NonNon--RTD ActivitiesRTD ActivitiesNonNon RTD Activities RTD Activities under FP7under FP7

Dr Radu Rautiu, Senior Project ManagerDr Radu Rautiu, Senior Project ManagerDr Kornelia Jumel, Project ManagerDr Kornelia Jumel, Project Manager

Imperial College Consultants LtdImperial College Consultants LtdImperial College Consultants LtdImperial College Consultants Ltd

66thth November 2009November 2009

ICON and FP7 participationICON and FP7 participationICON and FP7 participationICON and FP7 participation

Imperial College Consultants Imperial College Consultants whollywholly--owned company owned company (formerly FC model)(formerly FC model) ICONICON acts as Consortium Manager when Imperial is a main beneficiary/partneracts as Consortium Manager when Imperial is a main beneficiary/partner CoCo--opted from the opted from the Proposal(s) Phase Proposal(s) Phase and responsible for settingand responsible for setting--up management up management

structures, overall budget check, lobbying, nonstructures, overall budget check, lobbying, non--RTD activities oversight, proposal RTD activities oversight, proposal submissionsubmissionsubmissionsubmission

Active in Active in Negotiation Phase Negotiation Phase for budget adjustments, Consortium Agreement advice for budget adjustments, Consortium Agreement advice (CA), and also for GPF and paperwork, changes to the Annex 1 to GA(CA), and also for GPF and paperwork, changes to the Annex 1 to GA

In In Execution PhaseExecution Phase, recruits APM/PM from day one (!), organizes kick, recruits APM/PM from day one (!), organizes kick--off meeting, off meeting, y ( ) gy ( ) g ggperiodic reviews, project meetings and workshops/conferencesperiodic reviews, project meetings and workshops/conferences

ICON acts as a communication hub between all beneficiaries and main beneficiaryICON acts as a communication hub between all beneficiaries and main beneficiary ICON deals with all the financial activities at consortium level, forecasting budgets, ICON deals with all the financial activities at consortium level, forecasting budgets,

sends disbursement instructions (to main beneficiary’s finance dept)sends disbursement instructions (to main beneficiary’s finance dept)sends disbursement instructions (to main beneficiary s finance dept)sends disbursement instructions (to main beneficiary s finance dept) ICON setsICON sets--up the project website and also the extranet (project working area), and up the project website and also the extranet (project working area), and

the content management system (CMS), organizes dissemination activitiesthe content management system (CMS), organizes dissemination activities On large Collaborative Projects ICON coordinates the training activities (internal On large Collaborative Projects ICON coordinates the training activities (internal g j g (g j g (

and external plus networking)and external plus networking) ICON provides access to external experts, QA/QC and also best practiceICON provides access to external experts, QA/QC and also best practice ICON performs the ICON performs the project closure project closure and responsible with IP exploitation plansand responsible with IP exploitation plans

Professional Project Management OfficeProfessional Project Management Office

Project Project Manager / Manager / Assistant Assistant ManagerManager

Dedicated Dedicated Project Project AdminAdmin

Core TeamCore TeamFinanceFinanceAdminAdmin

ExternalConsultants

ExpertsTechnical Manager

Extended Extended TeamTeamVirtual TeamVirtual Team

Contract Contract ExecutiveExecutive

Legal ExpertLegal ExpertTraining/

Media Expert TeamTeam

Events Events OrganiserOrganiser

Expert

Framework Activities Framework Activities Risk AnalysisRisk AnalysisRisk AnalysisRisk Analysis

AdvantagesAdvantages DisadvantagesDisadvantages -- RisksRisksAdvantagesAdvantages•• Higher OH rates (93Higher OH rates (93--100%)100%)•• Staff recharge and dedicated staff Staff recharge and dedicated staff

(economy of scale)(economy of scale)

DisadvantagesDisadvantages RisksRisks•• Long negotiations (with EC)Long negotiations (with EC)•• Delayed start of project > recruitingDelayed start of project > recruiting

B d kB d k(economy of scale)(economy of scale)•• Support of a professional Project Support of a professional Project

Management Office for Management Office for continuitycontinuity

•• Bureaucracy and paperwork Bureaucracy and paperwork (reduced from FP6)(reduced from FP6)

•• Repeated requests for information Repeated requests for information kk•• Internal training benefitsInternal training benefits

•• Enhancing internal skills setEnhancing internal skills set•• Networking across EU and worldNetworking across EU and world--

or paperwork or paperwork •• ‘Peak & through’ activities‘Peak & through’ activities•• UnderUnder--estimation of resourcesestimation of resourcesgg

wide with various organisationswide with various organisations•• Very good for organisation’s track Very good for organisation’s track

recordrecord

•• PO micromanagementPO micromanagement•• EC changes of personnel EC changes of personnel –– no no

‘institutional memory’‘institutional memory’-- no handno hand--outsouts•• (May lead to further commercial (May lead to further commercial

work, restricted tenders, etc)work, restricted tenders, etc)

institutional memoryinstitutional memory no handno hand outsouts•• NonNon--performing beneficiariesperforming beneficiaries•• NonNon--performing or ‘weak’ scientific performing or ‘weak’ scientific

coordinationcoordinationcoordination coordination

ICONICON FP7 ti i ti (1)FP7 ti i ti (1)ICON ICON -- FP7 participation (1)FP7 participation (1)evaluationevaluation letter of letter of

f dif diECECMain Main

BeneficiaryBeneficiary

fundingfunding

grantgrant ct)

ct)

SAL

SAL

ON

ON

BeneficiaryBeneficiary grant grant agreementagreementpreparationpreparation

formsforms (con

trac

(con

trac

OPO

SO

POS

OTI

ATIO

OTI

ATIO

ICONICON submissionsubmissionDoWDoW

updated budgetupdated budget reem

ent

reem

ent

PRPR

NEG

ON

EGOp gp g

NegotiationNegotiationS tS t ra

nt A

grra

nt A

gr

ConsortiumConsortiumSetSet--upup

CACA

GG

StakeholdersStakeholdersEndEnd--UsersUsers

CACA

ICONICON FP7 ti i ti (2)FP7 ti i ti (2)ICON ICON -- FP7 participation (2)FP7 participation (2)ECEC

LL M iM it)t)

ON

ON

CTU

AC

TUA Main Main

BeneficiaryBeneficiaryco

ntra

ctco

ntra

ct

DisseminationDisseminationWeb & ExtranetWeb & Extranet

OTI

ATI

OTI

ATI

NTR

AN

TRA

ICONICON

eem

ent (

eem

ent ( FP6/7 networkingFP6/7 networking

IPR managementIPR management

CACA

NEG

ON

EGO

STST--C

OC

O

ant A

gre

ant A

gre CACA

POS

POS

ConsortiumConsortium

Gra

Gra

StakeholdersStakeholders

Best Practice Best Practice Some Lessons LearnedSome Lessons Learned

•• Clear distinction and allocated resources for Clear distinction and allocated resources for Consortium Management Consortium Management vsvs Research Research Clear distinction and allocated resources for Clear distinction and allocated resources for Consortium Management Consortium Management vsvs Research Research ManagementManagement

•• Good delegation of responsibility to the Core people in the Project, use of Deputies Good delegation of responsibility to the Core people in the Project, use of Deputies •• Regular interim reporting from partners (quarterly reports) and regular resource Regular interim reporting from partners (quarterly reports) and regular resource •• Regular interim reporting from partners (quarterly reports) and regular resource Regular interim reporting from partners (quarterly reports) and regular resource

forecastingforecasting-- budgetingbudgeting•• Good templates and help notes on periodic reporting and adminGood templates and help notes on periodic reporting and admin--financial paperworkfinancial paperwork

f C S ff C S f•• An early functional extranet not only a ‘web page’, with CMS implemented, forums, tieredAn early functional extranet not only a ‘web page’, with CMS implemented, forums, tiered--access areasaccess areas

•• Email overkill Email overkill !!!! Keep it at a minimum, do not overwhelm, have separate mailing lists, use !!!! Keep it at a minimum, do not overwhelm, have separate mailing lists, use the webthe web--based calendar for news, events, meetings, workshopsbased calendar for news, events, meetings, workshops

•• Invite and involve your PO to crucial meetings / workshops, meet them directly and Invite and involve your PO to crucial meetings / workshops, meet them directly and discuss potential problemsdiscuss potential problems

•• Keep a close collaboration with the Scientific Coordinator (PI) at all times.Keep a close collaboration with the Scientific Coordinator (PI) at all times.•• Ensure Ensure continuitycontinuity in administering and managing the consortiumin administering and managing the consortium•• Have a good and detailed CA but keep it trim and clearHave a good and detailed CA but keep it trim and clear•• Have a good and detailed CA but keep it trim and clearHave a good and detailed CA but keep it trim and clear•• Keep good backKeep good back--ups of time sheets and paperwork for everyone involved.ups of time sheets and paperwork for everyone involved.

ICON’ B l OffiICON’ B l OffiICON’s Brussels OfficeICON’s Brussels Office

ICON’s European OfficeICON’s European OfficeICON’s European OfficeICON’s European Office2020--22 rue du Commerce, Brussels22 rue du Commerce, BrusselsDedicated office Dedicated office WiFiWiFi & ADSL& ADSLCostedCosted to Projectsto ProjectsCostedCosted to Projectsto ProjectsMeeting room (8Meeting room (8--10 people) 10 people) WiFiWiFi --by bookingby bookingin advance only. Underground parking.in advance only. Underground parking.

B lB l E I tit tiE I tit tiBrusselsBrussels-- European InstitutionsEuropean Institutions

ICON’s OfficeICON’s Office2020--22 rue du 22 rue du CommerceCommerce10001000--BrusselsBrussels

for Eurostar& Thalys

Managing a Very Large Consortium Managing a Very Large Consortium

CommunicateCommunicate

DelegateDelegate

TimelyTimely

ProfessionallyProfessionallyProfessionallyProfessionally