WP1: Project management

Partners

Lead: VLIZ

+          Coordination Board

(HCMR, Deltares, MBA: WP leaders)

Objectives

Clear, efficient and well-structured project management is critical for the successful implementation of a project with several partners. The objective of the project management work package is 1) to ensure the best performance of the consortium, and timely delivery and high quality of results and products, 2) to communicate and provide accurate information to the project members, the Commission, the other EMODnet lots 3) to monitor performance and deal with user feedback (task 7 of the tender)  and to 4) to operate a help desk offering support to users (task 8 of the tender)

Methodology & activities

The project management activities will be performed by the project leader, supported by the Coordination Board and by a project secretariat and help desk. Project management is a continuous activity during the full project duration (24 months). Main activities include 1) general project coordination and supervision, 2) financial management, 3) responsible for reporting towards the Commission, 4) monitor performance of the project  5) organise general project meetings and 6) communication towards the project partners and the Commission and operate an help desk. Main deliverables are 1) Final report 2) Interim report 3) quarterly reports 4) Organization of three general project meetings. The project management structure will comprise following components:

 

Project leader

The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is the project leader and has the following tasks:

 

• general project coordination and supervision
• supervise the scientific, technical, financial and administrative progress of the project.
• ensure timely funds transfer to the beneficiaries, consistent with the program of activities and the decisions taken by the appropriate bodies.
• responsible for reporting (compilation of progress, interim and final reports)
• act as the intermediary between the project partners of the joint tender and the European Commission.
• organize and ensure appropriate communication among the partners and towards the Commission and ensure communications between the biology and the other lots

• organise project meetings
• chair the meetings of the Coordination Board
• participate in the EMODnet Steering Committee

 

Coordination Board

The Coordination Board will evaluate the technical and scientific quality of the project and advise and make suggestions concerning project strategy and planning of the project. Members of the Coordination Board include the Coordinator and the Work Package leaders. The Work Package leaders will be responsible for the planning and implementation of the integration among Tasks of their WP. They will be in contact with the Coordinator on the WP and be responsible for the activities carried out within their work package. The Coordination Board has the following tasks:

• monitor work progress and assess the fulfillment of tasks and deliverables
• establish procedures to ensure that the work of the partners is performed according to the work plan
• mitigate and manage risks related to successful and timely delivery of all tasks and deliverables
• act as the representative of their organization or network
• facilitate and/or promote the delivery of existing data and metadata towards EMODnet
• participate in and provide advice for reporting
• test and evaluate the functionalities of the data portal
• participate in or provide advice to the analysis and quality control of integrated datasets and focus on presenting derived products for the areas covered
• communicate the project activities and promote the results and outcomes towards the members of the organization or network they represent
• promote integration among the consortiums different expertise

 

Project secretariat & help desk

Operating as a team appointed by VLIZ, the secretariat & help desk will:

• assist the Coordinator in the financial management of the project
• collect from all partners the financial statements, relevant certificates, reports and deliverables
• monitor feedback from users and answer rapidly.
• operate a help desk offering support to users. The help-desk can be contacted by telephone or by email during business hours from Monday to Friday. The EMODnet Biology website will clearly indicate how this help desk can be contacted. A record shall be kept of all contacts and the reaction to them and a summary will be included in all reports.

 

Meetings

A number of project meetings are planned and will be organised by the project leader:

• kick-off meeting at the start of the project
• second general meeting at month 12, to discuss the deliverables, the first interim report, review progress
• third general meeting at month 24, to discuss the deliverables, the final report and the follow up of the project

 

Output (Deliverables)

• D1.1: Helpdesk operational and contact information published online (M3)
• D1.2 Quarterly progress reports will be posted on the project website indicating meetings held, difficulties encountered, and inventories of data made available (starting from M3)
• D1.3 First interim report after phase 1 (M12)
• D1.4 Final report (M24)