Research and development services and related consultancy services

Tender description

ECMWF as the Entrusted Entity for the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) invites tenders for the implementation of the Evaluation and Quality Control (EQC) framework for the Sectoral Information Systems (SISs). The successful Tenderer shall be responsible for: — designing a mechanism to provide quality assurance information to the users of the SISs, — defining and implementing a process for accepting workflows and applications (e.g. demonstrators) into the Climate Data Store (CDS) catalogue, — implementing such a system and maintaining it operationally, — keeping a database of user requirements updated, — providing an analysis of user requirements related to SIS workflows, applications and products. The work to be done will rely on outputs from several existing C3S contracts. The purpose of the EQC function in C3S is to independently assess the quality of all C3S products and services, and to ensure that users have the information they need in order to use the products and services for their own purposes. The EQC function also keeps track of user requirements, and informs ECMWF, its providers, and the European Commission about gaps, limitations and shortcomings in products and service delivery. C3S users include scientists, consultants, planners and policy makers, the media and the general public. The successful Tenderer will identify the methodologies to assess the quality of both technical and delivery components of the services developed by the SIS contracts including their ability to engage with the target users and provide value to them. The successful Tenderer will design the routines and the reporting procedures that each SIS team will have to follow to inform ECMWF, the European Commission, and the users themselves about the quality, the usefulness, usability and uptake of their proof of concept products. Activities shall be performed in the context of a multi-annual Framework Agreement (maximum 34 months and an end date not later than 30.6.2021). The kick-off of the first service contract is expected to take place in September 2018.