ELIXIR Financial Documentation Working Group Report and Proposal

Background In response to comments raised regarding the ELIXIR Boards role in reviewing the budget for ELIXIR and the suitability of the information presented, the formation of a Working Group to advise the ELIXIR Hub on the content and format of information presented to the ELIXIR Board in terms of accounts, budgets, and annual reports was approved, which would consist of the following individuals: Anna Wetterbom (Chair) (Sweden) ELIXIR Director, Niklas Blomberg (ELIXIR Hub) A representative from EMBL – Silke Schumacher (EMBL) Riina Vuorento (Finland) Jacob E Wang (Norway) Mark Palmer (UK) A scientific representative of ELIXIR, to be decided by correspondence after the meeting. The working group would be chaired by Vice Chair of the ELIXIR Board for 2015, Anna Wetterbom (Sweden) with administrative support provided by the ELIXIR Hub.

ELIXIR Financial Documentation Working Group 10 February Participants: Anna Wetterbom, Swedish Research Council (Chair) Niklas Blomberg, ELIXIR Director, ELIXIR Hub Riina Vuorento, Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland Mark Palmer, Medical Research Council, UK Malcome Jolliffe, Head of Finance, EMBL-Heidelberg Jacob E Wang, Research Council of Norway (Via VC) Silke Schumacher, Head of International Relations, EMBL-Heidelberg (Via VC) Nicola Kay, ELIXIR Scientific Administrator, ELIXIR Hub (Minutes) 2.Agenda: 1.Recommendation for the presentation of financial documentation to the ELIXIR Board 2.Establishing a Commissioned Services tender and approval process for ELIXIR 3.Currency options

Overview of ELIXIR Finances / Board decisions 1. ELIXIR Board meeting (Spring) 1.ELIXIR Annual report + SAB report for previous year for approval 2.Preliminary (not yet audited) ELIXIR Income and Expenditure for information 3.Updated Budget for current year (if applicable) 2.April - June 1.Audit of ELIXIR accounts including ELIXIR Income and Expenditure 2.EMBL Annual accounts + Audit report presented to EMBL Council (June) 3.ELIXIR Board Meeting (Fall) 1.ELIXIR Income and Expenditure and Audit note to ELIXIR Board to note 1.if required: Request for additional audit of ELIXIR accounts (Current year) at ELIXIR cost. (decision) 2. ELIXIR Budget update / forecast for EOY spend for information 3.ELIXIR Budget and Annual Workplan for coming year presented to Board for approval 4.Commissioned Services for approval 5.(Major) Capital items for approval

Outcome 1.Build on EMBL Processes and principles 1.Follow agreed EMBL Reporting and Audit guidelines 2.The auditors to be asked to issue a statement that EMBL has robust processes for ring-fencing ELIXIR funds 3.ELIXIR Board could make a request for the auditors to look into particular details if necessary. (at ELIXIR’s cost) 4.ELIXIR is not a legal entity, it does not have its own balance sheet 1.ELIXIR income and expenditure sheets is audited by EMBLs independent auditors alongside the EMBL accounts 2.Separate Financial details of budget paper from work plan 1. Annual Budget 2.Hub work plan 3.Commissioned Services 4.(Major) Capital items

Scientific Governance Proposed to invite the Chair of the ELIXIR SAB to the Spring ELIXIR Board meeting (in person or via VC) to report outcome from SAB review (if applicable) Report on review of Commissioned Services

Commissioned Services

ECA provides for “Commissioned Services” (Article: 8.6) Technical and administrative services that fall under the responsibility of the ELIXIR Hub and are funded through the ELIXIR Budget; they may be carried out by one of the ELIXIR Nodes pursuant to a Collaboration Agreement or by the EMBL pursuant to a Work Programme. 8.6 In the framework of the Commissioned Services, the ELIXIR Board may decide to sub- commission certain technical services from the ELIXIR Nodes. Such Commissioned Services performed by the ELIXIR Nodes shall be funded through the ELIXIR Budget and the terms and conditions under which they are provided shall be detailed in a Collaboration Agreement.

Commissioned Services Approved by the Board Annex to Node Collaboration Agreements Annex to EMBL-EBI work programme Different to pilot actions “Production services” - part of sustainable infrastructure offering Long term commitment Life-cycle managed

Development of ELIXIR Service portfolio ELIXIR Pilot Actions ELIXIR Commissioned Services

Establishing a Commissioned Services tender and approval process for ELIXIR Commissioned services will involve substantial investments over a number of years the process for the tendering of commissioned services need to be transparent and excellence driven. Working group discussed elements of this process: e.g. ELIXIR Director work with HoNs to write a ‘request for service’ for approval by the ELIXIR Board e.g. tenders received sent to the ELIXIR SAB or other suitable expert group for independent evaluation. Working group noted that ELIXIR is built around Node Services - services provided by ELIXIR Nodes through national funding. Commissioned Services are ELIXIR tool to strengthen and increase utility / impact of these (e.g. provision of additional helpdesk resources, support production delivery) 11

Establishing a Commissioned Services tender and approval process for ELIXIR Commissioned services will involve substantial investments over a number of years the process for the tendering of commissioned services need to be transparent and excellence driven. Working group discussed elements of this process: e.g. ELIXIR Director work with HoNs to write a ‘request for service’ for approval by the ELIXIR Board e.g. tenders received sent to the ELIXIR SAB or other suitable expert group for independent evaluation. Working group noted that ELIXIR is built around Node Services - services provided by ELIXIR Nodes through national funding. Commissioned Services are ELIXIR tool to strengthen and increase utility / impact of these (e.g. provision of additional helpdesk resources, support production delivery) 12

Establishing a Commissioned Services tender and approval process for ELIXIR Working group noted need for additional work: request to the ELIXIR Board in April to expand the remit of this Working Group to continue to develop a process for the commissioning of services, include a representative with technical procurement expertise to be identified to join the group, look at other RI’s (e.g. ITER, ESS, … ) approaches to the commissioning of services and build on previous experience, aim of having a framework in place for the fall ELIXIR Board meeting.