The Central Commissioning Facility (CCF)

• Established processes for commissioning R&D within NIHR and DH were set up to promote probity in spending public money and equality of opportunity. The CCF will be expected to adopt similar standards of commissioning for all its managed programmes. This is an essential requirement and bidders must demonstrate an understanding of the process and the skills required to deliver it which, crucially, include scientific secretariat skills,

• The CCF will be required to provide administrative support to all systems and structures used for research commissioning, monitoring and project management.

• The CCF will provide secretariat support, under the direction of a Programme Director and/or named DH staff, to expert advisory committees to advise on research proposals to be taken forward for funding.

• The CCF will be required to make all necessary arrangements for commissioning and other meetings. For example, the maintenance of committee membership lists, the production and distribution of all papers necessary well in advance of meetings, the taking of minutes of meetings (which will include discussions of science and research methodology) and the prompt circulation of accurate minutes following meetings.

• The CCF will be responsible for the issuing of all project and research infrastructure contracts (standard contract form) which will be sent for final signature to the DH Science, Research and Evidence Directorate (SRED).

• All projects will require a detailed project timetable with milestones. The CCF will monitor projects and report on the programme or individual projects within it as required, ensuring that researchers keep to the timetable and achieve the project’s milestones. This will require a basic understanding of the science as well as strong administrative skills.

• The CCF will be responsible for forecasting, profiling and reporting on annual budgets from April 1st to March 31st of each of the years covered, reporting quarterly and monitoring monthly.

• Payments to R&D project and research infrastructure contractors are made by DH normally quarterly in arrears. The CCF will take responsibility for informing SRED when projects/research infrastructure contracts have started in order that scheduled payments may commence, and of alerting SRED of any adverse event necessitating suspension of payments.

• The CCF will be required to set up and run, in liaison with SRED, financially sound and transparent accounting systems. The CCF will be expected to adopt information management systems that are compatible with systems already in use by other parts of NIHR. The CCF contractor will provide progress reports, including financial summaries, in respect of the managed programmes as required. Bidders must be able to demonstrate the necessary skills to deliver this aspect of their bid.

• The CCF will administer the awards/contracts for the NIHR Research Infrastructure. This will involve liaison with the Directors and staff of the infrastructure, taking receipt of annual reports, performance management and making recommendations to DH on proposed changes in the event of performance issues.

• The CCF will provide accurate and timely data and information on the infrastructure awards and research portfolio in response to requests from DH.

• The CCF will take such steps as are necessary to ensure that accurate, well presented, peer reviewed final reports and executive summaries are forthcoming promptly from all projects funded, and that these reports and summaries are entered into appropriate database and library systems.

• The CCF will provide notice and copies of forthcoming publications, press releases etc. arising from funded research at least 28 days prior to publication. Contractors will alert the Department immediately to such forthcoming publications and ensure that it receives advance copies as soon as these are available.

• The CCF will use its best endeavours to ensure, as far as possible, that intellectual property rights (IPR) of value to the NHS are properly protected and managed, and agreements are drawn up to ensure the NHS receives an appropriate share of any earnings from IPR, or ensure that IP is otherwise exploited for public benefit.