Funding Scheme for the
Archiving of Programme Material
Guide for Applicants
Round 2: Archiving of programme material which preserves a historic record of Irish culture, heritage and experience and in particular, that which safeguards historic
material that is threatened by fragile physical condition or soon to be obsolete formats.
December 2013
1. Introduction ... 3
2. The Aims of the Archiving Scheme ... 4
3. Eligibility ... 4
4. Information for Applicants ... 7
5. Decision Making Process ... 9
6. Contract Award ... 10
7. Submitting an Application Form ... 10
8. Disclaimer ... 12
1. Introduction
The purpose of this document (“the Guide”) is to provide applicants and potential applicants to the Funding Scheme for the Archiving of Programme Material (“the Archiving Scheme”), with guidance on what the Archiving Scheme can fund, who can apply for funding and how to create and submit an application for funding.
All applicants should read this Guide before completing the Application Form as it details the information that must be provided as part of an application. The Application Form and the closing times and dates by which applications must be submitted for consideration are set out on the BAI website at www.bai.ie.
The BAI reserves the right to correct or alter any part of the present document. In the event that this document is altered or revised, an updated version will be made available on the BAI’s website at
www.bai.ie and identified by the month and year it was published. In line with the Archiving Scheme, therelevant Guide for any funding round will be available at least 6 weeks before the closing date.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they are using the current version of the Guide.
Please note that this is a guide for applicants who intend to apply for funding from the Archiving Scheme.
The BAI will be looking to support high quality archiving proposals of benefit to Irish broadcast heritage.
The full Scheme document,
‘Funding Scheme for the Archiving of Programme Material (May 2012)’ isavailable at www.bai.ie.
The current funding round, for which applications were invited on 18
thDecember 2013, is for the archiving of programme material which preserves a historic record of Irish culture, heritage and experience and in particular, that which is at a high level risk of physical deterioration and/or obsolescence.
For all queries regarding this Guide please contact the BAI at:
T: +353 1 6441200 E:
[email protected]A: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland 2-5 Warrington Place
Dublin 2
Ireland
2. The Aims of the Archiving Scheme
Further to the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009 (“the Act”), the BAI has been assigned the responsibility of developing, managing and administering an Archiving Scheme (“the Scheme”). The Scheme is financed through a percentage of the annual Broadcasting Fund
1and will not exceed 20% of this fund.
The Scheme has been developed to provide funding support for the development of an archiving culture in the Irish broadcasting sector which will contribute to the preservation of Ireland’s broadcasting heritage.
The main aim of the Scheme is the preservation of programme material which collectively encompasses the history and culture of broadcasting in Ireland from its beginnings. This will be achieved through the following main objectives:
(a) The development of an integrated approach to the archiving of programme material including the promotion, development and safeguarding of Ireland’s broadcast heritage ;
(b) The development of suitable storage processes and formats to encourage and assist bodies in the restoration and/or storage of material recorded on failing or soon to be obsolete formats;
(c) The provision of access to programme materials and to raise public awareness in the preservation and use of broadcast archive materials.
3. Eligibility
Applications must meet the following minimum eligibility criteria in order to be considered for funding. In the event that any of these criteria are not met, applications will be disqualified. The BAI’s decision in this regard will be final.
3.1 Applicant
The following may apply to the Scheme:
Broadcasters (public, commercial and community);
Advertisers;
Persons/institutions in possession of relevant material;
Persons/institutions capable of carrying out work on archiving material considered to be of value to the State; and,
Persons/institutions capable of furthering the Archiving Scheme’s objectives.
Individuals must be Irish or EU nationals/residents. Companies must be incorporated in Ireland or the EU.
1 The duration of the Broadcasting Funding Scheme is to end December 2014
The BAI must comply with the Ethics in Public Office Act (1995) and the Standards in Public Office Act (2001). In this regard, if, as an applicant, you become aware of circumstances which might give rise to a conflict of interest in the context of your application, you must promptly bring such circumstances to the attention of the BAI.
3.2 Applications
Applications should conform to the formatting and other requirements set out in Section 5 below.
Applications which do not satisfactorily conform to these requirements will be disqualified. The BAI’s decision in this regard will be final.
3.3 Programme
Radio/Television material
Subject to the exclusion outlined in 3.6 below, programme material is content broadcast in whole or in part, or recorded for, or broadcast, on radio and/or television.
Advertising material
Subject to the exclusion outlined in 3.6 below, advertising material broadcast in whole or in part, or recorded for, or broadcast, on radio and/or television.
3.4 Projects
Projects eligible for funding shall include:
archiving of material (refer section 3.3 above); and,
projects related to archiving matters including:
o research
o needs assessments o analyses
o feasibility studies o pilot projects
o technological and system developments
3.5 Themes & Genres
The themes of the programme material which will be given special consideration include material in or relating to the:
Irish language;
Irish life and culture;
Irish music, drama and entertainment;
news, current affairs or documentary, and
any other category as identified by the BAI.
Subject to the exclusion outlined in 3.6 below, and provided all of the above were made for broadcast and/or broadcast, the following genres of programme may be submitted to the Scheme:
documentaries;
speech programmes (including current affairs, education, sports and sound art etc);
sports programmes;
music programmes;
children’s programmes; and,
Irish films.
3.6 Exclusion
The following programme material is deemed ineligible for funding:
Material not related to broadcast e.g. cinema, billboard advertising, publications; and,
Material not linked to Ireland’s culture, heritage or experience.
3.7 Audit
European Commission rules require that an audit be completed on each project to ensure compliance
with the Archiving Scheme Document and EC Aid rules. Provision must be made for the cost of this audit
in the budget accompanying the application.
4. Information for Applicants
4.1 The main aim of this round under the Scheme is the safeguarding of Ireland’s broadcast heritage.
The BAI is hereby calling for applications for archiving proposals that will further the aim of preserving audiovisual culture and heritage. Accordingly, proposals that include plans for the preservation of such recordings threatened by fragile physical condition, or format obsolescence and/or the lack of playback equipment, would fall within the ambit of this current round.
4.2 It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application form is completed in full and that you read and understand the requirements of the Scheme. If you have any queries, the staff of the BAI are available for consultation (e-mail [email protected]).
4.3 The Scheme is open to eligible applicants to make individual submissions and also, to parties who wish to work in partnership such as a content provider with a storage provider.
4.4 The BAI will allocate grants up to a maximum 80% of the total eligible budget required under the applicant’s proposal and the applicants will be required to demonstrate availability, adequacy and source of other and/or matching funding. It is possible to combine aid awarded under this Scheme with the aid of other schemes, limiting the maximum amount of aid from schemes to 80% of eligible budget.
4.5 Please note that there are eligible and ineligible categories of costs. Eligible costs are costs that are directly related to the archiving process. Ineligible costs include depreciation, banking and financial charges, legal costs, marketing/promotional costs and capital costs like the purchase of premises.
However, funding is able to be awarded under the Scheme to support the development and establishment of infrastructure to increase the level of archiving programme material and for technological and system developments which enhance the availability of and access to such material.
4.6 When completing an application, you must demonstrate how the proposed project will meet with the aims of the Scheme and deliver the best possible results. You should explain the planned practical activities and tasks of your project together with a schedule for such activities and tasks for the delivery of the project.
4.7 An applicant should explain why the current state of the audiovisual material is critical and how the project will change that, including how such material, once safeguarded, will eventually be made accessible.
4.8 The BAI will expect an applicant to make a commitment to good management of audiovisual material.
4.9 Archiving projects supported under the Scheme will be expected to provide fast and accurate access
to programme material by all interested parties including the public. Subject to paragraph 4.10 below, the
exact mechanisms will be negotiated on a project by project basis to accommodate the different stages of
development of the various archives.
4.10 A focus of the Scheme will generally be on suitable digital storage formats and the restoration and/or storage of material currently recorded on failing or soon to be obsolete formats.
4.11 Archiving projects supported will be expected to raise public awareness of the preservation and use of broadcast archive materials.
4.12 The BAI will also expect the applicant to demonstrate in full the feasibility of the proposed project. In this regard, the applicant should submit details of the risks to the delivery of the proposed project and how they will be managed. It is also important that you clearly articulate how you will maintain the outcomes of your project after the funding ends and meet any additional running costs.
4.13 The applicant must set out all matters concerning the copyright of the programme material that is the subject of the project.
4.14 The budget associated with a project will vary according to the aims of the project and the associated activities. Every applicant is required to submit detailed budget costings and the method for cost computation should clearly indicate how the total charge for each budget item was determined.
4.15 The Scheme includes a preliminary evaluation criterion termed ‘additionality’ which the application must pass in order to be deemed to be eligible for further consideration under the Scheme. Under this criterion, the evaluation of an application will have regard to whether an award based on the funding application would result in a greater aggregate amount of relevant content being archived and made accessible than would be the case without such an award and/or to whether the material to be archived would be additional to that which the Applicant is required to archive under existing legislation.
4.16 Archiving projects awarded funding will be monitored and evaluated by the BAI and a review of its operation, effectiveness and impact on broadcasting in general, and archiving practices and the recipients of funding specifically will take place.
4.17 The assessment process for an application is prescribed in Appendix 2 of the Scheme. Applicants should note that it is their responsibility to provide sufficient information for the BAI to assess the application in accordance with this process.
4.18 Applicants may collaborate or work in partnership with another broadcaster, institution or individual
in possession or capable of carrying out or furthering the objectives of the Archiving Scheme. Applicants
should submit a copy of the agreement.
5. Decision Making Process
In accordance with Appendix 2 of the Scheme, the procedure which will be followed by the BAI in deciding if it shall award funding to an application under the Scheme will include:
Phase 1 – Preliminary Assessment
This will involve the Executive preparing a preliminary assessment report on the application. This report will be structured using the headings of: a) the eligibility of the applicant; b), compliance with competition guidelines & sufficiency of information submitted; and, c) additionality.
Each application and preliminary assessment report will be considered by a panel of BAI Executive staff. Each application will be discussed in a collegiate manner under each of the headings. If a fail is recorded for any of the three criteria, the application will not be deemed eligible.
The applicant will be informed of this decision, including the reasons, subsequent to the BAI Executive panel meeting.
Phase 2 – Strategic Assessment
Those applications that pass the preliminary evaluation will progress to strategic assessment.
This will involve assessment panels comprising BAI staff and external assessors who will evaluate each application using the assessment criteria in Appendix 2 of the Scheme. The panel will determine whether to grant funding to the archiving proposal/s.
The decisions of the assessment panel will be presented to the Authority for consideration and final decision. The Authority takes into account the recommendations from the assessment process undertaken by the assessment panels and the amount of funding available.
Phase 3 – Notification of Decisions
Once the decisions have been ratified by the Authority, the BAI will inform all applicants of the outcomes. The details of the funding awarded will be publicly announced and posted to the BAI’s website, www.bai.ie
Successful applicants will receive an e-mail with an offer of funding in principle in an assessment report. The assessment report will sets out how the application was evaluated in each relevant assessment phase against the relevant assessment criteria. It will also sets out the details of the funding offer which may include any conditions attached thereto.
Unsuccessful applicants will be informed by e-mail of the decision not to grant funding. This will include an assessment report setting out how the application fared in each relevant assessment phase against the relevant assessment criteria.
Any award of funds will be conditional on a archiving scheme contract between the BAI and the applicant being successfully concluded.
It is anticipated that the BAI will complete the assessment of the applications in May 2014.
6. Contract Award
The successful Applicant (“Applicant”) will be required to enter into a contract with the BAI.
The Authority’s recommendation for the award of a contract is subject to the detailed terms of the contract being agreed between the BAI and the Applicant, and the Applicant fulfilling any necessary conditions attached by the BAI to the award of a contract. Such conditions will include a commitment to the provision of access to the archival material which is subject to the contract.
An offer of funding must be accepted within 30 days of the offer being made. Contracts for the funding must be signed within eight weeks of the offer being accepted.
The Applicant shall be required to make every effort to ensure that progress towards contract finalisation is achieved in the timeframe agreed by the parties upon entry into contract negotiations. The BAI reserves the right not to conclude a contract with the Applicant in the event agreement to the terms of an archiving contract is not achieved within the agreed timeframe.
7. Submitting an Application Form
Please read the following guidance notes before completing the Application form.
7.1 The application form must be completed in typescript or in block capitals in black ink. Save this document as one complete PDF or MS Word format application form no greater than 8MB in size. One electronic copy in PDF or MS Word format, no greater than 8MB in size and one hard-copy of the application should be submitted so as to reach the BAI’s offices by 12 noon on 16
thApril 2014.
7.2 The applicant is responsible for ensuring that their application is complete and submitted on time.
Applications not submitted on time and/or are incomplete will be disqualified. The BAI’s decision in this regard will be final.
7.3 Applications must be submitted in hardcopy and electronic format.
Electronic format:
Submit your application form by email to
[email protected]with the subject title “Archive
application – Project Name”. Do not submit multiple applications in one email; submit one
application per email. Emails exceeding the capacity limit may not be received.
Hardcopy format
The Scheme also requires that a hardcopy of the application be submitted to the BAI. The hardcopy can be posted, or hand-delivered to the BAI offices at 2 – 5 Warrington Place, Dublin 2, but must be submitted no later than 12 noon on the closing date of the funding round (refer point 6.1 above).
Applicants should submit their application in each format ONCE ONLY and should not make changes to their application once it has been submitted. In the case of receipt of duplicate applications, the BAI will accept the latest version submitted before the deadline; no other version will be considered.
7.4 Applicants will receive a delivery receipt by e-mail from BAI to acknowledge receipt of their email and their hard-copy by the deadline. Applicants will not receive this acknowledgement if the email and hard- copy are received after the deadline or if the e-mail exceeds the size requirement or if it does not have an attachment.
7.5 All application(s) submitted to a particular funding round at the relevant closing date and time will be assessed by the BAI. Applicants should not withdraw applications from the assessment process between the closing date and the announcement of decisions. Withdrawal of an application during the assessment process may affect an applicant’s track record. Any request to withdraw an application must provide the reasons for the request.
7.6 BAI must comply with the Ethics in Public Office Act (1995) and the Standards in Public Office Act (2001). In this regard, if, as an applicant, you become aware of circumstances which might give rise to a conflict of interest in the context of your application, you must promptly bring such circumstances to the attention of the BAI.
7.7 Confidential Information: The BAI may seek to withhold public access to material forming part of an application where the BAI considers it appropriate that such material should be treated as confidential.
Information that may be deemed to be of a confidential nature includes, inter alia, information that is commercially sensitive and information, the disclosure of which, would involve a breach of a confidentiality obligation which the interested party owes to a third party.
Note: Information considered by an applicant to be confidential must be presented in an annex to the
