Advance notice of call for proposals for the specific programme for the dissemination and exploitation of RTD activities (Network of Relay Centres)
The European Commission, XIII, has published an advance notice of the call for proposals for the implementation of the Network of Relay Centres, under the specific programme for the dissemination and optimization of the results of activities in the field of research and technological development, including demonstration: On 1 December 1994 the Council of the European Union reached agreement on a specific programme for the dissemination and optimization of the results of activities in the field of research and technological development, including demonstration (1994-1998). The programme text is currently undergoing final language checking, prior to its formal adoption and publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. This advance notice is being published in order to speed up the implementation of the programme and to give interested organizations adequate time to prepare their proposals. Once the programme has been formally adopted, the Commission of the European Communities will issue the formal call for proposals, expected to be published in the Official Journal of 16 January 1995. Interested organizations intending to submit proposals should note that the Commission intends to confirm the deadline for proposal submission indicated below when the formal call is published. 2. Objectives and activities The programme foresees the implementation of a Network of Relay Centres (hereinafter referred to as NRC) throughout the European Union and the other EEA countries. The main objective of the NRC is to promote the transfer of research results and technologies in accordance with the needs expressed by the local industrial fabric. The two main areas of Relay Centre work can be summarized as follows: (1) Areas of work directly related to promoting innovation in local industry, notably via the exploitation of research results and technology transfer. This will be carried out largely by facilitating the diffusion of scientific and technological information between researchers and industry after analysis of and in response to local technological requirements. (2) Areas of work directly related to promoting Community RTD programmes and its results in particular, provision of information on the specific programmes and assistance in drawing up research projects, support during the period of project realization and assistance in the promotion of exploitation. Relay Centres will provide services to the specific programmes of the Fourth Framework Programme with respect to these issues. In addition, specific programmes may call on the Relay Centres for provision of additional specific services to those foreseen in the Relay Centre contracts. In this case, these complementary tasks would be the object of separate direct negotiations with the specific programme concerned. 3. Object of the call The purpose of the call is to draw up a contract with a number of individual external organizations or consortia that wish to act as Relay Centres over a geographical area proposed by themselves, within the European Union and the other EEA countries. 4. Requirements. Proposals for hosting Relay Centres may be submitted by any legal entity, institution or group whether public or private (either as an individual organization or as a consortium), which can comply with the requirements as specified in this announcement and which are further detailed in the available information pack mentioned hereinafter. 5. Funding. The budget foreseen for the NRC in its first stage (1995-1997) is estimated at ECU 18 million. The Community contribution towards total costs may be as follows: - Up to 75% Community contribution in the first 12 months; - Up to 66% Community contribution in the second 12 months; - Up to 50% Community contribution thereafter. Those institutions that do not have analytical budget accountancy will be reimbursed on the basis of 100% of the additional costs. Contracts will be signed between the Commission and the successful candidates for an initial period of two years, after which, depending upon performance, they may be renewed until the end of the specific programme. 6. How to submit your proposal. Organizations or consortia that are interested in participating in the call for proposals shall request an information pack containing instructions on how to structure the proposal plus other information on the conditions of eligibility, the principles governing the financial support as well as the detailed requirements, selection criteria and general information from the Commission services. 7. Processing of applications. The Commission will assess the applications according to the conditions and criteria laid down in the present communication and further detailed in the information pack, with the assistance of independent experts as necessary. The Commission will inform the applicants in due course of the outcome of their application. Further information is available from: European Commission Network of Relay Centres Directorate-General for Telecommunications, Information Market and Exploitation of Research DG XIII/D-3 Jean Monnet Building (C4/007) L-2920 Luxembourg Tel. +352-430134008; Fax +352-430134009