Integration of 5G with edge computing and federated cloud facilities

Objective :

The main objective of this CSA is to accelerate the development of edge computing solutions as part of 5G corridors and 5G smart communities and thus ensure their integration in the European federated cloud and edge infrastructures funded under the CEF Digital and Digital Europe programmes.

The objective is to develop - in cooperation with different stakeholder communities and various ongoing projects in the relevant deployment programmes - concepts and facilities for:

• the interconnection of newly deployed 5G corridor sections and 5G infrastructure for local communities with edge computing facilities and federated cloud infrastructures;
• relevant operational service platforms that enable the provision of CAM and commercial 5G connectivity services; and
• the support of services of general interest in local communities.

Furthermore, the objective is to accompany CEF-funded 5G deployment projects during their edge node deployment and service platform integration phase in order to adopt the common concepts developed.

Scope :

The CSA should gather and consolidate information on the various planned actions under European and national programmes as well as the main private sector initiatives in the field and raise awareness to the stakeholders involved in the various relevant ongoing or future projects.

Based on this information, it should – in close cooperation with stakeholders – deliver principles and network architecture concepts for connecting 5G infrastructures along transport corridors and 5G smart communities to the edge node and federated cloud infrastructure with the aims: (i) to meet service requirements for connected and automated mobility, in particular the stringent requirements for road safety and digital train operations; (ii) and to generate economic efficiencies, whereby the overall 5G-edge-cloud platform would serve the vertical needs of various communities and sectors, in particular mobility and socio-economic drivers.

Once the concepts are agreed, the CSA should accompany the ongoing CEF-funded 5G corridors and smart communities projects to deploy and integrate the solutions in the later phase of these deployment projects.

The CSA should also monitor and report on the planned, ongoing and completed deployment of edge nodes with these projects and facilitate reporting in the European 5G Observatory.

The following activities are in the scope of this CSA:

1. Desk research and stakeholder outreach to gather and report on comprehensive information on ongoing relevant activities in the area of European federated cloud infrastructures
2. Identification and definition of use cases in the areas of connected and automated mobility and 5G smart communities covering several sectors whose provision will be enabled by integrated 5G-edge-cloud infrastructure
3. Gather requirements for business continuity across the border meeting CAM service requirements
4. Definition of functional and operational network architectures enabling the provision of the selected use cases and building on European federated cloud infrastructures and other relevant initiatives
5. Proof of concept, tests and pilots in cooperation with selected CEF-funded 5G deployment projects
6. Outreach, engagement and advisory services for 5G corridors (all ongoing CEF-funded projects) and smart communities (at least 10 CEF-funded projects) to integrate the developed solutions. Expected Impact :

The CSA is expected to enable new synergies across the digital value chain, in particular the integration of 5G and Gigabit network deployment with cloud-to-edge solutions, and help creating new and innovative business models for the European telecom and IT sectors, as well as vertical sectors including automotive, rail, transport and logistics, as well as for local communities.

Conditions

1. Admissibility conditions: described in section 5 of the call document

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System

2. Eligible countries: described in section 6 of of the call document

3. Other eligibility conditions: described in section 6 of the call document

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in section 7 of the call document

5. Evaluation and award:

• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: described in section 9 of the call document
• Submission and evaluation processes : described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual
• Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in section 4 of the call document

6 . Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in section 10 of the call document

Documents

Call documents:

Call document

Application form and annexes:

Proposals (including annexes and supporting documents) must be submitted using the forms provided inside the Submission System (NOT the documents available on the Topic page - these are only for information).

Application form (Part A and B) - CEF-TA

Detailed budget table per Work Package

Timetable (Gantt chart)

Letters of support (MS agreement)

CEF Model Grant Agreement (MGA)

Additional documents:

Connecting Europe Facility-Digital Work Programme (2021-2025)

Connecting Europe Facility Regulation 2021/1153

EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046