Budget: up to NOK 350 000 excl. VAT
Application deadline: 1 December 2021, 14.00 CET
Timeframe: December 2021 – October 2022
Contact details: kine.halvorsen@nordforsk.org
Please download all tender documents for a complete overview of the tender and all relevant criteria.
Objective
The over-arching aim of the evaluation is to assess how the Nordic e-Infrastructure Collaboration (NeIC) has succeeded in its tasks and created Nordic added value through e-infrastructures for science and research. The evaluation should evaluate how well the NeIC strategy and organisation are prepared for a future development for e-infrastructure collaboration that creates Nordic added value, including maintaining the on-going cooperations as well as inclusion of future infrastructure cooperation activities of importance for the Nordic region. The evaluations should assess whether the NeIC strategy, organisational structure and performance can deliver value for common strategic research domains where there exist true needs by users/researchers.
The evaluation should assess how NeIC has succeeded in coordinating the operations of the Nordic distributed Worldwide Large Hadron Collider Computing Grid (WLCG) Tier-1 facility, and in offering a platform for Nordic e-infrastructure communities to explore, evaluate, develop, and deploy innovative infrastructure services in response to common strategic priorities within the Nordic region. The evaluation should give recommendations on how this can be further developed.
The evaluation should also assess how the NeIC-strategy, organisational set-up, and performance are aligned with the expectations from its stakeholders (NordForsk, National funding agencies including the Nordic Research Infrastructure Collaboration Committee NRICC, e-infrastructure providers, research institutions and the scientific communities), as well as provide recommendations regarding possible changes.
The scope for the evaluation
The following questions outlines the main scope for the evaluation:
1. NeIC activities
a. How has NeIC succeeded in coordinating the operations of the Nordic distributed Worldwide Large Hadron Collider Computing Grid (WLCG) Tier-1 facility? How well has the coordination activities been aligned with actual existing needs by its users? Is the level of activities in line with the strategic ambitions of the Nordic countries and user needs?
b. How has NeIC succeeded in offering a platform for Nordic e-infrastructure communities to explore, evaluate, develop, and deploy innovative infrastructure services in response to common strategic priorities within the Nordic region?
c. How has NeIC contributed to create Nordic Added Value and impact in its different activities? For a more detailed specification, please refer to the description of Nordic Added Value for NeIC activities.
i. How well has NeIC succeeded in promoting excellence in research?
ii. How well has NeIC succeeded in adding value to the Nordics beyond national capabilities in e-infrastructure?
iii. How well has NeIC succeeded in increasing competence and competitiveness in e-infrastructure?
iv. How well has NeIC succeeded in acting as a global role model for e-infrastructure collaborations by creating the profile of a knowledge-based region?
v. Which part of NeIC’s portfolio of activities has been most fruitful in terms of results and impact, including societal added value and impact beyond academia?
vi. Has NeIC contributed to the national higher-level infrastructure strategies in the Nordic region? If yes, how?
vii. Has NeIC contributed as a facilitator of open access and open science? If yes, how?
viii. How well has NeIC contributed to the Nordic eScience action plan(s)?
d. How well are the NeIC strategy, plans for activities and performance aligned with the expectations for creation of Nordic added value and other higher-level strategies of the NeIC stakeholders?
e. Do the strategy and plans for activities promote a further development of the collaboration, both in terms of maintaining ongoing activities as well as inclusion of new activities?
2. NeIC organisation
a. Has the distributed organisational set-up of NeIC been a good model for the collaboration:
i. for the NeIC board, director and employees, and NordForsk?
ii. to handle services and promote sustainable support through NT-1?
iii. for other NeIC activities including project management?
b. How well are Nordic users and their needs for developing services represented in the current organisation structure of NeIC?
c. How well is the NeIC organisation prepared for a future development for e-infrastructure cooperation, including maintaining the ongoing collaboration as well as inclusion of future infrastructure cooperation activities?
3. Recommendations from the evaluator
a. What adjustments of the NeIC strategy, organisation, activities and project management, should be implemented to improve the created value for common Nordic strategic research domains where there exist true needs by users/researchers? The implications of the adjustments in terms of level of resources should be indicated.
