Contracting Authority:
European Commission
Cooperation Programme between Latin America and the European Union on Anti-Drugs Policies,
COPOLAD
Guidelines
for grant applicants
Budget line 19.09.01
Reference: 129-786
Deadline for submission of proposals: 31.05.2010
NOTICE
This is an open Call for Proposals, where all documents are submitted at one stage (Concept Note and full proposal). However, in the first instance, only the Concept Notes will be evaluated. Thereafter, for the applicants whose Concept Notes have been pre-selected, the full proposal will be evaluated. Following evaluation of the full proposals, an eligibility check will be performed for those which are provisionally selected. This check will be undertaken on the basis of the supporting documents requested by the Contracting Authority and the signed "Declaration by the Applicant" sent together with the application.
Table of contents
1. Cooperation Programme between Latin America and the European Union on Anti-Drugs Policies, COPOLAD 4
1.1 Background 4
1.2 Objectives of the programme and priority issues 5
1.3 Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority 6
2. Rules FOR thIS call for proposalS 7
2.1 Eligibility criteria 7
2.1.1 Eligibility of applicants: who may apply? 7
2.1.2 Partnerships and eligibility of partners 7
2.1.3 Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made 9
2.1.4 Eligibility of costs: costs which may be taken into consideration for the grant 12
2.2 Functioning rules and institutional structure of the project 13
2.3 How to apply and the procedures to follow 14
2.3.1 Application form 15
2.3.2 Where and how to send the Applications 16
2.3.3 Deadline for submission of Applications 16
2.3.4 Further information for the Application 17
2.4 Evaluation and selection of applications 18
2.5 Submission of supporting documents for provisionally selected applications 22
2.6 Notification of the Contracting Authority’s decision 24
2.6.1 Content of the decision 24
2.6.2 Indicative time table 24
2.7 Conditions applicable to implementation of the action following the Contracting Authority’s decision to award a grant 25
2.8 Early warning system and central exclusion database 25
3. LIST OF annexes 26
1. Cooperation Programme between latin America and the EuropeaN Union on Anti-drugs policies, copolad
1.1 Background
The illicit drugs problem in Latin America is characterised by a diversity of situations, which are ever-changing, and therefore produce a diversity of national responses and global and sectoral strategies. The problem is varied: in the MERCOSUR countries the main problem is drug consumption; the Andean countries are predominantly producers and the Central American countries are first and foremost transit countries for drugs on their way to consumer markets in the US and Europe. The common denominator in Latin America is the aggravation of national situations through the infiltration of drug-trafficking into affairs of State, and corruption, armed violence, money-laundering, the production and consumption of drugs. Serious steps have been taken to find solutions that are coordinated or shared between the most affected countries, whether in the global framework of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in the hemispheric framework of the Organisation of American States (OEA)/Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), or sub-regionally, as for example in the context of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN); but so far the advances in regional cooperation have been modest.
The Cooperation Programme on Anti-Drugs Policies between Latin America and the European Union (the COPOLAD Programme) aims to build a bridge between the two continents in the fight against illicit drugs. Although their situations are different, it is in the interests of both regions to recognise and take advantage of the various characteristics and strengths they each bring to the mix.
In this context, the programme should reflect the fundamental principles of the EU-LAC Anti-Drugs Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism[1]: ‘shared responsibility; a focus that is integrated, balanced and participatory; sustainable development; in conformity with international law, particularly respecting the full sovereignty and territorial integrity of each State, without interfering in internal affairs of State; and the inseparable ideals of human rights and fundamental freedoms.’
Given the need for a new focus and innovative strategies to tackle the illicit drugs problem, the EU and LA could begin a process of broad, structured dialogue for effective cooperation on the key elements of anti-drugs policies. To achieve this, COPOLAD will facilitate the development of a sustainable system of sharing experience, knowledge and good practice between both regions by the establishment (and progressive strengthening) of networks of direct anti-drugs cooperation among the actors involved, and in particular among the national coordinating agencies which already exist or are in the process of being set up in the countries of the EU and LA.
The Mechanism for Coordination and Cooperation, created in 1995, is essential to the two continents being able to go forward together in the fight against drugs, and it should be consolidated with the implementation of the COPOLAD Programme.
1.2 Objectives of the programme and priority issues
Global Objective
To contribute to improving the coherence, balance and impact of anti-drugs policies in Latin America.
Specific Objective
To strengthen capacities and encourage the process of elaborating anti-drugs policies in its different stages in Latin American countries by improving the dialogue and reinforcing the cooperation of the national agencies and other actors responsible for global and sectoral anti-drugs policies in the countries of Latin America and the EU.
In pursuit of the programme’s objectives, activities will provide the project beneficiaries with capacity building as well as examples, models and opportunities to improve the coherence, balance and impact of anti-drugs policies in Latin America. This is why the core of these activities is made up of capacity building and exchange of experiences, knowledge and good practices concerning anti-drugs policies. The project beneficiaries are National Coordinating Agencies and other public specialised agencies or bodies responsible for global and/or sectoral anti-drugs policies, national drugs Observatories and public ministries dealing with anti-drugs policies.
Priorities:
COPOLAD has been designed with a global and integrated focus combining a reduction in demand and supply of illicit drugs. Thus, project proposals presented by applicants must include the following priority components.
Component 1. Consolidation of the Mechanism through policy support and dialogue
In the face of the global drug phenomenon it is crucial to set up a platform for EU and Latin American National Drug Coordination bodies which are the principal actors in anti-drugs policy-making, so that they can exchange experience, good practice and information. This rapprochement of the National Drug Coordination bodies will be a key element in the consolidation of the Mechanism. The platform will not only launch a direct dialogue on policy issues of common interest, it will approach the drugs problem from the point of view of global and balanced policy and shared responsibility. It will also boost the role of the National Coordinating Agencies and the Observatories in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and strategies.
Component 2. Consolidation of the national Observatories
If they are to define coherent policies and be in a position to evaluate them, the National Coordinating Agencies need to access adequate, up-to-date and trustworthy information on the drug problem as a whole. The information must also be compatible and comparable at sub-regional, regional and international levels. Now that all Latin American countries are establishing their own national observatories, it is possible today to build up an integrated system of drug information (production, consumption, trafficking, associated crime, policies to reduce supply and demand, the diverting of chemical precursors and money-laundering).
Component 3. Capacity-building in the reduction of demand
This component should focus on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and harm reduction, as these aspects are an essential element of global policies in the fight against drugs.
Component 4. Capacity-building in the reduction of supply
This component will be coordinated with existing initiatives in law enforcement areas and in the alternative development area carried out by Latin American countries, other EC cooperation projects and other donors’ cooperation projects. The project will extract the lessons learned from existing initiatives which are relevant for National Coordination Agencies and observatories.
1.3 Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority
The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 6.000.000 The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
Size of grants
The Contracting Authority will award a single grant under this call for proposals.
The grant will cover the entire costs of the action. Co-financing by the beneficiary is not required.
The grant awarded under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
· minimum amount: EUR 5.500.000
· maximum amount: EUR 6.000.000
The activities of the action must be open to all bodies falling within the category of project beneficiaries (see section 1.2 Objectives of the programme and priority issues), even if they are not nationals of the member countries of the consortium (i.e. applicant and partners), to which the grant is awarded.
Thus, the Coordination and Execution Entity of the project (see section 2.2 Functioning rules and institutional structure of the project) must ensure that information concerning the project activities is properly disseminated to EU and Latin America organisations and institutions which might be interested in participating in its activities.
2. Rules FOR thIS call for proposalS
These guidelines set out the rules for the submission, selection and implementation of actions financed under this Call, in conformity with the provisions of the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions, which is applicable to the present call (available on the Internet at this address: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/procedures/implementation/practical_guide/index_en.htm ).
2.1 Eligibility criteria
There are three sets of eligibility criteria, relating to:
- applicant(s) which may request a grant (2.1.1), and their partners (2.1.2);
- actions for which a grant may be awarded (2.1.3);
- types of cost which may be taken into account in setting the amount of the grant (2.1.4).
2.1.1 Eligibility of applicants: who may apply?
(1) In order to be eligible for a grant, applicants must:
· be legal persons and
· be non profit making and
· belong to the following category: anti-drug National Coordinating Agencies of the 27 Member States of the European Union and
· be nationals[2] of a Member State of the European Union and
· be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with their partners, not acting as an intermediary and
· have sufficient capacity to manage actions of similar magnitude to that for which the grant application is made.
(2) Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if they are in any of the situations which are listed in Section 2.3.3 of the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions (available from the following Internet address: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/procedures/implementation/practical_guide/index_en.htm );
In part B section VI of the grant application form (“Declaration by the applicant”), applicants must declare that they do not fall into any of these situations.
2.1.2 Partnerships and eligibility of partners
Applicants must act with partner organisations as specified hereafter.
Partners
In addition to the category mentioned in section 2.1.1., the following institutions will be eligible as partners:
- National Coordinating Agencies and other public specialised agencies or bodies of the 27 Member States of the European Union or of the countries of Latin America responsible for global and/or sectoral anti-drugs policies [3],
- consolidated national drugs Observatories of the 27 Member States of the European Union or of the countries of Latin America,
- public ministries of the 27 Member States of the European Union or of the countries of Latin America responsible for anti-drug policies.
In addition to the applicant, each proposal must include at least one partner from one EU country and at least two partners from two different LA countries (see section 2.2. Functioning rules and institutional structure of the project). The maximum number of partners is fixed at 10, which is considered a number compatible with sound financial management. Applicants’ partners must participate in designing and implementing the action. With a view to greater efficiency, applicants' partners may manage a part of the grant which will be used to cover the costs of activities (see section 2.1.3. Eligible actions). These activities must be open to all bodies belonging to the category of project beneficiaries (see section 1.2. Objectives of the programme and priority issues), even if these bodies are not nationals of the member countries of the consortium (i.e. applicant and partners), to which the grant is awarded.
Since the costs incurred by them are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the grant beneficiary, partners must therefore satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable on the grant beneficiary himself.[4]
If during the implementation phase a partner withdraws from the action, or if the need to increase the number of Partners is necessary for the successful implementation of the Action, Partners may be replaced or the total number of Partners may be increased, subject to prior approval from the Commission.
The following are not partners and do not have to sign the “partnership statement”:
· Associates
Other organisations may be involved in the action. Such associates play a real role in the action but may not receive funding from the grant with the exception of per diem or travel costs. Associates do not have to meet the eligibility criteria referred to in section 2.1.1 (Eligibility of applicants). The associates have to be mentioned in Part B section IV - “Associates of the Applicant participating in the Action” of the Grant Application Form.
· Subcontractors
The grant beneficiaries have the possibility to award contracts to subcontractors. Subcontractors are neither partners nor associates, and are subject to the procurement rules set out in Annex IV to the standard grant contract.
The applicant will act as the lead organisation and, if selected, as the contracting party (the "Beneficiary").
2.1.3 Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made
Definition: An action (or project) is composed of a set of activities.
Proposed Actions will be considered eligible if: