FCT

National Programme for Scientific Hardware Renewal

National Networks

In the framework of the National Programme for the Renewal of Scientific Equipment (PNRC) the Foundation for Science and Technology decided to create a number of National Networks, obeying specific contractual, monitoring and utilization conditions. The aim of these Networks is to stimulate the sharing of resources amongst R&D institutions and make expensive, large-scale equipment, available to the scientific community at large. Based of the recommendations of the evaluation panels and knowing the needs and capabilities of the various national institutions, 6 National Networks of Scientific Equipment (RNEC) were defined, namely the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Mass Spectrometry, Electron Microscopy, Advanced Computing, Functional Cerebral Imagiology and Geophysics National Networks.

PNRC National Networks
Distribution, by Network, of the total funding attributed to the RNECs and identification of their poles.

The location and characteristics of the equipment to be acquired was decided in dialogue with the scientists responsible for the first 4 Networks, to which a global funding of 19,8 M€ was allocated. The distribution of this funding amongst the institutions that integrate each Network, and the corresponding management regulations and models, were decided in the same way. The delebration of contracts with these institutions has been concluded, and it is foreseen that all equipments will be installed and functioning by early 2008.

The National Networks of Scientific Equipment are service infrastructures, open to the scientific community at large, and based on management models approved by the Foundation for Science and Technology. These management models are an important part of the contracts established with the institutions where the equipments will be located. Notwithstanding the fact that these institutions will be the recipients of the equipments, FCT has the right to verify the conditions under which they are used, namely whether their usage and access by the scientific community is optimal. It is very important that this optimal usage be maintained well after the end of the period stated in the initial Network contract. Thus, a mechanism will be created to encourage the Networks to go on rendering a public service, by awarding a yearly grant to those showing a good performance. For this, the Foundation proposed to the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education the establishment, from 2007 onwards, of Multi-annual Programmatic Contracts with the institutions that are partners in the different National Networks. The level of public co-financing of the expenses inherent to the running of the Networks as services open to the scientific community will be defined by contract. The methodologies to monitor the quantity and quality of these services, as well as the rights and duties of all the parties involved, will also be defined in the contracts.

After the various RNEC start functioning, and according to their specific Regulations, other institutions may join them. These institutions will not have access to an initial funding. However, they may benefit from the Multi-annual Programmatic Contracts, to an extent that will depend on the equipment they bring to the Networks, and on the level of services they will render.