Project implementation
Guidance on good practice and management
Although it is not compulsory to include all these ideas when developing your proposal or during the project implementation phase the following notes are offered as guidance.
Payments and schedules
1st instalment: No later than 40 days upon effective date and the returning of the signed contract, but not earlier than effective date the first payment will be executed (Preparatory Funding, Academic Partnership, Advanced Academic Partnership, Extended Impact Partnership).
2nd/ 3rd/ 4th instalment: Upon approval of the annual progress reports by the APPEAR Office the next instalment will be transferred. The final rate of academic partnerships amounts to 5 % (Academic Partnership, Advanced Academic Partnership, Extended Impact Partnership).
Final instalment: Upon approval of the final report the last instalment that amounts to the difference between the already received funds and the actual expenses will be transferred. The final instalment will only cover actual paid (pre-financed) costs (Preparatory Funding, Academic Partnership, Advanced Academic Partnership, Extended Impact Partnership).
In case that the project coordinating institution is based in Austria the entire instalment will be transferred to the Austrian institution. The Austrian project coordinator is obliged to undertake further transfer to the institution(s) in the respective partner country/countries.
In case that the project coordinating institution is not based in Austria, two separate transfers are issued by the APPEAR Office. The amount for the coordinating institution in the respective partner country and the amount for the Austrian partner institution are transferred directly to their respective project accounts.
Regulations regarding travel and subsistence expenses
The regulations regarding travel and subsistence expenses can be found in the Guidelines for the budget and the financial report for Academic, Advanced Academic and Extended Impact Partnerships (see Reporting section).
These guidelines are based on the rates provided in the Österreichische Reisegebührenverordnung – RGV (Austrian Regulation for Travel Expense Reimbursement). The relevant tables with the daily subsistence rates (TG) and the rates for overnight stays (NG) can be found on our website: RGV – Rates
If valid invoices are provided, the rate for overnight stays (NG) can be exceeded by 600%. The maximum amount that can be reimbursed thus consists of the NG (as provided in the RGV) multiplied by 7. The whole amount of the daily subsistence rate (TG) can only be reimbursed if no meals are provided (those would have to be subtracted from the daily subsistence rate). The receipt of the TG must be confirmed by the recipient. If the actual subsistence expenses are reimbursed, the daily subsistence rate cannot be claimed. The actual subsistence expenses must not exceed the daily subsistence rate.
Additional regulations regarding travel and subsistence expenses for the Austrian staff members
The use of the columns (1, 2a, 2b, 3) usually depends on the type of employment of the person who travelled. Only the rates of columns 1, 2a, and 2b can be reimbursed; we recommend the use of category 2a.
When travelling to the partner country/countries the RGV rates of the respective countries have to be applied. Expenses for first-aid kit for Austrian project partners may only include travel vaccination and malaria-prophylaxis. The use of a taxi instead of public transportation in Austria requires a written explanation.
Regulations regarding travel and subsistence expenses for the staff members of the institution(s) in the partner country/countries when travelling to Austria
In Austria, the following rates apply:
- TG: 26.40 Euro
- NG: 15.00 Euro (as mentioned above, can be multiplied by 7)
Expenses for project partners from the partner country/countries for travel insurance when travelling to Austria are eligible.
In case a motor vehicle is rented a log-book must be kept. This log-book must clearly show, in chronological order, the number of kilometres driven on official business, the date and the purpose of the trip, the kilometre readings at the start and end, the name of the driver as well as the amounts of fuelling. Template - vehicle log-book.
Templates for work verification and receipt of equipment
As stipulated in the budget guidelines, work verification for each staff member needs to be presented. The work verification needs to be issued separately for each staff member by the responsible institution. It has to be signed by the representative of the institute and the staff member and has to contain the following information: project number and name, name of staff member, item/content of work done, working days, daily rate, amount due, signature of the staff member and the responsible person at the institution. You can use the following template - work verification.
Regulations for procurement of equipment are stipulated in the budget guidelines. Equipment has to be project specific and be handed over to the partner institution in the priority country at the end of the project. Receipt of the equipment has to be confirmed and signed by the coordinator in the priority country, in the framework of the final report. Template - receipt of equipment.
Carbon offsetting system
A major part of the world’s greenhouse gases results from air travel. However, in the course of the project implementation air travel might be necessary; therefore carbon offsetting offers the possibility to reduce the emissions caused, in some other way. In order to ensure an environmentally sustainable programme APPEAR makes use of the carbon offsetting system provided by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) and implemented by the Centre for Global Change and Sustainability. With this contribution climate protection projects - selected by an advisory board and accompanied by research and development - are financed.
The project coordinators will transfer the respective amount (based on the actual number of flights and calculated compensation) to the BOKU annually. Project coordinators will inform the BOKU about the number of flights and destination. The BOKU will calculate the CO2 emissions and the respective payment and send an invoice to the project coordinators. The payment to the BOKU must be documented in the framework of the annual financial reports, i.e., invoices have to be presented as well as a list that includes all flights from all participating partner institutions. With the annual financial reports the completed excel-sheet, the invoice from the BOKU and proof of payment have to be submitted.
Preparatory funding coordinators must follow the same procedure only once in the framework of their financial report. The CO2 compensation payments for scholarship holders will be handled directly via the APPEAR Office.
Budget reallocation
Transfers between the different budget categories are accepted to a maximum of 10% of the total amount in the respective budget category provided that the approved total budget is not exceeded.
In case the intended budget reallocation requires an amount higher than 10%, or if the content of the budget sheet is changed, the project coordinator has to submit a budget reallocation application in advance by submitting a revised budget sheet and filling out the budget reallocation form.
Project dissemination
Website
Your project will be published on the APPEAR website and will be incorporated in the APPEAR Map, which contains all projects since the beginning of APPEAR in 2009.
As stipulated in Schedule D (Information Obligations) of the grant contract, the annual and final report have to contain a news contribution to be used for the website. The contribution consists of the following elements:
- Text (500 words)
- Five pictures depicting the project activities (at least 300dpi), including photo credits and captions
Fact sheets
For each project a fact sheet will be produced. The fact sheets will be published in English and, if needed, in a second language. The fact sheets will be available online and can be printed on demand.
Visibility and logos
According to Schedule D (Information Obligations) of the grant contract, the logos of APPEAR and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) have to be placed on all material produced in connection with the project.
The correct indication is "APPEAR is a programme of the Austrian Development Cooperation".
For further clarification you can use the following statement " … and is implemented by the OeAD".
OEZA project number: 0894-00/2020