APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Transcription

1 Version 1.1 APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Instructions for completing the Preparatory project call application form for the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme The application instructions are part of an Application Pack, which additionally includes the following documents: Application form Sections A - D Programme Manual Co-financing commitment form Project partner budget breakdown Fact sheets All of these documents can be downloaded from the website: The application form is in two Parts. Part A - C in Microsoft Word format and Part D in an Excel file. Within the application form there are a number of sections that must be completed for the application form to be deemed admissible. Please carefully consider all questions in the application form discuss them within your project partnership and jointly develop the plan. The application form will initially be used to evaluate your project s contribution to the overall objectives of NPA and will subsequently be used as a tool for monitoring approved projects. The application form must be completed in the format provided. The space for each question should not normally be exceeded and an indication has been provided of the size. Please note that all essential information on the project must be presented in the application form - only complementary information is to be given in the annexes. Please feel free to contact the Joint Secretariat and the Regional Contact Points for further advice and assistance on preparing a proposal. Contact details are on the NPA website.

2 Open Call for Proposals The Call for Preparatory project proposals opened on January 8 th, Submissions are welcome anytime and ideally conclude with the presentation of a main project application by the end date of a main project call for main project proposals. The purpose of Preparatory projects is to develop project ideas in a more specific and focused direction, to examine the need for the project outputs among end users and stakeholders and to build up transnational partnerships. Submission of Application Form: Only complete proposals will be accepted. Correct completion of the application forms will assist the Joint Secretariat in the processing and selection of applications and facilitate the decisionmaking and contract stages. Please note that the application pack will be updated regularly and that the latest official application forms can be obtained from the NPA website. Applications must be completed and submitted on the official application form to be considered eligible for co-financing: The electronic version of the application form must be submitted as MS Word and Excel files (no greater than 3MB) to the following address: applications@interregnpa.eu. Please ensure that the electronic version corresponds with the original. The blue ink signed original version of the application and annexes together with a Xerox copy must be sent to the Joint Secretariat at the address below. In exceptional cases, when original signed annexes are not part of the original submission, we can accept a scanned version until the original is submitted. Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme Secretariat Strandgade 91, 4 th loft DK-1401 Copenhagen K Denmark PART A: PROJECT SUMMARY 2

3 Part A contains general information about the project. A.1 Project identification Project Title: State the title of the project. Please keep it short and straightforward. This will be the official name of the project during its implementation. CAV Number Official use only Unique ID number Official use only Project acronym Provide an abbreviation of the project name. Name of the lead partner organisation in English Provide lead partner name Project duration State the start date and end date of project activities. Note that the project must be started as of the date of the formal funding approval and that the maximum project period is limited to 6 months. Project activities are eligible from the date of submission of the application to the Joint Secretariat: any expenditure incurred is at the applicant s own risk before approval of the project. Programme priority Indicate which priority of the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme the project meets and note that you can only apply for funding from ONE Priority Axis. Priority 1 Using Innovation to Maintain And Develop Robust And Competitive Communities Priority 2 Promoting Entrepreneurship to Realise the Potential of the Programme Area s Competitive Advantage Priority 3 Fostering Energy-Secure Communities through Promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Priority 4 Protecting, Promoting and Developing Cultural and Natural Heritage A.2 Project summary 3

4 Provide a short overview of the project A.3 Project budget summary Total Partner Budget to be inserted from Application Form Part D NOTE: All amounts are in EURO ( ) PART B: PARTNERS Lead partner and project partners Please list all the partners involved theirs details and answer questions. Instruction regarding: NUTS3 code see Table 1 - List of eligible regions in Programme Manual Legal status See Annex 1 of application form Organisation Procurement Status Indicate if applicable. Co-Financing Source Select one only per partner Part B1 should be signed by the person responsible in the project Lead Partner organisation. Project Partner overview Filled in from Section B. PART C: PROJECT DESCRIPTION This section of the application form should contain information on how well your project meets the thematic and specific objectives of the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme In order to answer these questions, it is important to read the Programme Manual and understand the results focus that all projects must attain during the implementation of a project. C.1 Project relevance C.1.1 What are the common territorial challenges that will be tackled by the project? When describing the project s relevance, please also demonstrate that the project is relevant for all partner areas by taking into account the level of maturity in the field of intervention. In addition, please describe how the project will base its outputs on stakeholders needs and how stakeholder involvement during the project is envisaged. Please refer to the challenges and potentials outlined in section of the Programme Manual. Demonstrate how your project is relevant for all regions involved, how it addresses a need, and how stakeholders are involved. Keep in mind the quality criterion of relevant, outlined in the selection criteria, section 2.7 of the Programme Manual. The summary should be no more than 2000 characters. 4

5 C.1.2 How will the expected project results contribute changes sought by the programme? The information should link the project result to the programme result indicator qualitatively. Please refer to the change sought for the selected specific objective as outlined in the Programme Manual, section 1.4. Demonstrate that you are aware of the result sought by the Programme and describe how your project will contribute to it. The summary should be no more than 2000 characters. C.2 Project objectives and expected results. C2.1 Programme specific objective Select one programme priority specific objective your project is contributing to Increased innovation and transfer of new technology to SMEs in remote sparsely populated areas 1.2. Increased innovation within public service provision in remote, sparsely populated areas 2.1. Improved support systems tailored for start-ups and existing SMEs in remote and sparsely populated areas 2.2. Greater market reach beyond local markets for SMEs in remote and sparsely populated areas 3. Increased use of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions in housing and public infrastructures in remote, sparsely populated areas 4. Increased capacity of remote and sparsely populated communities for sustainable environmental management C.2.2 Programme result Select one programme result your project is contributing to the Priority Axis chosen in A.1: 1.1 Degree of collaborations between SMEs and R & D 1.2 Awareness and attitudes among health professionals towards the use of ehealth technologies 2.1 Conditions for start-ups in remote, sparsely populated areas 2.2 Awareness of business opportunities beyond local markets among SMEs 3 Awareness of energy efficiency opportunities and renewable solutions in housing sector and public infrastructures in remote and sparsely populated areas 4 Preparedness of responsible authorities in remote and sparsely populated areas for environmental management in relation to climate change and impacts of new investments in exploitation of natural resources 5

6 C.3 Products and services (outputs) envisaged in a main project proposal C.3.1 Common challenges What is the expected main project s approach in addressing these common challenges and/or joint opportunities and what is new about the approach that the project takes? Please describe expected new solutions which will be developed during the project and/ or existing solutions that will be adopted and implemented during the project lifetime and in what way the approach goes beyond existing practice in the sector/ programme area/ participating countries. Furthermore, please indicate who will benefit from the outputs; as partners and as end beneficiaries. The summary should be no more than 1000 characters. C.3.2 Transnational cooperation Why is transnational cooperation needed to achieve the project s objectives and result? Please explain why the project goals cannot be efficiently reached acting only on a national/regional/local level and/or describe what benefits the project partners/target groups/project area gain in taking a transnational approach. Consider how the project applies principles such as joint development, financing, implementation, and staffing. The summary should be no more than 1000 characters. C.3.3 Target groups Who will use the main products and services? List envisaged target groups and describe how your main project will involve target groups (and other stakeholders) in the development of the project main products and services. Please note that we expect you to in a main project to build stakeholder engagement into the project, e.g. in your (associated) partnership, through your communications work package, or if relevant, by having a work package dedicated to industry interface, if your envisaged end users are the private sector. C.4 Indicative time plan overview The indicative work plan calendar by month indicates the start and end of each work package and activity. This project month management tool assists in the monitoring of the project s implementation. C.4.1 Preparatory project activities Please describe and specify activities. 6

7 PART D: TOTAL BUDGET AND FINANCIAL PLAN The table to be completed in A.3 is same as the Total Partner Budget sheet from the Preparatory Project Application Part D, which is provided in a separate Excel form. The table can be copied from the Excel sheet and pasted into the application form. It is recommended that the table be copied from the Total Partner Budget sheet from the Application Part D. If you choose to fill in the table provided in A.3, please double click the table to allow it to be completed and ensure the figures match those in Part D of the Application Form. Instructions for Application Part D: Lead Partner and Partner and Financial Budget Tables and Budget Breakdown Please read through the instructions carefully before filling in the financial information. Please note, that this is a first version of the guidance and application form and that amendments will be made as required. If any errors in the financial tables are discovered, please do not hesitate to inform the Joint Secretariat. The financial budget tables The financial tables are based on a Microsoft Excel file. The Excel file consists of a number of sheets. To prevent mistakes and errors, some boxes are locked. Please fill in only the open boxes. Each partner should complete applicable Excel sheets: Lead Partner cost budget and financial plan Project Partner cost budget and financial plan Partner budget breakdown The information completed in the individual partner tables will be self generated into a total budget table and total partner budget table Please note that all costs entered in the budget tables must comply with the Common Eligibility rules of the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme , your National legislation and the following EU Regulations: - Regulation (EU) No 1299/ Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 7

8 Part D of the Application Form The following is a short description of the different sheets contained in Part D of the Application Form. 1. Total Partner Budget The Total Partner Cost Budget and Total Financing Plan are self-generated from the individual Lead Partner and Partner budgets. The total budget gives an overall picture of the partnership s total eligible costs and the total financial contribution. Applicants should not try to enter any figures in this table. NOTE: this table is the same table as in the Application Part A.3 Total Partner budget and Financial Plan. The table in the application Part A is NOT self-generating. Lead Partner In this sheet the Lead Partner should fill in relevant partner information, such as Title of partner institution. This sheet includes the individual budget tables connected to the Lead partner. The information filled in will be automatically generated to the Total budget table. Both costs and financial contributions are to be broken down per six-moth period. Please make sure the correct period is featured in the budget tables NOTE: that all costs in the table must be broken down in a supporting document, demonstrating that all costs are eligible, actual and realistic. Lead Partner and Project Cost Budget Description of the Expenditure headings: Budget lines: Description: 1. Staff costs Expenditure on staff costs shall consist of gross employment costs of staff employed by the beneficiary in one of the following ways: (a) full time; (b) part-time with a fixed percentage of time worked per month; (c) part-time with a flexible number of hours worked per month; or (d) on an hourly basis. 2. Office and administrative costs Direct office and administrative expenditure are limited to the following elements: (a) office rent; (b) insurance and taxes related to the buildings where the staff is located and to the equipment of the office (e.g. fire, theft 8

9 insurances); (c) utilities (e.g. electricity, heating, water); (d) office supplies; (e) general accounting provided inside the beneficiary organisation; (f) archives; (g) maintenance, cleaning and repairs; (h) security; (i) IT systems; (j) communication (e.g. telephone, fax, internet, postal services, business cards); (k) bank charges for opening and administering the account or accounts where the implementation of an operation requires a separate account to be opened; (l) charges for transnational financial transactions. Where the implementation of the project gives rise to indirect costs, they may be calculated at a flat rate. A flat rate of up to 15% of eligible direct staff costs without there being a requirement for the Programme partner country to perform a calculation to determine the applicable rate. A flat rate calculation covers all office and administration costs, i.e. there is no distinction between direct and indirect costs. 3. Travel and accommodation costs Expenditure on travel and accommodation costs are limited to the following elements: (a) travel costs (e.g. tickets, travel and car insurance, fuel, car mileage, toll, and parking fees); (b) the costs of meals; (c) accommodation costs (for budgetary purposes, please use 150 EUR/night for hotel rooms); (d) travel visa costs; (e) daily allowances. 4. External expertise and service costs Expenditure on external expertise and service costs are limited to services and expertise provided by a public or private law body or a natural person other than the beneficiary of the operation. 9

10 Financing Plan Description of the financing headings: Financial source: Member state, ERDF Norway, ERDF equivalent Iceland, ERDF equivalent Match funding, cash (State source Public or Private) Description: In this budget line the European Union Member State Lead partner enters the amount of ERDF co-funding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum ERDF co-financing rate for member state partners is 65% of eligible costs. In this budget line the Norwegian Lead partner enters the amount of ERDF equivalent co-funding applied for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF equivalent contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum co-financing rate for Norwegian partners is 65% of eligible costs. In this budget line the Icelandic Lead partner enters the amount of ERDF equivalent co-funding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF equivalent contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum co-financing rate for Icelandic partners is 65% of eligible costs. This budget line includes all cash contributions related to the project. The applicant should list the names of these organisations contributing with cash money. Examples of match funding sources include national ministries, local and national authorities, universities, regional and local development institutions, etc. Note: Own work constitutes cash match funding! After filling in the cost budget and the financing plan, please check the following: Are the correct periods featured both in the Cost budget and in the Financing plan? Are the costs broken down on both budget lines and periods? The answer to all these questions should be YES, otherwise corrections will have to be made. 10

11 Under the Financial plan there is a self-generated Intervention rate box where the ERDF or ERDF equivalent co-financing rate is calculated. Keep in mind the Intervention rate for preparatory projects is 65%. Remember that programme grants CANNOT be transferred to a different funding source, e.g. MS ERDF to an Icelandic partner. The figures entered will be automatically generated into the Total Cost Budget. Project Partner This sheet includes the individual budget tables connected to the partner. The information filled in will be automatically generated to the Total budget table. Both costs and financial contributions are to be broken down period-month period, please make sure the correct period is featured in the budget tables. NOTE: that all costs in the table must be broken down in an Annex called Partner Budget Breakdown, demonstrating that all costs are eligible, actual and realistic. The Partner Cost Budget Same as Lead partner 11

12 Partner Financing Plan Description of the financing headings: Type of finance Member state, ERDF Description In this budget line the European Union member state partner enters the amount of ERDF co-funding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum ERDF co-financing rate for member state partners is 65% of eligible costs. Member state 20%, ERDF In accordance with the Geographical flexibility rule up to 20% of ERDF may be used to finance expenditure incurred by partners located outside the programme area, but inside the European Union. In case of such expenditure, the applied ERDF contribution to these costs shall be entered here. ERDF 20% co-financing rate is 65% of eligible costs. Norway, ERDF equivalent Iceland ERDF equivalent Faroe Islands, ERDF equivalent Greenland, ERDF equivalent In this budget line the Norwegian partner enters the amount of ERDF equivalent cofunding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF equivalent contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum co-financing rate for Norwegian partners is 65% of eligible costs. In this budget line the Icelandic partner enters the amount of ERDF equivalent cofunding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF equivalent contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum co-financing rate for Icelandic partners is 65% of eligible costs. In this budget line the Faroese partner enters the amount of ERDF equivalent cofunding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF equivalent contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum co-financing rate for Faroese partners is 65% of eligible costs. In this budget line the Greenlandic partner enters the amount of ERDF equivalent cofunding it applies for. Together with the public match funding the ERDF equivalent 12

13 Match funding, cash (State source Public or Private) contribution must fully cover the Total eligible costs. Please note that the maximum co-financing rate for partners from Greenland is 65% of eligible costs. This budget line includes all cash contributions related to the project. The applicant should list the names of these organisations contributing with cash money. Examples of match funding sources include national ministries, local and national authorities, universities, regional and local development institutions, etc. Note: Own work constitutes cash match funding! After filling in the cost budget and the financing plan please check the following: Are the correct periods featured both in the Cost budget and in the Financing plan? Are the costs broken down on both budget lines and periods? Does the stated public in-kind funding match the stated in-kind costs? Does the annual Total eligible cost equal the annual Total financial contribution? The answer to all these questions should be YES, otherwise corrections have to be made. Under the Financial plan there is a self-generated Intervention rate box where the ERDF or ERDF equivalent co-financing rate is calculated. If the rate given in the Intervention rate box exceeds the maximum rate, the budget must be changed in order to get the ERDF or ERDF equivalent co-financing to comply with the established co-financing rates. NOTE: that all costs in the table must be broken down in a supporting document, demonstrating that all costs are eligible, actual and realistic. The figures entered will be automatically generated into the Total Partner Cost Budget. Partner Budget Breakdown. Using the Excel Partner Budget Breakdown template detail all expenditures listed in the Partner budget. 13