Advanced Computing Resources for Research and Innovation

Call for Advanced Computing Projects (3rd edition)

Highlights

18.08.2023 - The Summary Results of the Call for Advanced Computing Projects 3rd Edition, 2022 has been published.
19.12.2022 - Applications for types A0 - Experimental Access and A1 - Preparatory or Development Access are still open: batch B accepts applications until February 7th 2023 (1pm, Lisbon time).
29.11.2022 - Extension of the deadline for submissions of applications for access type A2 to 15 December 2022 (1pm, Lisbon time)
22.11.2022 - New information session on the 3rd edition of the competition on 30th November 2022 from 11h:30. Registrations here.
26.10.2022 - Information session on the 3rd edition of the call on 3rd November 2022 at 11h30. Registrations here.
19.10.2022 - Opening for Submissions for all typologies of Access from 25 October 2022. Applications for A2 - Project or Regular Access close at 1pm (Lisbon time) on 6 December 2022. For the remaining types, please refer to the present call.

Support documents

Call Notice
Regulamento de Projetos de Computação Avançada
Technical sheet
Submissions Calendar
CiênciaVitae Guide
Panels and Scientific areas (only for A2 – Project or Regular Access)
Application Guide
Evaluation Guide
Coordinators Panel List
Template "Workplan"
Template "Data Management Plan"
FAQs

Where to apply

A0: Applications
A1 e A2: MyFCT - Concursos

Important Dates

A0 - Experimental Access from 25th October 2022 to 31st May 2023 (1pm, Lisbon time)
A1 – Preparatory or Development Access from 25th October 2022 to 31st May 2023 (1pm, Lisbon time)
A2 – Project or Regular Access from 25th October to 15th December 2022 (1pm, Lisbon time)

General view and objectives

The Foundation for Science and Technology, I. P. (FCT). manages the National Network for Advanced Computing (RNCA) and seeks to aggregate the national advanced computing resources, promoting cooperation between the various centers involved and developing national and international partnerships with other entities. Under the terms of the Regulations for Advanced Computing Projects, published under no. 10/2022 at Diário da República, the allocation of RNCA computing resources is carried out following a competitive call whose terms are published on this website.

Available Computational Resources

RNCA currently incorporates 4 operational centers with the respective platforms that are part of the call resources:

Bob operated by MAAC — Minho Advanced Computing Center;
Navigator operated by LCA-UC - Laboratório de Computação Avançada da Universidade de Coimbra;
Oblivion operated by HPC-UE – High Performance Computing Universidade de Évora;
Cirrus-A and Stratus operated by INCD – Infraestrutura Nacional de Computação Distribuída.

The technical description of the platforms (hardware and software) can be found in the technical sheet. This edition makes available around 36 million CPU core.hours or vCPU.hours and 105 thousand GPU.hours.

Computational Models

High Performance computing (HPC)
Scientific Cloud Computing (SCC) ou Virtual Research Environment (VRE)

Types of Access

A0 – Experimental Access recommended for teams with no previous experience or history of using RNCA resources or for using visualisation resources.
A1 – Preparatory or Development Access recommended for software performance testing, code optimisation, scalability testing, benchmarking, re-factoring or for short duration projects.
A2 – Project or Regular Access recommended for scientific or innovation projects whose team has consolidated previous experience.

	A0	A1	A2
Computational Model	HPC and/or SCC			SCC or VRE
Duration	6 months		12 months	24 months
CPU core. hours	50.000	100.000	3.000.000	-
vCPU.hours	50.000	100.000	1.200.000
GPU. hours	730	2.190	8.760
Quotas	5%	15%	80%

Eligibility Criteria

Are beneficiaries, individually or in co-promotion:

R&D (Research and Development) institutions;
Collaborative laboratories;
Technological interface centers;
Science and technology infrastructures;
Science and technology networks and consortia;
Private non-profit institutions whose main objective is R&D activities;
Digital Innovation Poles;
Other public and private non-profit institutions that develop or participate in research, development, or innovation activities;
Companies developing advanced computing projects in research, development or innovation activities;
Individuals operating in Portugal and who wish to develop advanced computing projects in any scientific area.

Regarding applications from companies as beneficiaries, the advanced computing projects should:

occur within the scope of pre-competitive research and innovation, without market value;
not exceed 50% of the total computational allocation to be allocated in this competition.

Evaluation Criteria

In accordance with Articles 14 and 15 of the Advanced Computing Projects Regulations, all received applications will be treated according to the following criteria, which are densified and detailed in the evaluation guide.

A0 – Experimental Access subject to technical validation.
A1 – Preparatory or Development Access subject to technical suitability assessment.
A2 – Project or Regular Access subject to evaluation of technical suitability and scientific merit.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted in English and on the appropriate electronic form. More information on the sidebar under Where to Apply, Important Dates and Timetable.

The maximum limit of applications per Principal Investigator (IR) or co-Principal Investigator (co-IR) is as follows:

Each IR and co-IR may submit a maximum of ONE application for A2 access type.
Each IR may submit a maximum of ONE application for A0 and A1 access types every 3 months, always subject to the availability of resources in these types.