The European Commission launched a new call for proposals to support the further development and deployment of the open source electronic archiving solutions offered by the eArchiving Digital Service Infrastructure (DSI). The 2019 eArchiving Core Service Platform call is part of Connecting European Facilities (CEF) Telecom Work Programme and it is published on Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) website.

Archives deliver an indispensable component of the digital ecosystem by safeguarding information and enabling access to it. Improving the sustainability of digital archives constitutes a vital contribution to governmental transparency and to the Digital Single Market. The European Commission provides support under the CEF programme, in the form of the eArchiving building block Digital Service Infrastructure (DSI). The DSI will serve the sustainability of digital content held by archives of all types in order to guarantee that it remains accessible, trustful and useable over time.

The actions supporting this DSI aim to achieve a wider, cross-border adoption of eArchiving solutions. This requires technical support, training and testing services to complement and improve the existing technical specifications and compliant software and to create best practice guidelines for data owners.

Alongside these technology-related tasks, outreach and collaboration activities shall aim at developing additional specifications and cross-border access services for a broader range of application areas (e.g. administrations, businesses, healthcare, environment, finance…) as well as at extending the geographical spread.

These activities should include:

Outreach and collaboration activities aimed at widening the user base for eArchiving solutions across borders and sectors, such as:

• informing and educating stakeholders in and beyond the established archiving community about the need for long-term data preservation and related issues;
• engaging with user groups and spreading awareness about the eArchiving DSI;
• promoting, advising and supporting stakeholders in the adoption of eArchiving compliant solutions;
• developing additional specifications, based on user needs, for creating cross-border access services in domains other than national archives (for instance administrations, businesses, healthcare, environment protection, finance, safety-critical systems, science and research or Cultural Heritage institutions).

Expected results:

The establishment of the eArchiving core service platform should help achieve a significant reduction in the cost of implementing and maintaining eArchiving solutions and lead to greater efficiency.

Proposals are expected to demonstrate how they will contribute to these goals and should explain to which extent the work proposed would bring the following short, medium and long-term benefits:

• easier ways for data owners to exchange data between organisations and with individuals;
• better market opportunities and increased competitiveness for IT providers, thanks to easier archival data exchange across borders;
• increased cross-border availability of commercial eArchiving services for the public and private sectors alike;
• the ability to create new innovative services based on archived digital data;
• enhanced training and employment opportunities for staff, thanks to the use of a common system;
• improved long-term storage and availability of public and private sector data
• greater government transparency as a result of improvements in eArchiving expertise and services, supporting public access to archived digital records.

The indicative duration of an Action proposed under this call is 24 months.

Only proposals submitted by one of the following types of applicants are eligible:

• One or more Member States;
• With the agreement of the Member State(s) or EEA countr(y)ies concerned, international organisations, Joint Undertakings, or public or private undertakings or bodies established in Member States.

The 2019 eArchiving Core Service Platform call makes an indicative €2.1 millions of funding available for proposals in this area.

Deadline for submitting proposals: 14 May 2019

Call webinar for applicants: 29 March 2019

Further information and official documentation can be found here