Contract Negotiations in FP7

The basics

Koos de Korte, Agentschap NL, March 2010

A question for you

What is the purposeof the contract negotiation step?

?

Objectives of negotiation

• Agree on S&T details• Collect L&F information for the Grant Agreement• Collect information for management and

reporting

When does it start?

• After reception of the Negotiation Mandate• Contains:

– Contact details for project and legal officer– The maximum Community contribution– Instructions for changes in technical content– A timetable with deadlines– Possible meeting dates

Mandate comes with an info pack

• The Evaluation Summary Report• Ethical Review Report (when applicable)• Negotiation Guidelines• Model Grant Agreement• Financial Guidelines• IPR Guide• Consortium Agreement checklist

It all happens online…

• NEF - online negotiation tool• Linked to URF• Validation of beneficiaries• Budget breakdown• Reporting periods• Pre-financing

• Conversion of Part B into Annex I not online

Part B converts into Annex I

• Template provided by Commissionftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/negotiation_en.doc

• ESR recommendations taken into account• Objectives made SMART• Full work plan in sufficient detail• Deliverables and milestones agreed upon• Work load for each beneficiary identified• Potential future expansion of consortium defined

Financial and legal negotiation

• Total costs and maximum EU contribution defined• Budget breakdown / task / benificiary• Amount of pre-financing defined• Start- and end-date determined• Timing of reporting periods established• Subcontracting• Third party issues

Grant Agreement signature

• When all is settled, Commission sends Grant Agreement to the Coordinator

• Signed by Authorised Representative• The Commission signs

– The GA enters into force on the 1st dayof the next month

• Provided all beneficiaries sign Form-A within 45 days!

How much is there to negotiate?

• Let’s ask some experienced colleagues…