The object is the commissioning of a project management agency for the implementation of the umbrella concept of the MKW's open-topic research funding. In particular, the aim is to further develop the MKW's open-topic research strategy. To this end, the project sponsorship for the instruments of open-topic research funding to be put out to tender in the future is to be bundled in a contract in the sense of an "office". The following services are to be provided:

1. Further funding rounds of the previously announced funding instruments "Profile Building", "Networks" and "Cooperation Platforms".

2. Call for proposals for the new "Vision" funding instrument.

Within the framework of this contract, six calls for proposals under the "Vision" instrument, four calls for proposals for "Follow-up Funding Vision", three calls for proposals for "Profile Building", two calls for "Networks" and one call for proposals for "Cooperation Platforms" are to be issued, i.e. a total of 16 calls for proposals.

3. In addition to the necessary accompanying evaluation of the individual funding instruments and the close supervision of the individual funding projects, the contractor should also undertake an overarching evaluation of the entire open-topic research funding of the MKW and its conceptual further development as overarching activities.

4. Services in the field of communication and public relations: This includes, in particular, the creation, operation and maintenance of a suitable website. Furthermore, the Contractor shall, in consultation with the Client, prepare a research report that is suitable for informing the interested (professional) public and the political arena. This report should contain all grants of open-topic research funding (i.e. possibly also projects that are not supervised within this PT contract) and comprise approx. 75 pages (assumption: approx. 60 projects. 1 page/projects + 15 pages of comprehensive information plus appendix). The report is expected to be published in the second half of 2026.

Since the contract term of the project sponsorship advertised here does not fully cover all of the funding instruments to be implemented within this contract, the selected project promoter must ensure without restriction and guarantee that the administration of the funding projects that have not yet been completed at the end of this assignment can be handed over to a third party in such a way that this third party then immediately takes over the corresponding tasks and can continue.

For the further development and administrative implementation of the instruments of research funding, a project sponsorship is announced:

Together with the MKW, the commissioned project management agency develops the funding announcements, provides technical and administrative advice, accompanies and supports prospective sponsors before and during the application process as well as during the implementation of funded projects. It organises the necessary jury and review procedures and is responsible for the technical and administrative approval, monitoring and examination of the projects. For this purpose, the promoter will be entrusted with a contract in accordance with Article 44 (2) of the Land Budget Code of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia (LHO) of 26 April 1999.

An unrestricted and guaranteed guarantee of the necessary human and material resources in the necessary scientific breadth (open-topic funding) for the implementation of the above-mentioned work packages must be ensured.

The calls for funding published by MKW NRW so far are managed within the framework of individual project management contracts. The contracts in question oblige the contractor to integrate its activities with its activities in the event of the establishment of an overarching governance structure - i.e. the project sponsorship advertised here. The promoter selected for the project sponsorship advertised here must also be willing to cooperate. As part of the contract, the use of an in-house funding procedure for research funding, which is currently being implemented at the MKW, is planned. The selected promoter undertakes to use this specialist procedure in the administration and to create the necessary technical conditions for this as soon as the procedure has been introduced. If a technical connection to IT procedures of the state network (e.g. SAP) is required, access via the federal network ("BDBOS") is required.

For further information on the funding instruments to be tendered and the services to be provided, see Parts A I. and A II. of the Terms of Reference.