Establishment of the European Science and Technology Observatory
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has launched a restricted invitation to tender for the establishment of the European Science and Technology Observatory (ESTO). The mission of such a network is to act as a technological scanner, which should facilitate quick and reliable access to a better state of technico-economic information, including the organization of enterprises and the consequences on employment whatever the sectors concerned. The task of this observatory will be to quickly collect relevant information and process it in codified form, so that it can be used by European public decision-makers as well as other actors involved. The contract may be carried out in any Member State, but the JRC would be especially interested in its being carried out in Seville, Spain, or Brussels, Belgium. The contract will be for a one-year period commencing on 15 October 1996. This period may be extended on a yearly basis for a maximum of three more years. Prospective participants should apply in the form of a network of 10-20 partners, excluding subcontractors, already in existence or formed for the purpose of responding to the contract notice. They should also supply administrative data for each partner. One member of the network should be designated as coordinator, to assume responsibility to the Commission for carrying out the contract. All service providers who have fulfilled the obligations set out in the invitation to tender, and who are considered capable of performing the services required will be invited to submit tenders. All communications regarding this tender should be sent to: European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (Ispra) Ed. World Trade Centre Isla de la Cartuja s/n E-41092 Tel. +34-5-4488300; Fax +34-5-4488281