Transcript Project EMBRACE - Portal Funduszy Strukturalnych

PROJECT “EMBRACE” PREPARATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION:
LESSONS LEARNT & RECOMMENDATIONS
TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS
Mr. Antonis Boumpoulas,
Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Ms. Melina Lazaropoulou,
TREK Consulting SA
Transnational INTERREG IIIB CADSES Seminar
9/12/2004 Katowice – Poland
AGENDA
 Overview of the Project “EMBRACE”
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Partnership
Short Description of the Project Idea
Strategic Objectives, Concrete Results, and Expected
Impacts
Target Groups – Beneficiaries
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Formulation of the Project Idea
Identification of Suitable Partners
Distribution of Work - Roles
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Joint Convention Agreement
Mobilization and Motivation of the Project Partners
Project Management, Monitoring and Control
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 Lessons Learnt during Preparation
 Lessons Learnt during Implementation
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Basic Data
Project Title
(Acronym and Ref.):
“Improving the Access of SMEs from
Rural Regions to the Knowledge and
Information Society”
(EMBRACE 3B078)
Submitted to JTS:
2nd Call (mid June 2003)
Approved by the
Steering Committee:
2/2/2004 (without any modification)
Subsidy Contract:
21/9/2004
Start:
1/5/2004
Finish:
31/12/2005
Budget:
1.750.000 EUR
of which ERDF: 1.125.000 EUR
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Partnership (1/3)
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5 countries (Greece,
Italy, Austria, Hungary,
Bulgaria)
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3 areas in Greece
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1 area in Italy
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2 areas in Austria
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2 areas in Hungary
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2 areas in Bulgaria
12 partners
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7 partners with financial
contribution (ERDF and
Phare)
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5 partners with
“observer” status
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Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Partnership (2/3)
1. Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(GR) – LEAD PARTNER
2. Serres Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GR)
3. TREK Consulting SA (GR) – TECHNICAL LEADER
4. ASTER Scienza Tecnologia Impresa (IT)
5. DANUBE European Training, Research and
Technology (A)
6. RIZ Holding Lower Austria Ltd. (A)
7. Hungary National Business and Innovation Centre
INNOSTART (HU)
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Partnership (3/3)
8.
Theodore Puskas Foundation - Institute of
International Technology (NETI) (HU)
9.
Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(HU)
10. Chamber of Commerce and Industry for BorsodAbaúj-Zemplén County (HU)
11. Bulgarian Association of Regional Development
Agencies and Business Centres (BARDA) (BU)
12. Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Stara
Zagora (BU)
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Short Description of the Project Idea
Design, develop and implement spatial development
policies, initiatives and actions for the benefit of SMEs
in rural and underdeveloped urban areas
Improve SMEs’ access to the Knowledge Society &
the Information Society through state-of-the-art
business support services
Establish a virtual network offering consulting,
training, information, B2B e-commerce platforms,
links to / matchmaking with venture capitals, etc.
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Strategic Objectives
 Promote the access to knowledge and the
information society through new information
technology services
 Develop and/or extend the cooperation and
networking among business, academic, research,
know-how and technology transfer related
institutions
 Introduce technology and information systems, in
order to facilitate and promote the exchange of
information between SMEs, the market and other
economic/financial entities.
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Concrete Results (1/2)
 Design, develop and implement concerted /
coordinated policies for bringing SMEs from rural
and underdeveloped areas closer to the Knowledge
and Information Society, based on the specific
characteristics of each region and utilizing
international best practices.
 Design, develop and implement online and offline
business support services especially tailored for
SMEs in rural and disadvantaged urban areas
(consulting and training, B2B e-commerce
platforms for the exchange of know-how,
expertise and products, and matchmaking
activities for accessing funds from investors).
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Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Concrete Results (2/2)
 Ongoing, ex ante and ex post evaluation of the
project’s performance and impact.
 Preparation of a Follow-up Strategy, to sustain and
expand the project’s activities.
 Preparation of a Dissemination Plan and
implementation of a wide range of relevant
activities, with the aim of raising awareness
among target-groups and direct beneficiaries of
the project.
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Expected Impacts
 Increase of SME competitiveness in the regions
concerned
 Utilization of new channels for business
cooperation (e-commerce)
 Improvement of business support services
provided by public entities through the use of ICT
 Adoption of new methods and means for
technology, innovation and know-how transfer.
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Target Groups – Beneficiaries (1/2)
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES:
 SMEs in rural and underdeveloped / disadvantaged
urban areas in Greece, Italy, Austria and Hungary.
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A key success factor is to reach an audience of at
least 50.000 SMEs from all regions covered by the
project participants.
 Public entities which provide business support
services (CCIs, IRCs, BICs, EICs, etc.) and belong
to the project’s consortium.
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
Target Groups – Beneficiaries (2/2)
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES:
 Non-participating public organizations, which
support SMEs and could act as regional
administrators in the future expansion of the
project.
 Non-participating institutions, public organizations
and companies, which provide support services to
SMEs and could use the virtual network’s tools to
improve the performance of their services.
 Other governmental bodies responsible for the
formulation of strategies and policies to support
and foster entrepreneurship in remote,
underdeveloped areas.
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CADSES Seminar
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
For more information, you may visit our project website at:
www.e-embrace.net
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING PREPARATION
Project Idea Formulation (1/2)
 Start from your region, locate specific spatial
problems, and identify how CADSES programme
can address your needs (not the other way around!)
 See the whole picture: why is your problem of a
European-wide interest? Identify similar problems
in other European regions
 Read carefully all programme’s related documents
(CIP CADSES, Programme Complement, Applicants’
Manual, ESDP, legal documents, previously
accepted projects etc.).
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CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING PREPARATION
Project Idea Formulation (2/2)
 Support your concept with adequate background
information on national/regional policies and
strategic documents (e.g. National Regional
Development Plan in Greece)
 Elaborate innovative/unique ideas and select the
best one through brainstorming, checklists etc. –
Utilize third parties’, external experts’ and
potential partners’ review and feedback
 Discuss your project idea with national CCPs and
JTS – Further elaborate and improve the concept.
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING PREPARATION
Partners’ Profile Identification & Search (1/3)
 Upon formulation of your project idea:
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Draw the basic competences and skills required from
potential partners
Define what type of organizations are more proper
for your project (governmental institutions, business
unions, local/regional authorities, …)
Contact many potential partners (through your
organization’s records, CADSES events, your national
CCPs, the CADSES website, etc.) – Request profiles
and fields of expertise – Scrutinize them and
evaluate
Prepare a table: in the rows insert the names of
potential partners; in the columns the areas where
expertise is needed; check properly and decide
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING PREPARATION
Partners’ Profile Identification & Search (2/3)
 Include as many partners as possible, but…
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Not too much, because project coordination will
suffer
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And not too few, because the transnational character
of the programme cannot be justified
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Empirical evidence suggests that 6-10 partners are
the ideal number (depending always on the project
idea)
 Include partners with a decision-making power
and sufficient authority to implement what your
project will produce
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING PREPARATION
Partners’ Profile Identification & Search (2/3)
 Try to have diverse profiles of partners
(“pioneers” and “followers”), so as to accomplish
the ERDF’s aim, i.e. reduce regional disparities by
exchanging and diffusing knowledge and
experience from well advanced regions to those
lagging behind
 Involve partners early in the development of the
application form – Request data, information,
references, insights etc.
 Remember:
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This procedure might take a lot of time
Start early – at the latest 2 months before the
deadline!
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING PREPARATION
Distribution of Work and Roles among Partners
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Based on the table built previously, e.g. for EMBRACE:
Partner 1
FIELD 1:
Innovation
Transfer
FIELD 2:
Advisory
to SMEs
FIELD 3:
Training to
SMEs
FIELD n:
…
√
√
√
√
√
√
Partner 2
Partner …
√
Partner n
√
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING IMPLEMENTATION
Joint Convention Agreement
 A legal document, part of the Subsidy Contract
 The most crucial step in implementation
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Some partners may decide now to withdraw!
 Take into consideration the JTS requirements both in
content and in the final form of the document
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In the case of EMBRACE, the preparation and signing of
the JCA took almost 4 months (and it is still among the
best cases!)
 Include all terms and conditions required for
ensuring the LP’s position (see LP principle) and the
other partners, e.g.
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Deadlines for deliverables not stated in the AF
Penalties for not meeting deadlines mutually and
officially accepted
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING IMPLEMENTATION
Mobilization and Motivation of PPs
 Good leadership is among the most important
success factors
 The LP has to inspire, motivate and mobilize
project partners
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Management by Objectives
Management by Example
 Therefore the LP has a multidimensional role
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Scientific, administrative and financial coordination
Monitor progress and quality
Provide feedback to partners
 Concluding, the LP should be experienced,
equipped with the necessary resources (human,
material) and with exceptional leadership skills
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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LESSONS LEARNT DURING IMPLEMENTATION
Project Management, Monitoring and Control
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Establish mechanisms for PM – e.g. in EMBRACE, the
PM Toolkit
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Open, Regular and Direct Communication with PPs
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Indicators for monitoring progress and evaluating
performance
Templates for internal and official reports
Project Cooperation Intranet (private part of the
project website)
Manuals, instructions, guidelines
Establishment of a mailing list with all PPs
Activity and Financial Progress Monitoring
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Internally: each quarter
Externally: each semester
Utilization of Information Technology
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CADSES Seminar
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SUMMING UP (1/2)
 Start the whole procedure at least 3-4
months prior to the submission deadline
 Read, read, read!
 Come up with innovative ideas that
comply with your priorities and the
CADSES objectives & requirements
 Find the ideal partners and allocate from
the beginning tasks and roles
 Communicate your project idea to all
relevant CADSES Contact Points
Katowice, 9/12/2004
Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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SUMMING UP (2/2)
In case of project approval:
 Pay attention to the Joint Convention
Agreement – it’s not as simple as it
seems!
 For LPs: Manage by Example – Inspire –
Motivate – Mobilize
 Establish state-of-the-art project
management techniques, mechanisms
and tools
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Transnational INTERREG IIIB
CADSES Seminar
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For more information,
you may contact the Project Director:
Mrs. Melina Lazaropoulou
Strategy and Development Unit Manager
TREK Consulting SA
Tel. +30-210-69.96.157
Fax +30-210-69.95.450
E-mail: [email protected]
www.trek.gr
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CADSES Seminar
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Thank you for your attention
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