Future Publishing Arrangements Project: release of a Scoping Document for comment

Dear Colleagues -

The Collaboration's contract with our current publishing partner, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, expires at the end of 2013. As we approach our third decade as the provider of the world's pre-eminent collection of healthcare systematic reviews, it is appropriate that we take a moment to step back and look carefully at how our products should be published in the future. To continue our publishing arrangements in a manner similar to our current model would probably provide us with a perfectly sound way forward. It is right, however, that we should look carefully at the various options available to us, and satisfy ourselves that we are doing the right thing for the Collaboration and for our stakeholders.

With this aim in mind, in March 2011 the Steering Group established the Future Publishing Arrangements Project (FPAP), chaired by the Steering Group Co-Chairs, Jonathan Craig and Jeremy Grimshaw. The main goal of the FPAP is to discuss, clarify and agree what we - The Cochrane Collaboration - want from our future publishing arrangements in order that they are optimally aligned to our mission, and subsequently, to conduct a process to achieve those publishing arrangements.

As a first step, the FPAP Project Board has drafted a Scoping Document that will frame the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP) document. The RFP will be released to bidders seeking to become our publishing partner from January 2014.

We invite you to read and comment on the Scoping Document, which is found on the Cochrane Community site* here, along with the Terms of Reference document for the project:
http://www.cochrane.org/community/development-projects/future-publishing-arrangements-project-fpap [Archie login required]

Comments or questions should be made on the FPAP Discussion Forum (linked from the Community page) and we also welcome questions at the Collaboration's Annual General Meeting, taking place during the Madrid Colloquium, on 20th October 2011.

With best wishes,

The FPAP Project Board
Jonathan Craig, Jeremy Grimshaw, Julian Higgins, Nick Royle, David Tovey

*If you are unable to access the Community site for any reason, please email Lucie Jones for a copy by email