Experiences of a NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 23/05/2005, Poznan, Poland Prof. Dr. ir. Bert LAUWERS Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division PMA K.U.Leuven, Leuven (Belgium) How to write a STREP project ? Last NMP call for proposal in the FP6

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 2/13 The idea ? The MONCERAT idea has been developed based on existing bi-lateral or small co-operations –MONCERAT  EDM & ceramics ! Industry should be involved –They have to ensure further exploitation and commercialization Networking is important ! You have to know people (industry, via conferences, CIRP,..) –I never used the service from EU in order to find partners ! The attitude may not purely be “We have to define a project, because we need to finance our research group” (especially for R&D centers)

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 3/13 From idea to project How to fit the idea in an EU-project proposal –What is possible Type of instrument (IP, STREP,..) –Read the call !!! What are the priorities ! Proposal preparation is an iterative process ! –Start in time, even before the call is launched –The idea grows –A good proposal is not written in 2 days ! –….

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 4/13 From idea to project One person has to take the lead !!!! –Chairing the meetings –Writing the proposal I did it together with one of my assistants (but he was from the same organization) Setting-up the work plan –Initial partners made a first work plan ! –I made a first draft of a planning (and some ideas of budget !) Start with proposal writing in an early stage –Structure –What do you need for information, it is only by writing that you detect what you sometimes need as information

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 5/13 From idea to project: rough planning

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 6/13 Complete the idea Do you need other players ? –Eg. MONCERAT Material producers Design aspects Consortium can be extended with end-users ! Continue writing the proposal on all aspects –Objectives, state-of-the-art,… –Relations to the call –Parts of the detailed work plan  here things can change of still other partners come in. But put a dead-line on the final consortium  after a certain date, no other partners allowed.

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 7/13 The consortium Just enough partners No overlapping in research and developing partners (end-users could have some overlap in activities) Make sure that you have the partners for exploiting the research Partners from new EU-countries is important, but first priority is always a good consortium. –Only in case your project is on the border line during evaluation, these other items start to play a role ! Coordinator can certainly be a university !

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 8/13 Supporting research institutes MONCERAT: Structure & partner co-operation Ceramic material producers Strong co-operation between ceramic material producers, EDM machine builders and end-users EDM machine producers End users PROPENSION

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 9/13 Detailed planning Finilize the detailed planning –WP’s, tasks,.. –Make the planning as such that you can define milestones easily (e.g. at 18 months,…) –Define clear deliverables ! (not to much, just enough !) –Allocate man-months Act as a leader –Ask the partners what they can deliver as man-months, but modify it (and convince the partners) in case it is needed for having a good project Do not define tasks with a high number (>20) man-months –It is difficult for an evaluator to know whether you need this high amount of man-months or not ! –If there is a budget cut  then they will first reduce the higher man- months tasks

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 10/13 Budget Refine the budget –Define all cost items (labour, equipment, consumables,..) –Ask the partners also the explanations (what type of consumables,..) You have really to show in your proposal what the different cost items are, otherwise evaluators will not be able to see why you need this budget  then budget reduction –I did the distribution over RTD, demonstration and management my-self –Planning, budgets,… is all collected in an intelligent excel file !

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 11/13 Collection of other information You have to write paragraphs on the impact on employment, impact on the environment, exploitation,.. –Not easy –Collect figures about the status in Europe (also related to US and Asia) –Ask partners to support you E.g MONCERAT (figures on use of ceramics in the world, use of EDM machine,..)

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 12/13 Final proposal writing & submission See next talk As said  one writer ! Let it read by a colleague (eventually one who is not involved in the project) Put a dead-line for final proposal some days before submission I submitted the proposal in paper (not electronic)

Experiences NMP 1 st call STREP coordinator How to develop a project from the idea 13/13 Conclusions From idea to project proposal is an iterative process –E.g Objectives are sometimes finalized in the last step (once you all have the other information) One leader, one writer  the project proposal should be written in the same style A good planning (well structured, no high number of man-months for a certain task) Be realistic ! Finally, the proposal should read well !!!