
Time
Temperature
Result
100C at time of 30 seconds
gave best film thickness
10. Test Matrix
Variable 1
Variable 2
Variable 3
Variable 1
Result
Result
Result
Variable 2
Result
Result
Result
Variable 3
Result
Result
Result
TimeTemperature
120°C
130°C
140°C
300 seconds
7 microns
6.5 microns
7 microns
330 seconds
8 microns
7 microns
7 microns
360 seconds
9 microns
8 microns
7.5 microns
11. Example Project
Objectives:
• Thickness tolerance (microns)
• Film hardness (Rockwell)
Standard practice:
• Process developed in-house
• Complex part geometry
• Standard methods were tried and failed
12. Hypothesis:
Process parameters will increase thickness
Variables
a.
b.
Temperature
Dip time
Conclusion
Slow dip times increased thickness while a moderate temperature reduced dripping