Description of Action Clusters Excellence

Description of the Action

(Technical annex 1)

COSME
Call for proposals
COS-CLUSTER-2015-3-02
Project acronym:
Project duration (months):
Start date:
Coordinating organisation:
Number of partners:

Structure

· All pages should be numbered.

· Each page should be headed with the project acronym and drafting date.

Section A: Project summary

A.1 List of beneficiaries and project team

A.1.1 List of Participants
Participant No / Participant Organisation Name / Country
1 (Coordinator)
2
3
4
5
Add lines if necessary

A.1.2 Operational/Technical Capacity: Skills, expertise and role of key staff involved in the project
Participant No / Name of the staff member / Summary of relevant skills and experience / Role/Tasks in the project
1
2
3
…
…
Add lines if necessary

A.2 Work Plan tables

A.2.1 List of Work Packages[1]
Number / Title / Lead beneficiary / Start month / End month / Deliverables No
1
2
3
Add lines if necessary
A.2.2 List of Deliverables[2]
Number / Work package number / Title / Lead beneficiary / Type[3] / Dissemination level[4] / Due date (in months)
1
2
Add lines if necessary
A.2.3 List of Milestones[5]
Number / Title / Lead beneficiary / Due date (in months) / Description / Means of verification
1
2
Add lines if necessary
A.2.4 Critical Risks[6]
Describe the critical risks and mitigating measures envisaged in the implementation of the action
Number / Brief Description / Mitigation measures / Work Package number
1
2
Add lines if necessary

Technical Annex 1 –Description of Work – Call for Proposals – COSME Programme 2015

Section B: Action: objectives, management structures and work plan

B.1 Objectives of the Action

B.1.1 Specific objective(s) of the Action
· Indicate how your proposal addresses the specific challenge and scope of the topic, as set out in the COSME work programme.
· Describe the specific objectives for the project, which should be clear, measurable, realistic and achievable within the duration of the project. Objectives should be consistent with the expected exploitation and impact of the project.
B.1.2. Target group/audience
· This section should describe to which target group(s) the activities are dedicated i.e. SMEs in general, SMEs in specific sector, regional authorities, sectoral organisations, etc. by making the link with the COSME work programme.
B.1.3 Description of work methodology and tools
· Describe and explain the overall concept underpinning the project. Describe the main ideas, models or assumptions involved.
· Describe the methodology, tools and quality control criteria needed for the implementation of the proposed action by making the link with the different work packages.
· Prepare a descriptive fiche in case the applicant is a cluster organisation or business network organisation not already registered at the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (see Information Sheet 1)
B.1.4 Performance Indicators
Describe the indicators used to measure the implementation of the action
Title / Brief Description / Target (quantity)
Add lines if necessary

Technical Annex 1 –Description of Work – Call for Proposals – COSME Programme 2015

B.2. Management structure and procedures

B.2.1 Organisational structure
· Explain how the profile of the proposed participant(s) is aligned with the objectives of the Action.
· List the organisations that fulfil the following criteria: they are located in lagging/transition regions and have no Cluster Excellence Silver/Gold label (see Information Sheet 2)[7]
· Describe the organisational structure and the decision-making process within the consortium.
· Explain why the organisational structure and decision-making mechanisms are appropriate to the complexity and scale of the project.

B.3 Work Plan[8]

More details should be provided in this section for each WP compared to the information already available under Part A.

Work Package 1.
ACTION A: Enhancement of cluster managers' skills towards added-value SME support services
WP. 1.1 Objectives of the Work Package
Describe the specific objectives of the action that will be achieved through this Work Package
WP.1.2 Description of the Work Package
Describe the specific tasks comprised in this work package
WP.1.3 Participants Involved in the Work Package
Participant No / Role / Main tasks
WP Leader
Add lines if needed
WP.1.4 Subcontracting
Describe whether any of the tasks in the Work Package would be subcontracted and explain how the subcontractor will be selected
WP.1.5 Performance Indicators
List the indicators used to measure the implementation of this work package by making the link with section 1.4
Title / Brief Description / Target (quantity)
Add lines if necessary
WP.1.6 Planned effort
· Proposals must include an aggregated overview on planned efforts (person-months). [9] To facilitate the reading of the table, it is important to break-down the project. Please follow the structure below:
Start month: / End month :
Participant No / Total person-months
1 (Coordinator)
2
…
Add lines if necessary
Total (Consortium)
Work Package 2.
ACTION B: Development of a comprehensive strategy for the cluster
WP.2.1 Objectives of the Work Package
Describe the specific objectives of the action that will be achieved through this Work Package
WP.2.2 Description of the Work Package
Describe the specific tasks comprised in this work package
WP.2.3 Participants Involved in the Work Package
Participant No / Role / Main tasks
WP Leader
Add lines if needed
WP.2.4 Subcontracting
Describe whether any of the tasks in the Work Package would be subcontracted and explain how the subcontractor will be selected
WP.2.5 Performance Indicators
List the indicators used to measure the implementation of this work package by making the link with section 1.4
Title / Brief Description / Target (quantity)
Add lines if necessary
WP.2.6 Planned effort
Start month: / End month :
Participant No / Total person-months
1 (Coordinator)
2
…
Add lines if necessary
Total (Consortium)
Work Package 3.
ACTION C: Facilitating cluster cooperation and synergies on skills enhancement and strategy development
WP.3.1 Objectives of the Work Package
Describe the specific objectives of the action that will be achieved through this Work Package
WP.3.2 Description of the Work Package
Describe the specific tasks comprised in this work package
WP.3.3 Participants Involved in the Work Package
Participant No / Role / Main tasks
WP Leader
Add lines if needed
WP.3.4 Subcontracting
Describe whether any of the tasks in the Work Package would be subcontracted and explain how the subcontractor will be selected
WP.3.5 Performance Indicators
List the indicators used to measure the implementation of this work package by making the link with section 1.4
Title / Brief Description / Target (quantity)
Add lines if necessary
WP.3.6 Planned effort
Start month: / End month :
Participant No / Total person-months
1 (Coordinator)
2
…
Add lines if necessary
Total (Consortium)
Work Package 4.
ACTION D: Awareness raising and dissemination of project outcomes
WP.4.1 Objectives of the Work Package
Describe the specific objectives of the action that will be achieved through this Work Package
WP.4.2 Description of the Work Package
Describe the specific tasks comprised in this work package
WP.4.3 Participants Involved in the Work Package
Participant No / Role / Main tasks
WP Leader
Add lines if needed
WP.4.4 Subcontracting
Describe whether any of the tasks in the Work Package would be subcontracted and explain how the subcontractor will be selected
WP.4.5 Performance Indicators
List the indicators used to measure the implementation of this work package by making the link with section 1.4
Title / Brief Description / Target (quantity)
Add lines if necessary
WP.4.6 Planned effort
Start month: / End month :
Participant No / Total person-months
1 (Coordinator)
2
…
Add lines if necessary
Total (Consortium)
Work Package 5. Project Management
WP. 5.1 Objectives of the Work Package
Describe the specific objectives of the action that will be achieved through this Work Package
WP.5.2 Description of the Work Package
Describe the specific tasks comprised in this work package
WP.5.3 Participants Involved in the Work Package
Participant No / Role / Main tasks
WP Leader
Add lines if needed
WP.5.4 Subcontracting[10]
Describe whether any of the tasks in the Work Package would be subcontracted and explain how the subcontractor will be selected
WP.5.5 Performance Indicators
List the indicators used to measure the implementation of this work package by making the link with section 1.4
Title / Brief Description / Target (quantity)
Add lines if necessary
WP.5.6 Planned effort
· Proposals must include an aggregated overview on planned efforts (person-months). [11] To facilitate the reading of the table, it is important to break-down the project. Please follow the structure below:
Start month: / End month :
Participant No / Total person-months
1 (Coordinator)
2
…
Add lines if necessary
Total (Consortium)

Information Sheet 1

Descriptive fiche to be completed by each cluster organization or business network organization.

Are you a cluster organisation or business network organisation that support the enhancement of collaboration, networking and learning in innovation clusters and provide innovation support and or channel specialised and customised business support services to stimulate innovation activities, especially in SMEs, in line with the coverage of innovation clusters under point 1.2(e), 1.3(s) and Annex I in the EU "framework for State aid for research and development and innovation"?[12]

Yes ______

No ______

Cluster Organisation: / City: / Country:
Street: / Postal Code:
Region: / www-Address:
Telephone: / Fax number:

Legal form of organization:

Mission and Vision:

Main Sectors represented by the cluster:

Areas of specialization of the cluster (max. 5 lines):

Main activities of the cluster organization (max. 10 lines), in line with the typical related activities of a cluster and business network organisation may undertake, such as:

a) animation of the cluster to facilitate collaboration, information sharing and the provision or channelling of specialised and customised business support services;

b) marketing of the cluster to increase participation of new undertakings or organisations and to increase visibility;

c) management of the cluster's facilities; and

d) organization of training programmes, workshop and conferences to support knowledge sharing and networking and transnational cooperation.

Total Number of members of the cluster:

Number of SME members of the cluster:

Names and contact details of the cluster management team:

Name / Surname / Position / Telephone / Email

Information Sheet 2

Compliance with the specific criteria for eligible consortia

A. Minimum of two cluster or business network organisations established in regions classified as less developed or in transition, according to the mapping proposed for Structural Funds eligibility for the period 2014-2020[13].

B. Minimum of two cluster and business network organisations that have either no Cluster Excellence label or only a Cluster Excellence Bronze label[14]. In other words, there must be at least two applicants in the consortium that have not yet obtained a Cluster Excellence Silver or Gold label.

An organisation listed under point A can also be listed under point B, if applicable.

Reminder:

Applicant consortia have to be composed of a minimum of three independent legal entities, namely three independent legal cluster and business network organisations.

Partner organisations in the consortium will be legally established in a minimum of three different EU Member States or COSME participating countries. Eligible organisations are only those established in EU Member States or in countries participating in the COSME programme under Article 6 of the COSME Regulation[15].

Information Sheet 3

Declaration as to submission of one proposal[16]

I, coordinator of proposal (please insert number of proposal and acronym) am fully aware and declare to have understood point 6.1 of the call according to which:

It is not allowed that a partner participates in more than one proposal. Should this happen, all the proposals involving this partner will be considered as ineligible.[17]

I hereby accept that if any partner of the above consortium has submitted any other proposal (either independently or as part of another consortium) the proposal submitted by the above consortium will become ineligible.

Therefore, I agree to take steps to ensure that all partners of my consortium are aware of and adhere to this condition.

Full name Date Signature

[1] ‘Work package’ means a major sub-division of the proposed project

[2] ‘Deliverable’ means a distinct output of the project, meaningful in terms of the project’s overall objectives, and constituted by a report, a document, a technical diagram, a software etc.

[3] Please input “R” for reports and other documents, “DEC” for websites and videos and “Other” for other deliverables

[4] Please input “PU” if public and “CO” if confidential (only for members of the consortium and Commission Services)

[5] ‘Milestones’ means control points in the project that help to chart progress. Milestones may correspond to the completion of a key deliverable, allowing the next phase of the work to begin. They may also be needed at intermediary points so that, if problems have arisen, corrective measures can be taken. A milestone may be a critical decision point in the project where, for example, the consortium must decide which of several technologies to adopt for further development.

[6] Critical risks are externalities which may affect the implementation of the action

[7] http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/what/future/img/eligibility20142020.pdf and http://www.cluster-analysis.org/

[8] Should you have more than 2 Work Packages, please copy/paste a Work Package’s structure as many times as necessary.

[9] Person-months factors help to determinate the effort which is necessary to make a certain action done (Work Packages). To calculate it, multiply the total number of hours allocated to the relevant WP by 12 and divide the result by 1720.
For instance, if 350 working hours are allocated to member of the staff X and 510 working hours are allocated to member of the Staff Y, the person-months of that work package is 6. ((350+510)*12)/1720

[10] Please note that as mentioned in Sector 11.1.e of the call text core activities, as project management and administration, cannot be subcontracted.

[11] Person-months factors help to determinate the effort which is necessary to make a certain action done (Work Packages). To calculate it, multiply the total number of hours allocated to the relevant WP by 12 and divide the result by 1720.

For instance, if 350 working hours are allocated to member of the staff X and 510 working hours are allocated to member of the Staff Y, the person-months of that work package is 6. ((350+510)*12)/1720