Scotland’s Environment WebLIFE Project

LIFE10 ENV-UK-000182

Paula Brown

Senior Project Manager – SEPA

• Inception and Timeline• Implementation and Organisation• Issues• Lessons Learnt

Inception of the bid• existing project idea, funding suggestion, bid development• 8 week bid process – team from the existing Scotland’s

Environment Web project – July 2010.• Part B – description of the why, arguments around benefits,

overall summary of project• Part C – 25 individual actions, format prescribed by template,

Preparatory, Implementation and Communications actions• SEPA sole co-ordinating beneficiary – partners submitted letters

of support • Submitted on 31 August 2010

Aug – Bid submitOct – EU mail

Feb – Info reqJul – SUCCESS

2010 2011 2012

Jan – Revision May – Inception

Timeline of bid progress

July 2011: Commission approves €244 million for 183 new environment projects – UK : 5 projects; €17m3 types:LIFE+ Nature and BiodiversityLIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance (4)LIFE+ Information and Communication (1)

Bid document• 25 Actions• 71 deliverables• £4m• 4 years

Project Implementation

4 Objectives to be delivered through 25 Actions organised into 5 work streams.

Lead allocated to each work stream – Business Expertise

Review of bid by new staff (1yr4m later – world had changed) – this activity had not been in the plan !!

Break into stages (financial year) and consult partner group to decide products

How did we get started ?

Document Management

– 33.5GB– 55,625 files,– 3,782 folders– Meetings (so far)

• 150 Project Team• 39 Management Group• 44 Project Control Board• And lots more !!• 160 separate partner contact staff

Organisation

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm EU LIFE Programme website

Application Process - Guidelines

Common Provisions – Rule Book

Bid Delivery – PRINCE2 – Product-based planning

Tools

Administration

• Recruit early – starting with Project staff• Ensure engage with :

– HR– Finance– Time Management

– Resilience– Legal– Comms

to set-up, plan and implement the LIFE process adaptations that are required

Issues

• Interpretation of Common Provisions – e.g. 2% rule (staff vs cash – personnel-heavy budget structure)

• Recruitment and Retention of staff (fixed contracts)• Revision of bid – new staff, new world (social media)• Management of partnerships and expectations while planning

and collecting requirements – 2012• Admin – Time recording, HR letters, Expenses, Procurement

rules, Memorandum of Understanding

………. A Balancing Act

Ideas

Admin and Planning

Weighed down with Admin and Planning when we would have liked to be harvesting all the ideas being generated

First Year

Plan for Stage 1

Website – March 2015

Here and Now6 months to go !!

• Secure the Future of SEWeb – partnership, website• Transition to BAU of 70 + products• Ensure LIFE team skills and experience can be used

for the Future• Retain staff for critical last 6 months• Administration for future Audit anytime up to end

2020 !!

Lessons Learnt * ‘Don’t do it for the money!!’- LIFE funding is valuable when the project aligns with direction of strategy of organisation - Advice from experts (in bid application) was invaluable when working to short timeframe- Way bid was written allowed flexibility and input from partners on substance of work* Allow time for bid review in bid plan and resources * Recruit early* Make sure support structures are agile and flexible – Recruitment, IS, Finance* Ensure time spent early in Budget Management – e.g. Euro exchange; FY EU vs UK * Communication within your organisation is key* Don’t underestimate promotional and communication efforts required by LIFE bid- Bid relying heavily on staff meant depended on resources that were scarcer in all organisations in 2012 – 2014- Project has become a focus for work in this arena * Useful to look at reporting requirements (inception, mid-term) at start to begin gathering correct measures and evidence.- Areas where external partner work is funded have been very successful e.g. SNH/HS (LIS); dot.rural; Education Scotland