Project Planning: Organizations

The worldwide elementary particle physics community has reached the strong consensus that the next scientific step is to build a sub-TeV electron-positron linear collider (LC).

Representatives of government funding agencies have met several times to discuss the status and funding prospects for a sub-TeV LC:

Coordinated by the International Committee for Future Accelerator (ICFA) and its International Linear Collider Steering Committee (ILCSC), a number of international, regional and domestic organizations are already involved with the linear collider.

International, Regional & Domestic Organizations Involved with the ILC

These existing committees and organizations are gradually evolving towards an international organization capable of implementing the design and eventually the construction of the project. The pre-construction plan endorsed by the ILCSC is based on creating a Global Design Initiative (GDI) that will be in operation for about five years. During this period, the GDI will evolve through two sequential phases.

The proposed Phase-I organization of the GDI is a modest evolution from the present structure. It should exist for about 1–2 years. It is intended to be formed expeditiously by keeping the present operating and budget authorities of all participating national organizations intact and connected to their current funding agencies. The ILCSC will create a Central Team with a Director and a small staff, located at a site at an existing laboratory.

Proposed Organization of the Global Design Effort in Phase I

The largest set of technical activities to be carried out and coordinated by the Central Team in Phase I will be to develop the R&D for subsystems, the technology transfer procedures for industrialization, the construction and testing of prototypes, and the development of plans for conventional facilities and generic infrastructure needed to support the eventual machine operation and physical research. The major deliverables that will mark the end of Phase I will be the completion of an international proposal consisting of a conceptual design report (CDR), a plan and estimate of costs and schedule needed to complete the fully engineered design discussed below, and a first rough estimate of the cost and schedule needed to construct and commission the facility.

Phase II of the GDI will last for 2–3 years, or up to the point when construction of the project is to begin. The main deliverables for Phase II will be an extensive Engineering Design Report, initially site-independent, and a formal proposal to build the linear collider that can be submitted to all interested, participating countries.

The Global Design Organization in Phase II