eGrantsGrant preparation – an overview

HORIZON 2020 Coordinators' DayBrussels, 19 September 2019

"The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission"

Marcos CARVALHO SUZUKICommon Implementation Centre (CIC)CIC B3 – Common service for business processes

Grant agreement preparation (GAP) in H2020

H2020 GAP – the process overview

Key elements - highlights

Hints

HORIZON 2020 Grant Management Lifecycle

Principles

Single gateway for all exchanges: Funding & Tenders Portal

Deep integration of IT tools and services in the Portal

Uniform experience

Common business processes

Electronic-only paperless process flows

Digital sealing of documents

Digital signature on all formal documents replacing blue-ink signatures

Single, common document repository

Full traceability and audit trail ensured (who-what-when)

Pre-defined business rules implemented in the IT suite ensure compliance

3

Evaluation

a time-bound process

Invitation to grant preparation

Grant Agreement Preparation (GAP) Pre-financing

fully electronic process

committed to make it simpler and quicker

Grant signature

Accession GA

Grant Agreement Preparation (GAP)

– the process overview -

The GA preparation – the conclusion of the grant agreement is subject to time limits – strict deadlines(This is a regulatory requirement - FR, RAP, H2020 reg. – save exception action managed by ERCEA)

The invitation letter specifies deadlines applicable for the GAP Align yourself with the applicable deadlines and make diligent efforts to comply with the dates set Notify the EU services if you encounter delays The non-respect of the deadlines may lead to the termination of grant preparation (rejection).

Grant Agreement Preparation (GAP)

– a time-bound process -

Grant Agreement Preparation (GAP)

– the main process steps -

Validation of participants

Setting IAM roles (each ben)

Signature of the 'Declaration of honour' (e-signature, each

ben)

*further iterations possible (completion/correction of grant data)

Ex-ante checks, reservationof funds, preparation of award decision

** If and as defined in the grantagreement

1. Invitation for Grant

Preparation

2. Grant Preparation (Coo + Ben)

3. Review of Grant data*

4. Signature of the

agreement (Coo)

5. Signature of the

agreement (EU)

6. Signature of accession forms (Ben)

7. Payment of pre-

financing**

Your proposal is taken "as is"

Proposals are evaluated on their merit and not on their potential

The Grant Agreement (GA) is prepared on the basis of the proposal selected for funding

BUT this does not mean "no change at all"

Changes that may be necessary:

• Changes to meet legal and financial requirements

• Requirements resulting from ethics review or security scrutiny

• Due to removal of a participant (if agreed)

• Correction of clerical errors and obvious inconsistencies

'No negotiation' does not mean "no control" • Eligibility and viability checks• Anti-fraud measures and risk based controls are carried out

Non-compliance, serious breach or negligence of the applicable rules evokes the termination of grant preparation and the rejection of the proposal.

Grant Agreement Preparation (GAP)

'no-negotiation' (H2020)

Manage Project

IT system suite for grant management

- Fully integrated into the Funding & Tender Portal -

IT system suite for grant management

Portal Grant Management Service (PGMS)

Working on process task: inside the GMS

Disclaimer: for demonstration purposes only, the screenshot contains fictive data

PGMSWorking on process task: inside grant management tool

Based on a "chain of trust" enabling e-signature

The role of the Legal Entity Authorized Representative (LEAR)

Identity and Access Management (IAM) + EU Login

Enacting e-signature: Financial Signatory (FSIGN)

Identity and access management (IAM)

Declaration of honour

Grant Agreement

Accession Forms

the coordinator and each beneficiary,enacted by the LSIGN

- first the coordinator, by the LSIGN

- second the EU EC/Agency

each beneficiary - by the LSIGN

Electronic signature in the grant preparation (GAP)

Based on a pre-defined sequence

eGrants - at cruising speed

H2020 and beyond… some metrics (*)

There are more than 18 000 proposals under evaluation

Around 28 000 signed grant agreements and around 2 000 under preparation

More than 13 000 amendments signed and in force (requested by beneficiaries)

Other 900 are under preparation, 275 being assessed by EU services

20 000 fully integrated reporting - payment processes concluded 2 275 reports are under preparation (due), another 1 250 being processed

and 8 000actions (projects) already finished

more than 60 000 unique users of the grant managing IT suite

more than 620 000 electronic documents stored in e-repository

more than 300 000 e-signatures collected* approximate figures as of

18/09/2019

Grant agreement preparation (GAP)