Department of Research

1
Department of Research Innovation A4B Project
Management Seminar

• February 11th 2009
• Technium Digital

2
Introduction

• Ceri Jones DRI
• Sarah Haynes DRI
• Ali Parker - DRI
• Leanne Richards A4B
• Howell Rees A4B

3
A4B Timeline

• 2000 KEF Launched within ELWa
• 2004 Transferred to WDA
• March 2006 WDA Merged with WAG
• April 2008 KEF Ends A4B launched

4
Background to A4B

• To develop 3M activity
• To support academia/industrial collaboration
• To improve competitiveness of Welsh SMEs
• WAG Convergence Funds A4B/Eligibility Issues

5
What are ERDF ESF ?

• ERDF supports infrastructure - both physical and
  revenue e.g. Printing and Coating Centre in
  Engineering
• ESF supports activities linked to training - e.g.
  SME Training, Entrepreneurship Development, PhD
  Skills

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Project Manager Its your role to..

• Ensure all related paperwork is complete, and
  maintained in the Project File.
• Company Enrolment Form
• Collaboration Agreements
• Participant Forms
• Staff Timesheets (where applicable)
• SME Logbooks (where applicable)
• Minutes of Meetings
• Quarterly Reports
• Tender Documents (where applicable)
• Participate in A4B Quarterly Monitoring

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Project Manager You Must

• Know what expenditure has been approved
• Know the dates when claims are due in
• Consult with A4B before any changes to the
  project
• Know the start and end date of your project
  Payments Outside This Period Are Ineligible
• Keep all records for 8 years after the final
  payment

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The A4B Contract

• Details the financial allocation
• Details the agreed targets
• ONLY A4B CAN AUTHORISE AMENDMENTS!
• Failure to adhere to this basic rule will result
  in lost funding!
• DRI to liaise with A4B on the PMs behalf

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Schedule 2 The Contract
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The DRI Claims Process

• Quarterly claims process organised by DRI
• Short meeting to verify financial
  non-financial progress
• PM to prepare quarterly report and e-mail to DRI
• DRI Staff - Sarah Haynes, Ali Parker and Ceri
  Jones

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The Quarterly Profile
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The Quarterly Report

• QR Template

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Internet Project Monitor (IPM)

• Web Based Monitoring Tool
• A4B Remote Access
• Multi passwords now available direct access
  for project to update non-financial data
• DRI update IPM with financial data (e.g.
  salaries, expenses etc)

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IPM
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DRI Monitoring Evaluation

• Role of DRI
• Co-ordinate Quarterly Claims
• Provide Advice Guidance
• Update IPM System
• Confirmation of Expenditure
• Quarterly Progress Report (inc progress against
  targets)
• Copies of Project Documentation (Participant
  Forms, etc)

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Partnership Arrangements

• All partners should sign and return a
  sub-contract (DRI templates available)
• Partners must claim within the prescribed time
  periods failure to do so will result in
  non-payment
• Must claim to profile
• SU will only pay partners once WAG pays us!
• Maintain delivery of outputs and spend
• Back-up information is needed to verify all
  claims
• Most HEIs understand the brief!

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A4B Monitoring

• IPM
• Ad-hoc Visits by A4B Staff
• Annual Audits
• Financial Non-Financial Records

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Audit Requirements/Procedures

• Have all the Answers!!
• Intelligible Audit Trail
• Everyday an Audit Day
• Consult with DRI

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Areas of concern

• Different to Research Council Grants
• Poor systems of evaluation
• Project did not deliver what it said it would
• Claims mirrors application
• Unjustifiably high or low costs

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Good Practice Guide

• Maintain Accurate Project File
• Dont move funding without A4B permission
• Focus on Targets
• Keep on Top of Paperwork
• No Nasty Surprises
• Keep DRI Informed
• Revisit Milestones and Cashflow
• Verify Eligibility of Expenditure with DRI

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Conclusion

• Record keeping is VERY IMPORTANT
• If you are unsure of something, contact DRI
• An audit should not be a nightmare!