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PROPOSAL PROPOSAL WRITINGWRITING

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What makes a good proposalWhat makes a good proposal- A strong proposal idea- A strong proposal idea

- Avoiding common weaknesses and pitfalls- Avoiding common weaknesses and pitfalls

What to know about What to know about evaluationevaluation- Process- Process

- Criteria - Criteria

- Their application to specific Calls - Their application to specific Calls

What goes whereWhat goes where- - Parts carrying the key messagesParts carrying the key messages

- Selling the team- Selling the team

- Program objectives vs project - Program objectives vs project

objectives, milestones and deliverablesobjectives, milestones and deliverables

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PROPOSAL

Motivation of Commission OfficialsMotivation of Commission Officials

To find out those proposals that have the To find out those proposals that have the consortia to conduct potentially useful consortia to conduct potentially useful work work in a way that stands a reasonable chance in a way that stands a reasonable chance of delivering valuable resultsof delivering valuable results

CONSORTIUMCONSORTIUMUSEFUL WORKUSEFUL WORKREASONABLE CHANCE (RISK)REASONABLE CHANCE (RISK)VALUABLE RESULTSVALUABLE RESULTS

Project ProposalProject ProposalLet’s say that:Let’s say that:

There is a suitable objective in the workprogram There is a suitable objective in the workprogram covering your project...covering your project...There is a Call for Proposals including the type of There is a Call for Proposals including the type of instrument (contract) that suits your project...instrument (contract) that suits your project...You have a suitable and eligible consortium...You have a suitable and eligible consortium...You can get prepare it before the closing date...You can get prepare it before the closing date...You have thought of the management plans...You have thought of the management plans...

What to Provide in the What to Provide in the ProposalProposal

Summary of the proposalSummary of the proposalRationale/justification (Rationale/justification (S&T objectives, program S&T objectives, program objectives, potential impact,consortium members)objectives, potential impact,consortium members)

Details of the participantDetails of the participant

Details of the budgetDetails of the budget

Work/Implementation planWork/Implementation plan

Management structuresManagement structures

List of deliverablesList of deliverables

Where to Find Supporting Where to Find Supporting DocumentationDocumentation

WorkprogramWorkprogram

Guidelines on proposal evaluation and Guidelines on proposal evaluation and selection proceduresselection procedures

Guidance notes for evaluators (call-specific)Guidance notes for evaluators (call-specific)

Guide for proposers (call/instrument-Guide for proposers (call/instrument-specific)specific)

Instruments (project types)

Integrated Projects Integrated Projects (IP)(IP)

Specific Targeted Research Projects Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREP)(STREP)

Networks of Excellence Networks of Excellence (NoE)(NoE)

Coordination Actions Coordination Actions (CA)(CA)

Specific Support Actions Specific Support Actions (SSA)(SSA)

Article 169 Article 169

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT EVALUATION

Some Basics About Some Basics About ProposalsProposals

YOUR PROPOSAL MUSTYOUR PROPOSAL MUST::

meet certain eligibility criteriameet certain eligibility criteria fall within the scope of the fall within the scope of the

Call for ProposalsCall for Proposalspriority’s workprogram,priority’s workprogram,specific workprogramspecific workprogram

YOUR PROPOSAL WILL :

be read by a team of independent evaluators

Consensus is required within the evaluation team as to which proposals are to be considered further

Proposals selected by each evaluation team are then Proposals selected by each evaluation team are then read by people from other teams evaluating the Call read by people from other teams evaluating the Call

They are ranked at a meeting involving all teams and They are ranked at a meeting involving all teams and a funding scenario is then produced by the ECa funding scenario is then produced by the EC

A panel hearing, is used for IPs and NoEsA panel hearing, is used for IPs and NoEs

Results of the evaluation then form the basis of contract Results of the evaluation then form the basis of contract negotiationnegotiation

Evaluation CriteriaEvaluation Criteria

RelevanceRelevance

Potential impactPotential impact

Scientific and technological excellenceScientific and technological excellence

Quality of the consortiumQuality of the consortium

Quality of the managementQuality of the management

Mobilization of the resourcesMobilization of the resources

Evaluators give a mark between 0 and 5 to Evaluators give a mark between 0 and 5 to each criterioneach criterion

0 – the proposal fails to address the issue under examination or cannot be judged against the criterion due to missing or incomplete information

1 – poor2 – fair3 – good4 – very good5 – excellent

There are thresholds to be passedThere are thresholds to be passedMarks may be weighted to calculate the Marks may be weighted to calculate the final scorefinal score

CRITERIA IPIP thresholds thresholds STREPSTREP

Relevance Relevance 3/53/5 3/5 3/5Potential ImpactPotential Impact 3/53/5 3/5 3/5S & T ExcellenceS & T Excellence 4/54/5 4/5 4/5Quality of ConsortiumQuality of Consortium 3/53/5 3/5 3/5Quality of ManagementQuality of Management 3/53/5 3/5 3/5Mobilization of Resources Mobilization of Resources 3/53/5 3/5 3/5

OVERALL SCORE THRESHOLDIP : 24/30STREP : 21/30

Potential ImpactPotential Impact

suitably ambitious in terms of its strategic suitably ambitious in terms of its strategic impact on reinforcing competitiveness impact on reinforcing competitiveness (including that of SMEs) or on solving (including that of SMEs) or on solving societal problemssocietal problems

adequate innovation-related activities, adequate innovation-related activities, exploitation and dissemination plans (to exploitation and dissemination plans (to ensure optimal use of the project results)ensure optimal use of the project results)

demonstrating a clear added value in demonstrating a clear added value in carrying out the work at European levelcarrying out the work at European level

S&T ExcellenceS&T Excellence

The project has clearly defined and well-focused The project has clearly defined and well-focused objectivesobjectivesThe objectives represent clear progress beyond The objectives represent clear progress beyond the current state-of-the-artthe current state-of-the-artThe proposed S&T approach is likely to enable the The proposed S&T approach is likely to enable the project to achieve its objectives in research and project to achieve its objectives in research and innovationinnovation

Quality of ConsortiumQuality of Consortium

adequate industrial involvement to ensure adequate industrial involvement to ensure exploitation of results (esp. İn IPs)exploitation of results (esp. İn IPs)

constitution of a consortium of high qualityconstitution of a consortium of high quality

well-suited participants, committed to the well-suited participants, committed to the tasks assigned to themtasks assigned to them

good complementarity between participantsgood complementarity between participants

real involvement of SMEs real involvement of SMEs

Quality of the ManagementQuality of the Management

Project management is demonstrably of high Project management is demonstrably of high qualityquality

There is a satisfactory plan for the management of There is a satisfactory plan for the management of knowledge, of intellectual property and other knowledge, of intellectual property and other innovation-related activitiesinnovation-related activities

The organizational structure is well matched to the The organizational structure is well matched to the complexity of the project and to the degree of complexity of the project and to the degree of integration requiredintegration required

Mobilization of the Mobilization of the ResourcesResources

The project mobilizes the minimum critical The project mobilizes the minimum critical mass of resources (personnel, equipment, mass of resources (personnel, equipment, finance...) necessary for successfinance...) necessary for successThe resources are convincingly integrated to The resources are convincingly integrated to form a coherent projectform a coherent projectThe overall financial plan for the project is The overall financial plan for the project is adequateadequate

WHAT GOES WHEREWHAT GOES WHERE

Proposal StructureProposal Structure

B.1. S&T objectives and state-of-the-artB.1. S&T objectives and state-of-the-art- - up to 3 pagesup to 3 pages

B.2. Relevance to the objectives of the B.2. Relevance to the objectives of the prioritypriority

- - up to 3 pages up to 3 pages

B.3. Potential ImpactB.3. Potential Impact- up to 3 pages- plus one page on contribution to standards

B.4. The consortium and project resourcesB.4. The consortium and project resources- up to 5 pages + ‘STREP Project Effort Form’- up to 5 pages + ‘STREP Project Effort Form’- plus one page to justify subcontracting- plus one page to justify subcontracting- plus one page to justify ‘other countries’- plus one page to justify ‘other countries’

B.5. Project ManagementB.5. Project Management- up to 3 pages- up to 3 pages

B.6. Work PlanB.6. Work Plan- (as many pages as it needs)- (as many pages as it needs)

B.7. Other (horizontal) issuesB.7. Other (horizontal) issues- - e.g.e.g. ethical, gender, EC policies, education ethical, gender, EC policies, education

B.1. S&T Objectives and B.1. S&T Objectives and State-of-the-ArtState-of-the-Art

What are you going to do?What are you going to do?How will you know when you have done it?How will you know when you have done it?What value will it add to the state-of-the-art?What value will it add to the state-of-the-art?How well do you understand the problems?How well do you understand the problems?

B.2. Relevance to Priority B.2. Relevance to Priority ObjectivesObjectives

Justify your request for money Justify your request for money allocated to those specific objectives allocated to those specific objectives within this priority areawithin this priority area

N.B.N.B. The Commission may argue for adequate The Commission may argue for adequate coverage of all relevant objectivescoverage of all relevant objectives

B.3. Potential ImpactB.3. Potential Impact

What type of impact are you expecting to What type of impact are you expecting to achieve?achieve?

- what is the expected consequence of - what is the expected consequence of funding?funding?Explain how you will achieve this impactExplain how you will achieve this impact

- innovation- related activities- innovation- related activities- dissemination activities- dissemination activities- exploitation activities- exploitation activities

Why do you need European money?Why do you need European money?-- European added value European added value- role of national/other initiatives- role of national/other initiatives

B.4. ConsortiumB.4. ConsortiumParticipants are of high qualityParticipants are of high qualityParticipants are well-suited and committed Participants are well-suited and committed to their tasks, including:to their tasks, including:

- research- research- demonstration- demonstration- dissemination- dissemination- exploitation- exploitation- management, etc.- management, etc.

Participants are complementary with each Participants are complementary with each otherother

B.5.Project ManagementB.5.Project Management

The project management is demonstrably The project management is demonstrably of high qualityof high quality

- key partner(s) with suitable resources?- key partner(s) with suitable resources?

- CV of key individuals?- CV of key individuals?

- appropriate methodology?- appropriate methodology?

- work plan capable of being managed?- work plan capable of being managed?

Managing knowledge, IPR, innovationManaging knowledge, IPR, innovation

B.6. Work PlanB.6. Work Plan

Introduction –Introduction – structure of the workplan and how structure of the workplan and how the plan will lead participants to achieve objectivesthe plan will lead participants to achieve objectivesTiming and components of workpackages (GANNT)Timing and components of workpackages (GANNT)Interdependencies between components (PERT)Interdependencies between components (PERT)Workpackage list (form)Workpackage list (form)

- lead contractor- lead contractor - timing- timing- effort- effort - outputs- outputs

Workpackage description (template)Workpackage description (template)- participants/effort- participants/effort - timing- timing- objectives- objectives - description of work- description of work- deliverables- deliverables - milestones- milestones

Designing WorkpackagesDesigning WorkpackagesMajor sub-divisions of overall project Major sub-divisions of overall project appropriate to complexity and value of appropriate to complexity and value of projectprojectSufficiently detailed to allow progress Sufficiently detailed to allow progress monitoring by the ECmonitoring by the EC

...AND SO...AND SO

- keep different types of activity separate- keep different types of activity separate- reflect logical phases of project- reflect logical phases of project- provide clearly-defined end-points - provide clearly-defined end-points (e.g. deliverable or project milestone)(e.g. deliverable or project milestone)

SOME TIPSSOME TIPS

General TIPS on General TIPS on Proposal WritingProposal Writing

Apply the mindset of an evaluator to your Apply the mindset of an evaluator to your own workown workView the proposal as a whole, not as a set View the proposal as a whole, not as a set of separate elementsof separate elementsIdentify and sell the special features of a Identify and sell the special features of a proposalproposalCommunicate in simple and well-Communicate in simple and well-structured languagestructured language

TIPSTIPS Concerning Evaluators Concerning Evaluators

Your proposal will be read by a team of evaluators of whom it should be assumed that

English need not be their first languageYour specific research interest may not be their specialist areaThey have many other proposals to readDefine the work you’ll do in a way to make Define the work you’ll do in a way to make them understand itthem understand itInitial impressions count...Initial impressions count...

TIPSTIPS Concerning Writing Concerning Writing Certain Parts of ProposalCertain Parts of Proposal

POTENTIAL IMPACT use OECD reports, EU POTENTIAL IMPACT use OECD reports, EU policy paperspolicy papers

S&T EXCELLENCE refer to the S&T EXCELLENCE refer to the workprogramworkprogram

QUALITY OF CONSORTIUM find diverse QUALITY OF CONSORTIUM find diverse partnerspartners

QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT is hard job. Do QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT is hard job. Do not jump on it!not jump on it!

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Project writing is not easy. It is a hard jobProject writing is not easy. It is a hard jobIt consumes your time, energy and It consumes your time, energy and confidence confidence The result can be negativeThe result can be negative

BUT, DO NOT FORGET...BUT, DO NOT FORGET...

So many people have tried it and been So many people have tried it and been successfulsuccessful

Believe in yourself! You can do it, too!Believe in yourself! You can do it, too!

Thank youThank youandand

Good LuckGood Luck

METU – Office of EU AffairsMETU – Office of EU AffairsMiddle East Technical UniversityMiddle East Technical University

06531 Ankara / Turkey06531 Ankara / TurkeyPhone: 0 312 210 3834Phone: 0 312 210 3834 Fax: 0 312 210 1348Fax: 0 312 210 1348

http://www.euoffice.metu.edu.trhttp://www.euoffice.metu.edu.trFebruary 2005February 2005