Interconnection of backbone networks for cloud federations - Works

This topic will support the deployment of new and significant upgrade of cloud interconnections, for which the market alone will not invest, because such an investment would not be commercially viable, i.e. where no relevant direct link of the same characteristics exists or is planned in the near future.

In addition, for links within Member States, to be eligible for funding under this call, projects must (i) address a market failure which cannot be solved by regulatory measures, (ii) avoid crowding out private investments or unduly distorting competition.

The topic will support the investment costs (studies, works and equipment) related to the development and deployment of cross-border and national cloud infrastructure interconnections at both the physical (i.e. very high capacity networks) and functional levels (i.e. management systems, and software-defined infrastructures) for public administrations or public and private entities entrusted with the operation of services of general interest or of Services of General Economic Interest (SGEIs) across the EU.

The applicants may apply for grants for works, including studies:

• For works, the total project costs required to construct, long-term lease and deliver the described networking solution for the foreseen system lifetime, from end to end, including the on-premises portion.
• Any costs for operating the infrastructure during the lifetime and extra components after the arrival on premises such as cloud resources not necessary to support the links, hosting facilities and other services, after the end of the project, will be excluded under the call.
• For studies, all preparatory work required prior to signing a contract with a supplier is covered under this call. Studies specifically include topographic definition of the links for required permits and rights of way.

The end users will be public administrations or public and private entities entrusted with the operation of SGIs or SGEIs.

All proposals must define the post-project ownership of the infrastructure and describe the mechanism to be used to provide services, including business models.