Pierantonios Papazoglou

Pierantonios PapazoglouResearch Promotion Foundation

Scientific Officer

National Contact Point “SPACE”

The Proposal is NOT a Paper/ Article for a Journal…

It is a… “marketing/ sales” pitch of your research…

so as to receive funding…!

EC has been doing this for quite a few FPs… There are particular policy and mandate backgrounds. There’s a

particular language-jargon, structure, process…

The philosophy is “Competitive Calls” for Proposals…

NOT “subsidies”…!

EC publishes the Call, but Proposal evaluated by external Expert Evaluators… you “need” both audiences…

“Truths” to… Realize

Before Starting…!!!

You need EUROPEAN ADDED VALUE…!

Problem/ Issue attempted to be solved or the technology/ innovationattempted to be developed cannot be of local or regional characterbut rather of pan-European… scale/complexity of the “solutions” for EUand not “just X-Country”.

Transnationality, replicability and transferability should be thekeywords for both the “challenges”/ “problems” addressed, and the“solutions” proposed.

not just through “transfer of knowledge” or “networking” or “EU-widedissemination”, but rather it should be clearly shown in the proposalhow the issue addressed is of a “wider interest” and how the solutionproposed indeed has wide applicability.

2014 Main Report of DG RTD: https://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/pdf/publications/Final_European_Added_Value_inco_MainReport.pdf

Strategic Forum for International S&T Cooperation (SFIC): http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/pdf/sfic/sfic-annual-report-2011_en.pdf#view=fit&pagemode=none

“Truths” to… Realize

Before Starting…!!!

EUROPE 2020 & 7 flagship initiatives, but mainly:

“H2020… Policy…!!”

Overall Useful Links…! Participant portal

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/

desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/index.html

Horizon 2020 Helpdesk

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/supp

ort/research_enquiry_service.html

Horizon 2020 On-line manual

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/fundi

ng/index.html

Annotated Model Grant Agreement (version 30Oct2015)

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/grants_

manual/amga/h2020-amga_en.pdf

EURAXESS (Charter-&-Code, Policy…)

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/rights/index

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/services/researchPolicies

“Hints”… “Tips”…

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!

Successful Proposals are…

S

M

A

R

T

Specific

Measurable, verifiable

Achieveable

Relevant

Timely


Good to have a... “one-page” proposal, where the

“Logical Framework” approach will be followed:

•WHY a project is carried out

•WHAT it is expected to achieve (and what not…)

So, Project Objectives (and non-Objectives)

•WHO is going to do the work…

So, Consortium and the synergies and

complementarity of Partners

•HOW the project is going to achieve the above…

So, Work-Plan and Phases of Work, as well as Means/

Resources to be utilized.


Then, in your... ABSTRACT

(...and Summary) It should be easy for the reader to clearly see in-a-nutshell:

•Why bother? (what problem are you trying to

solve?)

•Is it a European priority? Could it be solved at

National level?

•Is the solution already available (product, service,

transfer)?

•Why now? ( What would happen if we did not do

this now?)

•Why you? (Are you the best people to do this

work?)


2000 characters…!

• Know the Evaluation Criteria – their Weightings – and their ExAequoPriority

• In all H2020 we have: “Excellence – Impact – Implementation”

• However, MUST consider also “Cross-Cutting” Issues:

- Gender Balance in the Research Teams

- Social Dimension and Impact

- Inclusion / Involvement of Private Sector, particularly SMEs

- Ethics and Security Issues

• Address the Specific Challenge – the Scope – and the ExpectedImpact !!!

• Try to present your proposal against the background of the relevantPolicy Context (Strategies, Initiatives, Directives, Communications,White/Green Papers, etc, etc...)


Excellence Impact Implementation

Weighting and

Ex Aequo

Priority

Check Calls!!!

“Content”

•Clarity and

pertinence of the

objectives;

•Credibility of the

proposed approach.

•Soundness of the

concept;

•Quality of the

proposed

coordination and/or

support measures;

•Progress beyond the

state-of-the-art.

•The expected impacts listed in the work programme under the relevant topic;

•Enhancing innovation capacity and integration of new knowledge;

•Strengthening the competitiveness and growth of companies by developing and delivering innovations meeting the needs of European and global markets;

•Effectiveness of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results (including management of IPR), to communicate the project, and to manage research data where relevant.

•Coherence and effectiveness of

the Work Plan, including

appropriateness of the allocation

of tasks and resources;

•Complementarity of the

participants within the

consortium (when relevant);

•Appropriateness of the

management structures and

procedures, including risk and

innovation management.

“Official” Criteria

Excellence Impact Implementation

“Hints…”

Objectives and

overview

Research

methodology and

approach: highlight

the type of research

and innovation

activities proposed

Explain the

contribution that

the project is

expected to make to

advancements within

the project field.

Describe any novel

concepts,

approaches or

methods that will be

employed.

•Important field of research for Europe

•High practical value of the project and also results can be applied to larger class of problems (tackling also multidisciplinarity)

•Comparison of experience in relevant field in USA/Japan and showing that project will promote European research and excellence and EU competitiveness (also showing potential for new jobs creation)

•Dissemination, Exploitation and Outreach of the project results IPR, Open Access, Scientific Community but also Wider Public.

Work Packages description

Deliverables (= tangible output:

report, document, technical

diagram, software, etc.)

Milestones (=control/ decision

points that help to chart progress)

Gantt Chart (=Table of Activities

over planned time) and PERT-

gram

•Synergies of Partners: each

has clear contribution and role

Progress monitoring and

management structure,

including the financial

management strategy

•Risk management for Risks

that might endanger reaching the

project's objectives and the

contingency plans to be put in

place should risk occur.

Deciphered Criteria

Proposal – Writing for SPACE by NCP…!


Develop end-to-end applications!

Showcase and build on trials, and develop/

further enhance any early prototypes…

Underline the Innovative, Beyond-the-State-of-

Art character f your solution/ project…

Provide Public Benefits from your solution/

project…

Strengthen the community of relevant

developers of technologies!

Exploit (if any) mature business concepts…

Don’t forget Technology Readiness Level(s)…!

Take into account relevant standards and

regulations (eg. Safety and security)…!

T R L…. Levels…


Write with the eyes of an Evaluator

Evaluation Comments

Comments from REAL Proposals NOT funded…!

Although the proposal has been highlighted as a resubmission,

it has not been taken into account as such during the

consensus stage as it is has been submitted against a topic of

a different Call with another scope and other expected

impacts…

Some of the detailed objectives are not fully clear or convincing

with respect to both parameters and numerical values.

The proposed approach has a degree of uncertainty that is not

convincingly addressed.

The soundness of the concept is not sufficiently justified with

relevant references in the text to other related projects and

work.

The proposal does not demonstrate convincing advancements

beyond the state of the art.

Evaluation Comments

Comments from REAL Proposals NOT funded…!

The companies involved in the consortium may benefit from

funding their participation in the project, but the business case is

not fully clear as contradictory information is given.

The resource allocation could not be properly assessed as the

related information is provided in excess pages, and thus

disregarded. This is a significant weakness. In some cases the

role of participants is not given in a Work Package at the Task

level.

The management structure and procedures are described

adequately. However, the implementation is considered too

complex for the number of partners involved.

Proposed mitigation measures for the critical implementation risks

are insufficiently presented.

A suitable approach for addressing innovation management is

missing.

Evaluation Comments

Comments from REAL Proposals that were funded…!

The overall objectives and aims of the proposed project

are very clear, well formulated and relevant to the Call.

The proposed approach is credible and based on the

experience gained under previous FP7 projects.

The work plan is well described, coherent and

appropriate. It includes seven clear and well organized

work packages. The work plan logic and the

dependencies between individual work packages and

tasks also clear and well presented. The time table of

the project is convincing and gives an excellent

overview of the whole project execution.

The overall allocation of resources to work packages

and of the workload to the participants is good.

Evaluation Comments


The management structure is simple but appropriate.

The roles of the coordinator, the steering committee, all

partners and third parties are clear.

The proposal has clear and well-defined scientific and

technological objectives. The objectives are well in line

with the scope of the specific Call topic. The work is put

into an international perspective. The proposed work

extends from the initial mapping requirements of the

existing landscape through gap analysis to development

of improved integration and calibration/validation

strategies. The scope of the proposed project extends to

several….using a novel multi-model analysis approach

to enhance the data set.

Evaluation Comments


The approach is credible as it builds on existing efforts

by individual space agencies and researchers. The

credibility is further sustained by bringing together a

diverse partnership to work to address deficiencies and

develop new improved methodologies.

Trans-disciplinary considerations are well covered.

The proposal has identified a number of key innovations

as part of its outputs. The innovations include tests of

new instruments as well as new methods.

The proposal claims a significant number of expected

impacts, for example in providing new tools and

strategies for harmonizing long-term data records, and

contributions to international programs.

Evaluation Comments


The approach is credible as it builds on existing efforts

by individual space agencies and researchers. The

credibility is further sustained by bringing together a

diverse partnership to work to address deficiencies and

develop new improved methodologies.

The proposal presents a plausible scenario for engaging

industry… It proposes to explore various pathways to

SMEs for products resulting from it.

The consortium is large and complementary with no

significant overlap of experience. A significant strength of

the consortium is that it gathers experts of techniques, as

well as experts in instrumentation and modellers.

Innovation and quality management are treated

appropriately in the proposal.

Evaluation Comments


The objectives of the proposal are aligned with the call. It identifies 4 logical objectives,

leading from development through to the market, which are clear and pertinent to the

proposal’s aim. The approach is described at length and exemplified by a useful

diagram, which identifies the key milestones of development.

The proposal is in line with the listed impacts of the work programme. It compares the

impacts expected by the Call’s Work Programme with those anticipated by it. It sets out

a strategy, with a number of actions, that will enable it to create the impacts. This

strategy is sensible, coherent and achievable.

The proposal is based on a multidisciplinary approach integrating knowledge from

different partners, which has the potential to strengthen the competitiveness of the

companies.

The proposal is clear as to how it will contribute to strengthening competitiveness and

growth in Europe, noting in particular, the size of the potential market for its product. Its

assessment of other European market sectors that could use its system, is credible, as

is its assessment of the global opportunities, which could be significant. The draft

business plan is sufficiently detailed to allow a reasonable assessment of the

commercial viability.

The proposed dissemination and exploitation strategy and associated plans are

complete, coherent and practicable.

Start early… Get Guidance and Info from NCP…!

Create/Join Consortia on time, based on whom

you know/ have worked with or valid suggestions

Get your “Policy Background” together Impact…

Follow the Template-GfA cover all requested

Divide effort over the Evaluation Criteria!

When you write...KISS (keep it simple & short)

When you image/table...KILL (keep it large & legible)

Details! Details!

Get your Proposal PRESCREENED…(NCP) and

PROOF-READ…!

Make sure you submit the latest, complete version in

the system...!

Proposal – Writing “General Advice” by NCP…!


The NCP at RPF offers

free and confidential

pre-screening of the

proposal:

proof-reading

(“commas” and

“fullstops”)

Addressing of

Template’s Questions

Strategy and Text

Suggestions

NCP Services and Guidance…!

Services..! Guidance

Useful RPF Links

www.research.org.cy

http://horizon2020cyprus.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/horizon2020cyprus

Direct RPF-H2020 Tel-line: 22 20 5050

More Information:

Pierantonios Papazoglou

Research Promotion Foundation

NCP SPACE

Tel.: 22 20 50 48

Email: [email protected]

Libens, Volens, Potens… (Ready, Willing, Capable)

Thank… You…

Science

Pierantonios Papazoglou