Getting a funding programme approved is good news. The hard part starts afterwards: the digital part has to be delivered as approved, on schedule, and documented well enough to pass the audit. Many problems that surface at the end, and cost cuts or delayed payments, start with decisions made at the beginning.
The technical part is written before the application
The description of the digital project in the funding application becomes the “contract” you will be audited against. If it is vague or inflated, you will struggle to prove you delivered it. If it is overly detailed, every change along the way becomes a problem. The right description is realistic, measurable and verifiable, and it is best written by the consultant together with whoever will deliver it.
Five points that decide success
- Deliverables you can prove. For each deliverable, think from the start about how you will show it exists and works: access, screenshots, documentation, reports.
- A timeline with slack. Programme deadlines are strict. Leave time for testing, fixes and preparing the payment file.
- Cash flow. In many programmes the beneficiary pays first and is reimbursed after the audit. Plan how you will cover that gap.
- A stable scope. Changes to the scope during delivery may need approval. Agree in writing with the supplier what is in the project and what is not.
- Operation after the end date. Most programmes require the result to keep running for a period after completion. Hosting and maintenance must be planned for.
For public bodies
Public bodies are also bound by public procurement rules. In Greece, smaller digital projects are often delivered through low-value contracts under Law 4412/2016. Here too, a clear and realistic technical description from the start simplifies both the procedure and the acceptance of the work.
EU programmes with partners from several countries
In programmes such as Erasmus+, the digital part (a training platform, a tool, a website) serves partners from different countries, with different needs and languages. Clear documentation, multilingual support and reliable operation matter even more there, because the platform is part of the whole consortium’s deliverables.
What to ask your supplier for
- a written technical description that matches the approved deliverables,
- a timeline with intermediate milestones,
- documentation and evidence for every deliverable,
- a plan for hosting and maintenance after the end date.
We have delivered digital projects for funded programmes, including platforms for EU projects with partners from several countries. See how we work on funded projects.