IST Programme - Audit Certificates Tom McKinlay

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IST Programme - Audit CertificatesTom McKinlay
Fifth EU RTD Framework Programme
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Summary of presentation

• 1. The pilot action
• 2. Main elements
• 3. Speeding the payment
• 4. Getting help

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1. The pilot action

• With their cost claim and its detailed
  supporting documents, participants must also
  produce an Audit certificate, verifying the costs
  quoted in the claim

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1. The pilot action

• This is a limited pilot action
• Only involves projects from 6th (and later) calls
• Only involves RTD, Demo and Combined projects
• Only involves first and last (total) cost claim
• Only if the cost claim (not the Commission
  contribution!) exceeds 250,000
• Only for that particular participant, not the
  whole consortium
• (125,000 if six-monthly cost claims)

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1. The pilot action

• Payment is speeded up because
• fewer errors/omissions in submitted claims
• less checking needed by Commission
• Claim is more accurate
• professional, on-the-spot advice
• The practice is common in national programmes
  (and rarely directly funded !)
• Future trend to outsourcing of Commission
  activities

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1. The pilot action

• Participant has special clause in his contract
• Article 6-Special conditions
• Time-to-payment will be speeded up 50
• for all claims involved in the pilot action, not
  just the certificated ones !
• Commission allows up to 4,000 eligible cost per
  certificate
• Retention is increased to 20

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1. The pilot action

• Estimated participation
• Participants Costs
• First and last certificates 23 51
• Last certificate only 42 38
• No certificate 35 11
• 100 100

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1. The pilot action

• Audit certificate monitoring group
• F7 staff ISTC members (UK, Germany)
• R2 staff Industry representation (EICTA)
• POs Project representatives
• OSs Audit professional
• Gestionnaires
• European Information, Communication and Consumer
  Electronics Technology Industry Association

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2. Main elements

• The claimant may select any auditor, provided
  he/she is professionally recognised and
  independent of their organisation
• The Commission has no list of approved auditors
• Participants must read the Notes for Contractors
  before preparing their auditors contract !

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2. Main elements

• In principal, all participants meeting the
  conditions must supply a certificate
• except non-funded participants
• other special cases
• Qualified certificates can be submitted, and
  will be dealt with promptly
• The cost of the certificate is always an eligible
  cost, even if qualified, voluntary or
  accidental

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2. Main elements

• The 4,000 is a ceiling on payment, not a lump
  sum
• Audit certificates costs are not additional to
  the cost of the project
• Even certified costs may be subject to a future
  in-depth audit

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3. Speeding your payment

• Submit the cost claim in proper form, duly signed
  and with all the supporting documents
• Submit it within two months of the end of the
  period
• Remember your PO must also signify agreement with
  the technical work

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4. Getting help

• Information in Guide for Proposers Part 2A
• Contract includes Art. 6-Special Conditions
• Notes for Contractors and External Auditors
• FAQs
• http//www.cordis.lu/ist/manage.htm
• IST Helpdesk
• tel [phone] fax [phone]
• email ist_at_cec.eu.int