SCW Inception and Mid Term Evaluation

Descriptions

The Supercomputing Wales ERDF Operation (SCW, “the Operation”) is a programme of investment in the university sector in Wales led by Cardiff University, in a consortium with Aberystwyth, Bangor and Swansea universities, along with HPC Wales Ltd.With an estimated total cost of £15m, the programme will fund the purchase and running of new High Performance Computing (HPC) hubs at Cardiff and Swansea, along with necessary technical posts to support the operation of the equipment. The programme will also support a new cohort of ‘Research Software Engineers’ to work with academic researchers to develop software and algorithms using the supercomputing facilities. The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund via Welsh Government (c. £9m in total), and by the university partners.During the lifetime of the Operation (1 July 2015-30 September 2020), it is required to undertake three separate external independent evaluations to provide supporting evidence for how the programme is delivering against its aims, and how it contributes to the wider objectives of European Structural Funds and Welsh Government Policy in Wales.This annex to the main ITT document describes the Tender Specification issued by Cardiff University on behalf of the Supercomputing Wales consortium to procure external services to evaluate and report on the activities of the Supercomputing Wales Operation by implementing the following evaluations:Inception Evaluation, due to report by 31 March 2018Mid-term Evaluation, due to report by 31 March 2019The scope of this tender does not include the third evaluation – the Final Evaluation – due for completion by September 2020 in line with the closure of the Operation. A separate exercise will be initiated by Cardiff University at the relevant point in the Operation’s lifecycle to procure services to deliver the Final Evaluation, however Bidders should be mindful that such an evaluation will be carried out and that the Inception and Mid-term evaluations will be used as the basis for such an evaluation.