Skip to Menu Skip to Content
Go to Main menuGo to Content

CaPS Application Process & Approval

For Projects Costing Between $100,000-$10,000,000, the following procedures will occur:

Application Submission

Applications to CaPS can be for a Partial (Consultant) TPC (Total Project Cost), a Full TPC, or a change to either a Partial or Full TPC. The Full TPC can be based on either a formal cost estimate or a tendered construction amount.

Applications should be submitted to the Executive Secretary of CaPS for review prior to inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting. The Application deadline is generally one week prior, before the Friday meeting.

CaPS Application to include the following:

  • CaPS Application Form with Signature of primary client (ie, Vice-President, Principal, Dean or designate); Funding sources (CFC/CC account numbers) are mandatory and funds must be available at the inception of the project
  • A Project Description in a form that includes the kind of information included in the template in the “CaPS Forms” section of the SharePoint site sufficient to allow the members of the Committee to approve the Project. The Project Description must include the impact of the project to the existing electrical and mechanical system of the building.
  • A floor plan or plans that defines the area of work and a site plan if the work extends to the exterior of a building.
  • Signed Total Project Cost (TPC) estimate – see list below for authorized positions; TPC to be comprehensive, ie, items such as the purchase of furniture to be included
  • In the event that the proposed project requires a building permit (see https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction/apply-for-a-building-permit/when-do-i-need-a-building-permit/), the TPC must include, amongst other items: a) permit costs and b) consultant costs that reflect the appropriate engagement of a consultant or consultants needed to provide professional services as required by legislation
  • For renovation projects that will result in an increase to the operating costs of a building, then the revised operating costs per square metre must be shown on each TPC sheet, but separate from the Total Project Cost estimate calculation

Approval Letter

Upon approval by the committee, an Approval Letter signed by the Chair of CaPS is distributed by email to the division head or designate and copied to relevant parties. A project account is established with approval to proceed.

Approval letter to include:

  • Approval date
  • Project name and location of work
  • TPC amount
  • Brief description of the work
  • Funding sources
  • Date the project is required to be operationally complete
  • Those responsible for the project
  • Work to commence only after project account is established and after full funding has been transferred

Project Account

Capital Accounting creates the project account in FIS and transfers the full funding.

Project Closure

The Project Manager requests a closure by submitting a written application to Capital Accounting.

Upon a review of the account, particularly outstanding commitments, the project will be deemed closed by Capital Accounting.

Under spent funds are returned proportionately to the original funding source.

Change in Scope

Any change in the scope causing an increase or decrease of the original approved amount requires approval by CaPS.

The Client must submit:

  • Revised and signed TPC (see list below for authorized positions)
  • A CaPS Application form, the revised TPC and a letter to the Chair of CaPS for approval clearly identifying the source of additional funding (CFC/CC)
  • The CaPS Application form must clearly state the reason for the change.

Upon CaPS approval, an Approval Letter is issued and the funds are transferred to the project account. Should project tenders and subsequent contracts be significantly below the initial TPC, project funding may be returned to the Division upon receipt of a signed TPC submitted to CaPS.

CFI/ORF Funded Projects

The following procedure pertains to projects that will be funded by the CFI/ORF:

  • Project Management prepares a preliminary TPC for a CFI submission.
  • If the submission is successful, the Faculty will bridge-fund the costs of bringing a project through the tender process in order to obtain a firm TPC.
  • The firm TPC is submitted by Research Services to the CFI for review and approval.
  • Once approved, the project is submitted to CaPS for approval.
  • Due to the length of time required to receive the award funding, in order to expedite a project, Faculties may bridge-fund a project, and recovers funding at a later date.

Authorized Signatures for a Capital Projects TPC

The following positions are authorized to sign a TPC:

St George Campus

  • Executive Director, Project Management
  • Director, Project Development & Controls
  • Director, Design and Engineering
  • Director, Property Management

Between Meetings Approvals (BMA)

Projects can receive approval between scheduled CaPS meetings following two streams:

1. Projects that have been submitted to a CaPS meeting and described in the section, “Anticipated Between Meeting Approvals”

  1. A complete submission but the application form has not been fully executed:  Approved after distribution of the fully executed application form – if the form is unchanged from the application form previously submitted.
  2. A complete submission but the TPC has not been fully executed:  Approved after distribution of the fully executed TPC – if unchanged from the TPC previously submitted.
  3. A complete submission with either the application form and/or TPC not fully executed but documentation changed from the documentation previously submitted:  Approved following distribution of documents to the CaPS committee.  If any committee member objects, then the application must be deferred to the next CaPS meeting for review.
  4. An incomplete submission – examples include the written project description, floor plans, etc.  Approved following distribution of full documentation to the CaPS committee.  If any committee member objects, then the application must be deferred to the next CaPS meeting.

2. Projects that have not been submitted to the CaPS meeting previously and it can be demonstrated that an urgency exists that would negatively affect the project if approval were deferred to the next scheduled CaPS meeting.

  1. A complete application including all executed documentation must be included.
  2. The application will be distributed to all members of the CaPS Committee and there must be a quorum of positive responses for the   application to be approved.  The responses can be by email or by Outlook voting buttons or some other electronic voting system – tallied by the CaPS Secretary.
  3. ​​​​​​​If any committee member objects, then the application must be deferred to the next CaPS meeting for review.

To read more about Capital Projects and Renovations process, please refer to Financial Services website below:
https://finance.utoronto.ca/policies/gtfm/capital-projects-and-renovations/

Contact

For questions about an application or to submit an application, please contact:

Anca Vlasin
Business Officer
University Planning
12 Queens Park Cres. West, 4th Floor
McMurrich Building
caps@utoronto.ca