Are the Charges for Visas and Health Insurance Eligible?

QUESTIONS / ANSWERS

1. Are the charges for visas and health insurance eligible?

/ The charges for visas and travel health insurance are eligible.
As a general rule, expenses may be considered to be eligible if they satisfy the conditions specified under section 2.1.4 Eligibility of costs: costs which may be taken into consideration for the grantof the Applicant’s Guidelines.
An expense shall become eligible provided that the related activity is eligible.
To establish the eligibility of the expenses made by the Romanian clients and/or partners during the implementation period, Order no. 1.294 of 14 April 2010 issued by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism establishing the categories of eligible expenses made in the implementation of the projects financed within the Joint Operational Programme"Romania –Ukraine – Republic of Moldova 2007-2013"shall apply.

1. The purchases of buildings are eligible costs in projects or not?

/ According to section 2.1.4.5, Non-eligible Costs in the Applicant’s Guidelines,the costs related to the purchases of buildings are not eligible, unless where necessary for the direct implementation of the action and in this case ownership shall be transferred to the final beneficiaries and/or local partners before the end of the action.
Such costs must also satisfy the conditions specified under section 2.1.4Eligibility of costs: costs which may be taken into consideration for the grantin the Applicant’s Guidelines.

1. How could a consortium of institutions apply? Should this consortium have a legal status or is it sufficient that each institution has a legal status?

/ An institution that meets the eligibility criteria provided under Section 2.1.1 “Applicants’ eligibility: who may apply?” in the Applicant’s Guidelinesmay apply.The partner institutions shall fulfil the same eligibility conditions as the applicant.

1. Public policy achievements can be financed?

/ Pursuant to section 6.4.4. of PRAGand section 2.2.4 Further Information for the Concept Note in the Applicant’s Guidelines, in the interest of equal treatment of all applicants, the Joint Managing Authority, the Joint Technical Secretariat or the Branch Offices of the Joint Technical Secretariat cannot issue an opinion on the eligibility of applicants, partners, an action or a specific activity.The only entity capable to issue an opinion on the eligibility of an applicant, partner, action or activity is the Evaluation Committee appointed under the respective call for project proposals.
Actions shall be eligible provided that they satisfy the conditions specified under section 2.1.3 Eligible actions: actions for which a grant application may be made of the Applicant’s Guidelines.

1. Can a project foreseeing construction works be financed, if a feasibility study and a technical design are already in place?

/ The expenses made before the contract signature are not eligible. Thus, the costs of the Feasibility Study and the Technical Design may not be reimbursed if the project is selected and the contract signed.

1. How is an applicant’s “financial and operational capacity” assessed?

/ The technical and financial capacity of the applicant and its partners shall be assessed according to the evaluation grid, as provided by section 3.2 ”EVALUATION OF FULL GRANT APPLICATIONS” and of the support documents as provided by section 2.2.6. ”Supporting documents to be submitted together with the full grant application”.

1. Where in the concept note can partners and stakeholdersbe described?

/ Partners and stakeholders may be described under section 1.3. Description of the action, in the concept note, items a) and c).

1. As regards strategies, if there are no strategies on a certain issue in Ukraine, is it possible to use a study conducted by an Ukrainian partner?

/ An action does not necessarily have to belong to a national/regional/local strategy or an action plan. See the requirements of section 1.2.2 of the concept note to identify the version appropriate to your project idea,regarding the action relevance to the needs and constraints of the target country/s/region.If the project innovates and does not belong to a national / regional strategy or an action plan, indicate the project added value in terms of the programme objectives and complementarity with national and regional strategies.

1. Can a partner be changed between the time of submitting the concept note and the submission of the grant application?

/ According to section 2.2.5Full Grant Application in the Applicant’s Guidelines, the elements assessed on the basis of the concept note may not be modified by the applicant in the grant application. If this condition is not fulfilled, having regard to the principle of equal treatment, the evaluation committee will reject any application which modifies, contradicts or is inconsistent with the concept note, without further request for clarification.

1. Will an information session be held for the grant application as well?

/ Training sessions on how to fill in the grant application shall be held within the second call for project proposals. The applicants whose concept note will be selected further to the concept note evaluation process shall be notified about the schedule of training meetings (see section3.4.3 Indicative Timetable in the Applicant’s Guidelines. The timetable shall be updated periodically and published on the Internet, on the programme website:

1. What is the deadline for answering the questions?

/ According to the indicative time table for submission of concept notes, JTS/JMA shall issue answers to questions for the persons concerned, as regards the second call for project proposals within JOP RO-UA-MD,no later than 19 January 2012.(also see section 3.4.3 Indicative Timetable in the Applicant’s Guidelines)

1. Under what conditions do the provisions of Law 105/2011 apply?

/ According to article 14 paragraph 5) of Law no. 105/2011 regarding the management and use of external non-reimbursable funds and the national public co-financing for the "European Territorial Cooperation" objective, the amounts representing the public co-financing provided from the State budget shall be allocated for projects other than those related to the technical assistance components, in which the beneficiary or the partners is/are a public institution or a non-governmental organization/public institutions or non-governmental organizations in Romania and shall account for maximum 8% of the external non-reimbursable funds provided to them, but may not account for more than 72% of the eligible financial contribution provided within the project.

1. What happens if a non-eligible partner is found during the assessment?

/ As provided by Section 2.1.2Partnerships and eligibility of partners in the Applicants’ Guidelines, non-eligibility of a partner implies the non-eligibility of the entire project.

1. The branch of a national organization may apply under this program?

/ The branch of a national organization may apply under the second call for project proposal if it meets all the eligibility criteria provided under Section 2.1.1 “Eligibility of Applicants: who may apply?” in the Applicant’s Guidelines.

1. Is there any rule regarding the fair budget distribution between partners (between the 3 countries)?

/ The Applicant’s Guidelines do not include any rules on how to distribute budget between partners.

1. If the partnership statement is missing, can the application be/is the application rejected?

/ According to section 2.2.2Where and how to send Concept notes and supporting documents in the Applicant’s Guidelines, incomplete concept notes will be rejected.

1. Who is assessing the projects?

/ The applications will be assessed by the Evaluation Committees, whose members are approved by the Joint Monitoring Committee. The members with a voting right within the Evaluation Committee shall be from all the three countries participating in the programme.

1. Is it permitted to borrow money from the bank to co-finance the project?

/ According to section 1.4.1 of the Applicant’s Guidelines, the project co-financing shall be ensured by the beneficiary/the partners involved in the project, from own sources or from sources other than the European Union budget or the European Development Fund.

1. Is it possible to submit the same applications that were rejected under the first call for projects?

/ The applicant’s guidelines do not provide any restriction regarding the submission of the applications which were rejected in the previous calls for project proposals. However, please take into consideration the amendment of the application procedure and abide by all the provisions of the Applicant’s Guidelines published for this second call for project proposals.

1. Where can we find partners?

/ We advise you to refer to the sections dedicated to the search for partners and the available databases on the following websites: You can also use internet browsers to identify the contact details of the potential partners in the other States participating within the program.

1. Is it possible to make procurementsunder soft projects?

/ Procurements may be made under soft projects, in line with the provisions on the procurement procedures specified in Annex IVto the grant contract– Grant Award Procedures.

1. Are applicants from the Ivano-Frankivsk region allowed?

/ Under this call for project proposals, the organizations registered in adjacent regions:Braila county in Romania, Ukrainian oblasts Ivano Frankivska, Vinniytska, plus ten districts in the Khmelnyitska oblast (Vinkovetskyi, Chemerovetskyi, Khmelnytskyi, Kamyanets-Podilskyi, Letychivskyi, Dunayevetskyi, Derazhnyanskyi, Novoushyytskyi, Yarmolynetskyi, and Horodotskyi), as well as twelve districts in the Ternopilska oblast (Ternopilskyi, Berezhanskyi, Pidgayetskyi, Kozivskyi, Pidvolochyskyi, Terebovlyanskyi, Monastyrskyi, Gusyatynskyi, Chortkivskyi, Borshchivskyi, Zalishchytskyi, and Buchatskyi), may participate both as applicants and as partners, but only under soft projects

1. What do soft projects mean?

/ According to the list of usual terms included in the applicant’s guidelines: soft projects are intended to bring about changes and do not have a physical end product; a project, which is not principally concerned with works or equipment provision.
'Soft' projects include activities such as institutional strengthening, training, policy reform, exchange of experience.

1. Is it permitted to buy a bus/microbus in a cultural project?

/ Expenses are eligibleif they satisfy the conditions specified under section 2.1.4 Eligibility of costs: costs which may be taken into consideration for the grant in the Applicant’s Guidelines.
As a general rule, the need for the respective expenses should be substantiated in the grant application and/or the summary of the feasibility study/ the feasibility study, as applicable.

1. Which are the steps of the evaluation?

/ The evaluation shall be made in three steps:
- administrative check and evaluation of concept notes;
- administrative check and evaluation of the full application;
- eligibility check.

1. Will partnership forums be held?

/ The partnership forums were held in June 2011, in Odessa and Chisinau.

1. The5% percentage, representing provisions and the 7%percentage for indirect eligible expenses can be included only in the total eligible costs or in the grant?

/ The budget of a project and the total eligible costs, respectively, shall include both the grant and the contribution of the applicant and the partners. There is no break-down of expenses to be reimbursed from the grant or from the own contribution of the applicant and the partners.The two percentages, i.e.5% and 7% shall be calculated in relation to the direct eligible costs.

1. Can the strategy and action plan be sent in a print format?

/ Pursuant to the Applicant’s Guidelines, the strategies and plans forming the basis for the substantiation of a project idea must be sent in electronic format, on CD-ROM.

1. Is it necessary to fill in a checklist for the concept note and a checklist for the Full Application?

/ According to Annex A, Grant Application, there are two distinct Checklists: one for the concept note and one for the full application.

1. Which are the payment options in the case of these types of projects?

/ In accordance with Annex II- General Conditions, article 15 - Payment and interest on late payment,there are three payment options, as follows:
- Option 1: Actions with an implementation period not exceeding 12 months or where the financing provided by the Contracting Authority does not exceed EUR 100,000:

• pre-financing of 80% of the sum referred to in Article 3.2 of the Special Conditions following the provisions in article 4.3 of the Special Conditions.
• The balance within 45 days of the Contracting Authority approving the final report in accordance with Article 15.2 accompanied by a request for payment of the balance conforming to the model in Annex V.

- Option 2:Actions with an implementation period of more than 12 months and where the grant is more than EUR 100,000:

• pre-financing of 80% of the grant estimated for the first 12 months of implementation, as specified in Article 4 of the Special Conditions, following the provisions in article 4.3 of the Special Conditions.
• further pre-financing instalments of the amount specified in Article 4 of the Special Conditions and designed to normally cover the Beneficiary’s financing needs for each twelve month period of implementation of the Action, within 45 days of the Contracting Authority approving an interim report in accordance with Article 15.2
• the balance within 45 days of the Contracting Authority approving the final report in accordance with Article 15.2

1. Is it possible that an organization submits more than one application?

/ In accordance with the Applicant’s Guidelines, section 2.1.3.6, Number of applications and grants per applicant,an applicant may send more than one grant under this call for project proposals and may be awarded more than one grant, provided that it demonstrates that it has the technical and operational capacity to implement the selected projects.

1. How should natural strategies be sent (translated)?

/ According to section 3.3.2 How to submit the supporting documents, the supporting documents, in this case national, regional strategies, action plans, relevant projects shall be submitted in the national language, but the relevant parts containing conclusive information should be translated into English, to facilitate evaluation.

1. Does the Romanian partner have to demonstrate its experience in the field?

/ According to the Applicant’s Guidelines, the technical and financial capacity of the applicant and the partners shall be assessed according to the evaluation grid, as provided by section 3.2 EVALUATION OF THE FULL GRANT APPLICATION (STEP 2) and of the support documents requested according to section 2.2.6 Supporting documents to be submitted together with the full application form.

1. A person from outside the organization could be hired within the project?

/ According to the Applicant’s Guidelines, section 2.2.6 Supporting documents to be submitted together with the Full Application Form, upon transmission of the grant application, only job descriptions are requested for the project team and if the respective application is selected, the applicant and/or the partners shall conduct recruitment procedures to complement the project team, according to the requirements set forth n in these job descriptions.

1. How many days are available between the Concept Note submission and the grant application submission?

/ According to the Applicant’s Guidelines, the full grant application shall be sent within 60 days from the dispatch of the letter notifying that the concept note was pre-selected. The deadline for submission of the financing application shall be specified in the respective letter.See section 3.4.3 of the Indicative Timetable in the Applicant’s Guidelines).

1. The land belonging to a natural person can be used?

/ Pursuant to the Applicant’s Guidelines 2.1.1.1 Mandatory Eligibility Criteria, the land where the investment is to be performed should be owned by the applicant/respective partner or be given under concession/administration to the organization which carries out the respective activity.

1. Is there any appeal procedure in place? What does it consist in? (R- in the guidelines)

/ According to the Applicant’s Guidelines, section 3.4.2, the Appeal Procedure, applicants may file an appeal against the evaluation outcomes.
Appeals shall be taken into consideration if the applicant can substantiate that the decision of the Evaluation Committee infringes the provisions of the guidelines related to this Call for project proposals and must meet the following conditions:
a)be submitted only by the applicant and not by its partners or third parties; be signed by the legal representative of the applicant;
b)be submitted within 15 calendar days (as evidenced by the date of dispatch, the postmark or the date of the deposit slip) from the date when the written notification announcing the result of the evaluation step has been sent;
c)be written in English;
d)be addressed to the Head of the Joint Managing Authority and sent to the Joint Technical Secretariat by fax, mail or courier;
e)clearly describe the nature of the infringement considered as being made by the Evaluation Committee and make references to the corresponding provisions of the Guidelines for grant applications for this Call for project proposals, with pertinent substantiation.
Appeals that do not observe these requirements will not be taken into consideration. Additional information related to the Action provided by the letter of appeal will not be considered. Appeals that do not indicate the source of information will not be considered.
Answers to the applicants will be communicated by the Contracting Authority within 45 calendar days following the receipt of an appeal. However, the final decision on the list of selected projects is taken by the Joint Monitoring Committee of the programme. Consequently, the final decision concerning the appeal may be communicated in the set deadline, subject to the availability of the JMC to meet in this period.

1. Can the co-financing come from funds, other than European programmes?

/ According tothe Applicant’s Guidelines, section 1.4.1 –Size of grants, co-financing should be ensured from the own sources of the applicant/ partner or from sources other than the budget of the European Union or the European Development Fund.

1. 30 January 2012 should be the postmark date or the date when projects are submitted?

/ According toThe Applicant’s Guidelines, section 2.2.3 Deadline for submission of the Concept Notes, the deadline for the submission of the Concept Notes is 30 January 2012, as evidenced by the date of the postmark affixed on the outer envelope or the date of the letter accompanying the package (if dispatched by courier). In case of hand-deliveries, the deadline for receipt is 30th of January 2012, at 4.00p.m., Romanian local time, as evidenced by the acknowledgment of receipt to be issued in this case. Any concept note submitted after the deadline will automatically be rejected.