How to write a proposal

1. How to write a proposal Nicole Schröder, LL.M. INCO-NET MIRA - Training Seminar for Palestine Information Point in Cyprus

2. Content • National Contact Point for FP 7 in Germany • Strategy for a successful participation in FP7 • Reasons for participation in the Research Framework Programme • Project Preparation • Successful Proposal –Relevance and Excellence • Nine deadly sins in project preparation

3. EU-Bureau of the BMBF head: Dr. Andre Schlochtermeier Secretariat: Jutta Albrecht deputy: Kathrin Stratmann +49 228 3821-630 Postal address: Visitor’s address: PT-DLR, Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1 Königswinterer Str. 550 53227 Bonn, Germany 53227 Bonn, Germany • National Contact Points • European Research Council (ERC) • Research Infrastructures • Regions of Knowledge • Research Potential • Science in Society • International Cooperation • ERA-Net • Joint Research Centre • Legal and administrative matters • General Tasks • Co-ordination of the NCP network • Initial Contact Point for FP7 • Training seminars for applicants • Contact Point: Women into • EU-Research • Public relation • Website: German Portal for FP7 • Participation in EU-projects • Support to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research: Statistics, Implementation of FP7

4. The German Network of National Contact Points • National Level • National Contact Points (NCPs) • Liaison Office of German Research Organisations located in Bonn and Brussels (KoWi) • Regional / Local Level • EU-officers at universities and research institutes (multipliers of information)

5. The German Network of National Contact Points • Appr. 25 NCPs for the different areas of FP7 • Financed by the German Government • Located at Project Management Organisations • Expertise of Project Management Organisations in different research areas • Synergies with national research funding programmes and FP7 • Complex but pragmatic system!

6. The German Network of National Contact Points – Tasks of NCPs • Applicants • Targeted information and advice • Pre-screening of proposals • Organisation of information days • Ministry • Statistics and analysis of calls for proposals • Support in preparation and implementation of FPs • Commission • Coordinators act as experts in Programme Committees and Working Groups  Interface between applicant, ministry and Commission

7. The German Network of National Contact Points • Close cooperation with national programmes • Close contact with the Commission • Networking • National level (German NCPs, Liaison Office, EU-Officers at universities, research institutes, industry) • International (NCPs of MS and AS) • Active Members in Programme Committees and Working Groups

8. Commission Official Journal EUROPE CORDIS National Contact Points Local EU-officer ResearchInstitute Member States Strategy for a successful participation in FP7

9. Reasons for participation in the Research Framework Programme • Joint solution of common problems • Participation in EU-Projects often paves the way to new cooperation partners in new research areas or sectors or to new markets • Cooperation with experts from universities, research centers or enterprises often opens access to new techniques, methods, views or equipment • Mutual access to „intellectual property“ within the consortium • Financing of Research or Demonstration projects

10. Reasons against the participation in the Research Framework Programme • Organisational and financial efforts in project preparation are often higher than in national projects due to • large number of project partners with different cultural backgrounds • Communication and proposal writing in english – being a foreign language for most of the partners • New rules and procedures (if first project in 7th Framework Programme) • Work load for coordinator is especially high • High Oversubscription (on average 5-6 times)

11. First consideration • Does the EU-Funding Programme offer the right instrument for the aims of the enterprise (or department, institute etc.) • Will expected costs and use or efforts and output be balanced? • Costs for the preparation of a project proposal cannot be refunded by the EU

12. Stages of a EU-Project Advice Interim Reports (possible interim project monitoring with expert support) Final Reports Evaluation Start End Project Implementation Checking of Reports Contract Negotiation Proposal Preparation Proposal Submission Final Payment Technical and financial audits are possible during the project and up to 5 years after its completion!

13. Stages of a EU Project Preparation 6-9 months before deadline Calls are usually open for3 months Proposal submission evaluation period and contract negotiations not less than 3-6 months Evaluation Negotiation Project implementation project duration depending onfunding scheme 1-7 years

14. Project Preparation- Preliminary phase Consultation of Experts • EU-advisers located at the institutions • National Contact Points (NCPs) • Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) • Scientific Officers of the EU-Commission • Evaluators • Successful proposers

15. Project Preparation - Early Phase • Analysis/Screening of specific programme, work programme and calls for proposal • Screening of the Cordis Project Data Base (cordis.europa.eu) • Open questions: - When can a relevant call for proposals be expected?- What topics could be covered? - Which amounts of funding can be expected?

16. Involvement ofthe own institution/enterprise • Early backing for the project in the own enterprise, institution, working group… • Early involvement of all relevant departments (legal department, finance department etc.) • Are there sufficient resources for a project participation? • Man power (experts) • Space (laboratory space, offices etc.) • Financial resources for own part of the project costs

17. Partner Search • Early formation of a core team and preparation of a project layout • Partner search via • Existing contacts • Conferences • (Scientific) literature • Cordis Project Data Base • Cordis Partner Search Data Base (cordis.europa.eu/partners-service) • National Contact Points or EEN • Partner Databases are often of only limited use

18. Roles within a Consortium • Coordinator: the manager, leader, guide of the project • Should only be taken over by an expert with substantial EU-experience • Previous participation in EU-projects is a real prerequisite • Substantial work load in project preparation (3 person months average) • Work Package Leader: the coordinator of a more or less substantial part of the project • EU-experience is a plus but not a prerequisite • Medium work load in preparation (0,5 – 1 person month depending on work package size) • Other Project Partners: participants with a defined role but without coordination tasks • Small work load in preparation

19. The Coordinator • Central contact for the Commission • Acts on behalf of the Commission • Signs the grant agreement with the Commission and organises the access of the partner to the grant agreement (via form A) • Receives all payments from the Commission • Transfers payments to his project partners • Collects, checks and integrates the project reports • Monitors the implementation of the project

20. Documents • work programme • call text • guide for applicants • rules for participation • rules for submission, evaluation, selection, award • standard model grant agreement • guide to financial issues • guide to intellectual property rules • negotiations guidance notes General version of all documents: CORDIS „Find a document“: www.cordis.europa.eu

21. http://cordis.europa.eu

22. Structure of a Research Project • Concept and Goals • Time flow of the work package and their components (Gantt chart)

23. Structure of a Research Project • Graphical Presentation of the interrelations of the work components (Pert diagram)

24. Structure of a Research Project • Detailed Description of the work packages • Profiles and Roles of the Participants • Consortium and Ressources • Expected impact of the project • Use / Dissemination of the results

25. Successful Proposal - Generalities • Follow the guide for proposers strictly (no creativity here) • Professional, attractive and clear Layout (but don‘t overdo it) • Good readability • Lists (Bulletpoints) • Tables, charts, graphics (e.g. Gantt und Pert Charts) • Proposal language: scientific english • Short and concise, no redundancies

26. Successful Proposal –Relevance and Excellence • Pay full attention to the evaluation criteria • Relevance: Scope of the project must correspond completely to the topics addressed in the work programme • Scientific Excellence: Concept, methodology and work plan are scientifically convincing

27. Successful Proposal – Consortium and Participants • Each participant has a indisputable expertise for his work package / his role in the project • The Consortium is well balanced and convincingly assembled for the attainment of the project goals- Complementarity and synergies- integration of users (e.g. SMEs) into the project- no alibi partners! • Adequate professional Management- coordination- Flow of information- decision making structures - advisory boards / steering committees • Consortium has the necessary ressources (human ressources, equipment) • Adequate realistic Budget

28. Successful Proposal – Impact and IPR • Expected use/impact of the project corresponds to the goals described in the work programme • If possible and relevant present the project goals in a broader context of European priorities, actual political developments, societal challenges etc. • Convincing concept for use and dissemination • Concept for IPR Management

29. Budgetary Planning • What cost categories are involved? • Personell costs • Equipment • Consumables • Travel costs • What are the own resources that can be integrated into the project? • Can the project be broken down into defined subprojects that could be covered by different research programmes?

30. Adequate funding programmes • If the division of work with European Partners makes sense:European Programmes should be checked out! • What types of costs can be covered • What level of funding can be expected • What funding rates are applied • The further a project is away from the market the greater is the chance of funding from public sources! • The European Union does not support individual research and innovation needs but research and innovation that has a European dimension or a European added value

31. Nine deadly sins in project preparation • Late start of project preparation, partner search, proposal writing • Project only partially fits to the content of the call for proposals • Selection of unsuitable partners • Missing expertise in the field of the project • Missing synergies with the other partners • Lack of experience in International Cooperation • Low commitment of participants • Weak (or too forceful) Coordination

32. Nine deadly sins in project preparation • Proposal only comprehensible to few experts in that specific field of research • Project proposal put together from incompatible elements delivered by different project partners without adequate adjustment; no clear structure • Budget to small to keep all participants working • Budget too high for the described work or not adequately justified • Delay of legal and financial questions to project start

33. Lobbying • Influence on Work Programmes during preparation phase via Commission or Contact Points • Early contact with Commission and Contact Points • No Lobbying possible after proposal submission! • No bargaining in Programme Committees

34. Professional Assistance • A network of National Contact Points located in each Member State or Associated Country • offering information, advice and support • free of charge • cordis.europa.eu/fp7/get-support_en.html • Enterprise Europe Network – special support for enterprises • Local EU-advisers

35. Contact Details www.forschungsrahmenprogramm.de http://www.eubuero.de/ Nicole.Schroeder@dlr.de 0049-228-3821658

36. Thank you very much for your attention !