Jisc launches Research outputs repository systems purchasing service

[Philipp at UiT]

Jisc has just launched a service that "enables [research organizations / Jisc member institutions] to purchase a research repository from pre-qualified suppliers who conform to sector standards around the management of digital research outputs" (cf. https://www.jisc.ac.uk/research-outputs-repository-systems-purchasing).

The suppliers included in this service offer open-source as well as proprietary solutions, but as far as I can see, Dataverse is not among them. Though, Dataverse could easily be provided as a service. One of the suppliers, 4Science, e.g., offers services based on DSpace and OJS. Are there any companies or other service providers that offer services based on Dataverse? If not, would the Dataverse community benefit from there being such service providers? In my opinion, we should stand up against data publishing being taken over by the big commercial players like Elsevier (Mendeley Data) and Springer (figshare).

Best, Philipp

[Philipp at UiT]

The issue I addressed above has become relevant again; see the latest discussion about open-source based platforms not being included in tenders for research data repositories:

https://twitter.com/4TUResearchData/status/1296090765110779910

https://openworking.wordpress.com/2020/08/18/why-figshare-choosing-a-new-technical-infrastructure-for-4tu-researchdata/

https://twitter.com/4TUResearchData/status/1296090765110779910

https://blog.zenodo.org/2020/08/27/2020-08-28-4tu-response/

Best, Philipp

[Crosas, Mercè]

Philipp,

What do you suggest we should do? Should we contact the JISC team and explain the advantages of open-source data repository solutions? Should we write a blog or article, providing the Dataverse Community view, and share it with them? I'm happy to support initiatives led by our community. Suggestions welcome!

Merce

--

Mercè Crosas, Ph.D.

University Research Data Management Officer

Chief Data Science and Technology Officer, Institute for Quantitative Social Science

Harvard University

mcr...@g.harvard.edu | @mercecrosas | scholar.harvard.edu/mercecrosas

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[Philipp at UiT]

Thanks, Mercè!

To be honest, I don't know what we should do, I just wanted to raise the issue. I think your suggestions sound good. Maybe the Dataverse community could write a blog post (and maybe even an article) together with other communities dealing with non-commercial open-source software / services for research communication (e.g. Zenodo, Dryad, DSpace, OSF, etc., etc.) describing and discussing the advantages of such approaches, how they can be viable alternatives to commercial products, and why they shouldn't be excluded from tender processes?

Best, Philipp

[Crosas, Mercè]

Thanks, Philipp! This sounds good to me.

Are others in the Dataverse community also interested in writing something along those lines?

--

Mercè Crosas, Ph.D.

University Research Data Management Officer

Chief Data Science and Technology Officer, Institute for Quantitative Social Science

Harvard University

mcr...@g.harvard.edu | @mercecrosas | scholar.harvard.edu/mercecrosas

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dataverse-community/d5f35ba6-6cd8-4775-b9b0-4479a2f5dc5bn%40googlegroups.com.

[Sherry Lake]

As Philipp said, not sure what to do, but if this is a trend - needing a "Tender Process" for a repository system, then unfortunately Dataverse and other Open Source options are not going to be competitive. TU Delft Research Data Service has gone with Figshare due to Tender process:  https://openworking.wordpress.com/2020/08/18/why-figshare-choosing-a-new-technical-infrastructure-for-4tu-researchdata/

Dryad/Zenodo wrote this blog in response to 4TU.Research Data: https://blog.zenodo.org/2020/08/27/2020-08-28-4tu-response/

Here's the latest from JISC:
===============================================================================

Dear All, with apologies if you receive this message more than once.

I am pleased to let you know that a new repository supplier has been accepted on to the Jisc Research outputs repositories dynamic purchasing system.   We now have five repository suppliers accepted, and are aware of other suppliers who are in the process of applying. 

• 4Science s.r.l. (DSpace and DSpace-CRIS)
• Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc (Figshare)
• Elsevier BV (Mendeley Data)
• MyScienceWork (Polaris)
• Reach Solutions (DSpace or custom solutions)

Details of the DPS and how to procure through it can be found at the service webpage:

https://www.jisc.ac.uk/research-outputs-repository-systems-purchasing

How does it work? 

The DPS sets out minimum standards that suppliers must comply with in order to have their product included.  These are set out in the Appendix to the Buyer’s guide which can be downloaded from the service webpage. Jisc members (which include all publicly funded UK universities) can use the service to run mini competitions with suppliers, using standard templates provided, and adding additional requirements of their own, if necessary. Jisc will administer the process on behalf of the member institution.  

Benefits and opportunities for Jisc members

• The framework reduces the procurement burden for members: it facilitates a light touch procurement process for members, as OJEU requirements will have already been fulfilled.  Members can focus solely on their specific requirements.  
• Members can be confident that the services included use a clear set of sector standards   
• The market for such services becomes more transparent, efficient and effective.  
• Members get better value for money. 

Opportunities for repository suppliers

Repository suppliers can apply to join the DPS at any time.  Details can be found on the Jisc tender portal https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/33572/1/0

If you are already talking to a repository supplier who is not yet on the DPS, please do encourage them to apply.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to get back to me, or a member of the team reposito...@jisc.ac.uk

 

Dr Tamsin Burland
Digital Resources

T 07468 727061

 

Twitter @tamsinburland

orcid.org/0000-0002-5129-979X

 

Read our statement on coronavirus

 

15 Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1BW

jisc.ac.uk

[Philipp at UiT]

Thanks, Sherry. If an organization wants/needs a tender process in order to get established a repository there should at least be more service providers which include Dataverse in their portfolio. Jisc lists 4Science, but only for DSpace, but 4Science also offers to provide Dataverse-based solutions/services; cf.  https://www.4science.it/en/dataverse/.

Best, Philipp 

[Crosas, Mercè]

Sherry,

I don't understand why Datavere or other open-source repository platforms could not be a competitive option for 'tender processes". Based on what I read, I'm not sure I get why this would be the case. Can you elaborate?

Thanks for sharing the blog posted in Zenodo!

Merce

--

Mercè Crosas, Ph.D.

University Research Data Management Officer

Chief Data Science and Technology Officer, Institute for Quantitative Social Science

Harvard University

mcr...@g.harvard.edu | @mercecrosas | scholar.harvard.edu/mercecrosas

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[Philipp at UiT]

If I may jump in before Sherry has answered:

One reason why non-commercial solutions like Dataverse have a disadvantage in tender processes is that there are no / only a few companies or organizations who offer the establishment and operation of repository services based on such solutions. 4Science is the only company I know of that offers this for Dataverse. The companies behind Figshare and Mendeley Data on the other hand are specialized on providing repository services (and other scholarly communication services) to research organizations.

Best, Philipp

[Sherry Lake]

No problem, Philipp. I had to do some reading on the JISC Purchasing Guide before I responded. 

As Philipp said, there are no companies (except for 4Science?) that offer Dataverse out-of-the-box support (software, system, infrastructure - a total hosting solution), services like a commercial vendor could. The JISC Purchasing Guide keeps referring to being able to "purchase Research Outputs Repository Systems from Suppliers".  IQSS/Harvard is definitely not a supplier. 

And maybe it's the name "Data"verse. We know that it's not just for "data", but that it can handle all forms of "research outputs". QDR and Texas Data Repository are examples of not just "data".

Wonder how to get 4Science to be more active in the Dataverse Community enough for it to promote Dataverse in Tender processes? But that would be competition to DSpace which it seems is who 4Science is actively working with https://www.4science.it/en/solutions/ ?

Maybe an invitation for 4Science to join Dataverse Community?

--

Sherry

[Crosas, Mercè]

Sure, let's invite them. Sherry, do you want to invite them?

--

Mercè Crosas, Ph.D.

University Research Data Management Officer

Chief Data Science and Technology Officer, Institute for Quantitative Social Science

Harvard University

mcr...@g.harvard.edu | @mercecrosas | scholar.harvard.edu/mercecrosas

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dataverse-community/dd1d2cc7-d42c-4a37-87de-2e7e43ef39aan%40googlegroups.com.

[Stefan Kasberger]

Hi,

just some thoughts from me: The issue, of having no professional hosting / service provider was a big issue in the CKAN community a few years ago. Government bodies or smaller organizations usually don't want to get too much into building up expertise or base costs, like hiring DevOps or building up a IT infrastructure. They often just want to buy a service, running on "economies of scale" (cheap) and outsourcing all the overhead (CTS, deployment, monitoring, testing, etc.). And maybe the most important issue: having fast expert level support in case of need/emergency. This is often a problem in Open Source communities, caused by difficult decision making processes, volunteering and often weaknesses in strategic, long-term planning (in general: de-centralized structures).

I have been asked several times if there is anyone offering this for Dataverse, so there seems to be some need for that.

Stefan

[Crosas, Mercè]

Thanks, Stefan. We've been asked about this often too. There is definitely the need, and it's something I will discuss with Jon Crabtree for the future of the Global Dataverse Community Consortium.

Thanks everybody for the useful inputs.

Merce

--

Mercè Crosas, Ph.D.

University Research Data Management Officer

Chief Data Science and Technology Officer, Institute for Quantitative Social Science

Harvard University

mcr...@g.harvard.edu | @mercecrosas | scholar.harvard.edu/mercecrosas

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dataverse-community/09f2ed96-c391-41bb-b8f1-38de44cb8638n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jonathan Crabtree]

Stefan,

 

Thru GDCC Odum is exploring supporting this. We are actually working on a contract with a group in Singapore as a first prototype of this service. We are finding contracts to be hard but we are working thru them. I hope to know more in a few months. If it works we hope to leverage any spare cycles in the community and coordinated them into support for those without technical or preservation staff.

 

Jon

 

 

 

Jonathan Crabtree

Director Research Data Information Systems

Odum Institute UNC Chapel Hill

www.odum.unc.edu

Jonathan...@unc.edu 

919-962-0517 Office

919-428-6112 Cell

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dataverse-community/CA%2B_j1JnsKs6vHUgQbofJJJF9yow3Rv8OfmLxMS7qEjyEsb7HuQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Stefan Kasberger]

Hi Jon,

great to hear!

Stefan

[Sebastian Karcher]

That's excellent news Jon, I was going to ask if GDCC could look into this as an additional source of revenue. As you know, this sort of business model is pretty common for FLOSS -- think Canonical/Ubuntu, Wordpress, etc. -- and it's great to see you're already in the midst of exploring this.

Best,

Sebastian

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dataverse-community/CE89341D-BD86-46EF-AFCD-158B90454BEC%40gmail.com.

--

Sebastian Karcher, PhD
www.sebastiankarcher.com