1. About
Celtic
1.1 What
does Celtic stand for and what are the goals of this initiative?
Celtic stands for "Cooperation for a European sustained Leadership in
Telecommunications". Celtic is a European research and development programme designed to
strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in telecommunications through short and medium term collaborative R&D projects. Celtic is the only
European R&D programme fully dedicated to end-to-end telecommunication solutions. It has a timeframe of 5 years, from 2004 to 2008: The
cluster budget: in the range of 1 billion euro, shared between governments and private participants. Participant in Celtic projects are
small, medium and large companies from the telecommunications industry, universities, research institutes, and local authorities from 33
countries. more....
1.2 What
is a EUREKA cluster project?
EUREKA ‘Clusters’ are long-term, strategically significant industrial initiatives. They usually have a large number of participants,
and aim to develop generic technologies of key importance for European competitiveness. Celtic is a EUREKA cluster project that carries
out projects in the domain of integrated telecommunications systems.
1.3 What
is a Celtic Label?
A Celtic Label is an indication that a proposal has been technically assessed
and proposed by the Celtic Core Group, in discussion with the Public Authorities, as a valid Celtic project. A Celtic label does not
give any confirmation that public funding has been agreed for that project. The funding negotiation still needs to be done by each
project partner individually.
1.4 Is
a Celtic Label assigned for the whole project or for each project partner?
After the evaluation process and the labelling process a Celtic label is
assigned to the proposal and to all project participants included in the proposal. In case a new partner will come in later the Celtic
label will be extended to this partner also (e.g. by approving a project change request). However, it is possible that the Celtic label
is removed for a project participant only, e.g. in case this participant is not eligible for the label or is not willing to comply to
the Celtic or EUREKA rules.
1.5 How
long is a Celtic Label valid?
A Celtic label, as it is the case for any EUREKA label, is valid only for
maximum one year. If within this time a project has not started the label will be removed and has to be applied for again (e.g. by
applying for a follow-up call).
2. About EUREKA
2.1 What
is the organisation EUREKA?
EUREKA has been created as an intergovernmental Initiative in 1985. It aims to enhance European competitiveness through its support
to businesses, research centres and universities who carry out pan-European projects to develop innovative products, processes and
services.
3. Public funding, Public Authorities
3.1 How
to apply for public funding?
It is very important to understand that each project participant has to
establish, as early as possible, a contact with the responsible national public authority. An early contact can avoid unnecessary work
for producing a proposal in case national funding will be unlikely to be obtained.
Funding is possible through grants, subsidies or loans. The percentage of funding varies and is generally in the region between 30 and
60% of the total budget. Some countries have a dedicated EUREKA budget while others provide funding through the normal funding programs.
An overview on the national funding schemes can be found at the Celtic-Public-Authorities web page and at the
EUREKA site.
3.3 How
to contact the national representatives (Public Authority)?
Public Authorities in charge for the Celtic cluster are listed at the
Celtic web site- contact page. At this page, as far as available, information is
provided on funding requirements and application modalities.
3.4 What
possibilities exist if national funding is not granted?
If a partner will not receive public funding it is recommended to check
on the national side if other possibilities exist to receive financial support. This may be possible, e.g. through loans or national
research initiatives
that provide e.g. support for SMEs. The partner may, of course, also decide to work in a project on own costs or to withdraw from the
project.
4.
Proposal definition and submission
4.1 How
is a Call organised, why two phases, why does it take 1 year to start a project?
In order to avoid lengthy work to define a project which then may fail at the end it is less critical
to define, at the first stage, a project outline. If it is considered a good and promising proposal that may also have good chances for funding,
you will be invited to submit, in a second phase, a full project proposal.
Another reason for the two-phases call process is the availability of public funding that could already be
prepared during the first phase and then finally be agreed after the successful second phase and the assignment of the Celtic label. As
the public funds, generally, are based on annual budgets the whole call process needs a full year to complete.
4.2 What
should be observed when building a consortium?
As for any EUREKA project the minimum requirements for a consortium are at least two different partners
from two different countries. Celtic projects, generally, have from 3 to even 23 different partners. Ideally, the number of partners
should be limited to a manageable size. The number of different countries should, preferably, not exceed 6 countries as the funding
agreements become more complicate with increasing number of countries.
It is also important that strong partners from larger industry, TelCos and SMEs are included. In addition partners from academia or
research institutes may complement the consortium.
4.3 How
do I find interested experts/ companies for a project?
As first step it is recommended to check the
Celtic find-a-partner page where all companies and projects are listed that have indicated their
interest to become involved in a Celtic project. If a suitable partner is not listed it is recommended to fill in the contact form. Your request will then be published
on our web site. You may also contact the Celtic Office for direct assistance.
Another very good opportunity is the participation at the
Celtic Information Day where project ideas will be discussed and first contacts with potential partners may be established.
4.4 How
can I improve the success rate of my proposal?
a) Your objectives have to be in line with the
Celtic Purple Book; b) Follow the instructions and recommendations given in the
Guide for Proposers; c) Take care that your proposal outline provides already a good
picture of your intended project. If your ideas become not clear or if your current consortium or project plan appears too weak you may
loose the opportunity to be invited for full project proposal; d) Have a good balance of your consortium that complies with EUREKA
rules.
4.5 Can
I submit a proposal if the consortium is not (yet) complete?
This is possible for a proposal outline but it is very critical for a full
project proposal. It is, however, strongly recommended that also a proposal outlines shows a consortium as complete as possible to allow
a meaningful technical assessment and to establish early discussions with the public authorities with respect to funding possibilities.
4.6
What is the typical size and composition of a Celtic project?
As a guideline for composing your proposal the average size and composition of a typical Celtic proposal may be interesting. In case
of significant difference it is recommended to check with the Celtic Office first before submitting your proposal.
Typical numbers for Celtic project (as orientation) are:
-
number of partners:
5-15
-
number of countries:
3-8 (minimum 2)
-
total budget: 3 - 15 MEuro
-
total effort: 20 - 110 PY
-
duration: 24 - 30 months
4.7 How
to assure confidentiality during proposal submission/ definition phase?
It is recommended to settle a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) as soon as
possible when discussing a proposal with other (potential) cooperation partners. The NDA should remain valid until a PCA has been signed.
In case the proposal fails to be accepted the NDA may remain valid up to a certain duration (e.g. 2-3 years). The NDA has to be defined
and agreed with the cooperation partners. Celtic provides a model NDA that
could be used as a starting point.
4.8
How are SME (Small-Medium Enterprises) defined ?
An organisation is considered a SME if it meets the following criteria:
The following definition as used by the commission
applies also:
5.
Legal aspects
5.1 What
means the signature of a Confirmation Letter (CL)?
By signing the Confirmation Letter (CL) all organisations participating in a
proposal confirm that they have taken knowledge about and accepts the payment rules and the conditions for the Celtic fee.
5.2 Is
a Confirmation Letter still necessary even if my company has already signed one for another proposal?
The CL is customised for an individual proposal and, consequently, only valid for that particular proposal. In case the
same partner participates in another proposal a new CL has to be signed again. Core Group companies are not requested to sign a CL as
they signed the CFA.
5.3 When
must a Confirmation Letter (CL) be sent to Celtic?
It is requested that the
CL is available at the Celtic Office
before the Celtic label is awarded. In case the CL has not be received at this time the label remains provisional for a short time until
the CL has been sent.
5.4 Do
universities also need to send a CL?
Yes, all participants have to confirm that they have taken notice of and accept the payment rules no matter if they have
to pay the fee or if they will be exempted.
5.5 What
does a Declaration of Acceptance (DoA) mean; when and for whom is the signature necessary?
The signature of the DoA
confirms that the project participants acknowledge and accept the rules laid down in the Celtic Frame Agreement (CFA). The
CFA is only signed by Celtic Core Group companies.
A DoA must only be signed once by each individual company.
5.6 What
purpose has the Celtic Frame Agreement (CFA), do I need to sign it?
The CFA is the general agreement on the legal organisation of Celtic.
The CFA is only signed by Celtic partners (core group companies). Project participants have to sign the
DoA instead. By this signature they accept the rules of the CFA.
5.7 How
to assure confidentiality during project submission/ definition phase?
Confidentiality rules are laid down in the PCA and CFA. There is no need for any additional agreement between project
participants. However during the project definition phase it is recommended to sign a mutual
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
5.8 How
to settle a Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA)?
Celtic projects are strongly advised to use the agreed project cooperation agreement (PCA). Since the PCA is largely based on
the rules of the Celtic frame agreement (CFA) all project participants (if not yet done in another project) have to sign a declaration
of acceptance (DoA), confirming the acceptance of the CFA rules.
5.9 What
means “balanced” and “unbalanced” partner; how to define this?
In order to simplify the handling of IPR and use of knowledge the PCR proposes to
indicate for the individual project partners if their contribution would be similar in effort and value compared to other partners. If
this is the case the partners should consider those partners as "balanced". In case of major discrepancies in effort/ value the partners
will be considered as "unbalanced". Balanced partners can use knowledge of other partners without additional license or royalty costs.
As Celtic is running collaborative research projects it is strongly recommended, as a starting point, to consider all partners by
default as balanced. Only for those partners with significant differences in active contribution or value of their input to knowledge a
differentiation should be considered. A possible approach to define balanced/ unbalanced (e.g. in the PCA) could be to:
-
Establish a table where effort figures are compared. Within certain margins all comparable partners should be
considered as balanced.
-
Extend this table by additionally indicating a particular value or importance of a contribution that could bring
a partner with lower effort also into a balanced situation.
6. Project set-up
6.1 What
actions are required during project set-up?
During the project set-up phase the followings actions need to be completed:
-
Application of national funding by each partner (if possible approval should be indicated or confirmed
-
Discussion and preparation of a revised project description (PD)
-
Preparation of a PCA draft
-
Signature of the Declaration of Acceptance (DoA)
-
Agreement on a kick-off date
6.2 What
is needed for a project kick-off?
-
Before setting a kick-off date it should be assured that at least two project partners from two
different countries have received a confirmation of funding.
-
The required set-up actions should be completed
-
Celtic Office must be informed about the kick-off
date
-
After the kick-off meeting minutes have to be issued to indicate the project start
6.3 When
is a project considered as started?
A project can only be considered started if the EUREKA minimum project requirement is fulfilled, i.e. two partners from
two different countries will start the work.
7. Project execution, project
modifications
7.1 How
does Celtic provide support during project execution?
The Celtic Office or the Celtic Core Group provide support and help
in all phases of the project life-cycle:
-
During project set-up: assistance for definition of PCA, search for additional/ alternative partners, funding
problems; etc)
-
During execution phase: online reporting, PCR approval, advise in case of problems, contacts with PAs
-
Project evaluation: initiation of project reviews, progress reports, advise to improve project execution
-
Provision of technical support tools (e-mail exploders, web- and ftp server hosting, online reporter)
-
Assistance for project publications (printed and electronic media)
7.2 What
kind of reports are requested from the project?
Celtic requests, as minimum, a quarterly progress reporting from each
running project. Preferably, the online reporting tool should be used for this. In addition, Celtic will issue an annual report that
will also sent to the Public Authorities.
7.3 How
to handle changes in a project, how will they be approved?
All changes in a project that affect the participants in a project, the
annual effort or budget figures per partner, the issue dates of deliverables, or changes in objectives and results must officially be
announced by
a Project Change Request (PCR). A PCR must be approved before it becomes
effective. In case of minor or less significant changes the approval will be done by the Celtic Office. Otherwise the Core Group (in
consent with the PAs) have to approve a PCR.
7.4 What
to do in case of significant changes in the project (e.g. partners are leaving)?
Significant changes (e.g. strong modifications in effort/ budget, number of
partners, objectives) require approval of the Celtic Core Group, if necessary, in consent with the concerned Public Authorities. The PAs are always informed about any
changes in a project.
8. Deliverables
8.1 Who
approves deliverables?
Normal deliverables, generally, are not approved by Celtic. However, it is
requested that a finalisation of a deliverable is reported by the corresponding quarterly report. In case of a mid-term review the
published deliverables will, however, be taken into account for the review.
8.2 How
shall deliverables be disseminated?
Deliverables that have been declared for general publication should be accessible from the Celtic project web pages.
Generally, Public Authorities request also a special publication on national basis. Another way to publish results is by
dissemination through public conference (including Celtic events) and work shops.
8.3 Are
there confidential and public deliverables?
Projects can produce both confidential (i.e. only accessible to project participants) and public deliverables. Main
deliverables, except for special cases, should be publicly accessible.
9. Reporting
and reviews
9.1 What
kind of reports are requested from the project?
In order to
control and observe the correct progress of a project all projects are
strongly advised to report the progress of the work on a quarterly basis.
For preparing the reports a very efficient and easy to use online reporting
tool (included in the EuresTools) can be made available to the projects at
no costs.
9.2 Can
a project change the reporting periods?
A project can define also shorter reporting cycles, e.g. monthly or
bi-monthly reporting. The default is quarterly reporting per calendar quarter. Upon request the reporting tool can easily be adjusted to
a different cycle.
10.
Budget and effort
10.1 Which
costs can be included in the project budget?
In the project budget all costs can be included that are also eligible for public funding. In the budget costs for the
work force, travels, costs of equipment, and other costs can be included, provided these are not explicitly excluded by the public
authorities. Please note that the Celtic fee cannot be included in the project budget (see also 10.9).
10.2 What
is the ratio between person year (PY) and person month (PM)?
Celtic is working on the assumption that 1 PY equals to 12 PM.
In case that a partner is using a different ratio (e.g. 1PY=10PM) the effort tables should be normalised to the Celtic ratio (for
example: 1 (company) PM = 1.2 (Celtic) PM or 1 (Celtic) PM = 0.83 (company) PM). This
avoids discrepancies and inconsistencies in the project plan and budget tables.
11.
Celtic fee and invoicing
11.1 Why
to pay a Celtic fee?
The Celtic fee is necessary to run the EUREKA cluster organisation, the Celtic Office and the Eureka cluster research
network. It also is used to support the projects during the
execution of the projects by providing a number of technical and administrative services.
11.2 When
are invoices sent out?
Invoices will be sent out beginning of July and in December, each accounting
for ½ of the yearly fees. The invoices are based on the latest data from
respectively the latest (FPP or PD) and PCR. Updates have to be submitted
before the invoicing dates. In the starting phase of a project sometimes
only one invoice is sent in the second half of the year, which accounts then
for the entire yearly fee.
11.3 What
amount will be charged?
The current annual Celtic fee has been set to 1,500 Euro per person year (PY) of planned work. Exceptions exist only for
organisations as specified under 11.5.
11.4 How
can I avoid paying VAT?
VAT will be charged only if the partner has not provided his VAT number to the Celtic Office. If this number is available
VAT will not be charged.
11.5
Which organisations are exempted from the Celtic fee or have to pay only a reduced fee?
Exempted are universities if they are entitled to use the Additional Cost (AC) model for EU projects. A reduced fee of 500 Euro per PY
is applicable only for partner coming form the following countries:
Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey
11.6
What is the AC model and how can I be exempted from paying the fee?
The AC (Additional Cost) model is used for eligible organizations in EU projects (e.g. FP6 or FP7) which, basically, are financed by
the state and which only can charge their additional costs. The AC model, generally, applies only for universities and some
(university-based) research institutes. If the AC model has been used already in an EU project your organisation may be exempted fro the
Celtic fee, provided a prove for the AC model has been submitted to the Celtic Office (e.g. copy of EU project forms A2 and A3).
If your organisation never participated in an EU project but you think the AC model would apply you need to provide the proves as
indicated in the related EU rules. Please refer
to the Celtic Handbook for more details.
11.7 Do
I have to pay the fee if my company is not funded?
It is important to understand that the fee is independent from the fact if a partner receives public funding
or not. The fee has to be paid from the moment a partner becomes active in the project work. Only if a partner belongs to an university or to one of the new members countries the fee
may be exempted or reduced.
11.8 I
have reported less work than planned. Will the fee be adjusted?
The fee is only based on the planned effort figures in the Project
Description or in the latest update as indicated in the PCR. No calculation will be done on the actually worked effort, e.g., as reported
by a partner. The reason why only planned figures can be taken into account is the strong relation between the effort and the
budget applied for funding. As changes may have an impact on the public funding all changes must be officially announced through a PCR
that will also be used to inform the concerned PA.
11.9
Can the Celtic fee be included in the total project budget?
No, this is not possible. The national authorities do not accept that those fees appear as extra costs in a public
funded project.
11.10 What is a PO number?
A PO, or purchase order number, is a special number that is required by
some accounting software (e.g. SAP based). Without a PO number those systems
cannot accept and handle invoices. If your company works with such an
accounting system you will be asked to send us a PO number before we can
send out the
invoices. Generally, not always, a new PO number is required for every new
invoice.
12.
Topics of Celtic work programme
12.1 Where
are the Celtic work areas and work items described?
The Celtic work items are described in the latest version of the
Celtic Purple Book. This
document is the main reference for defining projects that fit within the Celtic objectives. Additional topics or particular focus items
may also be indicated for a new Call.
12.2 What
can I do if the work areas of my proposal are not (fully) mentioned in the Purple Book?
If your proposal does not cover sufficiently the objectives as laid down in the Purple Book it is
advised to check if another EUREKA cluster would perhaps be more appropriate. If this is not the case your proposal might perhaps be
re-defined or extended to better comply with the Celtic objectives.
13.
Technical support and
tools
13.1 How
can I upload files to the project FTP site?
The ftp site serves for storing project files in a protected space. For uploading files a separate ftp client is necessary. For details please check the
ftp help page.
13.2 How
to establish audio-conferences?
Audio-conferences are an extremely efficient tool to reduce meeting costs. Please check the help page for audio-conferences for details.
13.3 How
can I establish and update e-mail exploder lists?
E-mail exploder lists can be created and maintained for several project
groups as defined by a project. Please check the exploder help
page for details.
14.
Project Web, Project
publications
14.1 How
can a project web site be established?
In addition to the official project web page, stored at the Celtic web site each project can establish and maintain its
own public project web space. Also a secure project intra-net can be set-up. Technical details can be found at the project-web help page.
14.2 Where
are project web pages stored?
Project intra-net pages are stored at the project ftp directories. They are
password protected and only accessible to project participants. Public web pages are stored on the web server that is provided by
Celtic. For details please check the project web help page.
14.3 Are
there common URL schemes for project webs?
The recommended project URL should be defined according to the following model:
http://projects.celtic-initiative.org/projectXYZ (e.g.
http://projects.celtic-initiative.org/wiseman/)
14.3
What project publications are possible?
For each started project a project leaflet will be produced. By default the project leaflets will be available as PDF files in both low
and high resolution. A project may produce digital (or offset) printing from these files. For special occasions Celtic may contribute to
the printing costs.
It is also possible that special deliverables may be produced, e.g. as printed booklets.
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