Call for proposals in support of Community policy for the Standards, Measurements and Testing programme
The European Commission, DG XII, has published a call for proposals for RTD actions for the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration in the field of standards, measurements and testing (1994-1998). In conformity with Article 5, paragraph 1, of the Council Decision adopting the specific programme, a work programme has been established by the Commission, presenting the detailed scientific and technological objectives and types of RTD actions to be undertaken, as well as the financial arrangements to be made for them. The objectives and the research, technological developments and demonstration activities included in the present call for proposals cover the areas described in the work programme. The legal entities referred to in Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Council Decision on the rules for participation in the specific programmes, as well as the JRC, are invited to submit proposals for shared-cost RTD actions in the following areas: - Theme I: Measurements for quality European products, including written standards for industry; - Theme II: Research related to written standards and technical support to trade; - Theme III: Measurements related to the needs of society. This call for proposals is restricted to the following RTD subjects identified by the Commission as necessary for the support of the development or implementation of Community policy, including European standardization: - Category I: Subjects related to the standardization activities of CEN: 1. Mechanical testing of advanced technical ceramics at room and elevated temperatures. 2. The analysis, selection and statistical treatment of thermal properties of building materials for the preparation of harmonized design values. 3. Intercomparison for the determination of the precision of tensile tests for metallic materials and the verification of computer software used in automated testing. 4. The development of a glow discharge optical emission spectrometry method for the determination of the quantitative depth profile analysis of coated steel products. 5. The development of validated methods for the chemical analysis of zinc and zinc alloys. 6. The detection of radioactive material (sealed sources or contaminated pieces) in a scrap load in river vessels or railway wagons. 7. Pressure vessel: the determination of the relationship between the fatigue strength and hydrotest pressure. 8. The development of methods for the measurement of noise generated by machines. 9. The development of test methods for the slip resistance testing of all types of sport surfaces. 10. A comparative study of the fall-arresting characteristics of belts and safety harnesses. 11. The development of in-house test methods for the determination of the electrical resistance of conductive and antistatic footwear. 12. The development of methods for the determination of the resistance of industrial footwear to hazardous chemicals. 13. The development of methodologies for risk/benefit analyses of materials used in implantable medical devices (test of biocompatibility). 14. The development of a method for the determination of the radiodetectability of catheters and other tubular medical devices. 15. The development of methods for the determination of the microbial properties of porous packaging materials used in medical applications. 16. Test methods to establish conformity to safety standards for equipment used in biotechnology (leaktightness, microbial permeability, cleanability and sterilizability). 17. Intercomparison to compare three radiometric methods A, B and C for measuring radiant efficiency of gas-fired overhead radiant heaters. 18. Exchangers of condensing a corrosion test for heat air heaters. 19. The validation of criteria and parameters necessary to ensure the matching of boiler bodies and forced draught burners put separately on the market. 20. Analysis of leachates from landfill waste: the validation of standardized methods for the analysis of aqueous leachates. 21. The determination of hydrocarbons in water. 22. Direct toxicity assessment of complex industrial effluents discharged to sewers. 23. The organization of a comparative study to determine the precision of methods of counting staphylococcus aureus, clostridium perfingens, bacillus cereus, listeria monocytogenes and the methods of detection of salmonella and listeria monocytogenes. 24. Non-fatty food: multi-method for the determination of pesticides in non-fatty foodstuffs - new methods of extraction and new instrumentation. 25. The development of a test method to determine the action of disinfectants on materials destined for use in contact with drinking water. 26. The development of test methods to evaluate the microbiological deterioration of pipe sealing ring materials. 27. Burning behaviour of curtains and drapes: flame spread measurement using a large ignition source. 28. The compilation of field measurements on buried pipes and their comparison with estimated design results. 29. A method for the evaluation of the fatigue resistance of flexible waterproofing sheets mechanically attached to the structure and subject to dynamic wind flexing. 30. Magnetic card readers: test methods and standard tools for the establishment of global requirements for cards and IC systems. - Category II: Subjects related to the standardization activities of ETSI: 31. The development of ISO 9646 type approval test tools for GSM (phase 2). 32. The development of measurement, testing and calibration procedures for mobile radio channel test equipment. - Category III: Methods development in support of Community policy: 33. The assessment of risks of exposure to plant protection products: . Exposure of operators, bystanders and workers; . Environmental exposure; . Dietary exposure. 34. The validation of analytical methods to determine the content of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and patuline in foodstuffs of vegetable origin. 35. The determination of the whey protein/casein ratio in milk and milk products. - Category IV: Reference material: 36. Sensory evaluation of butter: butter reference samples with defined flavour defects. NB: For each of the above subjects a document has been produced detailing the objectives to be met. This must be requested together with the programme information package before attempting to develop a proposal. Proposals for research objectives other than those listed above will not be accepted. Proposals must be sent to the Commission before 25 October 1995 (12.00). A summary of the work programme of the Standards, Measurements and Testing programme is as follows: - Theme I: Measurements for quality European products, including written standards for industry: 1.1. Measurements in support of the research phase. 1.2. Measurements and testing in the industrial development phase. 1.3. Measurements and testing for the control of production. 1.4. Technical support to the achievement of total quality in measurement. - Theme II: Research related to written standards and technical support to trade: 2.1. Research in support of European trade. 2.2. European measurement and testing infrastructure. 2.3. Support to the needs of the customs laboratories. - Theme III: Measurements related to the needs of society: 3.1. Health and safety: 3.2. Methods and reference materials for environmental monitoring. 3.3. Protection of cultural heritage. 3.4. Justice system. The work programme, the information package containing the procedures to be followed for the submission of proposals and the model contract to be established for those proposals which are approved are available from the Commission upon request. The description of work undertaken in previous related programmes will also be provided upon request. All correspondence, as well as proposals for RTD activities, should be addressed to: European Commission DG XII-C 75 rue Montoyer B-1040 Brussels Fax +32-2-2958072