NATIONAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY

[Alison Wain <alison@orac.net.au>]

Ian sent me a reply to our questions today - here it is.

NATIONAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY - RESEARCH ELEMENTS

Dear Alison

This is a short response to your queries on the up and coming research
audit of the R and D program of the National Conservation Strategy.

MECHANISM FOR RESEARCH AUDIT
I imagine that the audit project will be put to tender through the
Heritage Collections Council (HCC) Secretariat after the Collections
Management and Conservation Working Party (CM and CWP) project steering
committee has developed the guidelines for an appropriate brief.  None
of this has been done yet.

I don't believe the CM and CWP will stipulate what approach the winning
tender will take but would seek to select and support a consultancy
which was innovative, far reaching, cost effective etc etc.

REPORTING
There are a number of reporting mechanisms available to the CM and CWP
including:
· the HCC Newsletter which your organisation receives
· AMOL
· seminars and workshops as part of various HCC and CM and CWP
activities held from time to time at various locations across Australia
· the AICCM Newsletter etc.
· publishing and distribution of the 'audit report' to various
stakeholders

I am uncertain about which of the above will be used for the research
project, however, the HCC is very keen to develop a much stronger
conservation content on AMOL and the CM and CWP is committed to this
objective.

UNIVERSITY SECTOR INCLUSION
As explained above the brief from the audit project has not been
prepared at this stage.  I assume that it will include the University
sector in appropriate areas of interest.



RESEARCH POLICY
Janet Hughes question regarding Institutional research policies is
interesting and it may be useful to include this topic in the audit
process.  Any similar comments and suggestions would be very useful.

I hope this information gives you a little background regarding the
project.  The brief for the project should be prepared over the next
month or so.  I assume the call for expressions of interest will be sent
to a limited number of prospective consultants.  If you and your
colleagues are interested in tendering for the project I suggest you
contact Colin Thomas at the HCC Secretariat in Canberra, tel: (02)
62711624.

Please telephone me if you require further information.


Best Wishes



Ian Cook
Deputy Chair
CM and CWP