Managing your FP7 Projects

Timesheets

It is the EC's requirement for detailed timesheets to be kept for all staff whose time is charged to EU FP7 projects, including Principal Investigators. (This is a model timesheet in line with EC requirements. You are free to use your own model if you wish.) Timesheets are required to:

  • support the allocation of all Personnel costs to an award (including those staff who are 100% FTE)
  • back up the allocation of time (and cost) across the different areas of activity covered by an award (e.g. time spent on Management, Research)
  • allow the Commission to reconcile the cost charged to a project back to total hours worked by an individual (including time spent on non-EU projects).

The EC's requirements for time recording in FP7 are laid out in the 'Guide to Financial Issues' (see p. 44). Please ensure that if your department is undertaking EU FP7 research, you have adequate processes for time-recording in place for those departmental staff (incl. PIs if applicable) who are to be fully or partially charged to EU FP7 awards.

For background details, including Oxford's requirements for EC audits, please also see the Director of Finance's letter to Heads of Department about timesheets for FP7 research projects, 9 July 2008.

The Consortium Agreement

For all multi-partner projects, Consortium Agreements are mandatory and are usually negotiated between the consortium partners' legal staff in parallel to the Grant Agreement preparation process.  Linda Pialek in Research Services coordinates the negotiation of all Consortium Agreements on behalf of the University; please forward her directly any drafts you may receive from your Coordinator for review. After agreement has been reached and all partners have signed the Consortium Agreement, Research Services need as a minimum a scanned copy of all partners' signatures to the Consortium Agreement.