CALL FOR PROPOSALS: FUNDING TO DEVELOP OPEN SOURCE TOOLS FOR DATA INSTITUTIONS

1. Title: CALL FOR PROPOSALS: FUNDING TO DEVELOP OPEN SOURCE TOOLS FOR DATA INSTITUTIONS2. Awarding Authority: Open Data Institute (ODI), GB Email: procurement@theodi.org. Web: (Olivier Thereaux, Head of Research and Development)3. Contract type: Service contract4. Description: The Awarding Authority are requesting proposals from developers and maintainers of open source tools for projects aiming to improve the quality and interoperability of tools relevant to data access and data sharing initiatives.BackgroundAs part of our work on data institutions, the ODI is embarking on a new project exploring their technical infrastructure, with a goal to provide emerging data initiatives and institutions with an understanding of what technical tools are needed or available to fulfil their purpose.Part of this ecosystem of tools and technology will be open source, and will help new data institutions and initiatives adopt and contribute to a common set of tools. Through this call for proposals, we aim to stimulate a positive step change in the quality, interoperability, usability and sustainability of such tools.We are in particular focused on the use cases of open- and shared-data initiatives, and are working across a number of projects with existing data access initiatives and early stage data institutions.5. CPV Code(s): 72000000, 72300000, 72310000, 722620006. NUTS code(s): UKI, UKI3, UKI317. Main site or location of works, main place of delivery or main place of performance: London, Inner London – West, Camden And City Of London.8. Reference attributed by awarding authority: Tender reference: RDPM-0549. Estimated value of requirement: Value of awards (excl. VAT) 4x up to £15,000 awards10. Tender decision by 7.12.2020.11. Address to which they must be sent: For further information regarding the above contract notice please visit: 12. Other information: Summary and timelineTo this end, the ODI intends to award funding of up to £15,000 (ex. VAT) to up to 4 individuals or organisations currently developing or maintaining open source tools or technology, and welcomes project proposals – following the timeline in table below.We will consider project proposals aiming to develop new features for existing open source tools, but also proposals to improve the tools and technologies through user research, improved documentation, governance updates, engagement with communities, etc.Aim Your proposal should clearly outline how your project will help increase quality, interoperability, usability and sustainability of existing open source tools.Audience Your proposal should make the case for why this improvement will have a positive outcome for use cases related to data access initiatives / data institutions.Welcoming applications from Individuals or organisations developing or maintaining open source software. Your proposal should clarify what your current role is in the project you aim to improve.Value of awards (excl. VAT)4x up to £15,000 awardsQuestions to the ODI by Nov 30, 2020 at 17:00 GMTAnswers to questions Dec 1, 2020 at 17:00 GMTCosted proposals due by Dec 4, 2020 at 13:00 GMTTender decision by Week of Dec 7, 2020Contract rewarded Circa 15 Dec 2020ODI progress reviewsFortnightlyFinal work delivered by Mid-March 2021Terms of payment30% to be invoiced at the end of January 2021, and 70% upon satisfactory completion of the work. Payment will be made within 30 days of invoice received.ActivitiesThe ODI favours working in the open. The successful applicants will be expected to conduct this work in this manner through blogging and speaking about their work. In practice, the successful candidate will be expected to write at least one blog post in the course of the project, as well as give a presentation of the final deliverables at an ODI Fridays lunchtime lecture or similar event – which may occur after the end of the project.The tool development will be expected to happen with users at its heart, and the successful applicants will be expected to conduct user research, testing and other forms of engagement with the potential or existing user base for the tool as a matter of course.The successful applicants will then be expected to conduct its work on the development of the tool in the open as much as possible, with code, issues, roadmaps and decisions being documented in the open by default and exceptions to be approved by the ODI during fortnightly progress meetings.The fortnightly meetings will be an opportunity for the ODI team to provide guidance, support and access to a network of organisations and initiatives interested in and working on data access, data sharing and open data.Form of tender responseInterested parties should submit a costed proposal (in English) to awarding authority email with reference RDPM-054 which include:a short (no more than 3 pages) explanation of your proposed scope and approach. It should also include an explanation of the desired or expected impact and target audience(s) for the tool. Finally, the explanation should include an explanation of how the tool will be relevant to the work of data institutions or data access initiatives.a short (no more than 2 pages) explanation on your proposed methodology, including whether you will work from already identified user needs or whether your work will include phases of user research to refine the scope and ambition of the toolan estimated breakdown of effort between the core software development activities and the creation and delivery of the other deliverables, including training and communication materialsa description of the team who will do the work, including biosexamples of relevant past workThe ODI reserves the right to make both anonymised questions and answers public or shared with other organisations having stated their interest.Decision criteriaAll proposals will be assessed as described in our public procurement policy. In addition, for this procurement we will be looking for:evidence of past successful development of open source software for data management, publishing, sharing and accessevidence of, or suitably advanced reflection on, the target audience, usefulness and potential impact of the tool to be developed on the state of the art of publishing open data – and a plan to work closely with data access initiatives and data institutions.Consideration for interoperability with other existing tools, with a view to make the data pipelines and processes for data sharing and access more effective and reliableConsideration for data ethics and the impact on people and communities of accessing, using and sharing data.# funding opportunity