CORDIS: Provision of information services on Community research and technological development activities

The Commission of the European Communities calls for tenders relating to the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS). The Directorate-General for Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation, through its Dissemination of Scientific and Technical Knowledge Unit, collects and disseminates information related to Community R&D activities. In an experimental phase, this information is presently gathered through a series of separate channels and made publicly available via an on-line information system (CORDIS). This experimental service is to evolve progressively toward a fully operational quality service. The present call for tenders concerns the continuous operation and further development of CORDIS and the provision of related services in connection with the dissemination of information on Community R&D activities. Tenderers may be individual organizations or consortia, and may tender for one or several lots. Offers must be separate per lot. Existing activities will have to be taken over in a short period of time, not exceeding about six weeks: Lot 1: Information collection and database production: - Information collection: Collection of information on R&D activities such as R&D programmes, projects, results, partners etc. This information exists in various (paper and machine readable) forms. Preparation, abstracting, conversion, mapping, indexing and editing of information is required. Regular contact and database promotion with R&D Programme Managers in Brussels and Luxembourg is mandatory. - Database production: Collected information is to be integrated into existing production databases, and later, into a future Common Production System (see below) while assuring continuous updating of good quality database(s). Regular delivery of database updates to the CORDIS dissemination host is also required. Lot 2: User service and support: - Operations: System operation (running the service, database administration, liaison with CORDIS production, quality assurance); customer services (user registration, help desk, user statistics/administration, mailing dissemination of offline products, user guides, training sessions, presentation and demonstration of the service. - Support activities: Definition of dissemination strategies and follow up; service quality evaluation; support/modification of user interfaces; organization of promotional events; development and implementation of training programmes; assistance to CORDIS information multipliers (these activities mainly to be conducted in Luxembourg). Lot 3: Development and maintenance of the new CORDIS infrastructure: - The Common Production System: On the basis of an existing feasibility study, a common production system for all R&D related data has to be developed and implemented. - Off-line products: A number of off-line products (CD ROM, diskettes, paper based editions of CORDIS data) are in a prototype phase requiring development and tailoring to user needs. - Centralized on-line dissemination service:The present experimental on-line dissemination system is based on a vendor-specific captive infrastructure. A new system must be developed based on Open Systems Architecture. - Replicated distributed on-line dissemination services: In addition to the central service, relay centres in Member States will be set up for dissemination of CORDIS data and for organizing feedback to the central service. Networking and maintenance systems are required to support these remote systems. - Intelligent workstations: The development of an easy to use integrated graphical user interface on top of existing intelligent workstations. Detailed application documents are available from: Commission of the European Communities DG XIII/C/3 Jean Monnet Building B4/87 Plateau du Kirchberg L-2920 Luxembourg Fax +352-43012084

CORDIS: Provision of information services on Community research and technological development activities

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