Call for Proposals in Information Technologies

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From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" <[email protected]>

Originally From: gsrt_[email protected]

We would like to inform you that the European Comission has announced a Call for Proposals for the specific program in the field of Information Technologies.

The domain - specific themes currently being called are:

1.Software Technologies (ST)
2.Technologies for Components and Subsystems (TCS)
3.Multimedia Systems (MS)
4.Long Term Research (LTR)
5.Open Microprocessor Systems Initiative (OMI)
6.High Performance Computing and Networking (HPCN)
7.Technologies for Business Process (TBP)
8.Integration in Manufacturing (IiM)

A. INTRODUCTION

By decision of 26 April 1994, the European Parliament and the Council adopted the Fourth Framework Programme of European Community activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration (RTD) for the period 1994 to 1998 (1). Thereafter the Council adopted, on 23 November 1994, the specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration, in the field of information technologies, commonly known as the Esprit programme (2).

In conformity with Article 5 of the Decision on the specific programme, a work programme, which sets out the detailed objectives and types of projects to be undertaken, was drawn up and has since been twice updated.

Organisations eligible to participate in the programme are invited to submit proposals for the tasks and themes covered by those parts of the 1997 Work Programme that are specified in this call.

The research tasks and themes will be addressed, in general, by shared-cost research and technological development projects, in conformity with the rules in Annex III of the Decision (2). Preparatory, support and transfer activities that accompany the objectives of the 1997 Work Programme may also be undertaken.

Detailed information about procedures, eligibility, submission of proposals, the contract established with successful proposers, the 1997 Work Programme, and other material is given in the 1997 Information Package, which can be obtained from the European Commission. The 'Guide to the information available' contains a request form through which specific parts of the information package may be ordered. All correspondence concerning this call should be sent either to:

European Commission
Directorate-General III - Industry
Esprit Information Desk
Rue de la Loi 200 Wetstraat
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium

e-mailed to [email protected]
or faxed to +32-2-296-8388.

The 1997 work programme, the 1997 information package, and related information on the Esprit programme are available (and constantly updated) via the following web sites:

http://www.cordis.lu/esprit/home.html or
http://www.gsrt.epmhs.gr

B. FOCUS OF THIS CALL

The programme regularly publishes calls for proposals. This is the eighth call to be published since the current programme started. A schedule of future calls, which allows proposers to plan ahead, is available via http://www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/roadmap.htm, or upon request. The deadlines for proposals depend on the actions being called and the modality being employed. The programme distinguishes three types of schemes with respect to the evaluation procedures and proposal deadlines. These are described below, together with the domain-specific areas, tasks, and themes currently being called are also listed. Each area or task (identified by a task number) and theme relate specifically to the Esprit 1997 Work-Programme. B.I. R&D proposals under the single-step evaluation scheme. The following R&D tasks and themes are currently being called under the single-step evaluation scheme:

5. Open Microprocessor Systems Initiative (OMI)

All tasks of Areas 1 and 2, and Tasks 5.11 and 5.12 of OMI's preparatory, support, and transfer activities.

7. Technologies for Business Processes (TBP)

Tasks 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15, and 7.16.

8. Integration in Manufacturing (IiM)

Areas 1, 2 and 4: Tasks 8.9, 8.21, 8.22, 8.24, 8.25, and 8.26.

Details on how to prepare and submit a proposal, and the corresponding evaluation criteria for the above tasks are given in the specific information document Esprit Call on R&D Tasks: Single-step Evaluation.

In addition to the above, Esprit invites proposals that address the following themes:

- IT for Mobility

- Electronic Commerce.

Details on how to prepare and submit a proposal for these themes are given in the specific information document Esprit Thematic Calls.

Proposals must be sent to the Commission before 17 June 1997 at 5 pm (local time), as confirmed by the postmark, or be delivered by hand to the address indicated in the specific information document or to one of the offices of the Commission within the Community by the same deadline, as confirmed by the date of the acknowledgement of receipt. On 2 July 1997 at 5 pm (local time), the list of proposals to be evaluated will be formally established, and proposals received after this time and date will not be deemed eligible for evaluation.

B.II. R&D proposals under the two-step evaluation scheme

The following R&D areas and tasks are currently being called under the two-step evaluation scheme:

2. Technologies for components and subsystems (TCS)

Area 1: Tasks 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.8, and 2.10.

4. Long Term Research (LTR):

Area 2 Task 4.2 - Reactiveness to industrial needs.

6. High performance computing and networking (HPCN)

Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5: All tasks.

Details on how to prepare and submit a short and full proposal, together with the evaluation criteria, are given in the specific information document Esprit Call on R&D Tasks: Two-step Evaluation. The deadlines for the receipt of the short and full proposals are as follows:

First-step: Short proposals must be sent to the Commission before 15 April 1997 at 5 pm (local time), as confirmed by the postmark, or be delivered by hand to the address indicated in the specific information document or to one of the offices of the Commission within the Community by the same deadline, as confirmed by the date of the acknowledgement of receipt. On 30 April 1997 at 5 pm (local time), the list of proposals to be evaluated will be formally established, and proposals received after this time and date will not be deemed eligible for evaluation.

Second-step: Following evaluation, the proposers of the most highly-rated short proposals will be invited to submit full proposals. The deadline for the receipt of these proposals will be at least two months after the invitation is issued.

Notes

(i) In previous calls, all proposals for tasks in the domain of technologies for components and subsystems were evaluated in a single step. this is the first time that proposals for tasks in the R&D areas in this domain are being called under the two-step evaluation scheme.

(ii) Electronic Submission: The recommended submission format for short proposals in the domain of HPCN (ie, R&D areas only) is now electronic. This preferred format, in the form of a pilot experiment, only applies to this domain and only covers the first step of the two-step evaluation scheme. The deadline for the submission of short proposals in electronic format is 15 April 1997 at 5 pm (local time). Please check the details of how to prepare and submit such a proposal.

(iii) The evaluation of proposals responding to task 6.30 of HPCN, and the evaluation of ones responding to the Telematics Applications Programme's task RE1(high-bandwidth trans-European interconnections of research networks), will be performed in conjunction.

B.III. Proposals under the continuous submission scheme

The following tasks are currently open under this scheme (single-step evaluation):

0. Activities Applicable to All Domains in the 1997 Work Programme

Tasks 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.9.

1. Software technologies (ST)

Task 1.33 (Leveraging Actions)

2. Technologies for components and subsystems (TCS)

Tasks 2.7 and 2.27 (ESD), 2.28 (Design Clusters), 2.9 (SEA), and 2.26 (FUSE).

4. Long term research (LTR)

Task 4.1 - Openness to ideas.

5. Open microprocessor systems initiative (OMI)

Task 5.16.

6. High performance computing and networking (HPCN)

Tasks 6.21, 6.22 (preparatory and first user actions) and 6.23 and 6.24 (demonstration and best practice actions).

7. Technologies for business processes (TBP)

Task 7.17.

8. Integration in manufacturing (IiM)

Task 8.20 (Best practice in manufacturing).

Details on how to prepare and submit a proposal under this scheme, and the evaluation criteria are given in the relevant specific information documents.

Proposals responding to tasks under the continuous submission scheme may be submitted at any time up to 16 September 1997. The scheme - but not all the above tasks - is expected to be extended by the call published on this date.

Proposals are evaluated as soon as they are received, except where proposals are evaluated in batches (eg, at least once every three months). Details are provided in the relevant specific information documents.

C. BUDGETARY ALLOCATION

The indicative budgetary allocation for this call in terms of millions of ECUs of Community contribution, broken down by domain, is as follows: TCS: 52; LTR: 7; OMI: 18; HPCN: 35; TBP: 15; IiM: 15. In addition, the indicative budget allocation for the two themes given above (ie, IT for Mobility, and Electronic Commerce) is 50 million ECU.

D. PROPOSAL ADDRESS

All proposals must arrive before the above-mentioned deadlines to the address indicated in the 1997 information package or to one of the offices of the Commission within the Community.

E. NEXT CALLS FOR PROPOSALS

The programme plans to publish its next two calls for proposals on 17 June 1997 and 16 September 1997. Information on the tasks and themes that are expected to be called on these dates are available either at the programme web site or upon request, details of which are given in the introduction above.

Footnotes

1. (Decision N� 1110/94/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 26/4/94 (OJ No L 126, 18.5.1994, p.1) and Decision N� 616/96/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 25/3/96 (OJ No L86, 4.4.1996, p.69)).

2. (OJ No L 334, 22.12.1994, p. 24),

You can download now all files concerning the Programme in format: [ Word 6.0 for Windows ] from GSRT web site: http://www.gsrt.epmhs.gr

or via the GSRT anonymous ftp server: mhs-gw.gsrt.epmhs.gr or 143.233.68.1
You log in as anonymous and give your e-mail address as password. You can receive the files concerning the Programme from the directory /pub/esprit97 .

The file is compressed and it is in .exe format (esprit97.exe). Since you run the executable file you can open the files in Word 6.0 for Windows format.

If you have any problem in reading the files please contact GSRT. The Computer Center's telephone number is 7714162 and the e-mail address [email protected] .

For more details on the IT programme please contact the Cordis web server http://www.cordis.lu/esprit/home.html

You can also apply to the:
General Secretariat for Research and Technology
14-18 Messogion Ave.
11510 Athens

Tel: +301 7485160, 7714240
Fax: +301 7714153 http://www.gsrt.epmhs.gr

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