Baltic Beach Wrack -

Baltic Beach Wrack -

Conversion of a Nuisance To a Resource and Asset (CONTRA)

Project Management and Administration

Tom Schumacher, REM · Consult

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The Project Timeframe

Contracting phase

01/01/2019 30/6/2021 01/7/2021 30/9/2021

Closure phase Implementing phase

21/09/2018 31/12/2018

• Approval date of the project: 20th of September 2018

• Clarifying questions with JS

• Start preparing

Subsidy Contract and Partnership

Agreements

• Producing the contents of the project

• Compiling semi-annual progress reports

• Closing the project

• Compiling the final progress report

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 4

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CONTRA Project Objectives

1. To enhance capacity of local authorities to sustainably recycle beach wrack as a counter eutrophication measure and for healthy water systems by focusing on environmental impacts, local & regional assets, technical

resources, market & value chains, marine resource industry and legislation.

2. To enhance the capacity among policymakers and public authorities on common frameworks for beach wrack processes from collection to end use products.

3. To enhance the capacity of BSR authorities as well as private organisations to realise the potential of beach wrack to meet pan Baltic Sea level targets set for each sector (e.g. in HELCOM BASAP) and maximise its potential for blue growth and job creation.

CONTRA Kick-Off Meeting, Kristianstad

( = durable)

Activities – fine, but more important:

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CONTRA Main Outputs

➢

Transnational and cross-discipline stakeholder network (O2.1)

➢

Socio-economic baseline report (O2.2)

➢

Best practice report for ecologically sound and sustainable beach wrack management solutions (O3.3)

➢

Guidance on beach-wrack processing options (O4.3)

➢

Report "Case Studies for development and demonstration of innovative recycling solutions for beach wrack", including chapters specific to each case study (O5.1)

➢

"Tool kit" publication detailing beach wrack management options

that help improving the environmental status of coastal systems

(O5.3)

CONTRA Gantt Chart

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Who is who?

Lead Partner 14 partners & 22 associated organisations from 6 countries

Rostock, Germany

Project & Financial Management Funding

REM • Consult, Hamburg (Germany) Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020

About

• Founded in 2003, based in Hamburg

• 6 team members (2019)

• Interdisciplinary team

• Focus on development, project- and financial management of EU-funded projects

− Searching for project ideas and partners

− Acquiring regional, national and EU funds for (public)

clients

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

• Basis for all activities is the Application Form

• The project has to deliver every output which has been promised in the Application Form

• Outputs should be delivered in time!

• If outputs have been delivered late or not at all, justification is needed

• Output indicators have been set in the Application Form to make achievements measurable

• JS will check whether targets / outputs have been reached

by reading our semi-annual reports

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• WP leads: responsible for the implementation of the work package and the coordination of the work package activities.

• GoA leads: responsible for the implementation of the activities and for the delivery of the (main) output

• First contact with regard to content-related questions:

1. GoA lead 2. WP lead 3. LP /REM

• First contact with regard to administrative & financial questions:

WP DISCUSSIONS

Topics to be discussed in each WP

• Structure of each GoA (incl. responsibilities, milestones and outcomes)

• Contributions needed of participating partners &

Associated Organisations

• Overlaps between different WPs

• WP internal communication (video/skype/face-to-face

meetings?)

Communication

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Communication requirements

Have a text on website

Place poster in premises (publicly accessible area)

Use the logo!

CONTRA Kick-Off Meeting, Kristianstad

Communication Requirements

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 18

Communication Requirements

Communication Requirements

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 20

Communication Requirements

Communication Requirements

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Project Coordination

Finances and Reporting

“The overall aim of this WP is to provide public authorities, CCI support

organisations and intermediaries with a better basis for understanding

about the CCI's current and future state in the partner regions, based on

which cooperation of CCI enterprises can be valorized and policy

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 24

Finances and Reporting

“The overall aim of this WP is to provide public authorities, CCI support

organisations and intermediaries with a better basis for understanding

about the CCI's current and future state in the partner regions, based on

which cooperation of CCI enterprises can be valorized and policy

Finances and Reporting

“The overall aim of this WP is to provide public authorities, CCI support

organisations and intermediaries with a better basis for understanding

about the CCI's current and future state in the partner regions, based on

which cooperation of CCI enterprises can be valorized and policy

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 26

Finances and Reporting

“The overall aim of this WP is to provide public authorities, CCI support

organisations and intermediaries with a better basis for understanding

about the CCI's current and future state in the partner regions, based on

which cooperation of CCI enterprises can be valorized and policy

Finances and Reporting

“The overall aim of this WP is to provide public authorities, CCI support

organisations and intermediaries with a better basis for understanding

about the CCI's current and future state in the partner regions, based on

which cooperation of CCI enterprises can be valorized and policy

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Project Budget + Funding

Total budget: 2.565.180,87 EUR

Co-financing rates for participating partners:

o 75 % of the eligible costs for partners from DE, DK, FI and SE o 85 % for partners from EE, LT, LV, PL and RU

~1,9m EUR paid by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

~0,6m EUR paid by Partners

All payments are reimbursements – no pre-financing of activities!

General principles

• Each partner is responsible for its own budget and keeps its own books (separate account or sub-account for project recommended)

• The Lead Partner is responsible for the overall project budget and for communication with the Joint Secretariat (JS)

• Budget flexibility: Programme rules allow budget changes to some extent.

To be eligible, all expenditure must be:

- Related to the project activities and necessary for the

implementation of the project

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Reporting and Timelines

• The project is divided into so-called „Reporting Periods“. Each reporting period lasts six months, and the project progress report has to be

submitted to the Secretariat three months after its end

• Expenditure during the contracting phase (first three months) goes into

into 5th report

• All costs related to the project are eligible since 21st September 2018 and

can be reported in the 1st report

Timeline progress reports

Pre-financing of expenditure and reimbursement principle

→ Partners have to generate costs in order to receive reimbursements

Project partners need to ensure efficient financial liquidity since several months can pass

Contracting

31/12/2018 30/06/2019 31/12/2019

2^ndReporting Period 1^stReporting Period

21/09/2018

Pay- ment Preparing

first report

Check of first report

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KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR EXPENDITURE

• Partners will have to compile a list of expenditure in English for reporting purposes

• It‘s a good idea to start using this list already now and add all costs right when they occur (e.g. travel costs after returning from a meeting)

• Keep and register invoices!

• Document decisions (e.g. choice of procurement procedure) and

REIMBURSEMENT PRINCIPLE

Programme

Lead Partner

Project Partners Programme

Lead Partner

Project Partners

Reports Payments

• Submits certified project progress report

• Clarifies questions

• Effects payment to the Lead partner

• Submit certified partner progress report

• Effects payments to the project partners

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Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 1 – Staff costs

• Gross employment costs of staff members working on project activities

• Three options:

• Full-time work for the project (100% of working time CONTRA)

• Fixed percentage of working time spent on the project each month --> calculated on percentage basis of total salary, regardless of actual monthly workload for the project, no time sheets, but specified job description needed

• Flexible working time, different each month, depending on tasks, (part-time assignment or on an hourly basis)

--> Time sheets needed

ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR STAFF WITH VARYING WORKLOAD

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 1 – Staff costs

• Gross employment costs of staff members working on project activities

• Three options:

• Full-time work for the project (100% of working time Creative Ports)

• Fixed percentage of working time spent on the project each month --> calculated on percentage basis of total salary, regardless of actual monthly workload for the project, no time sheets needed

RECOMMENDED

• Flexible working time, different each month, depending on tasks

Specified job description

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Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 2 – Office and administration costs

15 % of staff costs

(regardless of real costs) (calculated automatically)

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 3 – Travel and accommodation

• project partner staff to project events and meetings as well as (project-related) third-party events

• Travel costs (e.g. tickets, travel insurance, tolls, car mileage, parking fees)

• Accommodation costs, Visa costs, Daily allowances To observe:

• Essential for project activities, most economic way of transport

• Observe national and organisation’s internal rules

• Prior approval of travels outside the programme area and the EU

• Only for project partner staff, travel and accommodation expenses of external experts and service providers fall under external costs (BL 4)

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Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 4 – External Expertise

• All kinds of services provided by third parties

• Procurement rules have to be respected

• Travel costs of external experts, guests, associated organisations, end users (only in justified cases)

• External services are listed separately in the application form

• Basis: Contracts of work, supply contracts, service contracts

• Examples for cost items: studies, translations, trainings, communication activities (e.g. web-design, printing brochures), services for organisation of meetings/events, accountancy services and audit costs, registration fees, travel and accommodation costs of external experts, speakers

• Invoices

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 4 – External Expertise

• All kinds of services provided by third parties

• Procurement rules have to be respected

• Travel costs of external experts, guests, associated organisations, end users (only in justified cases)

• External services are listed separately in the application form

• Basis: Contracts of work, supply contracts, service contracts

• Examples for cost items: studies, translations, trainings, communication

activities (e.g. web-design, printing brochures), services for organisation

of meetings/events, accountancy services and audit costs, registration

fees, travel and accommodation costs of external experts, speakers

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Budget Line 4 & 5

Public Procurement*

Principles of transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination

Is the net value of the purchase above EU thresholds?

YES NO

Is the net value of the purchase above national thresholds?

YES NO

Is the net value of the purchase above 5.000 EUR (excl. VAT)?

YES

EU directives apply

National rules apply

Bid-at-three rule applies

No specific rules apply

*for Russian partners a

separate guidance applies

(see Programme Manual pp 92-94)

https://www.interreg-baltic.eu/for-projects/public-

Budget Lines

Bid at three rule

• Contact at least three different service providers who could deliver the service

• Give them a comprehensive description of the service to be delivered

• Collect and document their offers

• Make a choice and justify it (e.g. lowest price, most economic offer, highest quality)

• Inform all bidders about the outcome (winning bid)

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Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 5 – Equipment

• Tool/device to carry out project activities

• Purchasing, renting or leasing of equipment

• Office equipment (laptop, monitor, printer, software)

• Furniture

• Laboratory equipment, machines, instruments

• Equipment items are listed separately in the application form

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 4 – External Expertise

• All kinds of services provided by third parties

• Procurement rules have to be respected

• Travel costs of external experts, guests, associated organisations, end users (only in justified cases)

• External services are listed separately in the application form

• Basis: Contracts of work, supply contracts, service contracts

• Examples for cost items: studies, translations, trainings, communication

activities (e.g. web-design, printing brochures), services for organisation

of meetings/events, accountancy services and audit costs, registration

fees, travel and accommodation costs of external experts, speakers

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 44

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 4 – External Expertise

• All kinds of services provided by third parties

• Procurement rules have to be respected

• Travel costs of external experts, guests, associated organisations, end users (only in justified cases)

• External services are listed separately in the application form

• Basis: Contracts of work, supply contracts, service contracts

• Examples for cost items: studies, translations, trainings, communication activities (e.g. web-design, printing brochures), services for organisation of meetings/events, accountancy services and audit costs, registration fees, travel and accommodation costs of external experts, speakers

• Invoices

FIRST LEVEL CONTROL SYSTEM

The First Level Controller (FLC):

• validates the legality and regularity of expenditure declared by the project partner for Programme co-financing

• checks costs before the payment claim is submitted to the Programme

• two different FLC systems applied in the framework of the Programme

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 46

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 4 – External Expertise

• All kinds of services provided by third parties

• Procurement rules have to be respected

• Travel costs of external experts, guests, associated organisations, end users (only in justified cases)

• External services are listed separately in the application form

• Basis: Contracts of work, supply contracts, service contracts

• Examples for cost items: studies, translations, trainings, communication activities (e.g. web-design, printing brochures), services for organisation of meetings/events, accountancy services and audit costs, registration fees, travel and accommodation costs of external experts, speakers

• Invoices

FIRST LEVEL CONTROL

Centralised Decentralised

• FLC authorities in place

• Contact details on the web

• Inform your controllers

• Ask for requirements

Creative Ports, Kick-Off Meeting, Helsinki 48

Budget Lines

BUDGET LINE 4 – External Expertise

• All kinds of services provided by third parties

• Procurement rules have to be respected

• Travel costs of external experts, guests, associated organisations, end users (only in justified cases)

• External services are listed separately in the application form

• Basis: Contracts of work, supply contracts, service contracts

• Examples for cost items: studies, translations, trainings, communication activities (e.g. web-design, printing brochures), services for organisation of meetings/events, accountancy services and audit costs, registration fees, travel and accommodation costs of external experts, speakers

• Invoices

Questions

?

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Project Coordination

Project Management Team (LP+REM)

tasks laid down in Application Form, page 39:

• Contracting with the MA

• regular communication and with the JS and spread of information to PP

• Preparing a partnership agreement

• Managing project budget (financial flows, budget changes)

• Convening planned transnational project partner meetings, disseminating minutes to inform all partners

• Compiling and submitting activity reports to the JS in time

• Monitoring the project progress and goal fulfilment

• Monitoring the fulfilment of responsibilities of the project partners

• Facilitating an efficient decision-making process,

• Troubleshooting and conflict resolution among the partnership

Steering Committee

To avoid double structures (meetings):

•

take all decisions on a consensus basis with all partners in project plenary

• only in “severe cases” → forward this issue to the SC

•

rules of procedure to be decided, should be very short

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Steering Committee

Changed in Partnership Agreement after feedback:

Article 6

Project Steering Committee

1. The Project Steering Committee (PSC) consists of one senior staff member from the LP, one from each of those PPs that are also Work Package leaders and one permanent representative from the external project management.

2. The PSC will meet up periodically when required and will be chaired by the LP. Further rules of procedure for the PSC may be defined during the kick-off meeting and laid down in the minutes of the meeting.

Steering Committee

Suggestion for “rules of procedure”:

“The Project Steering Committee (PSC) is responsible for taking strategic decisions and monitoring and safeguarding the project’s progress and integrity. It consists of one senior staff member from the LP, one from each of those PPs that are also Work Package leaders and one permanent representative from the external project management. The PSC will meet in person only if a meeting is called by the Lead Partner. Such a meeting must be called at least two weeks in advance. Otherwise the PSC will have regular (monthly or bi-monthly) briefings which will take place in Skype or telephone conferences or by e-mail. The external project management will prepare these briefings by compiling and sending to the PSC members a brief overview of current tasks and milestones. The WP leaders will each

comment and report on the current progress in their WPs as well as difficulties.

The PSC takes all decisions on a consensus basis. In the event that a consensus cannot be reached a decision will be taken by simple majority vote. If the vote is even, then the Lead Partner has the final

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Steering Committee

→ Is this wording okay for you?

If yes, then we collect NOW your signature page and

provide you afterwards a scanned version including the

changes and all signatures.

Tom Schumacher

schumacher@rem-consult.eu

Hauke Siemen

siemen@rem-consult.eu

REM Consult

+49 (40) 52 479 489 6

CONTRA

Contact