Contracting Authority: European Commission. Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development

Transcription

1 Contracting Authority: European Commission Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development Raising public awareness of development issues and promoting development education in the European Union Guidelines for grant Applicants Budget lines and Reference: EuropeAid/134863/C/ACT/MULTI Deadline for submission of Concept note: 30 January 2014 at 16:00 hrs (Brussels date and time) Page 1 of 34

2 NOTICE This is a restricted call for proposals. In the first instance, only concept notes must be submitted for evaluation. Thereafter, applicants who have been pre-selected will be invited to submit a full application form. After the full applications have been evaluated, an eligibility check will be done on applicants who have been provisionally selected. Eligibility will be checked on the basis of the supporting documents requested by the Contracting Authority and the signed Declaration by the Applicant enclosed with the application. IMPORTANT Even though the verification of eligibility is foreseen to be carried out only for the provisionally selected applicants at the end of the procedure, the Evaluation Committee may decide to verify this point at any previous step of the procedure. Consequently, any proposal found to be non-compliant with all the mandatory conditions set in these guidelines can be automatically rejected on that sole basis, at any stage of the procedure and without any prior notice nor clarification request. Applicants are therefore strongly advised to fill in scrupulously the "Check List for Concept Note" (Annex A, Part A, section 2), the "Checklist for the Full Application form" (Annex A, Part B, section 7) and the first two pages of the application form where most of the prerequisites are required/listed. Any missing supporting document or any incoherence between the declarations and the supporting documents may lead to the rejection of the proposal on that sole basis. No modification of the partnership between the Concept Note and the Full Application will be allowed save in exceptional cases, justified by force majeure and accepted by the Evaluation Committee. Force majeure shall mean any unforeseeable exceptional situation or event beyond the parties control which prevents either of them from fulfilling any of their obligations, is not attributable to error or negligence on their part and proves insurmountable in spite of all due diligence. In such cases, the applicant must clearly indicate the requested change and justify the request in Part B section 7 of the Full Application form. The validity of the justification provided will be examined during the evaluation of the Full Application. Should the justification not be deemed valid, the proposal may be rejected on that sole basis. A functional mailbox specifically dedicated to this call has been set up: EuropeAid DEAR@ec.europa.eu. It shall be used exclusively for the purpose explained in paragraph 2.2 of these guidelines i.e. submission of the Concept Notes, clarification requests within the set deadline, submission of the Full Application and in case the applicant does not receive the confirmation of reception on the date announced in the indicative calendar (as explained in paragraph 2.2.3). No other functional mailbox (such as, for example, EuropeAid-GlobalCalls@ec.europa.eu) will be used. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to close this mail box without prior notice once this call for proposals is closed and not to reply to requests which do not fall under one of the afore-mentioned categories. In particular, neither information regarding the indicative time table nor the content of the decision will be given through this mailbox. In that respect, applicants are requested to follow instruction given in paragraphs and of these guidelines. Page 2 of 34

3 PILOT CALL This call will use for the first time the electronic system developed by EuropeAid to facilitate the submission of applications for calls for proposals PROSPECT. The aim of PROSPECT is to increase the efficiency of the management of the Call for Proposals and to offer a better service to civil society organisations through a new panel of functionalities such the online submission, the possibility to follow up online the status of their application and receive alerts for upcoming funding opportunities. Preparation: Information session ( , Brussels) and user manuals To help applicants familiarise themselves with the system before the first pilot online submission, DEVCO is organising an information session on in Brussels. Should you be interested in this session, please send an by to EuropeAid DEAR@ec.europa.eu, indicating: name, surname, nationality and address of the persons who are going to participate as well as their organisation (max. two participants per organisation). No costs incurred by the applicants for attending this information session are reimbursable. Moreover, all organisations can find the user manual of PROSPECT in English and French as an annex to these Guidelines, available in the publication website. You may also contact our technical support team: EuropeAid-PROSPECT-IT-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu Your opinion matters: Online survey After submitting your Concept Note we would like to invite you to fill in the online survey on PROSPECT (including the quality of the user manual) and potential improvements: The survey will be open until Wednesday Your feedback will be taken into account to the largest extent possible for the identification of potential improvements. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS Submission of your proposals: in PROSPECT AND by Given that this is the first PROSPECT Pilot call and in order to ensure the smooth execution of the call for proposal cycle in case of unexpected technical issues, applicants are requested, this time, to submit both via PROSPECT and by . As further explained in Section of of these Guidelines for grant applicants, applicants are therefore required to submit their application(s) within the deadline both: - via PROSPECT: It is strongly recommended that you read the above mentioned user manual which provides you with valuable step-by-step information and tips for your submission. Please note that PROSPECT will not allow to submit applications after the submission deadline. AND - via by sending the Application form (Annex A) and all annexes indicated in Section 2.2 to EuropeAid DEAR@ec.europa.eu Paper and/or hand delivered applications are not allowed under this call. Failure to submit an application as previously indicated may result in rejection of the application. Page 3 of 34

4 Table of contents 1. PROGRAMME: NON-STATE ACTORS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN DEVELOPMENT Background Objectives of the programme and priority issues Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority RULES FOR THIS CALL FOR PROPOSALS Eligibility criteria Eligibility of applicants (i.e. applicant and co-applicant(s)) Affiliated entities Associates and Contractors Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made Eligibility of costs: costs that can be included How to apply and the procedures to follow Concept Note content Where and how to send Concept Notes Deadline for submission of Concept Notes Further information about Concept Notes Full Application forms Where and how to send Full Application forms Deadline for submission of Full Application forms Further information about Full Application forms Evaluation and selection of applications Submission of supporting documents for provisionally selected applications Notification of the Contracting Authority s decision Content of the decision Indicative timetable Conditions for implementation after the Contracting Authority s decision to award a grant Early warning system and central exclusion database LIST OF ANNEXES 34 Page 4 of 34

5 1. PROGRAMME: NON-STATE ACTORS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN DEVELOPMENT 1.1. BACKGROUND The thematic programme Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development, introduced in 2007, covers the following three main components: Objective 1: Support to development actions, to be implemented by Non-State Actors (NSA) or Local Authorities (LA), in close cooperation with the local communities and the most vulnerable population groups, aiming at promoting an inclusive and empowered society in partner countries. Objective 2: Support to actions in the EU and acceding countries aiming at raising public awareness of development issues and promoting development education, to mobilise greater support for actions against poverty and for fairer relations between developed and developing countries and to change attitudes to the issues and difficulties developing countries and their peoples are facing. Objective 3: Support to actions aiming at achieving more efficient cooperation, foster synergies and facilitate a structured dialogue in the area of development between civil society networks and local authorities associations from the EU and acceding countries, within their organisations and with Community institutions. Regulation (EC) n 1905/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 378, 27 December 2006), establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation, and more specifically its article 14, constitute the legal basis for this thematic programme. The present call for proposals is in line with the larger EU Development framework, as defined in particular by the European consensus on Development 1 and the Agenda for Change. 2 The DEAR Study and stakeholder consultation process ("Study on the Experience and Actions of the Main European Actors Active in the Field of Development Education and Awareness Raising 3 ") - launched by the European Commission and undertaken by a team of Development Education experts in has provided the basis for a more strategic EU approach in the field of Development Education and Awareness Raising, as well as options for new orientations in the programme. The DEAR study was developed as a supporting initiative to the Structured Dialogue. 4 The study and the Structured Dialogue propose a number of core recommendations to increase the efficiency of the EU's intervention in DEAR, and the coherence of this intervention with the actions of other DEAR actors, particularly those of Member States. Many of these recommendations are translated into practical aspects of the present call for proposals. A Commission Staff Working Document on Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) in Europe 5 was published in This document takes stock of EU-funded DEAR activities managed by EuropeAid. The Staff Working Document reaffirms the European Commission s approach to DEAR and stresses the European Commission s added value and role in Development Education and Awareness Raising Page 5 of 34

6 This call for proposals is launched in a particularly strategic context. The year 2015 is likely to be designated the European Year of Development, which represents a unique opportunity to highlight the relevance of DEAR in global development debates. Global debates regarding the post-2015 framework are ongoing, and EU citizens should be empowered to understand and actively participate in these debates. In view of the current context and opportunities, this call for proposals seeks to finance ambitious large-scale projects seeking to achieve impact at European level, and thematically linked to current global debates on development. Through an increase in the size and reach of financed projects, the European Commission seeks to maximize the added-value of its funding for DEAR actions, as well as the impact and coherence of the European Commission's intervention in DEAR. Due to these special circumstances, and the strategic relevance of this call for proposals, exceptional measures are applied, such as an increased rate of EU co-financing OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME AND PRIORITY ISSUES The global objective of this Call for Proposals is: to support actions, presented and implemented by Non- State Actors and Local Authorities, aiming at raising public awareness of development issues and promoting development education in the European Union (EU) and acceding countries, to anchor development policy in European societies, to mobilise greater public support for action against poverty and for fairer relations between developed and developing countries, and to change attitudes to the issues and difficulties facing developing countries and their peoples. The specific objective of this Call for Proposals is: to develop European citizens' awareness and critical understanding of the interdependent world and of their role, responsibility and lifestyles in relation to a globalised society; and to support their active engagement in global attempts to eradicate poverty, and promote justice, human rights, and sustainable ways of living. This Call contains five lots. The first three lots, open to all Non State Actors 6 (NSA) or associations of NSA from EU Member States, correspond to three distinct categories of development education and awareness raising projects. The fourth Lot is open only to Non State Actors or associations of NSA from EU13 Member States 7 and encompasses all three categories of development education and awareness raising projects. The fifth Lot is open to all Local Authorities 8 (LA) or Associations of Local Authorities (ALA) 9 from EU 6 Non state actors include: non governmental organisations, organisations representing indigenous peoples, organisations representing national and/or ethnic minorities, local traders' associations and citizens' groups, cooperatives, trade unions, organisations representing economic and social interests, organisations fighting corruption and fraud and promoting good governance, civil rights organisations and organisations combating discrimination, organisations from developing countries (including networks) involved in decentralised regional cooperation and integration, consumer organisations, women's and youth organisations, teaching, cultural, research and scientific organisations, universities, churches and religious associations and communities, the media and any non governmental associations and independent foundations, including independent political foundations. N.B. Associations of Local Authorities are assimilated to Local Authorities, and therefore are not eligible as main applicants under Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this Call for Proposals. 7 "EU13 Member States" are countries which joined the European Union in 2004, 2007 and 2013: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia. 8 The term "Local Authorities" refers to public institutions with legal personality, component of the State structure, below the level of central government and accountable to citizens. Local Authorities are usually composed of a deliberative or policy-making body (council or assembly) and an executive body (the Mayor or other executive officer), directly or indirectly elected or selected at local level. The term encompasses different tiers of government, e.g. villages, municipalities, districts, counties, provinces, regions, etc. 9 "Associations of Local Authorities" (ALA) are to be understood as existing associations based on Page 6 of 34

7 Member States, and also encompasses all three categories of development education and awareness raising projects. LOT 1: Global Learning projects within the formal education system led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Projects under this lot aim at enhancing the competences of the groups of learners in addressing issues of global development. They use learner-centred, participatory, dialogue-oriented and experiential methodologies to develop such competences. Projects under this lot will focus primarily on development education in the formal education system (such as curriculum development, teacher training, development education programmes in school, work with parent-teachers associations, etc.). LOT 2: Global Learning projects outside of the formal education system led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Projects under this lot aim at enhancing the competences of the groups of learners in addressing issues of global development. They use learner-centred, participatory, dialogue-oriented and experiential methodologies to develop such competences. Projects in this category will focus primarily on actions outside of the formal education system (such as youth groups, adult education, informal education, etc.). LOT 3: Campaigning and Advocacy projects led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Projects under this lot aim at concrete changes in behaviour at individual and collective levels, or in institutional/corporate policies. They use results-oriented strategies. They facilitate and support informed citizen engagement and advocacy for more just and sustainable policies, political/economic structures and individual practices. Campaigning and advocacy projects should have a clear pan-european dimension. They should seek to produce results at European level, and should involve coordinated action and a coherent approach in various Member States. LOT 4: Global Learning and Campaigning and advocacy projects led by an NSA or Association of NSA from an EU13 Member State 10 Under this lot, the applicant may select one type of project, as defined above: Global Learning projects within the formal education system (as defined under Lot 1), Global Learning projects outside of the formal education system (as defined under Lot 2), and Campaigning and Advocacy projects (as defined under Lot 3). The lead applicant must be an NSA, or an association of NSA, and originate from an EU 13 Member State. LOT 5: Global Learning and Campaigning and advocacy projects led by a Local Authority or Association of local authorities Under this lot, the applicant may select one type of project, as defined above: Global Learning projects within the formal education system (as defined under Lot 1), Global Learning projects outside of the formal education system (as defined under Lot 2), and Campaigning and Advocacy projects (as defined under Lot 3). The lead applicant must be an LA or association of LA and originate from an EU Member State. membership and representative at regional, continental and international level, with a permanent body established as an autonomous entity in accordance with the legislation in force in the country of registration. ALA must comply with all the eligibility criteria, and must be able to assume full contractual responsibility, on the basis of a mandate given by members. 10 See footnote 7. Page 7 of 34

8 The types of projects covered by these lots are further detailed under "Types of Action" in section Applicants must clearly specify under which lot they are submitting the application, clearly indicating the lot number. Priorities Proposals must address all of the following three priorities. Proposals must clearly indicate and explain how they address each of the three priorities. This will be assessed under point 1.2 of the Concept Note evaluation grid. A proposal which does not clearly address all three priorities of the Action may be rejected on this sole basis. 1. Proposals will contribute to the pursuit of objectives of the "2015 European Year of Development (EYD 2015)" 11 AND, 2. Proposals must address one or several issues, identified by the Communication "A Decent Life for All: Ending poverty and giving the world a better future" 12 : Basic living standards Drivers for inclusive and sustainable growth Sustainable management of natural resources Equality, equity and justice Peace and security And/or issues raised in the report of the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda 13 AND, 3. Proposals must focus on interdependencies between developing countries 14 and Europe, and seek to build citizens' understanding of global public goods and challenges (such as environment and climate change, sustainable energy, food security and sustainable agriculture, migration and asylum, human development). Expected results - increased public awareness of global interdependencies between the EU and developing countries; - increased public awareness of the post-mdg (Millennium Development Goals) consensus and increased commitment of the public to this revised aid architecture; - Increased public awareness of the role of EU development cooperation, which brings a wide range of benefits not only for recipients but also for EU citizens, in a changing and increasingly interdependent world; "A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform economies through Sustainable Development", Page 8 of 34

9 - changing attitudes and improved public understanding of issues and difficulties facing developing countries and their peoples; - increased active engagement of European citizens in attempts to eradicate global poverty, promote justice, human rights, and sustainable ways of living; - better integration of development issues into formal and non-formal education systems in Member States; - higher level of engagement to promote coherence for development; - increased support of European citizens for structural long term development assistance, and - greater mobilisation for global development issues in the Member States which joined the EU in 2004, 2007 and 2013 (EU 13), including through networking, campaign work, exchange of experience and best practices; - Increased citizens' awareness of development issues and active engagement with major development debates, particularly in the framework of the European Year of Development Increased engagement of Local Authorities and associations of Local Authorities in development education and awareness raising. All actions should be based on an initiative of a Non State Actor, an association of NSA, a Local Authority or an Association of Local Authorities from one of the Member States where the action takes place. This NSA, association of NSA, LA or ALA should be involved in all stages of the implementation of the Action. The applicant must be able to demonstrate to have regularly carried out activities in the field of development of the kind covered by this programme during at least three years (two years for organisations from Member States which joined the EU in and after 2004 (EU ). This will be assessed in section 1.2 of the Full Proposals evaluation grid. 15 Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia. Page 9 of 34

10 1.3. FINANCIAL ALLOCATION PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY The overall indicative amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR , to be financed by budget lines Non state actors in development and local authorities in development. Indicative allocations of funds by lot: Lot 1: EUR Lot 2: EUR Lot 3: EUR Lot 4: EUR Lot 5: EUR For lots 1, 2, 3, 4, if the above-mentioned indicative amounts cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals received, the Contracting Authority could reallocate the remaining funds to another one of these lots. Since funds from lot 5 come from a different budget line, no reallocation is possible neither from lot 5 to the other lots, not from the other lots to lot 5. The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds. Similarly, this amount could be increased should more funds become available. Size of grants Any grant requested under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts: Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3: minimum amount: EUR maximum amount: EUR Lot 4 and Lot 5: minimum amount: EUR maximum amount: EUR Any grant requested under this Call for Proposals may not exceed the following maximum percentages of total eligible costs of the action: Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3: Lot 4: Maximum percentage 85 % of the total eligible costs of the action (see also Section 2.1.4). Maximum percentage 95 % of the total eligible costs of the action (see also Section 2.1.4). Page 10 of 34

11 Lot 5: For proposals presented by a Local Authority or an Association of Local Authorities from an EU13 Member State: Maximum percentage 95% of the total eligible cost of the action. (see also Section 2.1.4). For proposals presented by a Local Authority or an Association of Local Authorities from any other EU Member States: Maximum percentage 85% of the total eligible cost of the action (see also Section 2.1.4). The balance (i.e. the difference between the total cost of the action and the amount requested from the Contracting Authority) must be financed from sources other than the European Union Budget or the European Development Fund RULES FOR THIS CALL FOR PROPOSALS These guidelines set out the rules for the submission, selection and implementation of the actions financed under this Call, in conformity with the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EU external actions, which is applicable to the present call (available on the Internet at this address: ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA There are three sets of eligibility criteria, relating to: (1) the actors: The applicant, i.e. the entity submitting the application form (2.1.1), if any, its co-applicant(s) (where it is not specified otherwise the applicant and its coapplicant(s) are hereinafter jointly referred as the "applicants") (2.1.1), and, if any, affiliated entity(ies) to the applicant and/or to a co-applicant(s). (2.1.2); (2) the actions: Actions for which a grant may be awarded (2.1.4); (3) the costs: types of cost that may be taken into account in setting the amount of the grant (2.1.5) Eligibility of applicants (i.e. applicant and co-applicant(s)) Applicant (1) Under Lot 1, 2 and 3, in order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must: be a legal person and be non-profit-making and 16 Where a grant is financed by the European Development Fund, any mention of European Union financing must be understood as referring to European Development Fund financing. Page 11 of 34

12 be a Non-State Actor 17 (NSA) or an association of NSA and be established in 18 a Member State of the European Union and be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicants and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary. Under Lot 4, in order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must: be a legal person and be non-profit-making and be a Non-State Actor (NSA) or an association of NSA and be established in one of the EU13 Member States of the European Union 19 and be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicants and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary. Under Lot 5, in order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must: be a legal person and be a Local Authority 20 from a Member State of the European Union, constituted in accordance with the legislation in force in the country or an association of Local Authorities 21 registered in a Member States of the EU and be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicants and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary. NB: For all Lots, associations which membership include both Non-State Actors and Local Authorities will be considered as either associations of NSAs or as associations of LAs, depending on their legal status and on whether the majority of their membership is NSA or LA. (2) The potential applicant may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if it is in any of the situations listed in Section of the Practical Guide to contract procedures for EU external actions (available from the following Internet address: In Part A, section 3 of the grant application form ( Declaration by the applicant ), the applicant must declare that the applicant himself, the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies) are not in any of these situations. 17 See Footnote To be determined on the basis of the organisation s statutes, which should demonstrate that it has been established by an instrument governed by the national law of the country concerned and that its head office is located in an eligible country. In this respect, any legal entity whose statutes have been established in another country cannot be considered an eligible local organisation, even if the statutes are registered locally or a Memorandum of Understanding has been concluded. 19 See footnote See footnote See footnote 9. Page 12 of 34

13 The applicant must act together with a minimum of two co-applicants from different EU Member States, as specified hereafter. If awarded the Grant contract, the applicant will become the Beneficiary identified as the Coordinator in annex E3h1 (Special conditions). The Coordinator is the main interlocutor of the Contracting Authority. It represents and acts on behalf of any other co-beneficiary (if any) and coordinate the design and implementation of the Action. Co-applicant(s) Co-applicant(s) participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the applicant. Co-applicants must satisfy the following eligibility criteria: be legal persons and be non-profit-making and be a Non-State Actor (NSA), an association of NSA and be established in a Member State of the European Union or of an eligible partner country or territory as defined in the OECD DAC list 22 OR be legal persons and be a Local Authority (LA) or an association of Local Authorities and be a Local Authority from a Member State of the European Union, constituted in accordance with the legislation in force in the country or an association of Local Authorities registered in a Member States of the EU. Co-applicants must sign the Mandate in Part B section 4 of the grant application form. If awarded the Grant contract, the co-applicants will become beneficiaries in the Action (together with the Coordinator) Affiliated entities The applicant and its co-applicants may act with affiliated entity(ies) Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the applicant and/or to coapplicant(s): (i) entities together forming one entity, including where it is specifically established for the purpose of implementing the action. In this case, the resulting entity may apply as an applicant or as co-applicant whereas the other entities simply as its affiliated entity(ies); or (ii) entities having a link with the applicants, notably a legal or capital link, which is neither limited to the action nor established for the sole purpose of its implementation on the condition that they satisfy the eligibility and non-exclusion criteria of an applicant. 22 See footnote 14. Page 13 of 34

14 If the applicants are awarded a contract, their affiliated entity(ies) will not be Beneficiary(ies) of the Action and signatory(ies) of the Contract. However, they will participate in the design and in the implementation of the Action and the costs they incur (including those incurred for Implementation Contracts and Financial Support to third parties) may be accepted as eligible costs, provided they comply with all the relevant rules already applicable to the Beneficiary(ies) under the Grant Contract. Affiliated entity(ies) must satisfy respectively the eligibility criteria as applicable to the applicant and to the co-applicant(s). Affiliated entity(ies) must sign the affiliated entity(ies) statement in Part B section 5 of the grant application form Associates and Contractors The following entities are not applicant(s) nor affiliated entity(ies) and do not have to sign the "mandate" or "affiliated entities' 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 Associates must be mentioned in Part B section 6 Associates of the Applicant participating in the Action of the Grant Application Form. Contractors The grant beneficiaries and their affiliated entities are permitted to award contracts. Associates or affiliated entity(ies) cannot be also contractors in the project. Contractors are subject to the procurement rules set out in Annex IV to the standard grant contract. Redistribution of the grant The grant beneficiaries may award financial support to third parties These entities are neither affiliated entity(ies) nor associates nor contractors. However, they are subject to the nationality and origin rules set out in Annex IV to the standard grant contract Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made Definition: An action is composed of a set of activities. Duration The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 12 months nor exceed 36 months. Sectors or themes See section 1.2 of the present Guidelines (objectives of the programme and priority issues). Location A pan- European approach is mandatory under this Call for Proposals. Lot 1: "Global Learning" projects within the formal education system led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Actions must take place in a minimum of 10 EU Member States. Page 14 of 34

15 Lot 2: "Global Learning" projects outside of the formal education system led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Actions must take place in a minimum of 10 EU Member States. Lot 3: "Campaigning and Advocacy" projects led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Actions must take place in a minimum of 10 EU Member States. Lot 4: "Global Learning" projects within the formal education system, "Global Learning" projects outside of the formal education system, and "Campaigning and Advocacy" projects led by an NSA or an association of NSA from an EU13 Member States Actions must take place in a minimum of 6 EU Member States. Lot 5: "Global Learning" projects within the formal education system, "Global Learning" projects outside of the formal education system, and "Campaigning and Advocacy" projects led by a Local Authority or Association of Local Authorities from EU member states For all Lots: Actions must take place in a minimum of 6 EU Member States. If duly justified, specific project activities (e.g. transfer of good practices, international exchange, networking) may take place in partner countries 23, on the condition that they constitute a minor part of the action and directly contribute to the objectives of the present Call for Proposals. Types of action To be eligible for co-financing, actions under this call must comply with the objectives and priorities of the Call for Proposals described in point 1.2 of these Guidelines. These actions should also aim at reaching one or more of the expected results mentioned under the same point. Actions shall foresee the implementation of the major part of activities in the context of the European Year of Development All major activities undertaken in 2015 shall bear the label "EYD 2015". Additionally, the title of all projects under this call should contain the mention "EYD 2015". Although final beneficiaries of the action could be the general population, Actions must clearly identify and define specific target groups. Applicants must clearly specify under which LOT they are submitting the application. The focus of the Action should be on the objectives of the selected lot. However, an Action may contain elements from other categories. LOT 1: "Global Learning" projects within the formal education system led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Projects under this lot aim at enhancing the competences of the target groups in addressing issues of global development. They use learner-centred, participatory, dialogue-oriented and experiential methodologies to develop such competences. Projects under this lot will focus primarily on development education in the formal education system (such as curriculum development, teacher training, development education programmes in school, work with parent-teachers associations, etc.) To maximize impact, actions which focus on the formal education system must be approved by the relevant educational authorities of the Member States in which they will take place. In countries where 23 See footnote 14. Page 15 of 34

16 a national development education strategy has been developed, activities which take place within the formal education system have to be consistent with the national strategy. Close coordination with relevant educational authorities is essential. Applicants will be required to provide evidence in the form of a signed declaration by the relevant educational authority in each of the countries of intervention, stating: - that they are the competent authority in terms of education in the particular national context, - that the project fits within their national or local priorities or strategy, and - that they are willing to cooperate with the project. This evidence will be requested of a successful applicant prior to contract signature. Failure to provide such document will preclude the signature of a grant contract. LOT 2: "Global Learning" projects outside of the formal education system led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Projects under this lot aim at enhancing the competences of the target groups in addressing issues of global development. They use learner-centred, participatory, dialogue-oriented and experiential methodologies to develop such competences. Projects in this category will focus primarily on actions outside of the formal education system (such as youth groups, adult education, non-formal education, etc.) LOT 3: "Campaigning and Advocacy" projects led by an NSA or an association of NSA from EU member states Projects under this lot aim at concrete changes in behaviour at individual and collective levels, or in institutional/corporate policies. They use results-oriented strategies. They facilitate and support informed citizen engagement and advocacy for more just and sustainable policies, political/economic structures and individual practices. Campaigning and advocacy project should have a pan-european dimension. LOT 4: Global Learning and Campaigning and advocacy projects led by an NSA or Association of NSA from an EU13 Member State Projects under this lot may choose one of the above-described foci: "Global Learning" in the formal education system (as defined under Lot 1), "Global Learning" outside of the formal education system (as defined under Lot 2), or "Campaigning and Advocacy" (as defined under Lot 3). The choice of focus should be indicated in the application form. As stated above, for projects which focus on "Global learning" projects within the formal education system, applicants will be required to provide evidence in the form of a signed declaration by the relevant educational authority in each of the countries of intervention, stating: - that they are the competent authority in terms of education in the particular national context, - that the project fits within their national or local priorities or strategy, and - that they are willing to cooperate with the project. This evidence will be requested of a successful applicant prior to contract signature. Failure to provide such document will preclude the signature of a grant contract. LOT 5: Global Learning and Campaigning and advocacy projects led by a Local Authority or Association of Local Authorities Projects under this lot may choose one of the above-described foci: "Global Learning" in the formal education system (as defined under Lot 1), "Global Learning" outside of the formal education system (as defined under Lot 2), or "Campaigning and Advocacy" (as defined under Lot 3). The choice of focus should be indicated in the application form. Page 16 of 34

17 Furthermore, projects under this lot should seek to engage European LA and ALA in fostering changes in public policies connected to development issues, where LA have institutional responsibility and competencies. As stated above, for projects which focus on "Global learning" projects within the formal education system, applicants will be required to provide evidence in the form of a signed declaration by the relevant educational authority in each of the countries of intervention, stating: - that they are the competent authority in terms of education in the particular national context, - that the project fits within their national or local priorities or strategy, and - that they are willing to cooperate with the project. This evidence will be requested of a successful applicant prior to contract signature. Failure to provide such document will preclude the signature of a grant contract. The following types of action are ineligible: actions concerned only or mainly with individual sponsorships for participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and congresses; one-off conferences: conferences can only be funded if they form part of a wider range of activities to be implemented in the life-time of the action. For these purposes, preparatory activities for a conference and the publication of the proceedings of the conference do not, in themselves, constitute such "wider activities"; actions concerned only or mainly with individual scholarships for studies or training courses; actions intended to raise funds or promote the visibility of the applicant or its partner(s); actions consisting mainly of research or of study; actions which consist exclusively or primarily in capital expenditure, such as infrastructure, land, equipment; actions which discriminate against individuals or groups of people on grounds of their gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or lack of them, or their ethnic origin; actions supporting directly political parties; actions which include proselytising activities. Types of activity Potential applicants are invited to present all the activities they consider necessary in order to achieve the objectives of this Call for Proposals in relation to existing national and/or local demands, and to obtain tangible results in the context where the selected projects will be implemented. In preparing the plan of activities and related budget, it is compulsory to foresee the participation of one project staff in the seminars which EuropeAid will organise in Brussels after selection and signature of contracts, at least once a year for the whole duration of the project. Participation in the Seminar, for the purpose of training, exchange of good practices and networking is compulsory for the actions presented under all Lots of this Call for Proposals. This activity must be clearly spelled out in the description and the budget of the action (travel, accommodation, per diem for Brussels for a maximum of three days per year). In the framework of this activity, the applicant must also commit to preparing and updating a brief EUformat "case study" summary of the project every year for the duration of the Action, and should allow the publication of these "case studies" on European Union communication tools, such as websites, should the European Union decide to publish them. Page 17 of 34

18 In preparing the plan of activities and related budget, applicants must foresee the costs of external expenditure verifications. Requests for payment submitted by Beneficiaries must be accompanied by an expenditure verification report. An external final evaluation of the proposed action also has to be foreseen in the proposal and the related budget. Financial support to third parties Applicants may propose financial support to third parties in order to help achieving the objectives of the action. The maximum amount of financial support per third party is EUR Under this Call, financial support to third parties cannot be the main purpose of the action. In compliance with the present guidelines and notably of any conditions or restrictions set above, applicants should define mandatorily in section of the grant application form: (i) the objectives and results to be obtained with the financial support (ii) the different types of activities eligible for financial support, on the basis of a fixed list (iii) the types of persons or categories of persons which may receive financial support (iv) the criteria for selecting these entities and giving the financial support (v) the criteria for determining the exact amount of financial support for each third entity, and (vi) the maximum amount which may be given. Visibility Applicants must comply with the objectives and priorities and guarantee the visibility of the EU financing (see the Communication and Visibility Manual for EU external actions specified and published by the European Commission at Number of applications and grants per applicants The applicant may not submit more than one application under this Call for Proposals (all lots). Should more than one application be received from an applicant, whether in the same or in different lots, all applications from this applicant will be rejected on this sole basis. The applicant may be a co-applicant or an affiliated entity in another application at the same time. A co-applicant may submit more than one application under this Call for Proposals. A co-applicant may be awarded more than one grant under this Call for Proposals. A co-applicant may be the applicant or an affiliated entity in another application at the same time. The affiliated entities may take part in more than one application Eligibility of costs: costs that can be included Only eligible costs can be covered by a grant. The categories of costs that are eligible and non-eligible are indicated below. The budget is both a cost estimate and a ceiling for eligible costs. The reimbursement of eligible costs may be based on any or a combination of the following forms: actual costs incurred by the Beneficiary(ies) and affiliated entity(ies) Page 18 of 34

19 one or more simplified cost options. Simplified cost options may take the form of: unit costs: covering all or certain specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance by reference to an amount per unit. lump sums: covering in global terms all or certain specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance. flat-rate financing: covering specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance by applying a percentage fixed ex ante. The amounts or rates have to be based on estimates using objective data such as statistical data or any other objective means or with reference to certified or auditable historical data of the applicants or the affiliated entity(ies). The methods used to determine the amounts or rates of unit costs, lump sums or flat-rates must comply with the criteria established in Annex K, and especially ensure that the costs correspond fairly to the actual costs incurred by the Grant Beneficiary(ies) and affiliated entity(ies), are in line with their accounting practices, no profit is made and the costs are not already covered by other sources of funding (no double funding). Refer to Annex K for directions and a checklist of controls to assess the minimum necessary conditions that provide reasonable assurance for the acceptance of the proposed amounts. The applicant proposing this form of reimbursement, must clearly indicate in worksheet no.1 of Annex B, each heading/item of eligible costs concerned by this type of financing, i.e. add the reference in capital letters to "UNIT COST" (per month/flight etc), "LUMPSUM" or "FLAT RATE" in the Unit column. (see example in Annex K). Additionally in Annex B, in the second column 2 Justification of the estimated costs of worksheet no.2, Justification per each of the corresponding budget item or heading the applicant must: describe the information and methods used to establish the amounts of unit costs, lump sums and/or flat-rates, to which costs they refer, etc. clearly explain the formulas for calculation of the final eligible amount 24 identify the beneficiary who will use the simplified cost option (in case of affiliated entity, specify first the beneficiary), in order to verify the maximum amount per each beneficiary (which includes if applicable simplified cost options of its affiliated entity(ies)) At contracting phase, the Contracting Authority decides whether to accept the proposed amounts or rates on the basis of the provisional budget submitted by the applicant, by analysing factual data of grants carried out by the applicant or of similar actions and by performing checks established by Annex K. The total amount of financing on the basis of simplified cost options that can be authorised by the Contracting Authority for any of the applicants individually (including simplified cost options proposed by their own affiliated entities) cannot exceed EUR (the indirect costs are not taken into account). Recommendations to award a grant are always subject to the condition that the checks preceding the signing of the contract do not reveal problems requiring changes to the budget (such as arithmetical errors, inaccuracies, unrealistic costs and ineligible costs). The checks may give rise to requests for clarification and may lead the Contracting Authority to impose modifications or reductions to address such mistakes or 24 Examples:- for staff costs: number of hours or days of work * hourly or daily rate pre-set according to the category of personnel concerned;- for travel expenses: distance in km * pre-set cost of transport per km; number of days * daily allowance pre-set according to the country;- for specific costs arising from the organization of an event: number of participants at the event * pre-set total cost per participant etc. Page 19 of 34

20 inaccuracies. It is not possible to increase the grant or the percentage of EU co-financing as a result of these corrections. It is therefore in the applicant s interest to provide a realistic and cost-effective budget. Eligible direct costs To be eligible under the Call for Proposals, costs must comply with the provisions of Article 14 of the General Conditions to the Standard Grant Contract (see Annex G of the Guidelines). Contingency reserve The budget may include a contingency reserve not exceeding 5 % of the estimated direct eligible costs. It can only be used with the prior written authorisation of the Contracting Authority. Eligible indirect costs The indirect costs incurred in carrying out the action may be eligible for flat-rate funding, but the total must not exceed 7 % of the estimated total eligible direct costs. Indirect costs are eligible provided that they do not include costs assigned to another budget heading in the standard grant contract. The applicant may be asked to justify the percentage requested before the contract is signed. However, once the flat rate has been fixed in the special conditions of the standard grant contract, no supporting documents need to be provided. If any of the applicants or affiliated entity(ies) is in receipt of an operating grant financed by the EU, it may not claim indirect costs on its incurred costs within the proposed budget for the action. Contributions in kind Contributions in kind mean the provision of goods or services to a Beneficiary(ies) or affiliated entity(ies) free of charge by a third party. As contributions in kind do not involve any expenditure for a Beneficiary(ies) or affiliated entity(ies), they are not eligible costs. Contributions in kind may not be treated as co-financing. However, if the description of the action as proposed includes contributions in kind, the contributions have to be made. Ineligible costs The following costs are not eligible: debts and debt service charges (interest); provisions for losses or potential future liabilities; costs declared by the Beneficiary(ies) and financed by another action or work programme receiving a Union (including through EDF) grant; purchases of land or buildings; purchases of vehicles, unless the applicant can demonstrate that the purchase is necessary for the purpose of the action implementation; office rent, unless the applicant can demonstrate that additional and specific office rental is necessary for the purpose of the action implementation; currency exchange losses; taxes, including VAT, unless the beneficiary or co-beneficiaries can demonstrate they cannot reclaim them; credit to third parties. Page 20 of 34