Within the scope of the 7th Framework Programme, the Commission's Research Directorate General  has published a Call for Tenders for the elaboration of a study about the investments in joint and open R&D programmes and the analysis of their economic impact. Interested bidders may submit their offers until October 7th 2009.

The study on on investments in joint and open R&D programmes and their economic impacts, tendered by the Research DG, will provide information on the dynamics across Europe of national public funding directed to transnationally coordinated research and of national public funding open to non-residents.

Objectives of the study on investments in joint and open R&D programmes

• To measure, at the level of programmes managing authorities (overall and by broad scientific domains): (i) the share of national funding open to non-residents in national public R&D programmes; (ii) the share of national funding dedicated to transnational public R&D programmes; (iii) the share of national funding which is effectively spent abroad on non-resident research performers through public R&D programmes.
• To provide the methodological framework, in terms of definitions and categories and in terms of process, for future data collections on which this measurement will be based,
• To analyse the impact of opening up and coordinating public R&D programmes on the national systems and the quality of the research performed,
• To form the basis for recommendations on policy strategies and support decisions.

In order to fulfil those objectives, the selected contractor will collect data on national funding dedicated to such programmes, therefore proposing the conceptual framework for the study. The contractor will also draw lessons from this exercise for future data collections, and analyse drivers/motivations for open R&D programmes and joint R&D initiatives, as well as the impact of opening up public R&D programmes and coordinating public R&D initiatives on the quality and impact of research and on national research systems, and the policy consequences of the findings.

This Tender procedure is part of the development of the 7th framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) (FP7), implemented by DG Research in the context of the specific programme Capacities, in the part 6. Support for the coherent development of research policies, the relevant part of the 2009 work programme, Activity: 6-2 Coordination of research policies.

Interested operators may submit their offers until October 7th 2009. Further informations as well as some specific documents related to this Call may also be found at the Research DG public procurement website.