Objectives and performance contract : review time
Signed by the French government and ANR for the period 2016-2019, the Objectives and Performance Contract (COP) resulted in initiatives aiming to make project selection processes more transparent and simplify the formalities for beneficiaries. Other measures to reinforce management focused on controlling and preventing budget risks, and the clearance plan has been completed in full.
Drafted in 2016 for a period of four years, the Objectives and Performance Contract (COP) has formalised and improved ANR’s operation in terms of management, communication and transparency with regard to beneficiaries and partners.
The Agency’s ISO 9001 certification, awarded in 2018, was renewed in 2019 for its selection processes and associated support services. This renewal recognises ANR’s efforts to make its selection process fairer and improve its management of conflicts of interest, including signing the French National Code of Research Ethics.
During this period, ANR also carried out significant work to simplify documents for beneficiaries, increase transparency and improve the quality of feedback provided to project coordinators. In addition, a right of reply to peer reviews from outside the selection panels was added to the evaluation process to enable project coordinators to respond factually to reviews of their projects.
At the same time, ANR has established a mapping to improve the management of budgetary, financial and accounting risks, enabling them to be better identified and prevented. This tool and its associated indicators should help to enhance the organisation’s resilience to these risks. The Agency is also engaged in a continuous improvement process for its management so that its accounts can be certified. This process should be operational for the 2020 accounts in 2021. The plan to clear the 2005-2010 editions, approved in 2016, was completed in 2019 thanks to major simplification measures and the creation of a dedicated unit within the agency. This led to disbursements totalling €76 million.
Improved communication and reinforced dialogue with beneficiaries
During the implementation of the COP, ANR has increased its communication with beneficiaries and involved them at every important stage, including the overhaul of the financial regulations, the creation of the Agency’s new website and the launch of an ANR newsletter.
Open data
As specified in the COP, ANR has opened access to a large amount of data about the projects it has funded since its foundation. This open approach to data complements a scaling up of ANR’s impact analysis, including the adoption of an impact governance plan within the agency.
Improving the Agency’s operation in terms of management, communication and transparency
An IT systems master plan to streamline
and simplify processes
In 2019, ANR established a master plan for its IT systems and began the deployment of its new information system. The goal is to streamline the flow of data to simplify processes for the Agency’s beneficiaries (researchers and administrative staff) at every stage: application, evaluation and funding follow-up. These tools increase efficiency and responsiveness and help strengthen confidence among ANR’s beneficiaries and partners