1. Getting your project started
Junior Project Management course – Europa Media Trainings
Budapest, 13-15 April 2011.
Ms. Adrienn Cseko
Project Manager

2. Content
Who is Who?
Consortium Agreement
Kick-off meeting
Communication and
management
Things to keep in mind

3. Who is Who?
Project Officer and the Legal European Commission
and Financial Officer:
The consortium’s interface with the EC
Coordinator:
The Consortium’s representative Coordinator
towards the EC
Keeps the project on track
Partners:
Joint responsibility for the Project P1 P2 P3 Px
implementation defined by the GA!
Subcontractor(s):
Not part of Consortium – profit included Subcontractors

4. Consortium Agreement
Civil contract between the Beneficiaries
Why?Mandatory unless…
When?

5. CA – What to include
Definitions
Technical Provisions
Managerial Provisions
Steering Committee - powers and roles of the decision making bodies,
specific rules of voting
Mechanisms for quality assurance and control - Internal deliverables
Financial Provisions
IPR - dissemination & use
Access rights to background
Ownership, transfer, protection of foreground
General Provisions
Check list: ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/checklist_en.pdf

6. CA - Possible problems and mistakes
Applicable law – if you want to base the
CA on the Belgian law: get a lawyer from
Belgium
Lack of definitions – guaranteed disaster!!
Hastily prepared
Roadmap and consequences for failure or
withdrawal not laid out properly
IPR, business plans not laid out properly
(use annexes)

7. CA – Information & Help
Standard modular Consortium Agreements:
DESCA, IMG4, IPCA, EUCAR
Comparison of different CA models and modular
agreements are available online
Example: http://www.desca-fp7.eu/download-desca/
IPR Helpdesk: http://www.ipr-helpdesk.org/home.html
Email: ipr-helpdesk@ua.es

8. Getting started with the Kick-off meeting
Specify the date well in advance
Invite the Project Officer
Agenda – everyone should be active at the
meeting
Organise:
Public session?
Site visits?
Ice-breaking event(s)

9. Kick-off meeting - what to include?
Coordinator’s perspective and the basics - clarifying the
project concept and interdependencies between WPs!
EC’s perspective
Introduction of each partner
Work Package presentations by WP leaders
Critical path – overview of critical issues
IPR issues including the Consortium Agreement
Administration, internal monitoring, decision-making
structure, financial issues
....

10. Kick-off meeting - Detailed planning
Detailed work planning is crucial for the project
WP discussions including:
Activities – timeline – resources – partners’
roles and responsibilities
Detailed planning for the first 6 months/1st year :
Who is doing what when?
Deliverables; by whom, by when?
Formats - reports, data, templates

11. Kick-off meeting - Train your partners
Include a training session on reporting
Technical reporting
Financial reporting
Provide:
Templates
Practical examples
Never assume that the partners already know!

12. Minutes of the Kick-off meeting
Who was present? – signed attendance list
What was discussed?
Critical points, questions, conclusions
Activities in detail, timeline, results, person hours, links
to other tasks
description of responsible
task deadline
the task person/partner
1 task
1.1 task
1.2 task
2 task
2.1 task
…

13. …and for the first few months…
Test and implement your project management
systems and routines:
Intranet
Protocol on delivery and reporting (in-house deliverables)
Test your communication protocols; sometimes
e-mail is not enough
„In-house” deliverables – monitoring
performance
Arising problems: if there is smoke there is
fire!!!

14. Final remarks
Never underestimate the human factor
Set the good, efficient and pleasant working style
from the very beginning
Deadline is deadline!
Be proactive and creative
Keep your Project Officer and your partners happy
☺

15. Thank you for your attention!
Adrienn Cseko
adrienn.cseko@geonardo.com
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