III.1.1 Project Management Set-Up
Following the “lead partner principle”, the LP is responsible for ensuring the sound management and successful implementation of the entire project.
In the project start-up phase, the partnership needs to establish a sound project management structure and set up adequate provisions for strategic and day-to-day management of the project. These should include, among others, the following elements:
- Appointing management functions (i.e. project, finance, and communication manager);
- Setting up a project steering committee and adequate procedures for decision-making;
- Setting up and maintaining an adequate internal communication within the partnership;
- Setting up and implementing sound reporting procedures between the partners and the LP;
- Setting up and implementing procedures for quality assurance and internal control;
- Ensuring a continuous risk management, including continuous monitoring of deviations, and setting up of mitigation measures;
- Conducting internal or external evaluations, if applicable.
III.1.2 Filling in Information in the Joint Electronic Monitoring System
Within three months after the subsidy contract entered into force, the LP has to provide the following additional information to be inserted in Jems:
a. Name and contact details of the project management team;
b. Location of official project documents at the LP and each PP premises;
c. Bank information of the LP;
d. Information on the partnership agreement, i.e. date of signature and upload of the document;
e. In case of private LP or PP institutions, information on the Ultimate Beneficial Owner(s).
The MA will disburse funds only if the LP provides information referring to the above points b. to e..
In case of changes during project implementation, the LP has to update information in Jems and provide relevant supporting documents, if applicable.
In addition, the LP also needs to assign users to PPs and grant individual access rights to the single user (i.e. persons at project partner institutions dealing with the project and already registered in Jems) in the respective section of Jems. Respective guidance is available through the Jems helpdesk function (“?” button in the menu) at jems.interreg-central.eu.
III.1.3 Project Communication Set-Up
All partners are responsible for ensuring a sound communication of the project under the lead of the project communication manager. It is essential that the partnership appoints an experienced and committed person to this central coordination role.
At project start-up and then during the project lifetime, the communication manager and all other partners have to ensure that at least the communication channels and activities below are implemented.
Project Website Hosted on Programme Website
Projects receive access to a dedicated project subpage hosted at the programme website www.interreg-central.eu. Each subpage presents basic information about the project and offers flexible modules for the project to use. Each project has to plan sufficient resources to set-up and regularly update the project subpage. The project has to indicate the institution legally responsible for the published project contents and a main responsible person. Projects receive a user manual and additional training on the content management system.
Please note: The development of additional websites is not eligible unless they are meant to build networks, platforms or databases as part of thematic solutions and exceed the lifetime of the project. Any such additional website requires pre-approval by the MA/JS to be eligible.
Project Information on Beneficiary Websites and their Social Media Channels
All project partners have to provide on their organisations’ official websites, where such a site exists, and on their social media channels, the project logo (highlighting the financial support from the Union) and a short description of the project (proportionate to the level of support, including its aims and results).
Please note: It is strongly recommended to produce relevant communication products such as short videos, infographics and other visual contents that can be shared on partner social media as well as on other digital channels of the project, the programme and other relevant stakeholders. Further guidance and support will be provided by the JS in beneficiary support measures.
Posters Displayed at all Partner Premises
All project partners have to publicly display at least one poster of a minimum size A3 (or an equivalent electronic display) on their premises to highlight the financial support received. A template of this poster is provided to projects.
Branding and Visibility
Projects have to respect further branding and visibility requirements set out in the EU regulations. Please refer to chapter I.4.4.2 for more information.
In addition to the above, legally required communication channels and activities, projects are expected to implement additional external communication measures that go well beyond such minimum effort!
III.1.4 Reimbursement of the Preparation and Contracting Lump Sum
Approved projects may be entitled to the reimbursement of preparation and contracting costs in the form of a lump sum. The lump sum covers all costs linked to the preparation and contracting of the project until the day when the final application form that fulfils all conditions for approval set by the MC has been finally accepted by the MA/JS.
Unless differently specified in the call ToR, the ERDF amount reimbursed is EUR 14.000 (corresponding to EUR 17.500 of total eligible expenditure). The payment of the lump sum can take place if:
- The project applied for it by including preparation and contracting costs in the application form also including, if applicable, the share between partners of preparation and contracting costs;
- The subsidy contract with the MA is signed;
- The monitoring plan (see chapter III.2.1) is finalised;
- The project has provided all required information in Jems (see chapter III.1.2).
If the above conditions are met, the MA transfers the lump-sum to the bank account of the LP. If applicable, it is then the LP’s responsibility to transfer the share of the lump-sum to the respective PPs in compliance with the budget allocation to preparation costs as it is in the approved application form.
Differences between the granted lump sum and real costs for preparation and contracting are neither checked nor further monitored by the programme and beneficiaries do not need to document that the expenditure has been incurred and paid or that the expenditure corresponds to reality.
A beneficiary applying for and receiving the preparation and contracting lump sum (or part thereof) from the Interreg CE programme, shall ensure not to receive funds from other public sources (e.g. national, regional) for activities covered by the lump sum.