Guidelines on the preparation of cost statements for Contractors and Associated Contractors in a Telematics Applications Project

Each contractor and associated contractor participating in a Telematics Applications Project has to submit his cost claims to the Co-ordinator, according to the rules of the contract and the Annex II to the contract (Part C: art. 18 ‑ 24 & part D) ‑ which have been tentatively summarised below ‑ and within the legal period (i.e. no later than I month from the deadline specified in Art. 6 of the Project contract}.

The purpose of this document is to remind you as a contractor or associated contractor, of the basic principles with respect to the Financial Management and the presentation of the cost claims:

General:

•	do not send individual cost claims directly to the Commission. The co-ordinating contractor is to serve as collector. He must check consistency with budget and monthly management report and only when the set is complete he will send in the claims to the Commission . If any cost statement is not submitted as requested: "The Commission reserves the right to withhold part or exceptionally all, of its payment for the Project until the next financial reporting! period" (art. 21.3 of Annex 11).
•	Cost claims should be submitted using the layout of Part D of Annex II, (Summary page + the 3 pages with detailed information that follow)
•	mention the participant code on the summary page of each cost claim submitted. Participant code is specified on the Form A3 of the Project Programme (= new name for Technical Annex of former Programme).
•	all costs shall be expressed in local currency and in ECU (in accordance with art. 21.2 contract)
•	Contractors and associated contractors are recommended to use the refunding percentages as mentioned on the Form A.2 "Summary Information Sheet" of the Project Programme; this will help the co-ordinating contractor to distribute the money impartially and it will prevent problematic situations at the end of the project.
•	both signatures of Technical Manager and Financial Officer are required.
•	3 original copies are required and should be submitted to the Commission, signed and dated
•	Since the Commission (and/or the European Court of Auditors) may come at any time to check on financial details.	 
supportive documents should be kept available by the contractors to justify the different items reported.
	
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We remind the consortium that the Commission will only start processing claims when all of the above items have been met satisfactorily. Contractors that do not comply with the regulations explained in Annex II may not be| paid. As soon as they do comply, their costs will be reconsidered during next reporting period. I