1 16/02/2014 The Negotiation Process: Negotiation timeline Participant Portal NEF – Negotiation facility Anita Kucharska Administration and Finance Unit

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The Negotiation Process:

Negotiation timelineParticipant Portal

NEF – Negotiation facility

Anita KucharskaAdministration and Finance UnitHealth Directorate,DG Research

(Not legally binding)

FP7 Grant Agreement NegotiationsA Directorate F initiative for coordinators fromFP7-HEALTH-2010-single-stage call and NCPs

Brussels, 16th April 2010

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Negotiations

• Positive evaluation of proposal + Commission's definition of maximum Community financial contribution => Coordinator invited by letter to commence negotiations with the Commission for a grant agreement.

• Official invitation - negotiation letter:

- details on the results of the evaluation - aspects to be reviewed during negotiation- Negotiation Mandate - Evaluation Summary Report (ESR).- Where applicable, Ethical Review Report- Deadlines- etc.


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ROLE OF COORDINATOR

The coordinator leads and represents the applicants in the negotiations with the Commission. Only one of the applicants can be coordinator. That legal entity will identify one of its staff as its representative to carry out the actions required of the coordinator. The representative of the coordinator is responsible for all contacts between the consortium and the Commission. If meetings are planned, he/she attends all meetings

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• To finalise the details of the work to be carried out under the grant agreement within the associated budget

• To establish the legal and financial information needed to conclude the grant agreement.

• Two main aspects:

(i) Technical (scientific) negotiations => EC Scientific Officer

(ii) Financial and legal negotiations => F.6 Administration & Finance Unit

Purpose of Negotiations


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● 30/04/2010 Deadline for the draft version of the final description of work (Annex I) and the submission of GPFs based on the ESR recommendations

● 31/05/2010 Deadline for comments from the Commission on the

draft version of the final description of work (Annex I) and of the electronic GPFs

● 15/07/2010 Deadline for the submission of the final version of the description of work (Annex I) and final signed GPFs. GPFs are to be signed only after confirmation by the Commission's administrative officer

● 23/07/2010 The Commission launches its internal procedures for the formal adoption of the proposed financing and finalisation of each Grant Agreement. Grant Agreements will be issued as of September 2010.

Planning of Negotiations


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Participant Portal

● Participant Portal

● Access to the Participant Portal

● Legal Entity Appointed Representative (LEAR) and the Participant Portal

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Participant Portal (PP)Purpose

Today Offer external stakeholders (participants, LEARs, coordinators,…)

a unique entry point, based on a single sign-on (ECAS), for registration, negotiation, amendments, financial and scientific reporting…

Bring homogeneity and better service integration for grant management

Access to calls information, consortium building, etc.

Later on … Unified look & feel Centralized document access (delivery and consortium

documents) Homogeneity and visibility on Business Processes (transparency) Management of proposals

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Access● Access to the Portal and its services requires an ECAS

account● New users are invited to register on the European

Commission Authentication Service (ECAS)● Email address is the unique identifier for persons

Roles and delegation of access● EPSS and NEF provision the Portal with the coordinator

contact point● Only the contact point of the coordinator can delegate

access and assign roles in the Portal● Coordinator contact can change participant´s contact from

the Portal● Participant contact can nominate new administrative,

financial and legal contact, access negotation and amendments

Participant Portal Identity and Access

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Participant Portal Important Links

● Participant Portal (FAQ box) http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal

● Login to access the Participant Portal secured serviceshttp://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/

portal/appmanager/participants/portal/login/

● Creation of an ECAS account https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/aida/selfreg

● Technical helpdesk http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/

portal/appmanager/participants/portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=contactus#wlp_contactus

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Participant Portal Access to Negotiations

● 1. Access the Participant Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/

● 2. Login to your ECAS account

● 3. Go to 'My Projects' tab. Choose the relevant project then click on ‘Access Negotiation’.

● Same procedure stands for accessing amendments

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Participant Portal Access to Reporting

The Participant Portal will also be used for: Technical reporting and

deliverables Financial reporting

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Participant Portal Access

● Online documentation on NEF and the Participant Portal http://212.68.215.215/display/iKnowextern/

NEF+Documentation

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Participant Portal LEAR change requests

● LEAR's rights and obligations Enter legal and financial data of the legal entity on

the Participant Portal URF – Unique Registration FacilityCVT – Central Validation Team

Upload supporting documents Modify such data Inform internal staff of the beneficiary about the

legal entity's data Official contact person for introducing changes,

clarifying any issues with the Validation services Each valid legal entity should appoint a LEAR

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Type of data handled by LEARs via the Participant Portal:

● Organisation data;

● Legal address;

● FP7 financial data, i.e. indirect cost method;

● Legal status of the organisation;

● Financial statements and data (e.g. balance sheet and profit and loss account) used for financial capacity check

● Uploading legal and other supporting documents

● Mergers/acquisitions


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● LEARs can introduce change requests online via the Participant Portal, which then have to be validated by the Validation Service

● Once the entity has been validated and received a final PIC, the LEAR will be able to update certain data fields without interference from the Validation Service (e-mail, telephone number, etc.)

● In case of significant modifications, the LEAR has to introduce the request via the Portal and submit the required supporting documents

● The legal data stored in URF-PDM cannot be changed in NEF

● Automatic synchronisation between URF-PDM and NEF every 24h – validated changes will appear in NEF on the next day


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● If a beneficiary has signed grant agreements, modifications related to the legal entity should follow the amendment guidelines if there is a LEAR, the request has to be sent via the Participant

Portal and the supporting documents have to be uploaded if there is no LEAR yet, the entity has to appoint one, who will

proceed according to the guidelines

● The Validation Service handles the request and, after verification, the updated data will be available on the Participant Portal

● No letter will be sent to the LEAR about accepting the change request. The RTD operational units will be informed about the changes and will issue an information letter to the coordinator only.


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● How to initiate change requests: ECAS registration in the Participant Portal Go to 'My Organisations' tab Under 'Status' the legal and financial data of the

participant is editable for LEARs Modify data and upload supporting documents if

applicable Submit request

● Regarding changes in Indirect Cost Method, requests are to be initiated by an e-mail from the LEAR to the Validation Service giving reasons for the change request to [email protected]


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● Online assistance to LEARs FAQ section of the Participant Portal (Paragraph 5)

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/appmanager/participants/portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=faq#d5


Demonstration for LEARs in the Participant Portalhttp://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal

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NEF tool

● How does NEF work

● Description of Work in NEF

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EC Officer creates a first Negotiation sessionEC Officer creates a first Negotiation sessionEC Officer creates a first Negotiation sessionEC Officer creates a first Negotiation session

EC User

NEF

MAIL SENT TO MAIL SENT TO COORDINATORCOORDINATOR

MAIL SENT TO MAIL SENT TO COORDINATORCOORDINATOR


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Coordinator accesses NEF, Coordinator accesses NEF, completes the GPF file and submits it completes the GPF file and submits it

(data becomes read-only) (data becomes read-only) to EC officerto EC officer

Coordinator accesses NEF, Coordinator accesses NEF, completes the GPF file and submits it completes the GPF file and submits it

(data becomes read-only) (data becomes read-only) to EC officerto EC officer

Coordinator

NEF


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NEF V2Participant’s access

The participant cannot submit the data to the E.C. and doesn’t even have the button “Submit” to do so. Only the coordinator can

submit information to the E.C.

The participant cannot submit the data to the E.C. and doesn’t even have the button “Submit” to do so. Only the coordinator can

submit information to the E.C.

NO BUTTO

N

NO BUTTO

N


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Coordinator’s screen – view project main page

NEF: FRONT OFFICE (Coordinator)

View the GPF form with its actual status in a read only .pdf file

View the GPF form with its actual status in a read only .pdf file


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Project: General information



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Coordinator checks the data: Organisation status


Organisation's status is in READ ONLY

Organisation's status is in READ ONLY


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Coordinator fills in or checks the data: e.g. Bank account



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Interest Bearing Bank Account

ATTENTION:

According to EC Financial Regulations and FP7 rules, it is a requirement of the Grant that the Coordinator’s bank account is INTERESTS BEARING.

If Coordinating entity does not/may not have an interest bearing bank account, explicit exemption must be requested for the entity.

Exemption model letters available.Exemption letter to be sent by the Coordinator directly to

CVT.

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Participant’s screen : Legal data validated by CVT in PDM


If the PIC is validated in PDM it appears on top

of the legal data in NEF Front Office

If the PIC is validated in PDM it appears on top

of the legal data in NEF Front Office

All the organisation’s Legal Data

shown in NEF is in Read Only.

The only changeable Field is the

« short name ».

All the organisation’s Legal Data

shown in NEF is in Read Only.

The only changeable Field is the

« short name ».


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Participant’s screen : Legal data not validated


If The Status is "NOT VALIDATED"

The Participant Identity Code Field appears empty in NEF Front Office

NB: fields are also in Read Only

If The Status is "NOT VALIDATED"

The Participant Identity Code Field appears empty in NEF Front Office

NB: fields are also in Read Only


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Project : Reporting Periods



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Participant’s : Add a New Participant (1)



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If changes in consortium (eg, removal or addition of beneficiaries) or budget

modifications/shifts as compared to the evaluated proposal

letter from coordinator with justification to be approved by the Scientific Officer

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Participant’s : Add a New Participant (2)


Notice:

You must know an organisation’s PIC to add it to the negotiation's participants.

The PIC status can be « not validated » or « validated »

Organisations without a PIC have to register in URF

Notice:

You must know an organisation’s PIC to add it to the negotiation's participants.

The PIC status can be « not validated » or « validated »

Organisations without a PIC have to register in URF

Only organisations with a PIC number

can be added

Only organisations with a PIC number

can be added


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Coordinator submits the data to EC Officer (data read-only for the Coordinator)



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A mail is sent automatically to the EC Officer

E-MAIL

Note: When the EC officer creates a new session a mail is sent to the coordinator automatically and the officers set in the parameters receive a copy of this coordinator’s email.

Note: When the EC officer creates a new session a mail is sent to the coordinator automatically and the officers set in the parameters receive a copy of this coordinator’s email.


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EC Officer:EC Officer:*verifies the data sent by Coordinator *verifies the data sent by Coordinator

*gives comments, *gives comments, *marks session as verified*marks session as verified

* reopens negotiation session if needed * reopens negotiation session if needed

proposal updated proposal updated

EC Officer:EC Officer:*verifies the data sent by Coordinator *verifies the data sent by Coordinator

*gives comments, *gives comments, *marks session as verified*marks session as verified

* reopens negotiation session if needed * reopens negotiation session if needed

proposal updated proposal updated

EC User

NEF


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GlossaryGlossary

URF : Unique Registration Facility (The single point to self-register an organisation and to request for modifications about its data)PIC : Participant Identity Code (The unique ID of an organisation)LEAR : Legal Entity Appointed Representative (The representative of the legal entity in URF) – This person is chosen by the organisation itself & is Highly recommended to ease the communication with the E.C. & avoid double registrations.CVT : Central Validation Team : Validates the participant’s legal data & status provided through URFPDM : Participant Data Management – Internal moduleNEF: Negotiation FacilityGPF: Grant Agreement Preparation FormEPSS: Evaluation Proposal Submission SystemESS: Evaluation Service SystemICM : Indirect Cost Method

URF : Unique Registration Facility (The single point to self-register an organisation and to request for modifications about its data)PIC : Participant Identity Code (The unique ID of an organisation)LEAR : Legal Entity Appointed Representative (The representative of the legal entity in URF) – This person is chosen by the organisation itself & is Highly recommended to ease the communication with the E.C. & avoid double registrations.CVT : Central Validation Team : Validates the participant’s legal data & status provided through URFPDM : Participant Data Management – Internal moduleNEF: Negotiation FacilityGPF: Grant Agreement Preparation FormEPSS: Evaluation Proposal Submission SystemESS: Evaluation Service SystemICM : Indirect Cost Method


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Description of Work in NEF

STRUCTURE OF THE DESCRIPTION OF WORK*

● The Description of Work, which is Annex I to the Grant Agreement, contains the details of the implementation of the project with regard to the work packages, deliverables, milestones, resources and costs of the beneficiaries – organised in a table format - as well as a detailed narrative description of the work. It consists of two parts:

Part A of Annex I contains:

- the cover page, - the project summary, - the list of participants and the budget breakdown - 8 Workplan Tables, which provide details on the implementation of the

project.

Part B of Annex I is based on information from Part B of the proposal. However, during the negotiation stage several sections of the original proposal need to be updated and the Consortium may be requested to shorten certain sections of the proposal and elaborate on others. Part B of Annex I is the narrative part of Annex I. All pages must be numbered and each page should be headed with the project acronym and proposal number. Table of contents to be added “manually”.

*Description of Work (DoW) = Technical Annex (TA) = Annex I


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ONLINE SUPPORT FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE DoW

● The DoW of the projects must be prepared with the help of the online tool NEF (NEgotiation Facility). The cover page and Part A are generated by NEF based on the information given already in the GPFs.

● With the help of NEF, the necessary work tables can be edited, taking into account the links between the different tables and pre-filling some of the information after you have filled in the information under the titles 'work packages' and 'project review'.

● The Part B of the Description of Work is uploaded into NEF by the coordinator as a pdf document (max. 20MB, during negotiations phase .doc format ok with track changes),

● NEF will create the Description of Work out of two files: - one file generated by NEF containing PART A - a second file "PART B - narrative part" uploaded in NEF. ● NEF will create out of the two files the Description of Work

(Annex I).


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Workplan tables – detailed implementation in NEF

● WT1 List of work packages● WT2 List of deliverables● WT3 Work package descriptions ● WT4 List of milestones● WT5 Tentative schedule of project reviews● WT6 Project effort by beneficiaries and work package● WT7 Project effort by activity type per beneficiary● WT8 Project efforts and costs


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Detailed information in document of: Structure of Annex I to the Grant Agreement (Description of Work)

Available on CORDIS webpage:http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/find-doc_en.htmlunder “Templates for Description of Work”


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DOCUMENTATION

On CORDIS webpage,http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/find-doc_en.htmlother useful documents:

- Standard Model Grant Agreement

- Negotiation Guidance Notes

- Guide to Financial Issues

- Presentation of the NEF service (Negotiation Facility)

- Guide to IPR

Documents

1 16/02/2014 The Negotiation Process: Negotiation timeline Participant Portal NEF – Negotiation facility Anita Kucharska Administration and Finance Unit