Focus on SCO labelling

Published on 12/01/2022

The labelling process is the heart of the SCO machine. In France and in Europe, it takes shape thanks to the reviewers who, for nearly three months, study the projects submitted and fine-tune them with their sponsors. Who are they and what do they do? Find out below!

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Like Atlas holding up the world, the members of the SCO Labelling Committee are doing an enormous amount of work and carry on their shoulders the responsibility of identifying game-changing projects on their shoulders. © Getty Images

The SCO Labelling Committee is currently studying the responses to the call for projects launched in September 2021 (see end of article). As the functioning of the SCO is based on the relevance of the projects supported, the labelling process is quite simply crucial.

Designed and implemented by the SCO France, this mechanism is based on precise stages and criteria for which the main credit goes to the members of the labelling committee or reviewers.

What is the labelling process?

Labelling is a process that takes several months and starts as soon as the annual call for projects is closed. The candidate applications are then screened by several experts according to the fields concerned. The objective is to identify the most mature projects in order to develop a local operational solution that can be replicated in a maximum of 24 months.

The members of the labelling committee therefore analyse each application under the prism of various impassable criteria, such as the response to a proven need of a territory, the use of satellite data, or the constitution of a consortium integrating scientific actors, public authorities, private or public operators, and end users. The dossiers are then graded A, B, C or D: the A's meet the SCO criteria and will be labelled, the B's deserve some explanations and adjustments, the C's and D's are too far away for labelling. Category B is particularly interesting because it reveals the SCO spirit: exchange, scientific rigour and adaptation. Indeed, rather than dismissing these projects out of hand, the labelling committee reserves a second phase of study to transform the trial. To do this, the reviewers invite the B project leaders to discuss the blocking points and how to adapt their solution. The readjusted dossiers are then revised by the reviewers in order to, ideally, move up to category A and obtain the SCO label.

Who are the reviewers?

The 27 reviewers are experts from the members of the Inter-Organisational Committee of the SCO France and, since this year, from European partners. Thanks to their meticulous work, they are the ones who give life to the SCO. We would like to say a huge thank you to all these women and men: thank you for your investment, your time, your professionalism and your support.

What is the status of the 2022 process?

The third call for projects of the SCO France/Europe (open from September to November 2021) received 22 responses. Each application was reviewed at least three times. During January 2022, the reviewers will receive no less than 11 project leaders (rated B) for clarification and advice. They will then have one month to rework their dossier with the recommendations received for a final study and, as is the objective, a label.

The portfolio of projects receiving the SCO label will be revealed in early March 2022. To keep you waiting, new themes have appeared in the files!