Proposal drafting: typical mistakes and

useful hintsKyiv, December 20th, 2010

This Project is funded by the European Union

Joint Support Office (JSO) for Enhancing Ukraine’s Integration into the European Research Area (ERA)EuropeAID/127891/C/SER/UA Ukraine

This Project is implemented by an ECORYS-led Consortium

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Number of Proposals

AM AZ BY GE MD UA

Country

Coordinators by Country

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DE FR EL IT BE ES UK PL HU TR AT BG DK EE LT NL RO SE CH CZ FI NO PT RS

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2 Institute of Hydromechanics NASU UA

3 Institute of Scintillation Materials NASU UA

4 NATIONAL AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY KHARKIV AVIATION INSTITUTE NAMED BY N ZUKOVSKIY UA

6 Space Research Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and National Space Agency UA

8 V.M. GLUSHKOV INSTITUTE OF CYBERNETICS OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF UKRAINE UA

12 G.V.Kurdyumov Institute for Metal Physics of NAS of Ukraine UA

16 National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute" UA

25 Shulgin State Road Scientific Research Institute UA

28 Precarpathian National University named after Vassyl Stefanyk UA

31 NACIONALNIY TEHNICHNIY UNIVERSITET UKRAINI KIIVSKIY POLITEHNICHNIY INSTITUT UA

33 INSTYTUT MOLEKULYARNOI BIOLOGII I GENETYKY NAN UKRAINY UA

41 The Podgorny Institute for Mechanical Engineering Problems of NAS of Ukraine UA

43 Centre for S&T Potential and Science History Studies UA

44 Ternopil National Economic University UA

45 Alliance New Energy of Ukraine UA

46 V.M. GLUSHKOV INSTITUTE OF CYBERNETICS OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF UKRAINE UA

47 Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv UA

50 V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University UA

51 STATE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF UKRAINE UA

52 International center of molecular physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine UA

ERA-WIDE Participants from Ukraine

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Budget: EUR 6 mln; up to EUR 0.5

mln/project

Duration of the project: 2-3 years

Funding scheme: CSA – supporting action;

100% of eligible costs

Deadline: 15/03/2011, at 17.00, Brussels

local time

CAPACITIES - International CooperationCAPACITIES - International CooperationERA-WIDE – FP7-INCO-201ERA-WIDE – FP7-INCO-20111-6-6

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The call is addressed to research centres of proven high level S&T

capacities, which are located in an ENP country not associated to FP7

(Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan);

• The proposal should target only one such centre;

• The consortium should however include additional participants, in

particular from the MS and/or AC so as to fulfil the objectives of the

activity;

• The research centre targeted by the proposal should be the coordinator

of the proposal.

CAPACITIES - International CooperationCAPACITIES - International CooperationERA-WIDE – Participants profileERA-WIDE – Participants profile

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• Research centre: existing working unit, either working

independent or functioning within locally established

research organisation

• The centre should not be a subsidiary or branch of an

organisation established in another country

CAPACITIES - International CooperationCAPACITIES - International CooperationERA-WIDE – Participants profileERA-WIDE – Participants profile

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Application

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Proposal writing (Part B.1Proposal writing (Part B.1.1.1))

1. Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the area

addressed by the call

1.1 Concept and objectives

• Describe (i) relevance of your research to the priorities and

topics of FP7 (taken from respective WP) and project objectives,

(ii) vision and strategy of development of your center, (iii)

present your research excellence (publications, international

cooperation and projects, participation in research bodies,

sources of funding, cooperation with end users/enterprises,

number of young and experienced scientists)

• Present key researchers of the center

• Present SWOT analysis of your center

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Address to the FP7 priorities, activities and topicsAddress to the FP7 priorities, activities and topics

• Main thematic domain: ENVIRONMENT – activity: Sustainable

Managenent of Resources

• Secondary thematic domain: SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCIENCES

AND THE HUMANITIES – activity: combining economic, social

and environmental objectives in a European perspective

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The specific objectives: ExampleThe specific objectives: Example

• Develop strategic partnership with high-level research centres

in Europe,

• Support and mobilise human resources by two-way

secondment of staff between center and prominent scientific

centres in Europe,

• Reinforce center scientific potential by recruting high level

experienced researchers from abroad,

• Support material resources of center by aquisition of research

equipment, software and on-line access to scientific

information,

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The specific objectives: ExampleThe specific objectives: Example

• Disseminate the results of research and share knowledge by

international conferences, workshops, publishing their

proceedings,

• Contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable

development of the region by organising a conference for

knowledge transfer on biodiversity conservation and

suistainable development from highly developed EU regions.

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Vision and strategy: ExampleVision and strategy: Example

The Strategic Research Development Plan of the center:

• To become leading EU Research Center in Conservation and

Sustainable Management of Biodiversity

• Upgrade the legal status of center towards a research entity

with full rights to conduct PhD studies and to grant doctoral

degrees in biological sciences

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SWOT Analysis: ExampleSWOT Analysis: Example

• SWOT analysis in 5 fields: Research, Education, Nature conservation activities, Infrastructure/facilities, Human resources,Finances

• In first round 51 persons (41 center staff & 10 external persons) filled in the SWOT questionnaire

• In second round importance of raised factors was evaluated

• SWOT results were confronted with the own vision of the center development and regional, national and EU strategies for RTD development

• Next step was to prepare Action Plan based on SWOT analysis outcome

• Only Action Plan measures relevant for FP7 funding were included in project activities

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Proposal writing (Part B.1Proposal writing (Part B.1.2.2))

1. Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the area addressed by the

call

1.2 Quality and effectiveness of the support mechanisms, and associated

work plan

• Present an (i) Action Plan which results from SWOT (what should be done to

build on strengths and to minimise weaknesses),

• Describe (ii) activities to be performed in the frame of the project, (iii) groupe

tasks in Work Packages, (iv) define deliverables, (v) milestones, (vi)

allocation of man/month for each WP.

• Use ERA-WIDE activities described in the Work Programe

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ERA-WIDE - ActivitiesERA-WIDE - Activities

ERA-WIDE actions:

• Twinning with research centres in MS or AC in view of

disseminating scientific information, identifying partners and setting

up joint experiments;

• Developing training modules to build competency and facilitate the

participation of these centres in FP7;

• Developing research centres’ strategy in order to increase their

scope (regional coverage, activities) and to improve their responses

to the socio-economic needs of their countries and of the region.

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What What isis “ “twinningtwinning” activit” activityy??

Organisation of International Conferences and Workshops

Exchange of scientists

Exchange of administrators/managers

Employment of experienced foreign researchers

Thematic seminars, Summer Schools

Use of existing infrastructure for joint research

Setting up joint experiments and research programmes

Regional/National Knowledge Transfer Forum

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Possible other activitiesPossible other activities

Dissemination (information events, brochures,…) to increase the

center visibility on national and EU level

Research staff participation in conferences and trainings

Identifying ideas and partners for FP7 projects

Meetings with user groups (end-users of research results)

Socio-economic needs analysis

Development of strategy for the center to increase its impact on

region and country

Purchase of equipment and software well justified by SWOT and

project objectives (max. 30% of the project budget)

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2. Implementation

2.1 Management structure and procedures

• Describe the (i) organisational structure, (ii) decision-making mechanisms of the project and (iii) information flow within the consortium.

2.2 Individual participants

• Describe (i) each of the partner organisation, (ii) the main tasks and responsibilities within the project, (iii) previous experience relevant to those tasks.

• Provide (i) a short profile of the staff members who will be undertaking the work from your and partnering organisations and (ii) their experience to manage specific tasks.

2.3 Consortium as a whole

• Describe why (i) specific partners has been chosen as consortium members, (ii) how they will help you in achieving the project objectives, and (iii) how they are suited and committed to the tasks assigned to them.

2.4 Resources to be committed

• Describe the activities and the detailed budget for each activity (for example in table form).

Proposal writing (Part B.2)Proposal writing (Part B.2)

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3. Impact

3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme

• Describe the impact of the project on three levels: (i) on your center – how its capacity for FP7 cooperation, the excellence of the research, attractiveness for EU partners will be improved, (ii) on the region and country – how your center capacity for cooperation with end users/companies, participation in regional development programmes, visibility for the society will be improved, (iii) on the European research cooperation – new international proposals/programmes, benefits for the EU partners

• Try to indicate quantitatively the impact (no of end-users to be contacted/trained, number of FP7 proposals to be submitted, etc.).

3.2 Dissemination and/or exploitation of project results

• Describe the measures you propose for the dissemination results (conferences, publications, articles, website, newsletters, open days, etc) and how these will increase the impact of the project.

• Take into account a variety of communication means and target groups (reserachers, end-users, society, etc)

Proposal writing (Part B.3)Proposal writing (Part B.3)

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ERA-WIDE impact:

• Contribution to RTD capacity building in the target country,

• Enhanced participation of the country in FP7,

• Increased scope (regional coverage, subjects, activities) of the

centres with increased linkage with economic and social

environment,

• Networking with research centres in MS and AC (mobilising

human and material resources, disseminating scientific

information, facilitating communication…),

• Increased job opportunities in the country for young scientists.

CAPACITIES - International CooperationCAPACITIES - International CooperationERA-WIDE – Expected ImpactERA-WIDE – Expected Impact

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Tips for applicants

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Structure of the proposal: strategic objectives your current research

capacity and excellence strong and weak points analysisAction

Plan Work Packages Tasks

Present your excellence: international projects and publications

Project activities should be closely related to strong and weak points

Clarify why selected set of activities will be most effective for your

center

Be specific give details: numbers, names, titles of events, number of

participants, etc.

Describe who is personally responsible for each task

Tips for participating in FP 7Tips for participating in FP 7

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Tips for participating in FP 7Tips for participating in FP 7

Think about transfer of technology and transfer of knowledge

Present budget by cost categories and by activities

Aim to deliver value for money with a realistic requested budget

Include in the management structure International Advisory Board

Use indicators (quantitative and qualitative) to measure project results

and its impact

Find right twinning partner. Use others for networking (not necessary

project partners)

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Do not duplicate the weak points of Do not duplicate the weak points of other proposalsother proposals

Project is too ambitious

Action Plan is too general – no quantitative data

Proposal contains activities which are not related to the project

objectives

Structure of WPs and related Tasks not clear (no clear logic)

No activities creating sustainable results (outgoing researchers

only)

Too many short visits

No activities related to industry

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Do not duplicate the weak points of Do not duplicate the weak points of other proposalsother proposals

Management structure too complicated

Project management based on the administrative structure of

the host organisation

Management description too general (no procedures for

decision making)

Costs of specific activities are too high

Budget is too general

No measurable impact/ No indicators to measure the results

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EPSSElectronic Proposal Submission System

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What is the EPSS ?What is the EPSS ?

EPSS = Electronic Proposals Submission System

An electronic system enabling project coordinators to

prepare and submit their proposal online through the Internet

using a web site accessed seamlessly from Cordis

(Participant Portal in the future) or accessed directly once

the participant is registered

Operating 7 days a week, operating 24 hours a day, free of

charge to the participants, supporting most IT

configurations, avoiding paper based submission costs

and issues

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http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7

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Registration with PICRegistration with PIC

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Registration without PICRegistration without PIC

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Login

EPSS registration mail

The EPSS registration email, which contains the access

codes to prepare and submit the proposal, will be sent to

the email address you define during the registration.

First login

As a coordinator you must use the login and password that

has been sent to you by e-mail to access the EPSS.

Go to https://www.epss-fp7.org to login

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URF PICvalidation

ProposalSubmissions

Evaluations NegotiationsGrant

AgreementAmendments

URF operation

Research Community Legal Entity

LEAR

ParticipantPortal

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The steps to registerThe steps to register

• STEP 1: Use the search facility to check whether your organisation is

already registered.

• STEP 2: If your organisation is not yet registered, you will need to

obtain a Portal Account to begin the registration process. Please

register with ECAS to obtain an ECAS account and password.

• STEP 3: Register your organisation using your ECAS account details.

Submit your registration information to the Central Validation Team

(CVT).

• STEP 4: CVT will then complete the necessary steps to identify your

organisation. During this period, it is possible to upload additional

documents.

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The steps to registerThe steps to register

• STEP 5: After identification, the CVT begins a verification process that

will eventually lead to the appointment of a Leagal Entity Appointed

Representative (LEAR). During this period, the data that you have

declared about your organisation can no longer be modified. You will

however still be able to upload up to 10 Mb of additional supporting

documents.

• When your data has been validated by the CVT the organisation data

may be maintained only by the LEAR.

• Upon registering your organisation, you will receive a Participant

identification Code (PIC).

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LEARs have better control of data:

Document upload and management (e.g. balance sheet or viewing previous correspondence)

LEARs can access the list of projects that their organisations are currently working on, including project details.

Access via the Participant Portal

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Contact Contact

For further information please contact:

JSO/NIP Project Office

22-B Saksaganskoho Str., Office 29

Kyiv 01033 – Ukraine

jso@jsoresearch.kiev.ua

http://www.fp7-ncp.kiev.ua/

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Thank you for your attention