Pre-Submission Audit · Free Self-Check
Is your EIC proposal actually ready to submit?
A 20-point check that shows in 90 seconds where your application would quietly lose evaluator points — before evaluators do it for you. Free self-check plus optional senior-led Readiness Audit.
The framework
Four phases. 20 checks. Zero surprises on submission day.
The same structure senior advisors use internally to sign off on every EIC proposal before submission.
Phase 01
Eligibility & Setup
Before a single page of Part B matters, the basics must be airtight.
- 1
Administrative Eligibility
Legal entity, country of registration, programme-specific eligibility verified against the current Work Programme.
- 2
PIC Validation
Participant Identification Code registered and validated in the EU Funding & Tenders portal.
- 3
SME Eligibility
SME status confirmed under the EU recommendation, including partner and linked enterprise calculations.
- 4
Ownership Structure
Cap table, UBOs and any third-country ownership documented and consistent across all annexes.
- 5
Financial Statements
Last two years of audited or signed financials prepared, formatted and ready to upload.
Phase 02
Proposal Compliance
Most rejections happen on form, not on substance. We eliminate the form risk.
- 1
Part A Completeness
Every field of Part A filled, consistent with annexes and with the company's legal data.
- 2
Part B Compliance
Part B follows the official template structure, sections, headings and required sub-points.
- 3
Page Limit Verification
Page count verified against the current Work Programme limits including annex pages where applicable.
- 4
Font & PDF Compliance
Font, size, margins and PDF properties verified — automatic rejection risks eliminated.
- 5
Annex Verification
All required annexes (financials, declarations, letters of support) present, signed and named correctly.
Phase 03
Content Consistency
Evaluators look for contradictions. We make sure there are none.
- 1
Ethics Self-Assessment
Ethics issues table completed honestly and reviewed for downstream evaluation impact.
- 2
Security Assessment
Security questionnaire and dual-use / export-control implications assessed and documented.
- 3
IP Documentation
Patents, freedom-to-operate, ownership of background IP and exploitation rights documented.
- 4
Financial Model Consistency
Financial model figures match Part B narrative, Part A budget and annex spreadsheets exactly.
- 5
TRL Consistency
Current and target TRL stated identically across executive summary, work plan and risk section.
Phase 04
Final QA & Submission
The last 48 hours decide whether the previous six months pay off.
- 1
Market Figures Consistency
TAM/SAM/SOM, growth rates and competitive references cross-checked across all sections.
- 2
Risk Matrix
Technology, market, regulatory and team risks scored with credible mitigation actions and owners.
- 3
Final Quality Assurance
Senior reviewer pass focusing on narrative flow, evaluator triggers and scoring criteria coverage.
- 4
Submission Test
Dry-run upload in the F&T portal with a draft PDF to validate file size, fields and roles.
- 5
Final Submission
Final upload at least 24 hours before deadline, with confirmation downloaded and archived.
Free self-check · 90 seconds
Answer 20 yes / no questions. Get an honest readiness score.
Stored only in your browser. No email required.
- 01
Have you formally verified administrative eligibility against the 2026 Work Programme?
- 02
Is your PIC validated (not just registered) in the F&T Portal?
- 03
Has SME status been calculated with partner & linked enterprises included?
- 04
Is the full ownership structure documented and free of red flags?
- 05
Are signed/audited financials for the last two years ready to upload?
- 06
Is every field of Part A complete and consistent with annexes?
- 07
Does Part B follow the official template structure 1:1?
- 08
Is the page count within the official limit, after final formatting?
- 09
Are font, margins and PDF settings compliant with the formal rules?
- 10
Are all required annexes present, signed and named correctly?
- 11
Has the ethics self-assessment been completed and stress-tested?
- 12
Has the security & dual-use assessment been formally completed?
- 13
Is the IP position (FTO, ownership, exploitation rights) fully documented?
- 14
Do Part A, Part B and the financial model show identical figures?
- 15
Are current and target TRLs identical in every section that mentions them?
- 16
Do TAM/SAM/SOM and market growth numbers match in every section?
- 17
Is the risk matrix scored with credible mitigations and owners?
- 18
Has a senior independent reviewer signed off on the final draft?
- 19
Has a dry-run upload been performed in the F&T Portal?
- 20
Will the final submission happen at least 24 hours before the deadline?
Submission Readiness Audit
Independent senior review of your draft against all 20 checks.
Used by Deep Tech teams in the final 1–2 weeks before submission to find the structural and consistency gaps an internal team can no longer see.
- Full review of Parts A and B, annexes and financial model
- Written audit report with findings, severity and concrete fixes
- Prioritised fix-list mapped to the 20-point framework
- 60-minute debrief call with the lead advisor
- NDA-covered, files deleted on request after delivery
Engagement
5 working days
Readiness Audit
Senior-led, fixed scope, fixed turnaround. Pricing on request based on document volume and timeline.
- Deliverable
- PDF audit report + prioritised fix-list
- Debrief
- 60-min call with lead advisor
- Turnaround
- 5 working days (expedited available)
- Confidentiality
- NDA, files deleted on request
Confidential. No commitment until scope is agreed.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does the Readiness Audit replace full EIC consulting?
No. It is a focused pre-submission quality gate. If your proposal still needs strategic or writing work, we recommend our full proposal development service instead.
How is this different from the Full Proposal service?
Full Proposal development is a multi-week, senior-led writing engagement. The Readiness Audit is a 5-working-day independent review of an existing draft against 20 concrete failure points.
Are my documents kept confidential?
Yes. All material is handled under NDA and accessed only by the senior advisors involved in your audit. Files are deleted on request after delivery.
Does the audit also work for STEP or Horizon proposals?
The 20-point framework is built around EIC Accelerator requirements but most checks (eligibility, formal compliance, content consistency, QA) apply directly to STEP, Horizon Europe and Eurostars submissions.
What do we receive at the end?
A written audit report with findings per check, a prioritised fix-list, and a 60-minute debrief call with the lead advisor.
How long does the audit take?
Standard turnaround is 5 working days from receipt of all documents. Expedited turnaround is possible close to a batch deadline.
eic-accelerator.eu is an independent consultancy. We are not affiliated with the European Innovation Council, the European Commission, or any official EU institution. The Submission Readiness framework reflects publicly available programme information and senior advisory practice; final rules, eligibility and evaluation criteria are defined by the relevant programme authorities.