ESSnet Training Budapest ESSnet Training Part 2 – Technical Matters P. Jacques

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 22 ESSnet criteria 1.Several partners. Results to non-participating countries 2.Issues of European interest 3.Compatible with the 5 Year Programme 4.Cost-effective (avoid duplication) 5.Knowledge sharing, innovation, harmonisation 6.Sustainability 7.ESS organisations mainly involved

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 33 ESSnet objectives Methodological activities. –development of tools for a specific phase of statistical production –drafting of guidelines –establishment of standards –improving data quality –testing new methods of gathering or producing information –Etc.. Provided that there is substantial methodological and development work

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 44 Technical Issues in: Technical Proposal 1.PART A – General Implementation of the Action 2.PART B – Administrative Forms 3.Excel Sheet with budget summary

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 55 PART A – General implementation Description of the work (why?, how long?, what for?) Description of the work Organisation (who?, why such a partnership, how to organise?) Organisation Timing of tasks (Gantt chart) Timing of tasks Tasks/Work Packages (How the work is split and results?) Tasks/Work Packages Management (Project, relation with Estat) Management Dissemination towards the ESS (How are results transferred?) Dissemination towards the ESS Adequacy to specific ESSnet criteria 5, 6 and 7 –Contribution to knowledge sharing, innovation and harmonisation and plans for the use and dissemination to the ESS (What is the added value for the ESS)Contribution to knowledge sharing, innovation and harmonisation and plans for the use and dissemination to the ESS –Sustainability (What happens next?)Sustainability –ESS partnership (Sub-contracts?)ESS partnership

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 66 Description of the WorkDescription of the Work (why?, how long?, what for?) General introduction - the concept of the action Indicate the duration What are the benefits for the ESS (ESSnet criteria 2) Is it of European interest (ESSnet criteria 3). Overall strategy and description of the tasks and main deliverables to be achieved during the whole duration of the action and the distribution of the partners in each task. Balancing of the partnership in relation to the objectives For each of the tasks proposed, provide details on the objectives, the work to be achieved, indicators to measure progress for reaching the proposed objectives and the added value of the work proposed as regards the work already carried out by the partners (ESSnet criteria 4). Show the soundness of the concept and of the methodological approach and, if necessary, software developments proposed in the action.

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 77 OrganisationOrganisation (who?, why such a partnership?, how to organise?) Organisational structure and decision-making mechanisms of the action. Relation with the complexity of the action and to the degree of integration required. Modalities for the financial management should be part of the agreed appropriate arrangements for the proper performance of the action. Adequate representation of the partners. Demonstrate that the co-ordinator is experienced and qualified for a demanding and complex management task. Conflict resolution mechanisms and contingency planning.

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 88 Timing of tasksTiming of tasks (Gantt chart) Show the timing, the work plan and the relationship of the different tasks and their components (sub-tasks, deliverables and milestones) in a Gantt chart or similar tool. Show milestones: control points where decisions are needed with regard to the next stage of the project. –KO meeting; –delivery of software; –workshops; –training sessions; –conferences, etc.

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18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 10 Tasks/Work PackagesTasks/Work Packages (How the work is split and results?) The action should be split into tasks or work packages. The number of tasks or work packages used must be consistent with the complexity of the work. A task is an activity that needs to be accomplished within a defined period of time. It contains a set of coherent sub-tasks grouped together in order to facilitate the project management. Each task is linked with one or several specific objectives and produces one or several deliverables. A task must be carried out by multiple partners. For each task, the applicant must give the acronym of the leading and participating partners as well as the starting / ending dates in months. The lead partner can be the co-ordinator or a co-partner. The work plan should include at least 2 tasks: Management and Dissemination towards the ESS.

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 11 Task/Work package numberXStart Month or starting event: End Month X X/End of project Title Participant id Objectives Description of work (Possibly broken down into sub-tasks). Sub-Tasks: Deliverables (brief description and month of delivery) Work package structure Distribution of manpower Work package Co-ordinator / Co-partner WP1WP2WP3 WP … WPXTOTAL per Beneficiary …..Y TOTAL Balanced Efforts Between Partners Cooperation between partners Management vs. Real work

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 12 ManagementManagement (Project, relation between partners and with Eurostat) WP1: The management task should include sub-tasks linked to the organisation and coordination of the partners: –organisation of the meetings; –producing contractual deliverables; –monitoring the different tasks; –identification of problems and ways to overcome them; –gathering cost statements; –transmission of deliverables; –continuous contacts with Eurostat; –quality assurance/risk management; –governance: steering group, user groups, etc. –A new deliverable for KO: Complete list of staff working in the project

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 13 Dissemination towards the ESSDissemination towards the ESS (How are results transferred?) WP x: Disseminate and exploitation of results in interest of the ESS. Broaden partnership: users groups. Training activities for the participants and the ESS should be planned directly related to the action (Links with ESTP). The dissemination task should cover –Publications (books and articles in journals, policy briefs) –Presentations to committees (ESSC, DIME, etc.) –Participation and organisation of conferences, workshops –Handbooks, methodological reports or manuals for implementation –Guidelines, training (on-the-job training), wiki… –Project website on ESSnet portal ( –Support to other projects –Development of tools made available as open source –Participation to ESSnet workshop (31/5-1/6/2010) – forecasted May 2011

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 14 Adequacy to specific ESSnet criteria 6 Adequacy to specific ESSnet criteria 6 - Sustainability (What happens next?) Sustainability Strategy to make the action sustainable after its duration when EU financing stops. Explain measures that will be implemented at national level and EU level allowing for implementation, acceptance and expansion of the proposed methodology or procedures to the entire ESS.

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 15 Adequacy to specific ESSnet criteria 7Adequacy to specific ESSnet criteria 7 - ESS partnership (Sub-contracts?) ESS partnership Describe how the proposal allocates appropriate resources in terms of budget, personnel, equipment and materials in line with the work plan and for the successful conduct of the project. Sub-contracting: If any part of the work is to be sub- contracted by the participant responsible for it, describe the work involved and provide information on the sub- contractor(s) and ways to verify the quality of his/their input(s). Avoid too big sub-contracting. Only ESS members can be partners in an ESSnet

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 16 Important issues (1) Work preparation –Important to discuss and prepare well the content of the work to be carried out –Discuss actions to be carried out in TF, WGs –Already elaborate the contributions from partners and responsibilities –Discuss state-of-the-art and added value –Try to spread the work between partners Have a clear idea on the tasks to be achieved the first year of activity, how and what are the main results Do not under-estimate or over-estimate management Projects take time to start. KO meeting is a major event to start activities Always keep in mind administrative and financial rules

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 17 Important issues (2) The involvement of Eurostat is needed from the very early stage of the implementation of the ESSnet project. That is very important because there is always a risk that project tasks or even project objectives are interpreted differently by the different ESSnet partners. The preparation of the work programme for the following year has to be done in close cooperation with all parties involved. The scope of the work has to be clearly defined and any problems of overlap have to be solved to the most possible extent before the start of the action. The duration of a grant action should be not too short

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 18 Important issues (3) The budgetary part of an application for a Specific Grant agreement has to be agreed by each ESSnet partner with the budgetary unit of this NSI as special knowledge on the grants application is needed. That could help to avoid mistakes and to reduce the time for the preparation of the grant agreement. It is very important that the ESSnet partnership concludes a Management Agreement as early as possible. It is of particular importance for the development of the ESSnet project to have regular ESSnet coordination meetings. Communication via s is not sufficient. The possibility to use other communication tools (e.g. video conferences, Skype) has to be considered. A Web-site and collaboration tools are needed. (Eurostat provides facilities for it)

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 19 Important issues (4) ESSnet project preparation The Task Force meetings on the preparation of the ESSnet are a very important tool for defining the project. –NSIs members of these Task Forces have to take an active role –to ensure that the objectives and the scope of the work are clearly defined. –The NSIs that have decided to participate in the ESSnet have to have –a clear understanding of the ESSnet concept –a clear view on how the national and European interests can be combined in the project. The number of the ESSnet partners should not be too big The scope of the work of an ESSnet has to be limited. The NSI that takes over the role of the Co-ordinator has to keep in mind its crucial role. The project leader should be: –a committed person –not only competent in the subject matter, –but also in project management and intercultural communication

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 20 Important issues (5) In the Task Force meetings: –the Framework Partnership Agreement has to be agreed upon –the objectives for the first Specific Grant have to be defined. –the roles of the ESSnet partners and Eurostat have to be clearly defined and agreed upon. The Framework Partnership Agreement has to be prepared in such a way that it gives a clear description of the objectives but enough room for manoeuvre during the project implementation phase. It is worth considering the first phase of the ESSnet project (and the first grant agreement) as the phase for defining the issues the ESSnet has to focus on before the actual implementation takes place

18/11/2010ESSnet Training Budapest 21 Part 2 – Technical Matters THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION For further questions: