R&D Units - Funding 2020-2023

Expenditure on human resources dedicated to R&D (HR) activities, as defined in the OECD Frascati Manual, and belonging to the R&D Unit's research team, including employment contract and grant holder costs directly borne by the beneficiary, can be charged to the HR item. (We advise you to read carefully point 11. Annex, of the Normas_Execucao_Financeira_2020-2023.pdf (fct.pt)).

When submitting salary expenses from employment contracts or contracts from Studentship, the research team must be previously updated (integration of elements and submission of documentation required for FCT validation).

The expense should be submitted according to pages 22 and 23 of the Expense Submission Manual i.e:

• 1st line - base salary + SA (days worked);
• 2nd line - employer's social charges.

• Salary receipt and bank proof of salary payment (mark the name of the researcher in the payment flow);
• List of the payment of social security, tax and other charges if applicable and respective proof of bank payments (mark the name of the researcher in the lists and payment flow).

Regardless of whether only the 1st line (Salary + Sub. Alim.) is selected as the sample, the documentation regarding mandatory social charges must also be submitted.

In the columns "Fornecedor designação" and "Fornecedor NIPC" the name/ organization to which the amount referring to the expense is delivered must be identified. That is, in the case of expenses arising from the payment of social charges in the column "designation supplier" the Social Security Institute must be mentioned and in the column "NIPC Supplier" the corresponding NIPC.

Yes, costs arising from mandatory occupational accident insurance charges can be charged.

Regarding the hiring of a Science and Technology Manager it is important to keep in mind what is foreseen in the Financial Execution Norms (FNE), in particular in annex 11. If the functions of the HR they intend to hire have a framework within the foreseen there it can be accepted.

In human resources dedicated to R&D activities, those hired on a fixed-term (under the LGTFP) or open-ended (under the Labour Code) basis include highly qualified researchers, technicians with high levels of technical qualification and experience, and other support personnel who contribute directly to the development of R&D projects and activities. This classification refers to the function, in terms of tasks (see Annex 11), of the resources that contribute to R&D activities. With respect to technical and other support personnel, only those personnel who perform their tasks exclusively in the R&D Unit are considered.

The academic degree and other conditions of recruitment should be defined by the hiring entity, respecting the legislation in force and the mentioned in the NEF, not being mandatory the academic degree of doctor or master for the mentioned function. Should they choose to hire a doctoral candidate, they should also take into account DL. no. 57/2016, of 29 August, as amended by Law no. 57/2017, of 19 July.

Prior to the submission of expenses, the supporting documents for the processes of Studentship identified in point 11.1. of the Rules for Awarding and Managing Studentships within the scope of R&D projects, infrastructure projects, the Multiannual Funding Program for R&D Units and other FCT funding instruments - Version 2021, i.e. Notice of the Call of Call, contract and documentation relating to renewal, termination or suspension, if applicable, must be submitted on the team update platform. The respective funding dossier in the contracting entity must include all the elements of Call, contracting and execution of Studentship.

Eligible costs are the full or partial cost of enrolment, registration or tuition fees for degree and non-degree courses associated with the funded Studentships . The eligibility of these expenses is provided for in the NEF.

It is recommended that the amount of the tuition fee to be reimbursed by the entity to the grantee and which will later be charged to the R&D Unit funding, be proportional to the period during which Studentship is funded under the R&D Unit funding.

The way in which this proportionality is calculated, or the amount to be reimbursed and charged to the Unit's funding, will be at the discretion of the entity contracting the Studentship. The maximum limit established for this type of grant (2,750€ for Studentships in Portugal and 8,000€ for Studentships abroad), which as a rule is annual up to a maximum of 4 years for a grant holder enrolled in a doctoral program, may not be exceeded.

As researchers who will be funded under the Unit funding, the expenses for publishing the announcement are eligible.

For contracts funded by Scientific Employment that, after Call, become open-ended or indefinite contracts, the FCT will continue to pay the value of the fixed-term contract through Scientific Employment until it reaches the limit stipulated for this type of contract. Entities may charge the difference between the value of the fixed-term contract paid by the FCT and the value of the open-ended or indefinite-term contract to the funding of Associate Laboratory .

This change does not require an addendum to the initial contract, since there are two separate contracts (a first fixed-term contract and a second open-ended contract).

When the contractual status of the element is changed in the team updating platform, in order to charge its costs to the financing of Associate Laboratory, both contracts (the first fixed-term contract and the second open-ended contract) must be submitted.

If the candidate already has a fixed-term contract with an institution, financed through R&D Unit funding, and is awarded a new contract through the international Call for integration into the research career, the cost of the contract may be covered in full by funding from Associate Laboratory, provided that all other conditions necessary for the acceptance of eligibility under such funding are met.

Depending on the framework of the work contract, these are carried out with the managing institutions and not particularly with the R&D Unit and/or Associate Laboratory, and their costs can then be charged to their funding, if the element belongs to the team, develops activities that are framed in these (UID or LA), are considered relevant by them and comply with the eligibility rules defined in the rules that regulate them.