Guidelines for Applicants, BG 2004/016-782.01.02 “People to people actions in support for economic development and promotion of employment”
Republic of Bulgaria
Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
PHARE Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Bulgaria – Greece 2004
“People to people actions in support for economic development and promotion of employment”
(Small Projects Fund)
Guidelines
for grant applicants
responding to the call for proposals
for 2004
Budget line: 2004/016-782.01.02
Open Call for Proposal
Reference: BG 2004/016-782.01.02/GS
Deadline for receipt of applications: June 5, 2006
NOTICE
Please note that the procedure has changed. The evaluation of your application will only be performed if your concept note is provisionally selected. Your application will then undergo the evaluation. The eligibility conformity check will only be performed for the proposals that have been provisionally selected according to the score obtained after the final evaluation, on the basis of the supporting documents which will be requested by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW), in its capacity of Contracting Authority, and the Declaration by the applicant signed and sent together with the application.
Table of Content
1. the small Projects fund programme 4
1.1 Background 4
1.2 Objectives of the programme and priority issues 5
1.3 Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority (MRDPW) 5
2. Rules OF 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 8
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 11
2.2. HOW TO APPLY, AND THE PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW 14
2.2.1 Application form 14
2.2.2 Where and how to send the applications 14
2.2.3 Deadline for receipt of applications 15
2.2.4 Further information 15
2.3 EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF APPLICATIONS 16
2.4 SUBMISSION OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR PROVISIONALLY SELECTED PROPOSALS 20
2.5 NOTIFICATION OF THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY’S DECISION 22
2.5.1 Content of the decision 22
2.5.2 Indicative time table 22
2.6 CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION FOLLOWING THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY'S DECISION TO AWARD A GRANT 23
3. LIST OF annexes 26
1. the small Projects fund programme
1.1 Background
With a view to strengthen the local cross-border co-operation of the two border regions, Greece and Bulgaria decided during the Joint Co-operation Committee (JCC) meeting (Athens, November 20, 2000) to start to implement a Small Projects Fund (SPF). This grant scheme provides support to small scale non-investment “people-to-people” projects especially in fields of business co-operation, know-how transfer, consultancy services for SMEs and marketing for small and medium size enterprises, training, employment, cultural exchanges, improvement of information flow and communications between border regions etc.
This project is fully in line with the priorities that are indicated in the Joint Programming Document (JPD) approved by the European Union on December 27, 2000. The JPD constitutes the general framework for the co-operation between the two countries and has been agreed between the Greek and Bulgarian authorities during the JCC meeting (June 2001). JPD can be found of the following web-site address: www.mrrb.government.bg
In order to reach a sufficient impact, SPF grant scheme needs to be implemented with a multi-annual perspective. In view of that three annual calls for proposals have been announced.
· The first allocation for Bulgaria of € 465.000 was made from the Phare CBC/INTERREG 2001 Bulgaria - Greece Programme. The call for this SPF, using funds from the Phare 2001 Bulgaria - Greece CBC budget, took place on 20th November 2002 with the deadline for submission of applications on 20th January 2003. Seventy-two proposals were received and after evaluation 15 grant contracts were signed.
· The second allocation for Bulgaria of € 790,500 was made from the Phare CBC/INTERREG 2002 Bulgaria - Greece Programme. The call for this SPF, using funds from the Phare 2002 Bulgaria - Greece CBC budget, took place on 9 July 2004 with the deadline for submission of applications on 9 September 2004; ninety-seven proposals were received and after evaluation 20 grant contracts were signed.
· The third allocation for Bulgaria of € 465,000 was made from the Phare CBC/INTERREG 2003 Bulgaria - Greece Programme. The call for this SPF, using funds from the Phare 2003 Bulgaria - Greece CBC budget, took place on April 15, 2005 with the deadline for submission of applications on June 15, 2005; seventy-eight proposals were received and after evaluation 12 grant contracts were signed.
The present call for proposals is launched under the Phare CBC/INTERREG 2004 Bulgaria – Greece programme, using funds from the Phare 2004 Bulgaria – Greece CBC budget. The project aims to support joint measure-based interventions in compliance with AXIS 2: Support for economic development and promotion of employment of the BG –GR Phare CBC/INTERREG IIIA JPD (2000 -2006) 2.2. Human resources and promotion of employment, and 2.3: Cooperation among Educational and Research Institutions.
The project is designed based on the enterprise policy of the European Union, which focuses on entrepreneurship, creating of environment that is supportive to innovation. Its ambition is to supply the policy ideas that will foster the competitiveness of enterprises aiming to create a knowledge-based economy in Europe. The economic life and development of the Bulgarian – Greek trans-border region presents many differences in the quality of life, as witnessed at all levels of the economic life of the region. Considerable conflicts are present in the Bulgarian side primarily due to the acute socio – economic upheavals of the recent years, thus not allowing the local economy to mature and create those structures, which are already operational on the Greek side.
The implementation of the 2004 SPF will fully respect the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions (PRAG) that came into effect on 1 February 2006.
1.2 Objectives of the programme and priority issues for 2004
The overall purpose of the Small Projects Fund is to support small scale, "people-to-people” and “soft" local development activities involving local actors from the border regions. These actions may be defined on the basis of local/regional needs, and which have a cross-border impact. The scheme intends to provide an indirect support to SMEs through improved business services, consultancy and information on the possibilities and potential opportunities for creating partnerships in BG-GR border area. A direct support will address regional non-profit actors in overcoming the gap in research and development activities, in creating favorable conditions and institutional framework to support economic actors to develop cross – border relations. The aim is to encourage inter-company co-operation in the cross-border region, in order to enhance their competitiveness and productivity. The grant scheme will stimulate the development and exploitation of mutual complementarities and a better access to markets for co-operating companies. The regional impact of the project will be measured not only by the success of individual enterprises, but also by the increase of the growth potentials of service and manufacturing clusters, as well as by the increase of the number of employed in the border region.
1.2.1. Overall objective of the Grant Scheme is to:
· Increase growth and improve competitiveness of enterprises in the cross border region.
1.2.2. Specific objectives of the Grant Scheme are to:
· Stimulate cross-border economic activities (co-operation between companies, creation of network and clusters, development of joint strategies and new products, joint marketing activities);
· Improve human resources capacities and skills.
1.2.3. Priority issues for this call:
The SPF will support actions in the following two types of measures through the implementation of a Grant Scheme:
Window 1: Business cooperation for the promotion of employment
Window 2: Cooperation between the educational and research institutions
1.3 Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority (MRDPW)
The overall indicative total amount available under the present Call for Proposals is EUR 1 023 000 for Bulgaria. The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
Size of grants
Any grant awarded under this scheme must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
· minimum amount: EUR 10,000
· maximum amount: EUR 100,000
In addition, no grant may exceed 90 % of the total eligible costs of the action (see also 2.1.4. below). The balance must be financed from the applicant’s or partners’ own resources, or from sources other than the European Community budget.
The minimum co-financing required has to be 10% of the total eligible cost of the action. Co-financing is to be provided by the beneficiaries in order to demonstrate local commitment. Contribution in kind is not allowed. No resources, which have been assisted by Phare or other EC support, may be taken into account as own contribution. Furthermore, project proposals already financed by other Phare or EU source may not apply.
Note: The Evaluation Committee reserves the right to recommend reduction of the grant costs if they are deemed excessive.
2. Rules OF 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 (available on the Internet at this address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/tender/gestion/index_en.htm).
2.1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
There are three sets of eligibility criteria, relating to:
· organisations 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) Applicants must comply with the following conditions in order to be eligible for a grant:
· be non-profit-making legal entities[1]; and
· be municipalities; associations of municipalities; Euro regions; business support organizations such as chambers of commerce, industry or agriculture; professional and branch associations; economic development agencies, business centers, business incubators; trade union associations; other NGOs; educational institutions such as high schools, colleges, universities, vocational training centers, research institutions, etc.; and
· be nationals of the Republic of Bulgaria; and
· be registered at least 12 months before the deadline for submissions of applications under this Call for Proposals; and
· be located within an eligible Bulgarian district (Blagoevgrad, Smolyan, Kardjali and Haskovo) in the border region between Bulgaria and Greece or be a registered branch, located in one of the eligible districts[2]; and
· be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action, not acting as an intermediary; and
· have at least one partner from the other side of the border, which needs to be proved by a duly signed partnership statement[3].
Ministries, state agencies and their regional branches as well as district administrations are not eligible either as Applicants or as Partners.
IMPORTANT:
Civil servants or other officials of the central and District Governors’ administrations, regardless of their administrative situation, must not apply or be involved under this Call for proposals either as Applicant or a Partner.
(2) Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if:
(a) they are bankrupt or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations;
(b) they have been convicted of an offence concerning professional conduct by a judgement which has the force of res judicata (i.e., against which no appeal is possible);
(c) they are guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the Contracting Authority (MRDPW) can justify;
(d) they have not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established or with those of the country of the Contracting Authority (MRDPW) or those of the country where the action is to take place;
(e) they have been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation or any other illegal activity detrimental to the Communities' financial interests;
(f) they have been declared to be in serious breach of contract for failure to comply with their contractual obligations in connection with a procurement procedure or other grant award procedure financed by the Community budget.
Applicants are also excluded from participation in calls for proposals or the award of grants if, at the time of the call for proposals, they:
(g) are subject to a conflict of interests;
(h) are guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the Contracting Authority (MRDPW) as a condition of participation in the call for proposals or fail to supply this information;
(i) have attempted to obtain confidential information or influence the evaluation committee or the Contracting Authority (MRDPW) during the evaluation process of current or previous calls for proposals.
In the cases referred to in points (a), (c), (d), (f), (h) and (i) above, the exclusion applies for a period of two years from the time when the infringement is established. In the cases referred to in points (b) and (e), the exclusion applies for a period of four years from the date of notification of the judgment.
In part VI of the grant application form (“Declaration by the applicant”), applicants must declare that they do not fall into any of the above categories (a) to (f).
2.1.2 Partnerships and eligibility of partners
1) Applicant organizations must have at least one Greek partner. This is a mandatory requirement. The Greek partner(s) must comply with the following conditions:
· be non-profit-making legal entities;
· be municipalities; associations of municipalities; Euro regions; business support organistions such as chambers of commerce, industry or agriculture; professional and branch associations; economic development agencies, business centres, business incubators; trade union associations; other NGOs; educational institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, vocational training centres, research institutions, etc.;