2-Stage procedure:
special attention to the 1st stage,
how to build a successful proposal
Caterina Buonocore
Health National contact Point for Italy
“ presentation developed with FFG “
FP7 Health Participation
FP7 Health Participation
Why two-stage procedure?
•
History: two-stage calls introduced in 3rd Call FP7-Health2009, since then increasing numbers of two-stage topics,
since 6th Call ONLY two-stage call
•
New “strategy“ of EC towards the end of FP7
• less topics open per call
• several projects funded per topic
• broader topics
• decrease „writing burden“ for applicants in 1st stage
• increase success rates for full stage proposals
How to write two-stage proposals (I)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
6th Call FP7-HEALTH-2012 – two subcalls
1. FP7-Health-Innovation-1
2. FP7-Health-Innovation-2 “SMEs for Innovation“: special subcall,
shorter procedures, only for European partners, max. 5 partners
Stage 1- Administrative issues :
• Only the coordinator completes the A-forms (A1, A2 and A3)
• In form A3, only a single set of budget figures and the corresponding
requested EU funding is required for the whole project.
• Do not complete additional A2 and A3 forms for the other partners
How to write two-stage proposals (II)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
Cover Page stage 1
• Proposal full title:
• Proposal acronym:
• Type of funding scheme:
• Work programme topics addressed:
• Name of the coordinating person:
• List of participants:
How to write two-stage proposals (III)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
List of participants:
List all the expected members of your consortium.
Participant no.
Participant legal
name
Country
Organisation type*
Describe briefly the role(s) in the consortium,
name of the scientific person in charge,
expertise, capacity and resources to achieve
the objectives
1 (Coordinator)
2
3
..
..
How to write two-stage proposals (IV)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
Please indicate the estimated budget for the proposed work as accurately as
possible.
Estimated budget
Participant no.
RTD
Demonstration
Management
Other activities
activities
1
2
3
..
..
Total eligible
costs
Requested EU
contribution
Requested EU contribution for SMEs in % of the total requested, if applicable
Requested EU contribution for industry in % of the total requested, if applicable
Total costs
EU contribution
How to write two-stage proposals (V)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
Stage 1 proposal content (maximum 6 pages for section 1 and 2
together)
1: Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the topics
addressed by the call
1.1 Concept and objectives
Explain the concept of your project. What are the main ideas that
led you to propose this work?
Describe in detail the S&T objectives. Show how they relate to the
topics addressed by the call, which you should explicitly identify.
The objectives should be those achievable within the project, not
through subsequent development. They should be stated in a measurable
and verifiable form, including through the milestones that will be indicated
under section 1.3 below.
How to write two-stage proposals (VI)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
Stage 1 proposal content (maximum 6 pages for section 1 and 2
together)
1.2 Progress beyond the state-of-the-art
Describe the state-of-the-art in the area concerned, and the advance
that the proposed project would bring about. If applicable, refer to the
results of any patent search you might have carried out.
1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
Present an overview.
How to write two-stage proposals (VII)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
Stage 1 proposal content (maximum 6 pages for section 1 and 2
together)
2. Impact
2.1 Expected impacts
Provide an overview on how your project will contribute towards the
expected impacts listed in the work programme in relation to the topic or
topics in question. Mention the steps that will be needed to bring about
these impacts. Mention any assumptions and external factors that may
determine whether the impacts will be achieved.
When appropriate (relevant for the topic):
With regard to the innovation dimension, describe the potential areas
and markets of application of the project results and the potential
advantages of the resulting technologies/ solutions compared to those
that are available today.
How to write two-stage proposals (VIII)
Example Guide for Applicants 6th Call
• The maximum combined length for sections 1and 2 is six pages.
• Note: The cover page, the participant list, the budget table and the
table of contents (see below) do not count toward the page limits
specified for stage 1.
• The minimum font size allowed is 11 points. The page size is A4, and
all margins (top, bottom, left, right) should be at least 15 mm (not
including any footers or headers).
• Ensure that the font type chosen leads to clearly readable text (eg.
Arial or Times New Roman).
• As an indication, such a layout should lead to a maximum of
between 5000 and 6000 possible characters per page (including
spaces).
• The Commission/agency will instruct the experts to disregard any
excess pages.
How to really do it!
• use Arial Narrow as font type!
• none or minimal literature references in 1st stage
1.1: Concept and objectives - around 1 - 1.5 pages
• describe overall idea and concept, list objectives with e.g. bullet
points (first overall objective(s), then detailed specific objectives)
• try to answer the following questions in the 1st paragraphs….
•
•
•
•
•
Why bother? What problem are you trying to solve?
Is it a European priority or could it be solved at national level?
Is the solution already available?
Why now? What would happen if we did not do this now?
Why you? Are you the best people to do this work?
How to really do it!
1.2. Progress beyond the state-of-the-art => around 0.5 to
1 page
• Clearly oppose STATE OF THE ART vs PROGRESS
BEYOND/ INNOVATION
1.3. S/T methodology and associated work plan => 2 - 3
pages
• this is the core part of the application! and should
include short workpackage descriptions, and milestones,
a small diagramm to illustrate WP connections (Pert
Chart), etc.
How to really do it!
2.1. Expected impacts => around 1 page
What impact will your results generate, how and by
whom will the results be used?
– Which results are expected?
• Applications? Commercial, social or scientific?
– Who is the Lead User of these results?
– How relevant are the results for the Lead User?
– How do the results get to the lead user?
• Dissemination and Exploitation? Which partners are involved?
– How will the exploitation/dissemination be done?
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) – Production, Marketing, Licenses,
Patents, etc.
How to really do it – Summary and Tips
• has to be excellent, innovative idea that fits 100% to the call topic
• readers has to be “captured” by idea after the first paragraph
• the 1st stage is a “mini full proposal” – not just a vague
idea,
but a fully structured proposal with specific objectives, workpackages,
milestones etc.
• clear impact section – if SMEs involved, describe impact for each SME and
for the market
• can be divided into scientific impact – clinical impact – economic impact –
societal impact….
• even if not asked for, try to include your consortium skills in some
sentences throughout the proposal – you are the best!
• projects with clinical trials: some essential trial data need to be described
in 1st stage already (patient numbers, in- and exclusion criteria…)
Stage 2- Full Stage
SUMMARY OF MANDATORY PAGE LIMITS
(conforming to font and margin sizes mentioned above).
–
–
Section
Maximum pages
–
1: Scientific and/or technical quality,
–
–
1.1
Concept and objectives
–
20 pages for whole
section*,
No specific limit
–
–
–
–
1.2
Progress beyond the state-of-the-art
–
No specific limit
S/T methodology and associated work plan
–
1 page for section 1.3 (i)
("Overall strategy")
–
2 pages for each work
package description in
section 1.3 (d)]
1.3
–
2.1
Management structure and procedures
–
5 pages
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2.2
Individual participants
–
1 page per participant
2.3
Consortium as a whole
–
No specific limit
2.4
Resources to be committed
–
2 pages
3.
Impact
–
10 pages for whole section
–
–
–
–
4.
Ethics Issues
–
No limit
–
1 page
5. Consideration of gender aspects
–
* This limit does not include the Gantt chart under 1.3 ii), the tables 1.3a- e, and the Pert diagram
under 1.3 iv).
Evaluation (I)
• Innovation-1: Stage 1 proposals will be evaluated remotely by
independent external experts, then discussed in consensus
meetings
Table 4: Thresholds for evaluation criteria for first stage
Criterion
Minimum threshold
S/T quality
4/5
Impact
3/5
Overall threshold
8/10
• all proposals passing all thresholds will be retained at stage 1
Put yourself in the shoes of an evaluator!
1. Let’s divide into 5 groups ( 7/8 each);
2. Read the proposal individually; (15 min)
3. Note down how you evaluate it for S&T and Impact.
(5 min)
4. Start the discussion with your team and draft
together your evaluation on a ppt if possible (15
min)
5. Present your evaluation to the other groups ( 4 min)
Does it go through to second stage?