1. ESF situation & Expert Boards hosting model
ESF briefing to NuPECC
ESF situation & Expert Boards hosting model
Caen, 9 October 2015

2. ESF situation
ESF will stop its science networking activities at the end of 2015
The consulting company carrying out the viability check of the ESF successor and associated business plan has just delivered its report in June. The outcome is positive!
That report was approved by governance in June 2015 and ESF will therefore be evolving into a science services based organisation as of 2016 (peer-review, evaluation, joint programming support, coordination support to the community, etc.)
The final go-ahead still needs to be ratified at the 2015 ESF Annual Assembly
ESF was given the mandate by its governance to continue to host Expert Boards (CRAF, EMB, ESSC, MatSEEC, NuPECC) and provide it with adequate support (accounting, legal, communications/media) until 2015
The ESF successor can become the hosting platform for these five Expert Boards and Committees as of 2016
JCW

3. In summary, the successor organisation to ESF is viable as it…
Has a position in the market, albeit a demanding one
Has proof of business in its primary markets
Can achieve organisational capacity, but rapid capacity building is needed
Is financially viable, as its capital reserve offsets an uncertain income side
Sidefod |
17. november november 2018 |

4. Key positions are filled
Hiring process started (finance, IS/IT, PM evaluation, 6 Science Officers, 5 Administrators)
Current Strasbourg employees
Jean-Claude Worms, Chief Operating Officer
Nicolas Walter, Project manager – Peer Review
Nathalie Biessy, Corporate HR Officer
Claire Rustat-Flinton Mission Coordinator
Isabelle Vonesch, Mission Coordinator
Sidefod |
17. november november 2018 |

5. ESF 2.0

7. Project Management EC & other contracts
DEMOCRITOS (Space)
EUROPLANET2 (Space)
Graphene Core 1 (MSE)
BIOWYSE (Space)
PPOSS (Space)
Graphene Flagship (MSE)
MASE (Space)
ASTROMAP (Space)
Mars Special Regions (Space)
BILAT-RUS (Polar)
EUROFLEET2 (Polar)
EUAIC (Polar)
Sea Change (Marine)
AtlantOs (Marine)
SPACEGATES (Space)

8. Continuing the ESF brand?
The viability does not depend on the ESF brand, but keeping the brand would provide a better starting position for a successor (statement from FAC in May)
Governing Council recommended that the association keeps the official name of European Science Foundation (ESF) in order to (i) protect the name and (ii) enable the successor to build on the ESF history
However a different trading name and style should be used
The Office will produce a detailed plan in this regard for the Annual Assembly

9. Expert Boards and Committees

10. Hosting platform
It was agreed at Governing Council that the ESF 2.0 would work on a model to continue hosting the Boards and Committees in accordance with their expressed wish for a common platform
The individual Boards and Committees would also explore independent solutions, possibly in collaboration with other international organisations
With the exception of the European Polar Board the EBCs expressed the opinion that a Successor Organisation to ESF would provide such a suitable common platform

11. Services for the EBCs Continuing availability of support services
Finance: collect members’ contributions; invoicing and recovery; accounting; regular reporting to EBCs
HR: if appropriate, support for hiring and contractual arrangements
Legal support: MoUs, advice on contracts and structures
High-level science management support
Institutional trust and visibility in/to other disciplines

12. Management fee (overhead level)
Internal study just finalised
Principle: share of EBC-related corporate cost is equal to remaining share of total corporate costs not covered by other sources, i.e.
25% (EC contracts)
35% (other customers)
Simulation amounts to 12%...
Office proposes 8% (today 7.5%)