Generation Challenge Programme

Project management

This section is primarily for Principal Investigators running GCP projects with reporting responsibilities, as well as other GCP grant recipients.

All GCP-funded projects are required to adhere to clear guidelines to ensure broad public access of research products, and to a regular annual reporting schedule. While GCP’s approach is to keep reporting responsibilities to a minimum, we do however expect comprehensive, timely reports from our grant recipients according to the prescribed schedule, which is also stipulated in the project contracts.

Quick links

 Workflow Management System | Contracts and subcontracts | Project reporting (includes project finance) | Acknowledging GCP | Publications | Project Delivery Plans and DPKit

Workflow Management System (WMS)

Enter the WMS (password-protected: restricted access for GCP PIs and staff only)

Contracts and subcontracts

GCP is a decentralised research and services programme that is held together by contracts. The foundation contract is the Consortium Agreement executed by GCP consortium members in late 2004 (revised in 2009). Among other important provisions, the Consortium Agreement binds members and grant recipients (via grant agreements) to its intellectual property provisions.

Open competitive calls were phased out in Phase II, and commissioned research is now pegged to the serve GCP Research Initiatives and the Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP, a service component).

Lead institutes who are the principal investigators of the project may enter into subcontracts with other parties, for which the Standard Terms and Conditions may be used. However, this document may not contain all the terms that respective legal or contracts office might require, and thus lead institutes may modify the terms to meet their own needs, so long as they cover the fundamental requirements of the Consortium Agreement and other GCP policies in force. Lead institutes may also opt to use the full subcontract without any modifications. The lead institute institute may also request GCP to disburse funds directly to the project partners by filling out the Payment Form. However, neither of the two provisions above  preclude the lead institute from entering into subcontracts for the project. By signing the letter of agreement with GCP, the lead institute takes full responsibility for the project.

Downloads

• Consortium Agreement (152.83 kB)
• Sample commissioned research contract
• Standard terms and conditions
• Full Subcontract
• Payment form

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Project reporting

For GCP project managers. Here you will find due dates and templates for project reporting.

Reporting schedule, notes and templates

GCP’s approach is to keep reporting responsibilities to a minimum, but we expect comprehensive, timely reports from our grant recipients according to the annual reporting schedule in the table below, which is also stipulated in the project contracts.

GCP draws on these reports to report research progress to its funders and Executive Board, as well as to other stakeholders.

Notes

1. Both narrative and financial reports are to be submitted by the lead institute or grant recipient via the password-protected Workflow Management System. For details on the financial report and templates, see ‘Project finance’ section below.
2. Continued funding is contingent upon receipt and due approval of the technical and financial report.
3. Should a no-cost extension become necessary, the lead institute or grant recipient must formally request for such an extension to the relevant GCP manager, and this request must be duly approved for the no-cost extension can take effect.
4. Final payment (20 percent of the project's final year of funding) will only be released upon GCP's approval of final financial and final technical reports. Please note that GCP's approval of final technical reports will not be granted without the release of quality data in a suitable format, as outlined in the Data availability policy ('Data production and sharing' section).

Project finance

1. For each calendar year (January–December), and REGARDLESS OF any no-cost extensions, annual financial reports on all projects are due to GCP by December 31. However, a 45-day grace period (after December 31) is provided to allow for the closing of financial books.
2. Just like the narrative reports, financial reports are to be submitted by the lead institute or grant recipient via the password-protected Workflow Management System.
3. For continuing projects, please note that any payment for the following year will be delayed if the financial report for the preceding year is delayed.

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Acknowledging GCP: Obligations for GCP grant recipients

Acknowledging GCP in publications, presentations and Public Awareness /publicity materials

GCP researchers are under an obligation to acknowledge GCP support in all releases (presentations, publications, papers, posters, press releases, public awareness/publicity materials, etc) on, or derived from, their GCP work or projects. This obligation covers BOTH financial and non-financial support.

(i) Financial support: For projects which are funded or partially-funded by GCP, reference is made to Clause 18.4 of the project agreement with GCP which states that:

“In the event that and prior to the production by the Principal Investigating Institute of any written, audio-visual and/or information technology material connected with or resulting from the Activities by the Principal Investigating Institute and intended for limited or general publication, the Recipient shall acknowledge the GCP's role in providing funding for the Activities".

When acknowledging GCP funding, DO NOT use the term 'sponsored by' or its synonyms or derivatives. For acknowledging financial support, we recommend the following text:

This work/project was funded/partially-funded by the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme (GCP).

ii) Non-financial support: Examples of non-financial support provided by GCP include, but are by no means limited to, project conceptualisation, provision of research ideas and new directions or research re-orientation.

Please provide all the details pertaining to this support.

Publications

To ensure the widest possible dissemination of publications resulting from GCP-funded work, GCP grant recipients are strongly encouraged to adhere to GCP’s publication policy.

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Project Delivery Plans

Below is our (2007) rationale for Delivery Plans, presented through our answers to these frequently asked questions:

1. What is a Delivery Plan?
2. Why prepare a Delivery Plan?
3. Why does GCP require each project to have a Delivery Plan?
4. How are 'products' and 'users' defined in GCP?
5. How does a researcher prepare a Delivery Plan?

1. What is a Delivery Plan?
GCP research is demand-driven and a delivery plan helps ensure that scientific advances and products from GCP projects are indeed ’delivered’ to intended users. A Delivery Plan is not just about products. In this plan, the process* behind the products, and the impacts of the product, are just as important as the product itself. This means that product delivery must be done efficiently and effectively, and the products must benefit the recipients.

* by process, we mean the steps the product(s) go through before they reach the next user

2. Why prepare a Delivery Plan?
Preparing a Delivery Plan clarifies the complex path a product takes in the transition from scientific discovery to a viable product for end-users.

A Delivery Plan provides specific guidance for mapping a realistic and credible path to ensure research findings translate into products that benefit users. The Delivery Plan also helps identify links between researchers, and links throughout the product–development continuum from ’upstream’ research to breeders to farmers. By helping researchers anticipate potential pitfalls that could compromise links and product delivery, preventive interventions are developed in advance, thereby overcoming obstacles and enhancing the chances of success.

3. Why does GCP require each project to have a Delivery Plan?
The essence of GCP is research-for-development using genetic and genomic resources, tools and technologies to tackle the agricultural constraints faced by farmers in the world’s poorest countries. Critical to this approach is ensuring that GCP’s research products can and will be adopted, adapted and applied for the ultimate benefit of resource-poor farmers.

The GCP Delivery Strategy emphasises that targeted training and capacity-building are essential to avoid broken links in the delivery chain. This training and capacity-building is for project partners and intended users. Trainees learn how to access, use and apply the various research products, be they markers, methodologies, tools or techniques.

In its oversight role, GCP:

• ensures users are engaged in projects thus guaranteeing research products are relevant to user needs
• in consultation with research partners identifies and fills capacity-building gaps as needed for uptake of GCP’s research products
• strategises on how each and every research product will be delivered to primary and secondary users, so products may flow smoothly through the delivery pipeline and eventually reach farmers.
• promotes and disseminates products outside the projects

4. How are ‘products’ and ‘users’ defined in GCP?
The GCP Delivery Strategy defines ‘products’ as project components that can be passed on to another researcher conducting upstream or applied research. This researcher may be within or outside the GCP. For project components to qualify as products, the researcher who receives them must be able to immediately use the components in its own research programme. GCP products come in many forms, including but not limited to, germplasm, validated molecular markers, new protocols, genomic resources and training materials.

‘User’ is defined as anyone who utilises a product developed by GCP. Because of the wide variety of GCP products, there is a corresponding diversity of users at the multiple levels in the users–product value chain.

5. How does a researcher prepare a project Delivery Plan?
To help prepare a project delivery plan, GCP developed the Delivery Plan Kit (DPKit). Beyond conceptualisation, the DPKit also doubles as a management and monitoring tool for implementing Delivery Plans. The DPKit is a user-friendly online tool which collects and collates the following: project identification; from objectives to products; applications and users; constraints and capacity needs; timeline; and IP considerations. Acces is however restricted to GCP PIs and the Product Delivery Leader.

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