JDCRP Public Tender WP3: Front-end Application

The JDCRP, a non-profit foundation based in Germany, is creating a digital platform for archival documentation related to looted cultural property by the Nazis, their allies and collaborators. The platform will allow for searching within documents across different archival sources. The European Union co-funds the project together with the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (the Claims Conference), sponsored by the Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future” (EVZ) and supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF). A second project for the development of a JDCRP Pilot-Minimum Viable Product is co-funded by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the Claims Conference.

To achieve these goals, the JDCRP is inviting bids for a front-end web application that allows users to search through archival material, as well as zoom in on cultural objects, people, organizations, events, and locations. Furthermore, several research projects are being carried out, the results of which will link into the central search platform. The front end must allow both casual as well as expert users to find their way among the archival material.

At the core of the platform is a back-end system which provides the search methods via HTTP-endpoints. User interactions with the front-end requiring context communicate with the back end in a granular way. Therefore, it is essential to the success of the project that the front-end and back-end service providers are aligned, and in regular contact. Throughout the course of the development work, the JDCRP and partners will conduct user testing. The front-end service provider is expected to facilitate and support user tests and integrate the resulting changes in an iterative way.

For the initial pilot phase, at a minimum, the platform will be hosted by the front-end service provider. The front-end service provider should provide access to the content (not including the data) via a content management system. It is imperative to the credibility of the platform that uncertainty in search results and matches is transparent to users and that the inclusion of AI-generated text is always made clear.

JDCRP Pilot Project Part II

As a first step, JDCRP aims to make available and searchable on its platform a set of 6,673 property cards that were generated at the Wiesbaden Central Collecting Point; these cards have been scanned but are not yet searchable. Once the contents of the cards are available digitally, the goal of the requested service is to ingest them, together with existing data from databases on the subject such as the ERR Jeu de Paume database, and create connections between the two sets by matching them through a variety of strategies. Other examples of search challenges might be file identifiers that are matched with items by their identifiers. In addition to these original data sources, smaller sections within the platform will be created to make available in-depth research on two art collections and on an educational project that are developed within this project.

JDCRP Pilot Minimum Viable Product

The goal of the second project is to prepare, ingest, and make archival material from multiple sources cross-searchable on a central platform. This is done to create and elaborate the structure, interconnections, and searchability of the platform. These sources will include property cards from other Central Collecting Points and other data to the platform, such as scans of photographs that are available at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). In addition, the information contained in research lists such as those of persecuted Jewish artists and collectors, must be interactive. At this stage, it is furthermore anticipated that all material and data available on the central data platform will be interconnected with those sections that contain research and educational material.

Financing

This tender includes two sets of activities that are part of two different projects. As these projects are financed by different sources, the JDCRP will require two different bills for the two sets of activities.

Final Points

At the end of the project, a summary report will be due explaining the challenges and solutions found. The successful bidder is required to begin development as soon as possible. The end date for the development work is set for October 30, 2024, however, the service should be available beyond this time frame. We expect a successful service provider to adhere to modern software standards with time for testing and iterative improvement allocated throughout the duration of the development. The JDCRP website is currently available in English and German, and the central search platform should reflect these languages. Initially, the platform will be developed in English with the option of translation of UI elements into further languages. The source materials will remain in their original languages.

Bidding process

In your bid, please include the following information:

Describe how each of the work packages will be approached and which technology will be used.
Provide a cost estimate for each service offered that includes a detailed specification as well as the number of persons and/or work hours involved.
Outline a time frame and schedule you envision being needed in order to set up the service.
Explain how you ensure quality management according to the team´s aims.
Describe your company’s track record dealing with similar projects, preferably in cultural heritage, provenance research, and/or art history.
Include the individual qualifications of the people who will participate on the project.
Estimate the cost of the maintenance and/or other costs expected for the continued availability of the service.

The tender project information is available here, and the full tender package can be requested via the following e-mail address: secretary@jdcrp.org.

Bids should be submitted by April 29, 2024, to:

Jonathan Blok, IT / Data Officer: jonathan.blok@jdcrp.org