STF/TTF funding
Specialist Task Forces (STF) can be proposed by the ETSI Technical Bodies, the Board or Special Committees.
STF proposals must be approved by the OCG and the Board independently of the funding source.
Funding can be provided from the ETSI ordinary budget, EC/EFTA contracts or voluntary contributions of ETSI Members or other Organizations. The funding negotiation process depends on the funding source to which it is addressed.
ETSI FWP budget
The total budget available for STFs is decided every year by the General Assembly.
STF proposals for ETSI funding must be submitted to the OCG and Board for approval. The Board will decide which proposals can be funded, within the limit of the total yearly budget.
STF proposals must address subjects that require specific technical competence not available in the TB and with strong support from ETSI Members. Priority is given to projects in the following domains: innovation, conformance testing and validation using formal methods, quality, methodology, security, societal good / environmental. STFs cannot be used to maintain mature standards.
The approval process under ETSI funding is relatively quick and is recommended for small projects with high technical focus (see here process and calendar for funding allocation). Set-up time can be in the order of 1 to 2 months from funding approval to STF at work but budget can hardly exceed 50-100 k€ and, typically, for no more than one year duration. Complex projects must be split in phases.
STF proposals must be submitted to the ETSI Secretariat and uploaded here
Contact for more information the Head of Funded Activities: lea.belloulou@etsi.org
ETSI TTF Budget
A specific Testing Task Force budget line is provided for in the ETSI annual budget, to fund task forces developing testing or methodology standards and specifications.
Each year in September the Centre for Testing and Interoperability develops a multi-annual plan and a technical roadmap for the following year, taking into account requests for TTF funding already received or anticipated. In consultation with the Board and the OCG, this is used as the basis for the Director General to propose a specific TTF budget amount in the annual ETSI budget, approved each year for the following year in the autumn General Assembly.
The Director General decides on the establishment of TTFs which are within the scope of the technical roadmap, and for which full Terms of Reference have been provided.
Testing or methodology work which is planned to use EC/EFTA funding should follow the same STF process as for other EC/EFTA funded work.
For more information contact the CTI Director: ultan.mulligan@etsi.org or the STF Manager: STFManager@etsi.org.
EC/EFTA funding
STFs requested under the EC/EFTA budget can be presented at any time during the year and must respond to a Mandate or one of the domains set in the Rolling Plan for ICT standardization (2021 ICT RP updated on 2021-03-19)
The Technical Proposal will be submitted for OCG/Board consultation (2 weeks) and, after resolution of comments, to EC/EFTA for evaluation.
If the evaluation is positive, a contract will be established between the EC/EFTA and ETSI for funding the STF.
The approval process for EC/EFTA funding has a longer lead time but can release resources for larger and longer term projects.
STFs proposal for EC/EFTA may include consultation and dissemination activities.
STF proposals must be submitted to the ETSI Secretariat and uploaded here
Contact for more information the Head of Funded Activities: lea.belloulou@etsi.org
Voluntary funding
Voluntary funding can be provided by ETSI Members and other Organizations, for the full amount of resources required by an STF or TTF or to complement the allocation from the ETSI budget (co-funding). The voluntary contribution may be partially or totally provided in the form of experts working free of charge. There must be a clear separation between the STF or TTF work and the normal delegate contribution to the TB (e.g. expert voluntary contribution must be under STF or TTF contract, with identified work sessions).
The Board must approve setting up the STF, even where full funding is provided on a voluntary basis. The ETSI Secretariat will negotiate the terms and conditions to collect voluntary funding. The STF with voluntary funding can be started only after the formal agreement (e.g. Collaboration agreement) has been finalized.
For more information, contact the Head of Funded Activities: lea.belloulou@etsi.org or the CTI Director: ultan.mulligan@etsi.org