JISC

September 1998

To:	Heads of Institutions funded by the HEFCs or DENI
Copies:	Directors of Information Services in those Institutions

JISC Development Programme 1998

Introduction

1. JISC Circular 2/98 invited bids for funding under the fourth round JISC Technology Applications Programme (JTAP) in several key strategic areas. Further calls are now sought in those areas were no fundable bids were received in response to that call.

Background

2. TASC funds a series of projects and studies, which are aimed assisting the HE community to make better use of IT to fulfil its mission.

3. The current call seeks bids in the following areas:

Push Technology

4. We wish to fund two projects, one each in the areas of:

• Intelligent Search Engines for UK HE, preferably based on existing work. Whilst the technology is proven, the JISC is looking to increase the technical rollout to improve JANET usage and help control transatlantic bandwidth.
• Intelligent Filters: there is technology already available but the JISC wishes to explore the resource implications of its wider deployment.

The budget for each project is £80-90K over 2 years.

Secure Internet Protocols

5. In this area, we are seeking studies to identify appropriate protocols, and test their deployment. Specifically, we wish to fund a rapid current overview and a one year technology watch exercise at a total cost of between £20,000 and £25,000 and two short deployment projects or studies in the light of the overview at a total cost of £15,000 for each study. The latter two projects should have a duration of 6-9 months. Training is an important activity and maintenance of a website of information for the community will also be a deliverable.

Digital Signatures

6. Here again, we wish to fund studies to identify appropriate protocols and to test deployment. We are seeking to fund an overview report at a cost of £5k and a technology deployment pilot, at a total overall cost of around £3015,000.

Certificate Based Infrastructure Services

7. Here, TASC require more work of a technical overview and pilot nature. Current developments need to be set in a broader context. We are seeking to fund an overview and technology watch project at a cost of £25,000, followed by one or two deployment pilots, at a total overall cost of around £5020,000.

8. One possible pilot study might be the deployment of protocols to support an Extranet but in the case of such a study TASC will fund only the 'extra' costs of reporting and including protocols that would not otherwise have been used by the instutition.

General information for bidders

9. The primary aim of the work outlined in this call for bids to report on existing experience, or where that is not possible or appropriate to fund pilot projects to demonstrate the application of novel technologies. Therefore, of critical importance to all projects will be the dissemination of results to those in the community who need them.

10. Collaborations between HEIs are welcomed where this is of clear benefit to the project.

11. The following criteria will be used in assessing bids:

• Closeness of fit to JISC strategy
• Programme of work
• Dissemination Strategy
• Value for Money
• Project management
• Technical competence of the bidders
• Exit strategy (for pilot and development projects only)
• Institutional commitment (for pilot and development projects only)

Submission of bids

12. Proposals should be from three to six A4 sides (and in the case of bids to undertake case studies no more than four sides of A4), plus the proforma front cover. The body of the bid should include the following topics:

a.How the activity will meet the objectives of the JTAP Development programme

b.Programme of work

c.Summary of intended outputs/deliverables from the activity including a timetable

d.Dissemination Strategy

e.Project management

f.Brief outline of the proposer's relevant experience

g.Budgetary cost to the JISC of the activity, including a rough estimate of the composition of this cost and any contribution from the host institution(s)

h.Exit strategy (where appropriate)

i.Where appropriate, how the project fits the bidding institution's strategy and its commitment to the project.

13. Bids should be submitted electronically using the form available at http://www.jtap.ac.uk/bid/ to arrive by 17:00 hrs on 31 October 1998. The main body of the document (which must be a single file) should be submitted in one of the following formats: Microsoft Word, Rich Text Format (rtf) or HTML. Details of how to submit the bid an be found on the web page. Files which contain viruses may be deleted and the bid rejected.

14. Each bid will be considered by a panel of independent experts, who will recommend to the TASC which projects should be funded, and who may also recommend that bidding institutions form collaborative groups with other sites.

15. Funding under this programme will, if approved, commence as from 1 December 1998, and successful projects will be expected to start work on that date or very shortly thereafter. It may also be possible for some projects to commence before that date.

16. Further information is available from Tom Franklin, the JTAP Programme Manager, Manchester Computing, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL. Phone 0161 275 6106. Email t.franklin@manchester.ac.uk, or from Joseph Hutcheon, TASC Secretary, JISC, Northavon House, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QD. Phone 0117 931 7251, email.

Joseph Hutcheon
JISC Secretariat Officer