Guidelines for Science and Technology Experts Volunteer Pool Program ( STEVPP) Implementation

November 5, 2009

DOST MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 005-09

 

The S&T Experts Volunteer Pool Program aims to bring scientists and experts to where they are needed — the countryside. It provides free short-term technical assistance to interested groups or clients all over the Philippines.

The Program provides experts services, technical assistance/advisory services, troubleshooting, training and seminars to support activities that promote technology transfer and commercialization, productivity enhancement and technical capability development/skills upgrading.

I. Background:

This guideline is being re-issued to provide supplemental information and update of the previously issued guidelines on the program.

II. Objectives:

1. Provide technical assistance for the effective transfer, assimilation and commercialization of technologies in the countryside;

2. Tap the skills and expertise of both active and retired experts both from the public and private sectors;

3. Increase accessibility of S&T experts advisory services to clients in all parts of the country.

III. Methodology:

1. Harnessing available expertise within the country's scientific and academic communities and professional societies;

2. Linking technology generators directly with users; and

3. Mobilizing S&T human resources to facilitate technology transfer and commercialization. DICSaH

IV. Accredited Volunteer Experts:

Accredited volunteer experts include scientists, researchers, engineers, professors and instructors, private individuals and practitioners who are acknowledged specialists in their fields and/or endorsed by a recognized group or professional association.

To be included in the STEVPP roll of volunteers, experts are required to fill-up/submit a capsule bio-data (Annex A) which shall provide information on his/her field of specialization and availability.

V. Priority Considerations:

The Program shall prioritize support of the technology transfer and commercialization thrust of the Department of Science and Technology. It also adopts the following policies:

1. Priority for funding assistance under the Program shall be given to requests that address technology-based needs/requirements for technical capability upgrading and productivity enhancement of firms or organizations.

2. Request for experts can be availed by the MSMEs, cooperatives, local government units, non-government organizations, rural and urban communities, academe and other interested clients.

3. Travel support to experts from DOST RDIs will be given provided such travels are not in line with on-going projects of the concerned institute. On-going projects are deemed budgeted to the completion of its goals.

 Activities that are considered regular component (requires expert's regular visit/consultation) of a certain project are not qualified for the assistance/travel support.

4. Where several volunteer experts are available and suited for the job, priority will be given to RDI experts who have not previously received STEVPP support during the current year.

VI. Priority Areas:

1. Processed Food DTaSIc

2. Marine

3. Metals and Engineering

4. Furniture

5. Gifts, Toys, Housewares and Wearables

6. Information and Communications Technology

7. Agriculture

8. Energy

9. Textile

10. Biotechnology

11. Environment

VII. Clients/Beneficiaries:

MSMEs, cooperatives, local government units, non-government organizations, rural and urban communities, academe, and other interested clients.

VIII. Responsibilities of Each Party:

1. TAPI

 Provide funding support to cover expert's per diems and travel expenses depending on mode of travel. This may include, subject to availability of funds:

1.1 Transportation Expense

1.1.1 By air — Economy airfare;

1.1.2 By Land — Bus/Jeepney/Taxi Fare

  — Reimbursable gasoline expense if  using Government vehicle

1.1.3 By Water — Boat fare. aCITEH

1.2 Reimbursable actual transportation expenses:

1.2.1 From the office or residence to the point of embarkation;

1.2.2 From the point of embarkation to the point of debarkation in the place of destination;

1.2.3 From the point of debarkation to the office of destination or temporary residence in the place of assignment in the field and return.

1.3 Pursuant to existing guidelines on travel, a P400/day travel allowance to cover per diem and incidental expenses.

Breakfast	-	P80.00
Lunch	-	P80.00
Dinner	-	P80.00
Incidental expenses	-	P160.00
		–––––––
Total	-	P400.00
		======

 Entitlement to travel allowance shall start only upon arrival at the place of destination and shall cease upon departure therefrom.

IX. Requesting Party:

1. Provide decent accommodation for the expert/s;

2. For very urgent request, the requesting party may be required to advance the expert's travel expenses including per diems which will be reimbursed to them upon submission of the complete required documents;

3. Submit to TAPI thru the Regional Office, activity completion/report (Annex B) preferably with pictures.

X. Expert/s:

1. Provide free services for activities enumerated in the second paragraph of section 1.

2. Submit within ten working days from the date of travel an accomplishment report containing the activities undertaken, number of participants and recommendation after each assignment. The report may also include problems encountered during the activity to avoid and if possible, eliminate similar problems in the future.

3. Liquidate travel expenses within ten working days of completion of the travel. Expert should submit the following documents after his/her assignment:

3.1 used ticket/boarding passes (if issued thru e-ticketing);

3.2 certificate of appearance; STCDaI

3.3 certificate of travel completed;

3.4 itinerary of travel;

3.5 travel report (Annex C);

3.6 pictures taken during the activity; and

3.7 certification from concerned agency that expert did not claim per diem.

XI. Operating Procedures for STEVPP:

1. Interested group or clients submit their requests to the Office of the Director of TAPI through the DOST Regional Directors concerned, indicating the following:

1.1 type of technical assistance needed;

1.2 proposed date of the activity;

1.3 venue;

1.4 number/nature of potential beneficiaries; and

1.5 expertise required

 Letter request should be submitted at least two weeks before the proposed date of the activity.

2. TAPI conducts matching and networking of experts across the countryvis-à-vis the technical requirement of the requesting party.

3. TAPI approves the request for STEVPP support and informs requesting parties and DOST Regional Offices.

4. TAPI processes necessary travel papers i.e., flight bookings, preparation of disbursement vouchers for payment of plane fares and cash advance of the experts. DHSCEc

5. Expert is deployed on site.

6. Expert submits within ten working days from the date of travel an accomplishment report containing the activities undertaken, number of participants and recommendations after each assignment. The report shall also include problems encountered during the activity and recommendations to avoid and if possible, eliminate the occurrence of similar problems in the future.

7. Expert liquidates travel expenses including cash advance (if any) within ten working days after completion of the travel. Expert should submit the documents mentioned under 10.3.1 to 10.3.7 of the expert's responsibilities after his/her assignment.

8. An expert who fails to liquidate the travel expenses within one month after completion of travel will be considered delinquent and will be blacklisted from the pool.

9. Requesting party submits activity report and assessment of the expert on the result of the assistance undertaken. This should be accompanied by pictures to support the report to be submitted within one month after the completion of the activity.

XII. Effectivity:

This circular shall supersede the previously issued guidelines and shall take effect immediately.

Taguig City, Philippines, October ___, 2009.

(SGD.) ESTRELLA F. ALABASTRO

Secretary

ANNEX A

Science and Technology Experts Volunteer Pool Program

Capsule Bio-Data

Name of Expert/Trainer: ______________________________________________
Date of Birth: ______________________________ Gender: _________________
Company/Office Name: _______________________________________________
Designation: ________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________
Tel. No.: ___________________________________________________________
Office: _____________________________________________________________
Tel. No.: ___________________________________________________________
Cellphone No.: ______________________________________________________
Email address: ______________________________________________________
Highest Educational Attainment:
_______________________________________
Field(s) of Specialization/Expertise:
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Membership in Professional Association(s):
Organization	Position	Period Covered
____________	____________	____________
____________	____________	____________
Previous Consultancy Engagement:
Date	Title	Location
__________	__________________	______________
__________	__________________	______________
__________	__________________	______________
Please note any special requirements: (Medical/Religious/Dietary/Other)
__________________________________________________________
I hereby certify that the above information are true and correct.

 

_________________

Signature

ANNEX B

o To be submitted by the Requesting Party to TAPI after each activity

Science and Technology Experts Volunteer Pool (STEVPP) Program

Activity Report FormatConduct of Forum/Seminar/Training

Requesting Party	:
Sector	:
Title of Activity	:
Date	:
Venue	:
No. of Participants	:
Highlights of the Activity	:
Issues and Concerns	:
Benefits gained from the assistance	:
Follow-up activities identified	:
Problems Encountered	:
Recommendations	:
Evaluation of the expert/s performance: (Summary)
Name of expert	:
Expert/s Agency/Address	:
Submitted by:
___________________________
(Print Name & Signature)
Position:
Date:

ANNEX C

o To be submitted by the Volunteer Expert(s) to TAPI after each activity

Science and Technology Experts Volunteer Pool (STEVPP) Program

Travel Report FormatConduct of Forum/Seminar/Training

Requesting Party	:
Sector	:
Title of Activity	:
Date	:
Venue	:
No. of Participants	:
Highlights of the Activity	:
Issues and Concerns	:
Benefits gained from the assistance	:
Follow-up activities identified	:
Problems Encountered	:
Recommendations	:
Evaluation of the expert/s performance: (Summary)
Name of expert	:
Expert/s Agency/Address	:
Submitted by:
___________________________
(Print Name & Signature)
Position:
Date:

 

[ ] Please provide all information requested