The future PCP aims to competitively procure R&D services in support of the Archiver Project (http://archiver-project.eu/). R&D services contracts will be awarded to several providers carrying out development services in parallel. The tender for the PCP will be launched in September 2019 to select providers to sign a framework agreement with the contracting authorities covering up to 3 development phases: design, prototype and pilot. Framework contracts will be awarded on a best value for money basis. After each development phase, there will be an intermediate evaluation by the buyers group to select the best competing solution for the subsequent phase, also on a best value for money basis.
The PCP concept is based on a risk- and benefit-sharing approach between providers and public purchasers. As a consequence, the provider will retain ownership of the intellectual property rights on the results that it generates during the performance of the R&D services, and will be able to commercially exploit the results.
The innovative end-to-end archival and preservation services to be delivered in Archiver will tackle the following technical challenges:
— enabling effective Petabyte range data management in a hybrid model, combining the procurers on-premise infrastructure with commercial cloud services,
— optimizing data access and ingestion at very high rates (1-10 Gbps/day) for use cases in multiple scientific domains,
— enabling efficient data content distribution anticipating access profiles evolution as cloud access becomes popular and scientific data volumes grow,
— providing high-end network connectivity through GÉANT network and Federated AAI for authentication and access control,
— adopting an approach based on standard practices, compliant with the OAIS reference model and the relevant series of standards (ISO 14721),
— exploring a cost effective business model taking into account data access patterns and archive longevity.
The OMC process is intended to be evolutionary, comprising of several activities during the period April-June 2019 focusing on different user communities and stakeholders.
An OMC kick-off event on 8.4.2019 at CERN, Geneva, will target companies active in the areas of digital archiving and cloud computing that are potential future providers to the PCP. During the event, attendees will assess the technical feasibility, risks and value of the project through a dialogue moderated by the hosts based on best practice workshop techniques. Attendees will learn about the project's aims from a technical point of view, receive information about the upcoming PCP process, participate in the scoping of the future PCP, and meet other supply-side actors in the domain of digital preservation and cloud services. Further information about the event is available at www.archiver-project.eu. Registration for the event is open at: https://goo.gl/forms/gd5kiDsC1es77dpG2.
The first OMC event will be followed by several initiatives to continuously gather feedback from the end user communities and potential providers. These include webinars targeting future user groups to gather information about the demand-side applications of the R&D, and publication of information gathered during the OMC. Further information including precise dates for webinars, links to online discussions, and mailing list registration will be made available at www.archiver-project.eu. Throughout the OMC, potential future providers and users are encouraged to contact the Archiver Project via email at omcinfo@archiver-project.eu.
The results obtained through these activities will be presented at an OMC “wrap-up” event (location and date to be announced at the project website) and will serve as a basis of the tender specifications for the future PCP.
Participation in the OMC is open to all. The target audience for individual events and webinars may be different. Please consult the Archiver website for further details as events are announced.