CO-LaN is a not-for-profit member society established in France in 2001 (latest Annual General Meeting held on October 15, 2020) and governed by its bylaws (French version, English version). Its current duration is limited to December 31, 2025. The executive body is the Management Board. Technical work is conducted through Special Interest Groups gathering members, and by contractors.
Members
Membership is organised in two categories: Full Members and Associate Members. Full Members are industrial users of CAPE software. Associate Members are either organizations such as providers of CAPE software, administrations, academic institutions carrying out research activities in the field of CAPE, or individuals. To be approved by CO-LaN Management Board as Associate Members, organizations or individuals need to be actively using CAPE-OPEN interfaces or need to have a project involving CAPE-OPEN technology.
In case of doubt about a Member’s category, the Management Board will decide. If the Member does not wish to join the Society in that category, he will be able to withdraw his application and any fees paid with the application will be returned.
Full Members are requested to contribute a yearly membership fee. Corporate Associate Members that are commercial CAPE software vendors are requested to contribute a yearly membership fee. Other Associate Members are not requested to pay any fee.
Membership fees are defined by the Management Board so as to meet the needs of the Society and its Members. Membership fees and the definitions of different membership levels are set for the period 2021-2025 in the bylaws adopted on October 15, 2020 when ratified at the General Meeting of Members.
Management Board
The business and affairs of the Society are governed by its Management Board, which possesses all of the powers of the Society, and is elected by the General Meeting of Members among the Full Members. The Management Board contains at least the Chairman of the Board, the Treasurer and the Secretary. The Management Board can add extra members as appropriate between General Meetings and these additions will be ratified at the next General Meeting.
Special Interest Groups
CO-LaN maintains and develops the CAPE-OPEN interface specifications and manages the software component testing process. CO-LaN organises a collaborative process leading to consensus on new and updated CAPE-OPEN interface specifications. Typically, the Management Board will initiate Special Interest Groups (SIGs) for this purpose. The charters of such SIGs will include, at a minimum, their membership, decision making process, resource requirements, time line, and scope of work.
Contractors
CO-LaN relies on a number of consultants in order to carry specific technical work. CO-LaN currently contracts: Michael HALLORAN (UK) for the supervision of COLTT and CAPE-OPEN TLB/PIA software development, AmsterCHEM (Spain) for providing Consultancy Services to Associate Members, for software development services and to develop COBIA, Stenhouse Simulations Ltd (UK) for administrative tasks, Céondo GmbH (Germany) for software development services, Marcus Bruno Fernandes Silva (Brazil)for software development services, MR Woodman Consulting Ltd (UK) for setting up the Certification Special Interest Group and Michel Pons Technologie (France) for the role of Chief Technology Officer.