Full electronic submission of FP5 research proposals now possible with ProTool
Research consortia participating in the Fifth Framework Programme now have the possibility to submit their research proposals electronically using the ProTool - Proposal Preparation Tool - software package developed by the Commission. With the release of ProTool version 1.1 at the end of May, proposers need no longer submit any paperwork to the Commission, with the complete proposal delivered electronically and securely. During June, since this version of ProTool became available, some 360 consortia have already used ProTool to submit their proposals electronically, while almost 4,000 researchers have registered as users of ProTool. Even before version 1.1 - allowing electronic submission - became available, some 22,000 copies were downloaded from the CORDIS server, and the June figures are expected to show a substantial increase in downloads. Using ProTool, the coordinator in any consortium can ensure that the administrative and financial details are complete and in the format required by the Commission. The other partners in the consortium can also use ProTool to supply the coordinator with their administrative details, thus saving time and minimising the risk of errors. Using ProTool will not only help proposers to get these details right on the forms, thus minimising the risk of their proposals being rejected for administrative reasons, but also allows them to focus on the scientific content of the proposal. And for successful proposals, the details already supplied electronically can be used directly to make out the research contract for the project. ProTool guides users through the structured sections of the proposal form, using drop-down menus and checks to help complete all the details. The user can print the form, save it and circulate it to the project partners as a pdf file. To ensure the security of proposals submitted electronically, ProTool allows users to request a certificate from the Commission's service provider, which is then used to 'seal' the proposal prior to delivery by e-mail or uploading directly on the Web. ProTool may also be used to prepare the application form which can then be printed out in cases where the consortium prefers to submit the proposal using conventional mail. Using ProTool will allow the coordinator to ensure the completeness of the administrative details on the form, again ensuring that the proposal is not rejected for administrative reasons. To download the latest version of ProTool and to obtain further information, see the ProTool website, at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp5/protool