University of Trieste
Writing a proposal
… with particular
attention to FP7
Maurizio Fermeglia
PHD school in Nanotechnology
The Basics
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You do not go to Brussels to „lobby” for your
project
You understand that FP7 is about transEuropean cooperation
You read and understand the Work
Programme and the Guides
You accept and play according to the rules –
no special treatment for NMS and Candidate
Countries
General Comments
• How do you get started?
• Work Programme + other
official documents.
– Consult before you submit:
– FP7 Helpdesk
– Scientific Officers, other
FP6/FP7 contacts
– NCPs
– Get additional intel on what
the priorities are
– Read the news, watch TV,
follow-up what’s going on in
Europe
General Comments
• FP7 proposals are evaluated in Brussels by
independent evaluators:
– Background: academic, industry, consulting
– Geographical representation of Europe
– Gender balance
• Understand the human factor of the evaluation
system!
General Comments
• Cutting edge science: only in Ideas! The rest:
– Applied research + demonstration (good ideas +
innovation)
– Integration of EU research
– Europe as a whole must benefit from it
• Trans-European collaboration is not a tool but an
objective!
• Submitted proposals are all good or very good
– Your proposal will need to be excellent
– Competition is very high
– Success rate: lower than with national programmes
• FP7 proposals are evaluated in Brussels by
independent evaluators:
– Background: academic, industry, consulting
– Geographical representation of Europe
– Gender balance
The Idea
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Initial idea: this is core!!!!
Core consortium – the rest is built around it
Initial priorities may change: Work Programme
Centre of gravity may change: new partners
Project idea: summarised in 1 paragraph - can
be used to attract experienced project partners
University of Trieste
The Proposal
PHD school in Nanotechnology
The proposal
• Download from Cordis
(complete package, always
the latest version)
• Part A: administrative info
• Part B: technical info
• Electronic submission only
The Proposal
Part B:
0. Cover page
1: Scientific/technical quality
2. Implementation
3. Impact
4. Ethical Issues
5. Consideration of gender aspects
The Proposal
1. Scientific/technical quality
– 1.1 Concept and objectives
– 1.2 Progress beyond the state-of-the-art
– 1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
The Proposal
2. Implementation
– 2.1 Management structure and procedures
– 2.2 Individual participants
– 2.3 Consortium as a whole
• Sub-contracting
• Other countries
• Additional partners
– 2.4 Resources to be committed
The Proposal
3. Impact
– 3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme
– 3.2 Dissemination and/or exploitation of project results, and
management of intellectual property
The Proposal
• 4. Ethical Issues
• 5. Consideration of gender aspects
The Proposal
Your proposal will have to be
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Based around an interesting novel idea
Implemented using an appropriate methodology
Structured and written in a clear way
Addressing the Work Programme and EU priorities
Realistic in terms of resources (never
underestimate!)
– Short
Description of the project
1. Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the
topics addressed by the call
1.1 Concept and objectives
1.2 Progress beyond the state-of-the-art
1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
2. Implementation
2.1 Management structure and procedures
2.2 Individual participants
2.3 Consortium as a whole
2.4 Resources to be committed
3. Impact
3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme
3.2 Dissemination and/or exploitation of project results, and
management of
intellectual property
4. Ethical Issues
5. Consideration of gender aspects
Description of Work: to be done ..
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Participate in the scientific ideas/evaluation during
CREATION of the DoW
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Summarize
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Costs estimates
dr. Cecilia Blasetti - Elettra ST
Evaluation Criteria
Two steps evaluation (NMP)
Typical research project
Typical research project in FP7
University of Trieste
Planning the project
management
PHD school in Nanotechnology
Criteria 2: implementation
• “Quality and efficiency of the implementation and the
management
• “Appropriateness of the management structure and
procedures”
• Guide for Applicant: Cap. 2 Implementation
• Parag. 2.1 “Management structure and procedures “
– describe the organizational structure and decision-making
mechanism of the project
– show how they are matched to the complexity and scale of
the project”
• Maximum length for Section 2.1: five pages
Managing structure
Managing structure
Communication structures /
Communication flows
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Meetings
Phone conferences
Web-based communication platforms (extranet)
Internal newsletter,…
Reporting structures
Meetings:
Common mistakes in proposals
Case studies
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MCUBE (Coordination Action)
MULTIPRO (FP6 STREP)
MULTIHYBRIDS (FP6 Integrated Project IP)
NANOMODEL (FP7 Collaborative project)