As part of MoRST’s strategy, ‘Engaging New Zealanders with science and technology’, the Ministry established the SMC to "improve the breadth and depth of media coverage of New Zealand RS&T".1
Following a tender process in 2007, MoRST selected the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ) to develop and operate the SMC. The SMC began operation on 1 July 2008. The current contract runs until June 2010.
The request for proposal document stated that MoRST would evaluate the performance of the successful tenderer.
In early 2009, in consultation with the SMC, MoRST decided that the evaluation would take place after 12 months of operation (July 2009) and that the result of the evaluation would be delivered by the end of 2009.
The evaluation assessed the SMC’s first year of operation to determine if the Centre was achieving the goal of improving the breadth and depth of media coverage of New Zealand RS&T.
The evaluation was also intended to highlight areas of current SMC activity that should be continued and to identify areas which should be the focus of future activity.