RDA Open Call for Maintenance Facilities

EOSC Future

Research Data Alliance

11 November 2021 - 12:00 am CET

15 March 2022 - 04:00 pm CET

Organisations

€40.000

RDA is looking to contract an individual or an organisation who can provide technical tools to organise and curate, over time, RDA outputs. RDA creates on a regular basis a significant range of outputs, tools, standards, recommendations by its committed, volunteer community which are used by the global research community. These resources need to be maintained over time in order to provide a core service for EOSC and other research commons e.g., standards, code, guidelines, etc.  

Successful applicants will demonstrate an understanding of technical standards, outputs and specifications maintenance facilities and requirements.  

In terms of sustainability, RDA thrives on its volunteer network of experts and there is an expectation that the facility will largely rely on volunteers to maintain the platform.   

The following outcomes should be considered in successful applications:    

  • Design and scope of the maintenance facility, including storage and curation solutions. 

  • Clear specification for future requirements both technical and resources. 

  • Creation of necessary technical documentation. 

  • Provide a solution for how the standards and outcomes can be sustained, including a clear plan for how the facility will be maintained by the RDA network. 

  • Consideration of how the facility will relate to EOSC and leverage future EOSC communities to use and contribute to the facility. 

 
Context and Background  

RDA is running a series of calls, in the context of the EOSC Future project, to further enable integration and take up of EOSC services. The purpose of these RDA Open Calls is to engage the community from a bottom-up approach to contribute their know-how to EOSC. The overarching objective of these grants is to enable communities outside of EOSC to leverage EOSC services and the RDA global community mechanisms. This once off call specifically targets projects focusing on solutions for the maintenance of the RDA Recommendations and Outputs.    

The project should be over a period of 8-12 months.    

 

This call is closed

FAQs

This programme is designed to support the generation of a maintenance facility for RDA recommendations and outputs so that they can be persistent and available for implementation and use in EOSC. Applicants can be based in research groups or institutions, or SMEs across Europe, provided they meet the criteria below. One grant will be awarded for a maximum of €40.000.  

Criteria and conditions   

Applicants should: 

  • demonstrate that they have been or are currently involved in RDA and understand the RDA mechanisms and outputs.  

  • Have technical understanding and skills to design and implement an open maintenance facility for a diverse range of outputs, e.g. code, software, standards, guidelines, etc. 

  • Have a good understanding of EOSC, the FAIR movement.  

  • Reside and/or work in a EU country or associate countries.   

Further conditions  

  • This call is not open to members of the EOSC Future consortium. Staff working on the EOSC Future project (i.e., directly funded through a beneficiary (its department or unit executing EOSC Future activities), as a LTP or seconded personnel) are not eligible to apply for grants under the RDA Open Calls and will be asked to tick a Declaration of Honour box upon application. Other staff of these participating institutions are eligible.  

  • If the evaluator’s institution applies for an RDA Open Call, the evaluator will declare their conflict of interest in reviewing the application.  

  • All successful applicants will have to provide a plan for a sound dissemination of the outputs created, openly licensed. A mid-term and final term report will be submitted, following a contractual agreement, highlighting progress, use cases and lessons learned.   

  • All results are property of RDA and will be made available on the RDA web platform (www.rd-alliance.org). Successful applicants may be asked to share their details (photo, bio) for dissemination purposes.   

  • The work should be completed within 8-12 months receipt of award.  

How your application will be evaluated: These are the criteria and weighting  

Your proposal will take into account the RDA Guiding principles and demonstrate commitment to it. Proposals should drive the principles of openness and community activities.   

Candidates will be asked to submit an application that will be evaluated according to the following criteria:  

  1. Excellence:    

  • A statement describing the commitment to the vision of EOSC, the FAIR movement, national Open Science agendas (implementation), links to European data infrastructures or similar federated infrastructures. (20%)   
  • A brief summary of previous and current activities demonstrating the applicant’s involvement and contributions to RDA related activities, Working/Interest Groups, development and/or promotion and/or adoption of RDA Recommendations and Outputs in European Institutions. (15%)   

  1. Impact:  

  • Technical capacity of the applicant, including previous similar activities, proposed use of open tools and solutions, in keeping with the RDA guiding principles. (25%) 

  • Sustainability and impact potential of the application and how this can be carried forward within the context of RDA. The added value to EOSC and other research commons should be demonstrated Applicants should put forward plans for continuing the work beyond the funding period. Methodology of application. The proposal must be thought through, well-written, clear and demonstrate the methodology works. (25%)   

  1. Implementation (quality and efficiency):    

  • A summary of the proposed maintenance facility, how it is relevant to RDA. Outline the scenario for optimisation and update, the relationship to and impact on EOSC, and how an accompanying technical update can be created. (15%)   

Evaluators:  

The applications will be evaluated by external experts with insights to the RDA and EOSC and who have no conflict of interest.  

Word limit for applications   

The word limit for the application will be via fields in a form each with a specific word limit. You can start with an application and save it in the system to return to it later. You are allowed to upload accompanying documentation, e.g., project plan and methodology.   

Financial Contribution  

The RDA Open Calls programme will offer up to 1 grant of maximum €40,000.00 to support the work in this area over the course of the EOSC Future project. An estimated duration for the activity is 8-12 months, with an approx. start date in early 2022. 

Disclaimer: In accordance with the Horizon 2020 financial regulations, no individual or organization (third party) will be awarded more than 60.000 euro (sixty thousand euro). This limit applies cumulatively across all the RDA Open calls and the overall budget (1 million euro). Explicitly, a third party may apply and be awarded funding in different calls, but only be contracted for a total of 60.000 euro. If the limit is reached, no further contracts can be awarded to that individual or organization (third party). 

 

 

This call is closed