I Introduction
This Memorandum of Agreement between the Irish Loop Development Board and the Irish Loop Chamber of Commerce furthers the Board’s recognition of the Chamber under its Sustainable Partners Program. The Program is intended to provide operational supports to emerging organization in the region that are identified as key partners in regional economic development. Specifically, the Agreement will define supports available to the Chamber from the Board in relation to the following:
• Financial management and administration
• Chamber operations
• Strategic guidance
• Proposal development
• Project management
II Financial Management and Administration
The Board’s Manager of Administration shall provide to the Chamber the following:
• Monthly financial statements on regular Chamber activities
• Distribution of invoices for membership and associated receipts
• Processing of travel and other payables
• Maintenance of the Chamber’s accounts
• Make remittances on behalf of the Chamber
• Ensure the Chamber is in compliance with any requirements of the WHSC and the Registry of Companies
III Chamber Operations
The Board’s Manager of Operations shall provide to the Chamber the following:
• Preparation of minutes of Chamber meetings
• Distribution of notices of meeting, agendas, minutes and other material for Chamber Board Meetings
• Distribution of correspondence arising from Chamber activities
• Editing the Chamber’s newsletter and overseeing its distribution to the membership and others
• Distribution of other notices to the Chamber membership and others
• Other meeting logistics
IV Strategic Guidance
The Board’s Executive Director or his alternate shall provide to the Chamber the following:
• Strategic advice and guidance on emerging issues facing the Chamber
• Strategic research on programs and supports
V Proposal Development
The Board’s Executive Director or his alternate shall provide to the Chamber the following:
• Where the activity around which a proposal is being developed is within the Board’s current work plan and is being led by the Chamber on behalf of the region, staff shall undertake proposal development including proposal writing and the completion of relevant application forms
• Where the proposed activity is not within the Board’s current work plan and where the allocation of staff resources for new project activity might impair the Board’s capacity to work on current projects, the Board reserves the right to refer this request to the Board’s Planning and Priorities Committee for consideration under the Proposal Development Initiative of the Leadership and Capacity Development Program.
VI Project Management
The Board’s Executive Director or his alternate shall provide to the Chamber the following:
• Where the Chamber intends on securing resources to implement project activities, the Chamber may enter into an agreement with the Board to manage the project on its behalf under the Project Management Initiative of the Leadership and Capacity Development Program
• This Project Management Agreement shall clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of the Chamber, the Project Management Committee and the Project Manager
• This Project Management Agreement shall clearly identify eligible costs to be incurred by the Board in relation to the project including, but not limited to, rent, office supplies, equipment rental, telephone and Internet charges, report writing, financial administration and contract compliance.
• The Board reserves the right to refer the request for support under the Project Management Initiative to the Board’s Planning and Priorities Committee for consideration and to refuse the request to manage any project activity undertaken by the Chamber.
VII Expenses
No expenses, outside of those defined within specific project activities undertaken by the Chamber and incurred by the Board (see Section VI above), shall be provided by the Chamber to the Board during the term of this Agreement.
VIII Duration of Agreement
This Agreement shall come into effect upon signing and shall continue until November 30, 2009 at which time it may be extended.
IX Review
This Agreement shall be reviewed at the conclusion of three months to enable any adjustments to be made.
X Cancellation
This Agreement may be cancelled at any time with 30 days written notice by either party.
XI Dispute Resolution
Any disputes that might arise between the two parties in relation to this Agreement shall be resolved as follows:
• An initial meeting between the President of the Chamber and the Executive Director of the Irish Loop Development Board
• If there is no resolution after the meeting above, a meeting of the Executive Committees of both the Chamber and the Board shall be arranged
• If there is no resolution after the meeting between the two Executive Committees, both organizations may refer the matter to an independent third party to resolve the issue – whose decision shall be final and binding on both parties
XII Statement of Intent
We the undersigned agree to the terms and conditions outlined above. Signed on this ___ day of _____, 2009 at _______.
On behalf of the Irish Loop Chamber of Commerce ______________________________
On behalf of the Irish Loop Development Board ______________________________