Name, Surname, Position Event, Date, Place Managing a LIFE project

Event, Date, Place Name, Surname, Position

Managing a LIFE project


Your project was selected!

1. Congratulations!!! Your project is now part of the LIFE

programme!!!

2. For LIFE (and you) it is crucial that your project is implemented

successfully and that the expected results are obtained

3. LIFE is managed in a strict manner: so do what you promised

and closely follow the administrative and financial guidelines


The Rules and Regulations

• The LIFE Regulation (1655/2000 amended by 1682/2004)

• The Special Provisions of the Commission’s Grant Agreement

• The Common Provisions (CPs)

– Previously known as SAPs

• The project proposal

– Defines scope and objectives of the project

– Contains the baseline for technical and financial planning

– Confirms the partnership and management/team structure

– Summarises objectives and methods envisaged

These documents are your references to proper implementationREAD them!!!


Role of the Beneficiary - 1

• Sole legal and financial responsibility

• Single point of contact with the Commission

• Receives the financial contribution from the EC

• Maintain up-to-date accounts

– including partners

• Bears a part of the costs of the project

• Directly involved in technical implementation / dissemination

CP Art 4


Role of the Beneficiary - 2

• Responsible for partnership agreements

• Responsible for sub-contractors

– Invoices must reference project

• Assures publicity for Community support

• Shares know-how freely with partners

• Does not act as sub-contractor to beneficiary or other partners

• LIFE is managed in a strict manner!!!

• Obtain the expected results

• Closely follow administrative and financial guidelinesCP Art 4


Role of the Partners

• Directly involved in technical implementation and bear a part of

the costs

• Benefit from the Commission’s contribution

• Maintain up-to-date accounts

• Provide all necessary documents to the beneficiary

• Responsible for sub-contractors–Invoices must reference project

• Shares know-how freely with beneficiary and other partners

• Assures publicity for Community support

• Does not act as sub-contractor to beneficiary or other partners

CP Art 5


Notes about Sub-Contractors - 1

• For specific tasks of fixed duration

• Fully funded by beneficiary/partners

• Make no financial investment and do not benefit from Intellectual

Property Rights

• Awards by a public beneficiary/partner must comply with locally

applicable and, where applicable, EU rules

CP Art 6


Notes about Sub-Contractors - 2

• Private beneficiaries/partners must invite competitive tenders and

award to the bid offering best value for money

- (These rules also apply to purchase of durable goods)

• All invoices must include a clear reference to the project

• Contract must allow Commission/Court of Auditors to exercise

powers of control

CP Art 6


Notes about Co-financiers

• Contribute financial resources but do not benefit from the EU

contribution

– except if they are also partners

• Not directly involved in technical implementation

• Beneficiary and/or partners responsible for agreements

with co-financiers

CP Art 7


Deliverables: Project Reporting

One complete copy including the annexes and two copies of the statement of expenditure and income to the Commission

One complete copy including the annexes and a copy of the statement of expenditure and income to the monitoring team

• Periodic Progress Reports

• Mid-term Report

• Final Report

• Model for reports – see LIFE website

CP Art 11


Progress Reports

• On a regular basis (6-monthly or yearly)

• Summary of activities performed in this period

• Work progress overview– Status of the different work packages

• 1st + 2nd progress reports should integrate “Go-NoGo exercise”

• Overall project timing

• Financial summary

• 10-20 pages


The Mid-Term Report

• May be linked to second pre-financing payment

• Must be a complete, stand-alone report

• Technical Report– Detailed report of activities performed in the project to date

– Work progress overview

– Future work plan

– Overall project timing (slippage etc)

• Statement of Expenditures and Income– for information only or as claim for second payment

• Outputs in annexes


The Final Report

• Linked to final payment

• Must be a complete, stand-alone report

• Technical Report– Executive summary

– Detailed Technical Report, including annexes

– Layman’s Report

– After LIFE Communications Plans for 2005 and 2006 LIFE-ENV and LIFE-NAT projects

• Financial– Statement of Expenditures and Income

• When?– At latest, 3 months after end date of project


Final Technical Report

• Project objectives against project achievements

• Project background and organisation

• Detailed account of activities

• Problems encountered, solutions, lessons learned

• Dissemination activities

• Cost benefit analysis, impact assessment

• Re-use of results, transfer potential, scale

• Link with expenditure statement

• In paper and electronic format


Audit

• The Statement of Expenditure and Income needs to be audited if…

– The maximum amount of the grant equals or exceed €500,000

– The final payment requested exceed €150,000

– The pre-financing payment(s) requested exceed(s) €750,000 per

financial year

• The audit must verify compliance with national legislation and

accounting rules and also compliance with the common provisions for

the LIFE Programme

CP Art 27


Request for Amendment

Why?– A change in project scope or objectives

– Changes to key actions/ deliverables

– Changes to legal status of beneficiary/partners

– Changes to start/end date

– Changes to the finance plan

– Changes to technical role of beneficiary/partners

– Changes in budget categories

CP Art 13


Request for Amendment

When?– No later than 3 months before project end

How?– Prior written agreement of the Commission

Guidelines?– See the LIFE website

Please note: - any amendment to the project is granted only exceptionally

and after thorough evaluation and thus any request has to be prepared very carefully

CP Art 13


Monitoring Visits

• Don’t Panic!

• Usually once a year

• May coincide with Steering Group Meetings

• Opportunity to troubleshoot

• Interesting site visits - photo opportunities

• Invite the Desk Officer and the Monitoring Team to all

dissemination events

• Possibility to invite the press or a Member of the European

Parliament


Ownership of Project Results

• The beneficiary and partners own all documents, possibly patentable

or patented inventions and expertise deriving from the project

• You undertake to make such documents, patents and know-how

available in the EC as soon as they are available, on

non-discriminatory and reasonable commercial conditions

• You undertake to follow these rules for five years after the close of

the projectCP Art 17


What we haven’t talked about!

• Civil liability

• Conflict of interests

• Delayed performance

• Termination of the project

• Confidentiality

• Applicable law and competent court


Making LIFE easier

• READ the CPs

• Work with the Monitoring Team

• Draw up a strong Partnership

Agreement

• Request any amendments in

good time

• Arrange for monitoring visits to

coincide with reporting

• Keep the reporting format

consistent - use the

Commission’s templates

• Disseminate - and remember

the LIFE & Natura logos

• Network with other LIFE projects

• …and READ the CPs again!

Documents

Name, Surname, Position Event, Date, Place Managing a LIFE project