Long Term Project Proposal

Next deadline for submission

Due to the long shutdown for EBS, the next deadline for the submission of LTP proposals is

15^th January 2020

Guidelines for preparing an application for a LTP PROPOSAL

General instructions

Consult our document "Advice on writing a good proposal"

The Application for Beam time for a Long Term Project proposal has two parts:

the electronic "Long Term Project Beamtime Application Form "
the Experimental Method form (word document to submit in PDF format)

Important:

Proposals must be written in English;
All sections of the form must be filled in. Please respect the space available on the form;
An experimental report on previous measurements - including experiments on CRG beamlines - must be submitted electronically before subsequent requests for beam time are made, using the Electronic Experimental Report Form. Please mention on your new beamtime application form the experiment(s) for which you have submitted report(s);
Requests for beam time are based on shifts of 8 hours. Allocations of beam time will usually be made in multiples of 3 shifts.
LTP Duration - Request for beam time and beamline: The initial LTP can last up to three years (six consecutive scheduling periods). It is important to note that the request for beamtime and beamline in the electronic LTP proposal form must be done for the FIRST 6-MONTH SCHEDULING PERIOD ONLY. The beamtime requested for the other scheduling periods should be noted in the table of section 5 of the LTP experimental methods template. The beamtime allocated for each of the scheduling periods will be determined during the corresponding Review Committees. A prolongation of the LTP can be submitted after the final report has been submitted.

Specific points to consider

The safety aspects

The name and characteristics of the substance(s) must be completed carefully. Experimental conditions requiring special safety precautions such as the use of lasers, high pressure cells, bacteria, viruses, dangerous substances, toxic substances and radioactive materials, must be clearly stated in the proposal. Moreover, any ancillary equipment supplied by the user must conform with the appropriate French regulations.

Structural Biology (MX) proposals

Full details of the sample(s) contained in all structural biology proposals should also be provided to the ESRF at the time of submission of the beamtime application form. For each new MX proposal submitted, the main proposer (or one of the co-proposers) should complete and submit one sample sheet per sample mentioned in the proposal. The electronic sample sheet is available via the User Portal. The information is communicated to the Joint Safety Officer for Biology and will help the Safety Group to define the level of risk associated to each sample.

Who to contact:

the Experimental Safety Officer: Martine Moroni
Tel: +33 (0)4 7688.2369
Fax: +33 (0)4 7688.2418
the Joint Safety Officer for Biology: Véronique Mayeux
Tel: +33 (0)4 76 88 22 03
Consult also the Biosafety information web pages

The selection of the beamlines

(The Upgrade programme has already started: check the status of the beamlines)

Select carefully the beamline(s) for your research taking into account that, in the proposal review process, it is the beamline(s) selected in the proposal form which determine the committee(s) which will assess the proposal. In order to request the appropriate beamline(s) for your research, and therefore to have your proposal assessed by the appropriate review committee, you are kindly requested, in case of doubt:

to consult the information web page on the beamlines,
to contact the beamline responsible if you need more information
to MAKE SURE, before the validation of your proposal, that the status ("principal" or "alternative") of the selected beamline(s) corresponds exactly to what you need.

Experimental method form

The "Experimental Method form" for a Long Term Project contains the following sections:

1. Abstract

A short abstract, not exceeding half a page, must summarise the proposal.

2. Scientific case

This section presents the scientific case and the development aspects of the proposal, outlining in particular the reasons for filing a LTP, the results expected, and milestones, i.e. the scientific and/or technical goals for each year of the period covered by the LTP;

3. Competence & References

This paragraph contains:

A summary of the relative experience and competence of the proposing scientists to carry out the proposal;
References to publications relevant to the scientific or technical subject (in order to allow the Beamtime Allocation Committees to obtain detailed information in the field, if needed);

4. Technical details

The proposed technical implementation of the LTP is described. Besides the standard information requested from all applications for beamtime (such as the beamline equipment and set-up, sample environment issues, safety issues, special support …), it must specify:

resources and services the Users assume to be available at the ESRF,
extra efforts expected from the ESRF in terms of staff and instrumentation,
contributions of the User group to the execution of the LTP, including human and financial resources for the construction, commissioning and operation of specific equipment brought by the User group.

5. Beamtime(s) & Beamline(s)

Beamtime(s) and beamline(s) must be requested for each scheduling period within the total period covered by the LTP. This section summarizes the expected results, consistent with the milestones stated in section 2.

6. Resources

Information about how and when the proposing User group expects to obtain the resources (human and financial) needed for the implementation of the LTP, including whether or not the User group needs the prior acceptance of the LTP to secure the resources required;

7. Benefits to the ESRF User Community

The long-term benefits to the ESRF User community expected from the successful implementation of the LTP. This could consist, for example, in new instrumentation, a new technique, or a new community using the ESRF. Safety considerations

Electronic submission

The Electronic Submission is done through the ESRF User Portal (SMIS). You will require your ESRF login (last name) and personal password to login to the application. If you are already registered in the ESRF data base but you have forgotten your personal password, kindly contact the User Office by e-mail (User Office). If you are not yet registered in the ESRF data base, you will be able to create your own user account and to access the proposal submission application.

IMPORTANT: Should you run into difficulties submitting your proposal electronically, please DO NOT SEND a paper version which is no longer acceptable, but contact the User Office who will give you instructions to proceed with the electronic submission of your proposal.

Access to the electronic application form via the User Portal:

tab "Proposals / Experiments"
select: "Proposals" in the drop-down list
tab "New proposal"

What to do?

SELECT the electronic beamtime application form for a LONG TERM PROJECT PROPOSAL
COMPLETE AND SUBMIT your electronic Long Term Project beamtime application form: data registered in the beamtime application form (details for the main proposer, the co-proposer(s), proposal title, beamline(s) and shift(s) requested,...) is submitted directly into an ESRF data base:

Once SAVED, the electronic beamtime application form is given a Reference number and registered under the tab "Proposals in Progress" for further process. It can be modified until the deadline (15^thJanuary each year).

DOWNLOAD the Experimental Method Form for a Long Term Project Proposal (link with template below): complete it and SAVE it and on your local folder

LTP Experimental Method Form (MS Word for WINDOWS)

The length of the experimental method form should not exceed 12 pages of A4 format, and the font height should not be smaller than 12 pt. The size should not exceed 3 MB. The experimental details form must be submitted under the PDF format. It can be modified until the deadline (15th January).

Once your Experimental Method file is completed and saved on your local folder, you must attach it to your electronic application form via the User Portal (tab "Proposals/Experiments -> "Proposals" -> "Proposal in Progress" , select "Manage your Experiment Form"):

DOWNLOAD your LTP Experimental Method file (the application accepts ONLY the PDF format) and SUBMIT IT : it will be automatically attached to your electronic beamtime application form

A PDF file of your complete proposal is available: please check it before the validation of your proposal

VALIDATE your proposal

Please note that the submission of your new proposal will NOT be complete unless you VALIDATE your proposal (Beamtime Application Form AND Experimental Method).

Once validated by the main proposer, the proposal is registered under the tab "Proposals in Progress". It can be modified until the deadline (15th January).

How to modify your proposal?

You have validated your proposal which has now a reference number: you can modify it until the deadline (15th January).

Validation by the User Office

One week AFTER THE DEADLINE, the User Office:

validates the proposals and attributes them a FINAL NUMBER (i.e.: CH-1111)
communicates, by e-mail, to the main proposers the final number of their proposal(s)

Once validated by the User Office, the proposals are registered under the tab "Proposals with final number / Experiments" and cannot be anymore modified.