Call for proposals for the ESPRIT programme
The European Commission, DG III, has published a call for proposals for the Community's specific RTD programme in the field of information technologies (ESPRIT). This call is the seventh call to be published since the programme started. The detailed list of domain-specific themes and tasks currently being called is given in the original tender documents. Each theme or task, identified by a task number, relates specifically to the recently updated work programme. The evaluation procedure to be followed will depend on the area in which the proposal is submitted. A one-step evaluation process will be applied to all proposals submitted in the following domains: - Software technologies; - Technologies for components and subsystems; - Long-term research (Themes 1 and 3 only); - The Open Microprocessor Systems Initiative; - Technologies for Business Processes; - Integration in Manufacturing. This requires the submission of a full proposal as described in the information package. Proposals submitted under the continuous submission scheme will be evaluated either in batches at intervals of at least every three months, or as soon as they are received by the Commission, depending on the specific task they refer to. The evaluation of all proposals submitted under the continuous submission scheme will be carried out in one step. A two-step evaluation procedure will be applied to proposals for RTD themes in the following domains: - Multimedia systems; - Long-term research (theme 2 only); - High-performance computing and networking. Please note that in all previous calls, tasks in the multimedia systems domain were evaluated in one step. This is the first time that tasks for R&D themes in this domain are being called under the two-step evaluation scheme. The indicative budgetary allocation for this call is as follows: - Software technologies: ECU 26 million; - Technologies for components and subsystems: ECU 70 million; - Long-term research: ECU 25 million; - The Open Microprocessor Systems Initiative: ECU 25 million; - Technologies for Business Processes: ECU 25 million; - Integration in Manufacturing: ECU 28 million; - Multimedia systems: ECU 20 million; - High-performance computing and networking: ECU 35 million. The ESPRIT programme plans to publish its next call for proposals on 15 March 1997. More information on this and other planned calls will be made available soon. A schedule of future calls, which will allow proposers to plan ahead, and the Commission to synchronize with calls for related tasks in the work programmes of other Commission research programmes, will also be available shortly. Detailed information about procedures, eligibility, submission of proposals, the contract established with successful proposers, the newly updated work programme, and background material is given in the information package (also recently updated), which can be obtained from the European Commission. The general part of the information package contains an information request form through which specific documentation, if needed, may be obtained. Description of work undertaken in earlier and related Commission programmes can also be obtained on request. All correspondence concerning this call should be sent to: European Commission DG III - Industry IT Information Desk 200 rue de la Loi B-1049 Brussels E-mail: esprit@dg3.cec.be The current work programme, information package and related information on the ESPRIT programme are available (and constantly updated) on the following Web site: http://cordis.europa.eu/esprit/home.html.