Service contract for an office to evaluate the design of the joint task "Research Buildings and Major Equipment at Universities" according to AV-FGH by an independent evaluation commission

The federal government and the states have been cooperating in the funding of research buildings at universities, including major equipment, since 2007. The aim of this joint task is to improve the investment conditions of German universities for successful participation in national and international competition in research. Eligible investment projects include research buildings and major equipment. The joint funding of research buildings and major equipment by the federal government and the states is to be evaluated by an independent evaluation commission, whose chair, Ms. Prof. Dr. Felser (appointed by letter from the Chair of the GWK), has already been confirmed. The up to nine other members of the commission will be submitted to the GWK for decision-making at the upcoming meeting on 10.07.2026. The task of the evaluation commission will be to develop an overarching, primarily qualitative assessment of the joint task. A service contract for an office is to be put out to tender throughout Europe for the coordination, administration, and support of the evaluation commission. The tasks of the office will include, in particular, the preparation of data provided by the stakeholders involved in the joint task, drafting texts, final editing of the evaluation report, and the organization and execution of commission meetings and any on-site inspections by the evaluation commission. A survey of applicants for major equipment will also be conducted based on the applications, focusing on the period of the AV-FGH (approx. 2,700 applications since 2019).