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Proposal writing: Part B

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St. Petersburg, May 18, 2011Dr. Andrey Girenkowww.giraf-pm.com

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General remarks…

• Guide for applicants – make sure you use the right one…

• Proposal consists of 2 parts: A and B...• Part A – administrative forms (will be

demonstrated)• Part B – description of the project, critically

important

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Part B: General advices…

• Imagine: tired evaluator, Friday afternoon, your proposal is the last in the pile… make it easy-to-read...– Simple, clear, consistent English– Use convinient outline (font, spacing, ...)– Use graphics, tables, diagrams...– Stay within recommended limits– Do not make the evaluator look for aswers – make

them explicit and visible...

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Critically important…

• First 10 pages of the proposal (1.1) • Progress beyond state-of-the-art (1.2)• Graphics in 1.3 Work Plan• Consortium (2.2 and 2.3)• Impact (3.1)

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Writing 1.1 Concepts and objectives

• Your goal: to give to the evaluator the understanding of the project as soon as possible

• Try to limit 1.1 to 10 pages• Suggested sub-headings

– Abstract – 1 page giving the general idea of the whole project (short background, what will be provided, a snapshot of how it will be provided)

– See hand out 6

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Writing 1.1 Concepts and objectives

– Background: status quo and its limitations. Highlight economic and social aspects ahead of pure technical.

– The vision: what shall happen after the project… Present a vision statement, give scenarios (see hand out 7)

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Objectives

• Overall objective(s) – socio-economic, broader than the project

• Specific objectives – achievable within the project

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Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time-bound

S M A

R

T

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Relevance

• Read carefully “Expected Impacts”, background information – try to understand what the EC wants to acquire…

• Try to use the same wording as in the Objective description

• Select most innovative aspects of your project and use them as examples

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Writing 1.2 Progress beyond the state-of-the-art

• Be within 8-9 pages• Goal: not only to delineate the area, but,

above all, to highlight the innovations• First - give an overview • List the most visible and relevant initiatives

(global and European). Always show limitations and how they will be addressed.

• Do not give 100s references…

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1.3 S/T Methodology and associated work plan

• General introduction – 1 page of text• Use graphics (see the presentation on the WP)• Outline the underlying methodology• Explain why you have this particular WP

structure (do not describe what is within workpackages)

• Pay attention to timing…

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WP description table

• See hand out 8

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2. Implementation

• 2.1 Management structures and procedures• General principles• Project management structure (1 paragraph per body)• Management tools• Decision making and conflict resolution• Risk identification and management

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Example 1

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Example 2

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European Commission

Coordinator

Project Coordination Committee PCC

Project OfficeGeneral

Assemblyof all

Parties

 Steering

CommitteeSP 2

 

Sub-Project

1

Sub-Project

2

Sub-Project

N-1

Sub-Project

N

Tech

nica

l / T

echn

olog

ical

Pan

el

Fina

ncia

l Pan

el

Expl

oita

tion

Pan

el

Information

Recommendations

Reporting

ReportingReporting

Approval

One

Del

egat

e fo

r ea

ch S

P

Reporting

Order for Execution

Request for Execution

Reporting and/or Advice

OPTIONAL

SteeringCommittee

SP 1

SteeringCommittee

SP N-1

SteeringCommittee

SP N

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2.2 Individual participants

• 1-page profile per partner• Includes information on the organization,

tasks, experiences, CV of key personnel.• Include only relevant information, do not use

„one-size-fits-all“ profiles• See example (hand out 9)

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2.3 Consortium as a whole (2-3 pages)

• Show complementarity of partners• Show how critically important expertise is

represented (links between objectives and expertise)

• Involvement of SMEs, industry in general• Third countries and subcontracting

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2.3 Consortium as a whole (2-3 pages)

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2.4 Resources to be committed (max. 2 pages)

• Do not repeate form A3.2…• Use diagrams to show different cost categories • List most visible costs (e.g. equipment, OSC)• Explain how you estimated travel costs• Justify that the budget corresponds to the

work plan

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3. Impact (up to 10 pages)

• What the Community buys for its money…• What will be provided and how impacts will

be delivered• Why the project delivers what is expected...

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3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme

• Potential sub-headings– Strategic impacts – Impact on economy (incl. impact on

competitiveness of companies)– Impact on European research (global

competitiveness)– Benefits to European citizens– Impact on standards

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3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme

• European dimension– Why the project shall be funded on the European

level rather than on national?• No one single country has full spectrum of necessary

competencies• The project addresses problems typical Europe-wide• Benefits to Europe as a whole• Criteria for European funding (addresses the area of

particular importance, delivers a significant added value, contributes to the progress of all Member States, etc.)

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3.2 Dissemination

• Dissemination – obligatory• Ensure consistence between this part and 1.3• Dissemination strategy:

• What are the objectives of dissemination?• Who are target groups for dissemination?• What are the most appropriate channels?• Tools and activities(project website, publications, workshops and

conferences, liaisons with standardization and regulatory bodies, exhibitions, etc.)

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3.2 Exploitation

• NOTE! FP7 funds pre-commercial RTD…• Preparation for or/and planning of

exploitation is compulsory• Deliverable Plan for Using and Disseminating

Foreground• Exploitable results• Ownership and IPRs• Potential markets, products, services• Time-to-market, technology transfer

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You might need a special expertise for that…

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4. Ethical Issues

• Important if the project deals with: – Biotechnologies (sensitive biomaterials)– Human beings (e.g. patients)– Animals – Personal data

• If yes, you need a partner with special expertise

• Ethical review

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