How to write a successful proposal

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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
• Plan/schedule for the proposal creation
• How to write Part A (administrative information)
• How to write Part B (technical information)

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Read the manuals www.cordis.lu
For IST Call 4 (deadline March 22, 2005) go to

• http//fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/call_details.cfm?CALL_ID
  174

Please get (and read) all documents and all
information in them. It is important! Youll need
them all.

• Call text
• Work programme
• Guide for proposers
• Guidance Notes for Evaluators
• Financial guidelines

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Read the manuals Call text work programme
Call text

• 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)

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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

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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. ST 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)

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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)

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Set up a plan for the proposal creation when to
start
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 3 - 4 months before deadline seem to be
  right

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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

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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)

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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
  (Background)
• 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

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Set up a plan for the proposal creation check
lists
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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)

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How to write Part A Forms A1 - A3
Form A1

• Find the right activity codes and keywords
• Write the proposal abstract (lt 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

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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)

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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

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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)

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How to write Part B B1 - ST objectives
B.1 Scientific and technological objectives of
the project and state of the art
Describe in detail the proposed projects ST
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)
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How to write Part B B1 - ST 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

• ST objectives have a threshold of 4/5

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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
projects objectives contribute to the
scientific, technical, wider societal or policy
objectives of the IST Priority as stated in this
call. (Recommended length two pages)
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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

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How to write Part B B3 - Potential impact
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
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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

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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
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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

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How to write Part B B4 Consortium resources
Proposed contents for this section (contd)

• Resources
• Pie chart to show the distribution on
  requirements, specification, development, testing
  and evaluation
• Description of resources by partners

• Short description of each partner (ca. ½ page)

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How to write Part B B5 Project management
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)
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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

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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.
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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

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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
 

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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
 
 
 
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).

5 Deliverable number Number for the
deliverable(s)/result(s) mentioned in the
workpackage D1 - Dn.
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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

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How to write Part B B6 Work plan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

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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).
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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!