Cloud services in a project are expenditures on software and infrastructure provided on a subscription basis. Their assessment is more complex than for a one-off purchase, because it concerns ongoing operation. As a rule, only the part of the subscription falling within the project implementation period is eligible, and only on condition that the service serves the project activities and that consumption can be documented. Costs for the period after the project ends are paid by the company itself, which is also a question of sustainability – the provider wants to see that you can sustain operation even without the grant. For AI computations, bear in mind the variability of consumption: a budget built on an estimate without a test tends to fall short. Keep both invoices and monthly consumption statements, since a blanket claim about usage will not hold up under a control check.
See also: Purchasing software through a grant, Project sustainability, Cybersecurity as an expense.
