Request for Proposals for a study into how best universities can be supported in dealing with new open access demands

The Finch report has stated that universities will have to be increasingly efficient in the way they pay for open access publishing in the form of article processing charges (APCs). Responding to the recommendation, JISC and the Wellcome Trust, on behalf of the UK Open Access Implementation Group (OAIG) are commissioning work to investigate how we can help universities, publishers and funders manage the charges efficiently and also what role an intermediary might play in making the process work smoothly. The new study will build on the OAIG’s earlier findings: [1] Firstly, research by JISC Collections on behalf of the OAIG has shown that many hybrid journal publishers, research institutions and funders have not yet developed efficient back office systems to manage open access payments.  This can sometimes lead to lengthy delays and other administrative problems.  [2] Secondly, OAIG members and publishers have together highlighted the potential role for suitable intermediaries in providing support and services.  These intermediaries could help avoid ‘doubling up’ of back-office systems and make it easier to reconcile data for both publishers and funders. Please contact David Carr at the Wellcome Trust ( d.carr@wellcome.ac.uk ) for a copy of the full project specification and for further information.”