Prior information of call for tenders for CORDIS project

Brussels, 07 August 2002

The European Commission's Enterprise DG has published a prior information notice, modifying a previous notice, of a call for tenders for service contracts relating to CORDIS (Community Research and Development Information Service), an activity of the programme for the promotion of innovation and encouragement of participation of SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises), and its follow-up programme 'Structuring the European research area' 2002 to 2006.

The contract relates to the provision of information services on community research, technological development and innovation activities.

CPC: 88442 (publishing and printing, on a fee or contract basis), 84 (computer and related services).

CPV: 64216000 (electronic message and information services).

There are five lots foreseen:

• lot 1: content (content development, production and management; translations; web capability; marketing; customer relations);
• lot 2: development (development and maintenance of the technical infrastructure of all services);
• lot 3: dissemination (provision, maintenance and operations of all HW and SW platforms for information dissemination and user interaction);
• lot 4: quality assurance, process control and helpdesk;
• lot 5: external monitoring and user feedback.

Tenderers cannot bid for parts of a lot. Tenderers may submit bids for more than one lot, each of these bids, however, should be self standing, so that it could be executed by separate contracts.

In order to maintain improved supervision and control of the different parts of the work, the Commission services reserve the right to award contracts for different lots to different contractors.

During the envisaged next contractual period, 2003-2007, CORDIS will possibly include:

- a further consolidation and upgrade of the existing features for the support of both the 6th Framework programme for European R&D and the construction of the European research and innovation area;

- adopting evolving international standards related to the common European research information format, content management and general Internet development;

- implementing new and experimental services, such as (a) a European innovation policy portal (EIPP), (b) a virtual European technology market place (ETMP) and integrating other services by a portal approach.

Existing activities will have to be taken over in a short period of time, not exceeding three months as from signature of contract. As the current contract covers the period until 30 September 2003, the foreseen start date for the new contracts is 1st July 2003.

The indicative global annual budget for the five lots is 11.1 million euro. A possible repartition of this budget between the lots is 5.3 million euro for lot 1, 2.1 million euro for lot 2, 2.5 million euro for lot 3, 800,000 euro for lot 4 and 400,000 euro for lot 5.

This prior information notice is only indicative. It replaces and amends a first prior information that was published in the OJ No S 31 on 13.2.2002.

The description of the services and the estimated date for initiating the award procedure might be subject to changes. The proposed contracts will be signed for a first period of months, consisting of a three-month take-over period and a first period of 24 months of operation, with the possibility of a prolongation for one further period of 24 months of operation.

Interested parties are advised to access CORDIS at
http://www.cordis.lu
for the public service, and
http://www.cordis.lu /temp/CfT2002
for further information on this call.

To see the full call text, please consult the following web address: http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?REQUEST=Se ek-Deliver&LANGUAGE=en&DOCID=120385-2002

Remarks: An information day is planned for 9 October 2002, the exact date and location will be published with the call for tender.

The estimated date for initiating the award procedure is 10 September 2002.

Before contacting the Commission, tenderers are strongly advised to consult the original call text in the Official Journal of the European Communities at the reference below.

Document Reference: OJ No S 152-120385 of 07.08.2002

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities, 2001