1. How to write a successful proposal
THE PROJECT CIRCLE, TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF FP6 PROJECT PREPARATION AND COMPLETION
Joachim Irion, Irion Management Consulting
Topics
Read the manuals
Set up a plan/schedule for the proposal creation
How to write Part A (administrative information)
How to write Part B (technical information)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

2. Read the manuals: www.cordis.lu
For IST Call 4 (deadline March 22, 2005) go to
Please get (and read) all documents and all information in them. It is important! You‘ll need them all.
Call text
Work programme
Guide for proposers
Guidance Notes for Evaluators
Financial guidelines
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

3. Read the manuals: Call text & work programme
Needed to get Call identifier, deadlines, type of instrument, indicative budgets
Needed for Part A (Form A1)
Work programme
Needed to get topics for proposals and information
Needed for Part B and especially for Part B.2 (Relevance to the objectives of the IST Priority) and B.3 (Potential impact)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

4. Read the manuals: Guide for proposers
Part A
Understand the forms and the explanations what to fill in
ALL questions must be answered
For Form A3 (finance) be sure to clearly distinguish between RTD, Demonstration, Management, and Training (for IPs)
Part B
Please READ and understand and what the EC wants from you in this section
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

5. Read the manuals: Guidance notes for evaluators
Learn how the evaluators are going to assess the proposal
1. Relevance (Threshold 3/5; Weight 1)
2. Potential impact (Threshold 3/5; Weight 1)
3. S&T excellence (Threshold 4/5; Weight 1)
4. Quality of the consortium (Threshold 3/5; Weight 1)
5. Quality of the management (Threshold 3/5; Weight 1)
6. Mobilisation of resources (Threshold 3/5; Weight 1)
Overall remarks (Threshold 21/30 for a STREP, 24/30 for an IP)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

6. How to write a successful proposal
THE PROJECT CIRCLE, TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF FP6 PROJECT PREPARATION AND COMPLETION
Joachim Irion, Irion Management Consulting
Topics
Read the manuals
Set up a plan/schedule for the proposal creation
How to write Part A (administrative information)
How to write Part B (technical information)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

7. Set up a plan for the proposal creation: when to start
Do not start too early (loss of momentum)
Do not start too late (low quality of proposal)
From an SME point of view (money and resources) a start months before deadline seem to be right
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

8. Set up a plan for the proposal creation: Templates
Proposal templates
The basic templates are given by the EPSS/EPD
However, there is some freedom to add own subheadings and own templates for tables etc.
Please add these at the beginning of the proposal process so that every body knows what to write where
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

9. Set up a plan for the proposal creation: milestones
Set proposal milestones
Kick-off meeting
Date for all partner contributions for Part B at coordinator
Date for first complete draft
Date for critical review
Date for A2 forms
Date for final draft and first submission (1 week before deadline)
Date for final critical review
Final submission (1day before deadline)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

10. Set up a plan for the proposal creation: Style
Writing style
Follow the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid)
Write short and complete sentences
Follow a logical sequence for the technical texts
Why: What is the problem to be solved
What: What to do about it (Objectives)
How: How are you going to do it (Approach)
Who: Who is going to do it (Which partners)
How much: What resources are needed to do the job
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

11. Set up a plan for the proposal creation: check lists
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

12. How to write a successful proposal
THE PROJECT CIRCLE, TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF FP6 PROJECT PREPARATION AND COMPLETION
Joachim Irion, Irion Management Consulting
Topics
Read the manuals
Set up a plan/schedule for the proposal creation
How to write Part A (administrative information)
How to write Part B (technical information)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

13. How to write Part A: Forms A1 - A3
Form A1
Find the right activity codes and keywords
Write the proposal abstract (< 2000 characters), use in Part B
Form A2
Read the instructions and fill in completely
Check that participant numbering is reflected in Part B
Get a letter of commitment (LOC) from the partners to participate in the proposal and later-on in the project
Form A3
Fill in after Part B is final with all resources defined and final
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

14. How to write a successful proposal
THE PROJECT CIRCLE, TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF FP6 PROJECT PREPARATION AND COMPLETION
Joachim Irion, Irion Management Consulting
Topics
Read the manuals
Set up a plan/schedule for the proposal creation
How to write Part A (administrative information)
How to write Part B (technical information)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

15. How to write a successful proposal: Part B (STREP)
Proposal summary page
B.1 Scientific and technological objectives of the project and state of the art
B.2 Relevance to the objectives of the IST Priority
B.3 Potential impact
B.4 The consortium and project resources
B.5 Project management
B.6 Work plan
B.7 Other issues
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

16. How to write Part B: Proposal summary
Proposal full title
Proposal acronym
Strategic objectives addressed
if more than one, indicate their order of importance to the project
Proposal abstract
copied from Part A (if not in English, include an English translation)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

17. How to write Part B: B1 - S&T objectives
B.1 Scientific and technological objectives of the project and state of the art
Describe in detail the proposed project’s S&T objectives. The objectives should be those achievable within the project, not through subsequent development, and should be stated in a measurable and verifiable form. The progress of the project work will be measured against these goals in later reviews and assessments. Describe the state-of-the-art in the area concerned and how the proposed project will enhance the state-of-the-art in that area.
(Recommended length – three pages)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

18. How to write Part B: B1 - S&T objectives
State of the art (SoA)
State the problem you are going to address
Describe and substantiate with facts and figures
Describe the way ahead
General objectives
Derive from SoA the general objectives and how you are going about it
Technical objectives
Derive from the general objectives the measurable technical objectives
Important
S&T objectives have a threshold of 4/5
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

19. How to write Part B: B2 - Relevance to the objectives
B.2 Relevance to the objectives of the IST Priority
Describe in detail the manner how the proposed project’s objectives contribute to the scientific, technical, wider societal or policy objectives of the IST Priority as stated in this call.
(Recommended length – two pages)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

20. How to write Part B: B2 - Relevance to the objectives
B.2 Relevance to the objectives of the IST Priority
Manual
Read the work programme (also good for Part B3)
Proposed contents for this section
Scientific relevance
Technical relevance
Societal relevance
Policy relevance
Important
Second highest reason for rejects
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

21. How to write Part B: B3 - Potential impact
Describe the strategic impact of the proposed project, for example in reinforcing competitiveness or on solving societal problems. Describe the innovation-related activities. Describe the exploitation and/or dissemination plans which are foreseen to ensure use of the project results. Describe the added-value in carrying out the work at a European level. Indicate what account is taken of other national or international research activities. (Recommended length – three pages)
B.3.1 Contributions to standards
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

22. How to write Part B: B3 - Potential impact
Proposed contents for this section
Strategic impact
Competitiveness
Societal impact
Impact of the innovation activities
Exploitation and dissemination
Work at a European level
Other research
Standards
Important
High reason for rejects
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

23. How to write Part B: B4 – Consortium & resources
B.4 The consortium and project resources
Describe the role of the participants and the specific skills of each of them. Show how the participants are suited and committed to the tasks assigned to them; show the complementarity between participants. Describe how the opportunity of involving SMEs has been addressed. Describe the resources, human and material, that will be deployed for the implementation of the project. Include a STREP Project Effort Form, as shown below, covering the full duration of the project. Demonstrate how the project will mobilise the critical mass of resources (personnel, equipment, finance…) necessary for success; and show that the overall financial plan for the project is adequate. (Recommended length – five pages)
B4.1 – Subcontracting
B4.2 – Other countries
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

24. How to write Part B: B4 – Consortium & resources
Proposed contents for this section
Overview on consortium
All needed competence on board
Adequate size of consortium
Consortium partners
Type
Company / Organisation
Role in project
Supplier
Company ABC
Project coordinator and work package leader (WP2000); Specification, development, testing and evaluation of …
Company XYZ
Specification, development, testing and evaluation of the ….
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

25. How to write Part B: B4 – Consortium & resources
Proposed contents for this section (cont‘d)
Resources
Pie chart to show the distribution on requirements, specification, development, testing and evaluation
Description of resources by partners
1 – Coordinator
Cost category
Cost (EUR)
Description/explanation/justification
Cost model FC
Person months
Personnel costs (direct)
Indirect costs
Durable equipment
Travel and subsistance
Consumables
Computing
Protection of knowledge
Other
Audit certificates
Short description of each partner (ca. ½ page)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

26. How to write Part B: B5 – Project management
Describe the organisation, management and decision making structures of the project. Describe the plan for the management of knowledge, of intellectual property and of other innovation-related activities arising in the project.
(Recommended length –three pages)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

27. How to write Part B: B5 – Project management
Proposed contents for this section
Project organisation and management
Organisation
Coordination
Technical management
Decision making and conflict resolution
Use and dissemination of knowledge
Dissemination plan
Communication server
IPR handling and consortium agreement
Management of risks and contingency planning
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

28. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
This section describes in detail the work planned to achieve the objectives for the full duration of the of the proposed project. The recommended length, excluding the forms specified below, is up to 15 pages. An introduction should explain the structure of this Implementation plan and how the plan will lead the participants to achieve the objectives. The plan should be broken down according to types of activities: Research, technological development and innovation related activities, demonstration activities and project management activities. It should identify significant risks, and contingency plans for these. The plan must for each type of activity be broken down into workpackages (WPs) which should follow the logical phases of the project, and include management of the project and assessment of progress and results.
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

29. How to write Part B: B6 – Workplan
Introduction
Short overall description (... Reiterate the objectives)
Short description of each WP
Summary of overall project milestones
Risks and contingency planning
Work planning (Gantt chart)
Components (PERT chart)
Work breakdown structure
Work package list
Deliverable list
Detailed WP descriptions
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

30. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

31. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

32. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

33. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
Work-package No[1]
Workpackage title
Lead contractor No[2]
Start month[3]
End month[4]
Deliv-erable No[5]
TOTAL
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view
[4] Relative end date, month 0 marking the start of the project, and all ends dates being relative to this start date.
[5] Deliverable number: Number for the deliverable(s)/result(s) mentioned in the workpackage: D1 - Dn.

34. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
Deliverable No
Deliverable title
Delivery date
Nature
Dissemination level
[1] Please indicate the nature of the deliverable using one of the following codes:
R = Report
P = Prototype
D = Demonstrator
O = Other
[1] Please indicate the dissemination level using one of the following codes:
PU = Public
PP = Restricted to other programme participants (including the Commission Services).
RE = Restricted to a group specified by the consortium (including the Commission Services).
CO = Confidential, only for members of the consortium (including the Commission Services).
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view
[4] Relative end date, month 0 marking the start of the project, and all ends dates being relative to this start date.
[5] Deliverable number: Number for the deliverable(s)/result(s) mentioned in the workpackage: D1 - Dn.

35. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
Workpackage description (full duration of project)
How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
Workpackage number
Start date or starting event:
Workpackage title
Participant id
Person-months per participant:
Objectives
(Why and What)
Description of work
(How, which tasks)
Deliverables
(What is delivered)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

36. How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
Workpackage description (full duration of project)
How to write Part B: B6 – Work plan
Milestones and expected result
(when and what)
Individual partner contributions (who and how much)
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

37. How to write Part B: B7 – Other issues
B.7.1. If there are ethical or gender issues associated with the subject of the proposal, show they have been adequately taken into account - indicate which national and international regulations are applicable and explain how they will be respected. (For gender issues see annex 4). Explore potential ethical aspects of the implementation of project results. Include the Ethical issues checklist given below (No recommended length – depends on the number of such other issues which the project involves).
B.7.2. Are there other EC-policy related issues, and are they taken into account? Demonstrate a readiness to engage with actors beyond the research to help spread awareness and knowledge and to explore the wider societal implications of the proposed work; if relevant set out synergies with education at all levels. (No recommended length – depends on the number of such other issues which the project involves).
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view

38. How to write a successful proposal
THE PROJECT CIRCLE, TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF FP6 PROJECT PREPARATION AND COMPLETION
Joachim Irion, Irion Management Consulting
Thank you for your attention!
How to write a successful proposal: A German SME’s view