Checklist for selection procedure

A selection procedure should meet certain requirements:

• Several assessors: The applications should be examined by at least two independent assessors.
• Clear assessment criteria: the criteria on which the assessors evaluate the applications should be clear. If necessary, the assessors should be trained in the use of the criteria.
• Blind assessment: If possible, applications should be forwarded to the assessors anonymously so that they do not know who has submitted the the application.
  
• Transparency: Information on issues such as who decides on what when and according to which criteria should be accessible to all interested parties.
  
• Feedback: The applicant should be informed about the result of the assessment as quickly as possible.
  
• Fair deadlines: If there is a need for corrections in the application the applicant should be granted enough time to carry them out. The deadlines should be coordinated with the decision processes (e.g. meeting dates).
• Rotation: The assessors should be rotated regularly.
• Confidentiality: The assessors should treat information in the application and the results of the assessment confidentially. 
  
• Conflict of interests: An assessor should not have a conflict of interests with respect to the questions he is to answer.
  
• Observers: Independent experts can be used to evaluate the assessment process and procedure.

Further suggestions on the design of selection procedure can be found in the document “Leitlinien zu den Vorschlagsbewertungs- und – auswahlverfahren” [“Guidelines for the assessment and selection of applications”] for the sixth framework program of the European Union at ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp6/docs under 'rtd_2004_06000_01_de.pdf'.