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Clean and comfortable region to live / Call for proposals 10
Deadline: Oct 15, 2018  
CALL EXPIRED

 Forest Resources
 Natural Resources
 Environment
 Environmental protection
 Creative Industries
 Culture and Development
 Cross-border cooperation
 Pollution

1. KARELIA CBC PROGRAMME

1.1. Background

Cross-border cooperation is an integral part of EU-Russia cooperation. Karelia CBC Programme is one of the CBC Programmes operating on the EU’s external borders. All the CBC programmes operate for the benefit of both sides of the border.

Joint Operational Programme is prepared jointly by Finland and Russia to guide the implementation. Both Regional and National levels have participated to the preparation.

Karelia CBC Programme 2014–2020 is financed by European Union, Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland. The European Union is financing the programme out of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI).

The overall financing of the Programme for the years 2014-2020 is 43 002 108 EUR.
Karelia CBC Joint Operational Programme is available in the Programme websites in address http://www.kareliacbc.info/documents/

1.2. Objectives of the programme

Karelia CBC Programme contributes to regional development with activities that have clear cross- border dimension and cooperation nature. Activities benefit regions and stakeholders on both sides of the border. The Programme complements other regional development programmes operating on the regions.

Programme is divided to four priorities:

Priorities:

1. Growing cross-border business cooperation

2. Attractive cultural environment

3. Clean and comfortable region to live

4. Well-functioning border crossings

 

The promotion of local cross-border “people-to-people” actions is included in all the priorities, the special focus being on young people. Innovations, research and education are considered as cross- cutting themes that shall be promoted within all priorities.

With these priorities and cross-cutting themes the Programme works towards its overall objective which is

to make the Programme area attractive for the people to live and work and businesses to locate and operate

 

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS

2.1. General description

This call for proposals is based on the Programme Priority 3 (Clean and comfortable region to live).

Clean environment is a key attraction factor of the Programme area and notable natural resources are a clear strength. Activities promoted under this priority have multiple nature: on the one hand they improve the peoples living conditions by creating environmental friendly living areas and by improving their basic infrastructure. On the other hand, the priority / call for proposals includes activities which have a direct environmental dimension such as environmental awareness, which also act as inducements for people to stay in the region.

Activities improving the physical living environment are called for and they may focus i.e. on the planning of environmentally friendly residential areas, on development of service structures on the residential areas and on the development and use of recreational areas or natural reserves and parks nearby the residential areas.

Basic infrastructure of residential areas may be improved by using the environmental technology and expertise, which offer possibilities with mutual benefit for explicitly improved living conditions.

This call for proposals and the Programme Priority cater for cooperation initiatives for the development and improvement of the use of technologies for pure drinking water and waste water treatment systems. Improvements of solid waste treatment are also promoted. A wide variety of opportunities also exists in the energy sector and especially with issues related to energy efficiency that have straight positive environmental impacts. Joint initiatives to develop environmentally sustainable ways to produce energy from renewable local energy resources are also called for. The focus shall be – in water, solid waste and energy issues – on preparatory and feasibility study -type of activities but investments may also be supported in specific cases where a cross-border perspective is justified. Initiatives that aim at creating a project pipeline from initiative to feasibility studies and further on to the realisation of large investments (financed by other means than the programme) are of particular interest.

People are activated to pay attention to the living environment and to nature. This call therefore focuses on activities improving people’s environmental awareness as a whole. Activities focusing on the development of the living environment have “people to people” nature that is one of the cross-cutting principles underlying the strategic objectives of cross-border cooperation. Sustainable environmental development is also one of the key principles applied under the priority.

Clean and diverse nature surrounding the residential areas is also seen as one of the attraction factors of the region. Cross-border activities to secure the biodiversity are called for under the call and the priority.

At the same time nature is also seen as a potential tool to promote the health and wellbeing of people living in the region and therefore the stakeholders are encouraged to build up cross-border initiatives and proposals to use this potential.

See the full priority description in the Joint Operational Programme (JOP) p. 17-18. The JOP can be found from the Programme websites in address http://www.kareliacbc.fi/en/programme- document.

2.2. Objectives of the Call for Proposals

All the projects selected under this call for proposals should work towards the overall objective

Improved living and working environment

In each project, the specific objective, which is based on the problem analysis, is connected to one of the following priority elements:

  1. 1  Increased environmental awareness

  2. 2  Improvement of peoples’ physical living environment

  3. 3  Support of the biodiversity of border areas

  4. 4  Use of nature in the promotion of health and wellbeing

Please note that each project should define in their concept note / full application which one of the priority elements described above it is planning to contribute.

2.3. Project specific indicators

Each project defines its own output indicators which measure the outputs of the activities that are planned and the result indicator which measures whether the specific objective specified for the project is achieved. If the specific objective is achieved, the project should contribute towards the overall objective.

 

2.4 Financial allocation

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 2 025 000. This amount may be increased in case resources are saved from the 2017 call for proposals for priority 3.

The Joint Monitoring Committee reserves the right not to award all available funds.

Size of grants

Minimum amount of the grant is EUR 50 000.

No grant may exceed 90 % of the total eligible costs of the project. The partners ́ own contribution must be financed by the applicant and partners, and in addition other financing sources can be used. Finances from the European Union budget can ́t be used as an own contribution.

 

3. RULES FOR THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS

3.1. Eligibility criteria

There are three sets of eligibility criteria, relating to

  •   applicant(s) which may request a grant (3.1.1), and their partners (3.1.2)

  •   projects for which a grant may be awarded (3.1.3)

  •   types of cost which may be taken into account in setting the amount of the grant (3.1.4).

3.1.1. Eligibility of applicants: who may apply?

(1) In order to be eligible for a grant, lead partners and partners must

  •   be legal persons and

  •   be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project with their partners, not acting as an intermediary

  •   satisfy the geographical eligibility as defined in chapter 3.1.2.

The lead partner and partners can be e.g. national, regional or local public authorities or organisations, municipalities, joint municipal boards, public utility companies, chambers of commerce, organisations and associations, universities and higher education institutions, research institutes, and private companies and networks made up of these as well as non-governmental and international organisations.

 

Note that even if a private company acts as a lead partner or partner in the project the project cannot be profit making. Subsidies for individual enterprises are not granted.

(2) Lead partners and partners will be excluded from participation in the call and no grants will be awarded to them if

  1. a)  they are bankrupt or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations;

  2. b)  they or persons having powers of representation, decision making or control over them have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a judgment of a competent authority of a Member State which has the force of res judicata;

  3. c)  they have been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contracting authority can justify including by decisions of the EIB and international organisations;

  4. d)  they are not in compliance with their obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established or with those of the country of the contracting authority or those of the country where the contract is to be performed;

  5. e)  they or persons having powers of representation, decision making or control over them have been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering or any other illegal activity, where such illegal activity is detrimental to the Union's financial interests;

  6. (f) they are subject to an administrative penalty referred to in Article 109(1) in Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Financial rules applicable to the general budget of the European Union and repealing Council Regulation No 1605/2002

By signing the concept note/application the applicant assures that it is not/will not become involved in situations of the above kind.

Ineligibility of the lead partner leads to the rejection of the whole project. Ineligibility of other partner(s) may cause rejection of the whole project if the conditions referred to in chapter 3.1.2 in this document are not met. Ineligible partner may be replaced if the project can be implemented as planned with a new partner.

3.1.2 Geographical eligibility

The programme area consists of core region, adjoining regions and major economic, social and cultural centres.

The programme core region consists of the following regions: in Finland: Kainuu, North Karelia and Oulu Region
in Russia: The Republic of Karelia
The adjoining regions are:

in Finland: Lapland, South Karelia, North Savo, South Savo in Russia: Leningrad, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk
Major economic, social and cultural centres:
in Finland: Helsinki

in Russia: City of St. Petersburg, City of Moscow

All projects in Karelia CBC Programme have to include at least one partner from a core region in Finland and one partner from the core region in Russia.

Each partner has to participate to the financing of the project (salaries of the project personnel paid by the partner are considered as financing).

Note! Exception to the requirement for the partners from the core region:

Core region requirement does not apply if the partner is a national level public entity based in Helsinki or Moscow who doesn’t have structural units in the programme region that could act as a project partner or an international organisation with a base of operations in the Programme area. In these cases, at least one partner from both countries is though required (partners from eligible areas).

  •   Partners from adjoining regions are eligible if it is required by the nature and objectives of the project and necessary for its effective implementation. Partners from adjoining regions have to bring expertise or know-how that is not available in the core region.

  •   From Helsinki and Moscow only national-level public entities that do not have their structural units in the Programme core region can act as project partners.

  •   Partners from St Petersburg may participate in projects where it is required by the nature and objectives of the project and it is necessary for the project’s effective implementation. Partners participating in projects from St Petersburg have to bring expertise or know-how that is not available in the core area as such.

Partners participate in planning and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead partner. They must therefore satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable on the lead partner itself.

The applicant will act as the lead partner and as the contracting party.

3.1.3 Projects for which an application may be made

Definition

Project is a composed of a set of activities. The projects selected for financing have to support the objectives defined for this call.

Duration

The planned duration of a project may not exceed 36 months. A project can start only when the programme’s Managing Authority and the project’s lead partner have signed the grant contract.

 

Project costs are eligible from the date defined in the Grant Contract. All projects financed by the programme must end on 31 December 2022 at the latest.

Location

Projects must benefit the Programme core region.

Projects may be partially implemented outside the programme area if they are necessary for achieving the programme’s objectives and benefit the programme core region.

Types of activity

Activities within the projects have to be eligible (see chapter 3.1.4), justifiable and necessary in order to reach the objectives set.

The following types of projects are ineligible:

  •   projects concerned only or mainly with individual sponsorships for participation in workshops, seminars, conferences, congresses, scientific research;

  •   projects concerned only or mainly with individual scholarships for studies or training courses;

  •   projects concerning scientific research without specific direct benefit for the development of the Programme region;

  •   projects, which bring profit or create a competitive advantage to the participants.


3.1.4 Eligibility of costs: costs which may be taken into consideration for the grant

Only eligible costs can be taken into account for a grant. The categories of costs considered as eligible and non-eligible are indicated below. The budget is both a cost estimate and a ceiling for eligible costs.

Checking process precedes the signing of the contract. The checks may give rise to requests for clarification and may lead the Managing Authority to impose modifications or reductions to address such mistakes or inaccuracies (for instance arithmetical errors, inaccuracies or unrealistic costs and other ineligible costs). The amount of the grant and the percentage of co-financing as a result of these corrections will not increase.

Eligible direct costs

Only the costs caused by the lead partner and partners appointed to the project can be eligible. To be eligible, the project costs must fulfil the following requirements:

  •  they are incurred during the implementation period of the project as specified in the Grant Contract,
  •   they are indicated in the project budget,

  •   they are necessary for the implementation of the project,

  •   they are identifiable and verifiable in the project’s accounting records,

  •   they are reasonable and cost-effective.

  •   they comply with the requirements of applicable tax and social legislation,

  •   they are supported by invoices or documents of equivalent probative value.

Subject to the above conditions, the following costs are eligible (and where relevant, the provisions concerning procurements being respected):

  •   the costs of staff assigned to the project under the following cumulative conditions:

    • o they relate to the costs of activities which the partners would not carry out if the project was not undertaken,

    • o they must not exceed those normally borne by the lead partner or partner organisation,

    • o they relate to actual gross salaries including social security charges and other remuneration-related costs;

  •   travel and subsistence costs of staff and other persons taking part in the project, provided they won ́t exceed the costs normally paid by the partners;

  •   purchase or rental costs for equipment (new or used) and supplies specifically for the purpose of the project, provided they correspond to market prices;

  •   the cost of consumables specifically purchased for the project;

  •   costs entailed by contracts awarded by the partners for the purposes of the project;

  •   costs deriving directly from requirements by the Grant Contract (such as information and

visibility operations, evaluations, external audits, translations) including financial service costs (such as costs of bank transfers and financial guarantees).

Programme manual provides more detailed information about the eligibility of costs. Administrative costs

The administrative costs are directly linked to the lead partner or partner organization’s management costs of the project, such as general administration cost. They are funded on a flat rate basis. However, the amount of administrative costs cannot exceed 7% of the costs of the project excluding investments.

The final percentage of the administrative costs is defined in the grant contract and this rate sets the maximum amount of the administrative costs which can be accepted by the Managing Authority in each payment order and during the whole implementation period of the project.

The lists of administrative costs together with the calculation method for the project per each project party (Lead Partner and partners) are submitted to the Managing Authority in the beginning of the contracting process.

 

 

Ineligible costs
The following costs are not eligible:

  •   debts and debt service charges (interest);

  •   provisions for losses or liabilities;

  •   costs declared by the partner and already financed by the Union budget;

  •   purchases of land or buildings for an amount exceeding 10 % of the eligible expenditure of the project concerned;

  •   exchange-rate losses;

  •   duties, taxes and charges, including VAT, except where non-recoverable under the relevant national tax legislation, unless otherwise provided in appropriate provisions negotiated with CBC partner countries;

  •   loans to third parties;

  •   fines, financial penalties and expenses of litigation;

  •   contributions in kind.

3.2 How to apply and the procedures to follow

The lead partner fills in the application (both the concept note and the full application) in programme’s electronic management system (PROMAS) at the address https://Promascbc.fi
Guide for using PROMAS can be found from the programme website www.kareliacbc.info.

Application must be filled in English. Hand-written applications will not be accepted.

3.2.1 Concept Note content

The concept note consists of the basic information of the applicant, requested financing, partner details and their capacity, and the summary of the project idea.

In the concept note, the applicants provide only an estimate of the total costs of the project together with the amount of contribution requested from the programme. Only the applicants invited to submit an application in the second phase of the call are required to present a detailed budget. The requested programme financing in detailed budget may not be increased from the initial estimate presented in the concept note by more than 20%.

Project idea is presented in “Summary” section in PROMAS. In summary section the applicant should give an overview of the project describing:

  •   the problem the project is planning to solve and how it has been identified;

  •   the objective of the project;

  •   the expected change the project will make to the current situation;

  •   the target groups and beneficiaries of the project;

  •   the main outputs the project will produce;

  •   the approach planned to take (type of activities to be implemented);

  •   why cross-border cooperation is necessary for implementation of this project.

The maximum amount of characters in Summary is 12 000. PROMAS doesn ́t allow to save content exceeding the limit.

Partners should fill in Letters of intent where they confirm their participation to the project. These letters of intent by each partner organisation are sent only electronically as pdf documents, attached to the concept note in Promas.

Applicants should also fill in the logical framework matrix and submit it in electronically attached to the concept note in PROMAS. Please note that in concept note phase you need to fill in only the first column of the matrix (intervention logic). You are requested to use the logframe template published on the Programme websites as a part of the Application pack.

Please note that only the concept note form with letters of intent and the logical framework matrix (logframe) will be evaluated. It is therefore important that this document contains ALL the relevant information concerning the project. No other additional annexes should be sent.

3.2.2 Further information for Concept Notes

Questions may be sent during the call by email to the address below, indicating clearly the reference of the call for proposals:

E-mail address: kareliacbc@kareliacbc.info

The Managing Authority provides the necessary technical information related to the call for proposals and applying for funding. Please note that in the interest of equal treatment of applicants, the Managing Authority does not participate to the preparation of the content of the proposal.

Questions that may be relevant to other applicants, together with the answers as well as other important notices to applicants during the course of the evaluation procedure, will be published on the internet at the Programme’s website http://www.kareliacbc.info/, as the need arises. It is therefore highly recommended to regularly consult the above-mentioned website in order to be informed of the questions and answers published.

3.2.3 Where and how to send concept notes

The concept note is filled in the electronic management system Promas. The electronic version of the concept note is submitted via Promas. The submitted version of the concept note is printed, signed and submitted to the Managing Authority. Only the signed concept note is sent as a hard copy (no annexes are needed as hard copies).

The content of the concept note must not be modified after the electronic submission. Electronic version submitted in PROMAS will be used in the evaluation and is considered as the binding version that the applicant confirms with its signature.

For economic and ecological reasons, we strongly recommend that you submit the concept note on paper-based materials (no plastic folder or divider). We also suggest you to use double-sided print-outs as much as possible.

Where an applicant sends several different concept notes, each one must be sent separately.

The envelope must bear the reference to the call for proposals (Call for proposals 2018/10/1) together with the full name and address of the applicant.

Signed concept notes are submitted in sealed envelopes by registered mail, private courier service or by hand-delivery at the address below (do not address the application to any member of the Managing Authority personally):

Council of Oulu Region / Karelia CBC Programme Sepänkatu 20
FIN-90100 OULU
FINLAND or

Karelia CBC Branch Office
Kuibyshev str 26, 3rd floor, office 305 185035 Republic of Karelia

Concept notes sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by e-mail) or delivered to other addresses or after the deadline for submission will be rejected.

3.2.4 Checklist

Since incomplete concept notes may be rejected, it is highly recommended that applicants verify their concept notes by using the checklist below.

Checklist for concept notes:

 

1. Has the electronic version of the concept note been submitted via PROMAS by the deadline?

 

2. Has the original printed and signed version of the concept note been sent to Managing Authority / Programme Branch Office and has it been ensured that the material reaches the Managing Authority / Programme Branch Office by the given dead line.

 

3. Is the concept note filled in English?

 

4. Is the duration of the project maximum 36 months?

 

5. Is the percentage of total requested financing maximum of 90% of the total costs?

 

6. Is the requested programme financing lower than the overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals?

 

7. The requested financing is minimum 50 000 €.

 

8. Does the project, the lead partner and partners fulfill the eligibility criteria as defined in the guidelines and all the partners participate to the financing of the project?

 

9. Are all parts of the application filled in?

 

10. Are the signed letters of intent from all the partners attached electronically to the concept note?

 

11. Is the logical framework matrix attached electronically to the concept note and the first column of the matrix filled?

 

3.2.5 Deadline for the submission of the Concept Notes

The deadline for the submission of the electronic version of the concept note is 15.10.2018 at 15:00 o ́clock Finnish time.

The signed version needs to reach the Managing Authority or the Branch Office on 22.10.2018 at the latest.

Any concept note submitted after the deadline and/or reaching the Managing Authority after the deadline will automatically be rejected.

3.2.6 Capacity building for the applicants invited to the 2nd phase of the call

The Managing Authority arranges a capacity building event for applicants invited to submit an application. The event takes place during the second half of January 2019. Participation to these events is highly recommended. The objective of these trainings is to ensure the high quality of applications.

3.2.7 Filling in the application form

Applicants invited to submit an application must do so by filling in the application in the electronic management system Promas. The same login and password is used with the application as was with the concept note.

The requested programme financing may not increase from the initial estimate presented in the concept note by more than 20%. The applicant is free to adapt the percentage of co-financing required as far as the minimum amount of co-financing is respected. A budget is presented as an annex to the application and the sums of the headings are filled in also in Promas. The annex and the content in Promas must be consistent with each other.

Clarifications will only be requested when information provided is unclear.
Please note that only the application form with the requested annexes will be evaluated. It is

therefore important that the application contains ALL relevant information concerning the project. Only the following documents shall be sent:

  •   The application form;

  •   Partnership statements from all partners (not needed from the lead partner);

  •   Project budget;

  •   Logical Framework Matrix;

  •   Communication plan.

Infrastructure investments

Project applications for projects including an infrastructure component of at least EUR 1 million shall in addition contain:

  • a detailed description of the infrastructure investment and its location;

  • a detailed description of the capacity building component of the project, except in duly justified cases;

  • a full feasibility study or equivalent carried out, including the options analysis, the results, and independent quality review;

  • an assessment of its environmental impact in compliance with the Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) and, for the participating countries which are parties to it, UN/ECE Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context of 25 February 1991;

  • evidence of ownership by the beneficiaries or access to the land;

  • building permit.

Exceptionally and in duly justified cases, the Managing Authority may accept a later submission of the building permits.

Supporting documents for the evaluation

The Managing Authority may require other supporting documents for the evaluation. These are specified separately by the Managing Authority in the invitation letter and submitted only if requested. Supporting documents may be the following:

  • o The statutes or articles of the applicant and/or of each partner organization;

  • o External audit report certifying the applicant’s accounts for the last financial year available;

  • o Copy of the applicants latest accounts (the profit and loss account and the balance sheet for the previous financial year for which the accounts have been closed);

  • o Legal entity sheet duly completed and signed by the applicant, accompanied by the justifying documents which are requested therein.

These documents should be either in Russian, in Finnish or in English. Applicant has a full responsibility of the validity of any translations.

3.2.8 Further information for the application form

Questions may be sent during the call by e-mail to the address below, indicating clearly the reference of the call for proposals:

kareliacbc@kareliacbc.info

The Managing Authority provides the necessary technical information related to the call for proposals and applying for funding. Please note that in the interest of equal treatment of applicants, the Managing Authority does not participate to the preparation of the content of the proposal.

Questions that may be relevant to other applicants, together with the answers as well as other important notices to applicants during the course of the evaluation procedure, mentioned website in order to be informed of the questions and answers published.

3.2.9 Where and how to send the application form

The application is filled in the electronic management system Promas. The electronic version of the application is submitted via Promas. Submitted version of the application is printed and signed and sent to the Managing Authority or Branch Office. Only the application is sent as a hard copy (no annexes are sent as hard copies).

The content of the application must not be modified after the electronic submission. Electronic version submitted in Promas will be used in the evaluation and is considered as the binding version that the applicant confirms with its signature.
For economic and ecological reasons, we strongly recommend that you submit the application on paper-based materials (no plastic folder or divider). We also suggest you to use double-sided print- outs as much as possible.

Where an applicant sends several different applications, each one must be sent separately.

The envelope must bear the reference to the call for proposals “Call for proposals 2018/10/2” together with the full name and address of the applicant.

Signed applications must be submitted in a sealed envelope by registered mail, private courier service or by hand-delivery at the address below (do not address the application to any member of the MA personally):

Council of Oulu Region / Karelia CBC Programme Sepänkatu 20
FIN-90100 OULU
FINLAND

OR

Karelia CBC Branch Office
Kuibyshev str 26, 3rd floor, office 305 185035 Republic of Karelia

Applications sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by e-mail) or delivered to other addresses or after the deadline for submission will be rejected.

 

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