EuropeAid EUROMED HERITAGE IV Rules governing the restricted call for proposals EuropeAid/126266/C/ACT/Multi Information session Brussels, 10.12.2007.

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EUROMED HERITAGE IV

Rules governing the restricted call for proposals EuropeAid/126266/C/ACT/Multi

Information sessionBrussels, 10.12.2007

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• a payment of a non-commercial nature to a specific recipient

• for the achievement of an objective forming part of a European Union policy

• to support the implementation of an action = YOUR PROJECT

DEFINITION: what is a grant?

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Therefore a GRANT is:

• a project proposed by a potential Beneficiary

• with a co-financing from the Beneficiary of min. 20% of the total eligible costs

• the EC contribution is for the reimbursement of the actual eligible costs incurred

• the Grant Beneficiary is autonomous and owner of the action & its results

• No retroactivity

DEFINITION: what is a grant?

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The term “BENEFICIARY” is used with different meanings:

• the recipient of an awarded grant (from Applicant to Beneficiary)

• to identify the Beneficiary country with which the EC has an agreed programme of co-operation for the benefit of its population

• to identify the final beneficiaries, i.e. those who will benefit from the project in the long term at the level of the society or sector at large

DEFINITION: what is a “beneficiary”?

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o Attitudes and approaches to ‘ownership’, ‘control’ and ‘visibility’

o Focus on results over longer termo Knowledge and skills of staffo Working relationships with partners and other

donorso Streamlining of procedures

(increased flexibility)

Changes adopted in EC practice to promote better quality projects

EuropeAidEuropeAidDIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CALL FORTENDERS AND A CALL FOR PROPOSALS

PROCUREMENT(SERVICES,SUPPLIES

& WORKS)

buying things

Contracting Authority

agreed price

call for tenders

contract

FOR PROFIT

purpose

ownership of results

financial contribution

procedure

legal form

GRANT(SUBVENTION)

supporting an initiative by giving a financial contribution

Beneficiary

% shared costs

call for proposals

grant agreement

NON-PROFIT

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• Verify the general and specific objectives of Euromed Heritage IV in article 1.2 of the guidelines

Are these objectives in line with your project?

• Verify the eligibility of proposed actions of Euromed Heritage IV in article 2.1.3 of the guidelines

Is the scope of your proposed activities in line with the eligible actions defined in the guidelines?

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR PROPOSAL

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The overall indicative amount is EUR 13.500.000 (ENPI-South regional action plan).

EUR 500.000 ≤ requested EC grant ≥ EUR 1.500.000

Maximum EC co-financing: 80% of the total eligible costs

No double financing: the balance must be financed from the applicant's or partners' own resources, or from sources other than the European Community budget or the European Development Fund.

BUDGET and SIZE OF GRANTS

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Euromed Heritage is a regional programme: the majority of project activities must take place in at least two of the Mediterranean partner countries and territories (corresponding to minimum 40% of the budgeted costs).

Within the projects, punctual actions, such as meetings, seminars, or training sessions, etc. may nevertheless be carried out in the EU, as well as in other Mediterranean countries.

The planned duration of an action must be between 24 to 48 months.

LOCATION and DURATION

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• Verify the eligibility criteria of the Applicant in article 2.1.1 of the guidelines

Can you be the applicant?

• and those of the partners in article 2.1.2 of the guidelines

Can you be a partner? Do your partners fulfil the eligibility criteria?

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR PROPOSAL

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In article 2.1.2 of the guidelines: “Partnerships must be composed of at least one organisation from a EU Member State and at least one organisation from a Mediterranean partner country or territory.”

Partnerships are mandatory, with the minimum requirement: 1 EU + 1 Med.

A same entity cannot participate more than once, either as leader or as partner.

The partners participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the grant Beneficiary. They must therefore satisfy the same eligibility criteria as the applicants.

PARTNERSHIPS: requirements

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Applicants and partners must :

• be legal persons, and

• be non profit making, and • be organisations such as: non-governmental organisations,

cultural associations, private or public sector operators, research institutes, universities, relevant local or regional public administrations, international (inter-governmental) organisations as defined by Article 43 of the Implementing Rules to the EC Financial Regulation, and• work in the field of culture, and

• be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action, not acting as intermediaries, and

ELIGIBILITY of applicants and partners

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• be nationals of:

- a Member State of the European Union (27 countries)

- a country or a territory beneficiary of the European Neighbourhood and

Partnership instrument (Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaidjan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya,

Moldova, Morocco, Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Russian Federation, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine)

- a country that is a beneficiary of an Instrument for Pre-Accession

Assistance (Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, including Kosovo,

Turkey)

- a Member State of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway)

- any other country than those referred to above, where the reciprocal

access to external assistance has been established (no country for the time being).

ELIGIBILITY of applicants and partners

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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 diems or travel costs. Associates do not have to meet the eligibility criteria referred to in article 2.1.1.

SUBCONTRACTORS

Subcontractors are subject to the procurement rules set out in Annex IV to the standard grant contract.

Associates and Sub-contractors are not partners and do not have to sign the “partnership statement”.

ASSOCIATES

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Applications must be submitted using the “Euromed Heritage IV Grant Application Form”

annexed to the Guidelines (to be published in the coming days on:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/cgi/frame12.pl)

At this stage, fill in and submit ONLY PART A:

- Concept note (max. 4 pages)

- Checklist for concept note

- Declaration by the applicant for concept note (to be signed)

HOW TO APPLY: administrative info

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• Language: English or French

• 1 original and 3 copies + electronic format(The electronic format must contain exactly the same proposal

as the paper version enclosed. Do not use PDF format)

• Prior registration in PADOR is not obligatory.

HOW TO APPLY: administrative info

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The deadline for the receipt of applications is:

Friday 15 February 2008, 16:00 CET

Any application received after the deadline will automatically be rejected even if the postmark

indicates a date preceding the deadline or if the delay is due to the private courier service.

No submission via e-mail!

HOW TO APPLY: deadline

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The Concept Note must answer the 4 sections in a maximum of 4 pages (each section must be answered on maximum 1 page - the font size cannot be smaller than Arial 10)

Any Concept Note not meeting those basic requirements will be rejected without appraisal...

CONCEPT NOTE

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1. Summary of the action Brief description of the proposed action (and the following questions)

2. Relevance:2.1 How relevant is your proposal to the needs and constraints of the

target country(ies) or region? 2.2 What are the problems to be resolved and the needs to be met? 2.3 Who are the actors involved (final beneficiaries, target groups)? 2.4 What are the objectives and expected results?2.5 What is the added value of the action (what adds the action by

reference to (central or local) government action and actions implemented by non state actors)?

3. Methodology and Sustainability:3.1 What are the main project activities? 3.2 Who will be your main implementing partners, what is the length of

your relationship with them and how will they be involved in the project?3.3 How will the project achieve sustainability? 3.4 Will it have multiplier effects?

4. Operational capacity and expertise:4.1 What is the experience of your organisation in project management?4.2 What is the experience of your organisation and your partner(s) of

the issues to be addressed?

CONCEPT NOTE

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Use the checklist!!!

If any of the requested information is missing or is incorrect, the proposal may be rejected on that sole basis and the proposal will not be evaluated further.

STEP 1: Opening session and administrative check

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1. Relevance:

1.1 Relevance of the problems to needs and constraints of the country/region to be addressed in general, and to those of the target groups and final beneficiaries in particular

1.2 Relevance to the priorities and objectives mentioned in the Guidelines

2. Effectiveness and Feasibility of the action:

2.1 Assessment of the problem identification and analysis

2.2 Assessment of the proposed activities (practicality and consistency in relation to the objectives, purpose and expected results).

2.3 Assessment of the role and involvement of all stakeholders and proposed partners.

3. Sustainability of the action:

3.1 Assessment of the identification of the main assumptions and risks,

before the start up and throughout the implementation period.

3.2 Assessment of the identification of long-term sustainable impact on the target groups and final beneficiaries.

TOTAL

STEP 2: evaluation of the Concept Note Max.

points

(15)

5

10

(25)

5

10

10

(10)

5

5

50

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1. Assessment by HQ and delegations:Minimum of 12 points in the category "Relevance”, and minimum total score of 30 points to be considered for pre-selection.

2. Ranking: according to the total average scoreThe list of Concept Notes will be reduced in accordance to the ranking to those whose sum of requested contributions amounts to twice the available budget for this Call for proposals.

3. Information: invitation of pre-selected applicants to submit full proposals and information of non-selected applicants

STEP 2: evaluation of the Concept Note

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Euromed Heritage IV Grant Application Form, PART B

(not to be submitted at this stage)

I. THE ACTION

1. DESCRIPTION (including logical framework)

2. BUDGET FOR THE ACTION (including expected sources of

funding)

3. EXPERIENCE OF SIMILAR ACTIONS

II. THE APPLICANT: identity, profile, capacity to manage and

implement actions, list of the management board/committee of the

organisation

STEP 3: Evaluation of full proposal

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Euromed Heritage IV Grant Application Form, PART B

III. PARTNERS OF THE APPLICANT PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTION:

description of the partners, Partnership Statement

IV. ASSOCIATES OF THE APPLICANT PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTION

V. CHECKLIST

VI. DECLARATION BY THE APPLICANT

VII. ASSESSMENT GRID

STEP 3: Evaluation of full proposal

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Only “eligible costs” can be taken into account for a grant.

It is therefore in the Beneficiary's interest to provide a

realistic and cost-effective budget.

BUDGET: eligibility of costs

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Costs must:

- be necessary for carrying out the action

- have actually been incurred during the implementation period

- be recorded in the Beneficiary's or the Beneficiary's partners' accounts or tax documents

- be identifiable and verifiable, and be backed up by originals of supporting documents

- and be paid for before final report verification

BUDGET: eligibility of costs

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Make sure that your budget is readable and in line with the proposed action

Delete all budget lines which are not used

Lump sums are not acceptable (indicate provisions)

BUDGET: eligibility of costs

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Variations in the budget are allowed provided that they:

- they do not affect the basic purpose of the action; and

- the financial impact is limited to a transfer between items within the same main budget heading including cancellation orintroduction of an item, or a transfer between main budget headings involving a variation of 15% or less of the amount originally entered in relation to each concerned main heading for eligible costs.

inform the EC in writing and without any delay (no addendum).

not for administrative costs or contingency reserve.

BUDGET: 15% flexibility rule

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• indicate whether unit rates are maximum or average

• indicate full or part-time utilisation (and its percentage)

• indicate if staff are in-house, external collaborators or external contractor expertise/sub-contracted (if sub-contracted move to item 5)

• verify ratio between administrative staff and item 10

• per-diem: clarify that these are average and how web-site applicable rates will be utilised for reporting

• reduce number of budget lines based on similar activities/unit rates (both for per-diem and travels)

BUDGET: item 1: Human resources

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In budget item 1, only staff recruited by the Beneficiary and its partners with an employment contract (and related payment of salaries) is eligible.

Staff recruited with a service contract (and related invoices) is to be considered as “sub-contractors”. Procurement rules apply. They should be included in budget item 5.

Salaries are not in-kind contributions, provided they are paid by the Beneficiary and/or its partners, and they are supported by appropriate proves of payment.

BUDGET: item 1: Human resources

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Flights only in economy class

• clarify if unit rates are maximum or average

• clarify modalities for local transport

BUDGET: item 2: Travel

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Type of expenditure eligible only if deemed necessary by the EC

for the Euromed Heritage IV Programme.

No reinforcement of the capacities of the beneficiary / partners unless duly justified.

• Indicate/clarify procurement planning and procedures (remember art 7 of GC)3.1 if just rental (delete purchase)3.5 Other (please specify) means they have to specify!

• Transfer to local partners and/or the final recipients at the latest by the end of the implementation of the Action

• Certificates of origin

BUDGET: item 3: Equipment and Supplies

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Type of expenditure eligible only if deemed necessary by the EC

for the Euromed Heritage IV Programme.

No need to set-up a specific office for a project,unless duly justified.

(cf. 7% for overheads)

BUDGET: item 4: Local office

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• do you have a procurement planning? and procedures to follow?

5.2 modalities of such studies and their related management

5.3 Expenditure verification: the only sub-contract without procedures

5.4 external evaluations, if included clarify modalities/ procedures

5.6 no need for bank guarantee = no bank charges5.7 seminars, etc.: clarify link with 1.3.3 5.8 visibility action: no lump sum, modalities should

be provided in the action description

BUDGET: item 5: Other costs, services

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Please detail and, if related to other items, move these

costs to correct budget lines

BUDGET: item 6: Other

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A contingency reserve not exceeding 5% of the direct eligible costs may be included in the Budget of the Action. It can only be used with the prior written authorisation of the Contracting Authority.

BUDGET: item 10: overheadsThe indirect costs incurred in carrying out the action may be eligible for flat-rate funding fixed at not more than 7% of the total eligible direct costs.

BUDGET: item 8: contingency reserve

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The provisions of Annex IV to standard grant contracts apply mutatis mutandis to contracts to be concluded by the Beneficiary’s partners

Tender documents must be drafted in accordance with best international practice. If you do not have your own set of documents, you may use EuropeAid models.

PROCUREMENT

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PROCUREMENT: thresholdsArtificial slicing in order to avoid threshold for publication is NOT ALLOWED!

< 10.000 euroSingle offer

< 10.000 euroSingle offer

< 10.000 euroSingle offer

10.000, < 300.000 euroCompetitive Negotiated Procedure

10.000, < 60.000 euroCompetitive Negotiated Procedure

> 300.000, < 5.000.000 euroLocal Open Procedure

> 5.000.000 euro1. International Open Procedure2. International Restricted Procedure (exceptional cases)

Works

> 60.000, < 150.000 euroLocal Open Procedure

>150.000 euroInternational Open Procedure

Supplies

in addition, other procedures:

competitive dialogue

and

dynamic procurement system

before utilisation of above procedures, make sure you get the prior approval of the EC

> 10.000 euro , < 200.000 euro Rule: Competitive Negotiated ProcedureException: your Framework Contract

>200.000 euroInternational Restricted Procedure

Services

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All the public contracts funded (co-funded) by the Commission have to respect the principles of transparency, proportionality, equal treatment and non-discrimination.

Negotiated procedure: the cases where the contracting authority addresses itself to an operator of its choice without proceeding to competition are exceptional, and reserved for well-defined, specific situations that require the prior written approval of the Commission.

always fair competition

PROCUREMENT

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The Applicant may propose awarding “sub-grants”.

To be included in the proposal: - justification for re-granting, - types of activities which may be eligible for sub-grants - total budget used for awarding sub-grants, - minimum and maximum amount which may be paid to third parties,- criteria for determining the exact amount for the sub-grant.

The maximum amount of sub-grant is limited to EUR 10.000 per third party of the while the total amount which can be awarded as sub-grants to third parties is limited to EUR 100.000.

The Beneficiary shall remain the only counterpart of the EC regarding the management of the sub-granted funds, particularly as far as the eligibility of expenditure occurred by third parties is concerned.

RE-GRANTING

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In addition, pay attention to:

Annex II – General Conditions !!!!!!

Annex VI - Model narrative and financial report

Annex VII- Model report of factual findings and terms of reference for an expenditure verification of an EC financed grant contract for external actions

OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

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to check regularly until the deadline!

EuropeAidEuropeAidEC contract procedures

EuropeAidEuropeAidStandard documents

EuropeAidEuropeAidProvisional timeline

Publication of guidelines

First phase of project preparation

Evaluation of concept notes

October 07

Contract finalisation and signature

Final evaluation in HQ & EC Dels

March 08 April 08

Invitation of best concept notes to submit a full

proposal

Deadline for receipt of

concept notes

December 07 -January 08

INFO DAYS in Brussels on 10.12.07 (EN) and on 15.01.08 (FR)+ in Damascus on 17.01.08 (EN)+ in Rabat on 25.01.08 (FR)

Deadline 15.02.08

Second phaseof project preparation

JULY 2008May-June 08

BE

GIN

NIN

G O

F P

RO

JE

CT

S..

.

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1) Questions & answers session of this afternoon (14:30)

2) Questions may be sent by e-mail or by fax no later than 26/01/2008 to: [email protected]

Fax: +32 2 29 21 002

Ref.: Euromed Heritage IV

Please, regularly check the EuropeAid websitehttp://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/cgi/frame12.pl (search with reference

n° 126266) in order to be informed of the latest news related to this call as well as the published Q&A

N.B.: In the interest of equal treatment of applicants, the EC

cannot give a prior opinion on the eligibility of an applicant, a

partner or a proposed activities.

ANY QUESTIONS?

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Thank you for your attention

Please note that this document has been prepared for information purposes only, official instructions are provided in the published

Guidelines and their related official documentation.