ERDF Schemes Operational Programme I 20072013

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ERDF SchemesOperational Programme I2007-2013
ERDF Innovation Actions Grant Scheme (Innovation)
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Overview

• The Malta Enterprise ERDF Schemes
• The ERDF Innovation Actions Grant Scheme
• The Application Form
• The Notes to Applicants
• Contact Details

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1. The Malta Enterprise ERDF Schemes

• The objectives for each scheme are outlined
  below
• International Competitiveness to support
  enterprises tap into new markets.
• Small Start-up to facilitate the setting up and
  growth of innovative knowledge based small
  start-up enterprises.
• e-Business Development to assist SMEs make use
  of ICT in their daily business operations.
• Innovation Actions (Environment) to support
  SMEs invest in environmentally-friendly
  technologies.
• Innovation Actions (Innovation) to support SMEs
  develop innovative processes, products and
  services.
• R D Grants to assist enterprises invest in
  industry driven projects to be in a better
  position to develop new products and processes.

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• ERDF Innovation Actions Grant
• Scheme (Innovation)
• Incentive Guideline

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2. Incentive Guideline

• - Aim
• Eligible Sectors
• Ineligible Sectors
• The Scheme
• Eligible Costs
• Additional Provisions

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Aim
• To help SMEs meet todays business challenges by
  stimulating innovative processes, products and
  services and organisational innovations.

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Eligible Sectors
• Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Ineligible Sectors
• Government controlled or owned entities
• Undertakings engaged in
• the primary production of agricultural products
• the retail sector
• tourism activities
• the coal industry
• the steel industry
• the gaming industry
• shipbuilding
• financial services
• the synthetic fibres sector
• Undertakings in difficulty

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2. Incentive Guideline

• The Scheme
• Minimum Project Value 50,000
• Co-financing of eligible costs

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Eligible Costs
• Consultancy Services
• Investment costs in Tangible and Intangible
  Assets

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Eligible Costs
• Consultancy Services
• i. Consultancy and services required for
  implementing IMTs, which include
• - lean management techniques
• - quality management
• - technology watch and audits
• - technology transfer
• - business process re-engineering
• - benchmarking.
• ii. Consultancy and services required in
  relation to process, product or organisational
  innovation.

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Eligible Costs
• Investment costs in Tangible and Intangible
  Assets
• Investment costs which should result in
• i. the diversification of output of the
  enterprise
• ii. a fundamental change in the overall
  production process.

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Costs NOT considered eligible
• Refurbishing
• Replacements of existing equipment / machinery
• Maintenance

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Additional Provisions
• The following additional provisions shall apply
  to any costs that may be supported
• i. Tangible assets shall include plant,
  machinery and equipment.
• ii. Intangible assets means assets acquired in
  relation to the transfer of technology and may
  include the acquisition of patent rights,
  licences, know-how or unpatented technical
  knowledge.
• iii. All assets including intangible assets must
  be included in the Capital Assets Register.

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2. Incentive Guideline

• Additional Provisions
• iv. Investments in second hand equipment are
  not eligible.
• v. Costs related to the generation of energy
  through renewable energy sources and energy
  saving measures are not eligible.
• vi. All funding will be based on reimbursement
  of eligible costs.
• vii. All funding must be on costs incurred by the
  applicant after the aid is granted.
• viii. All consultancy or services must be
  subcontracted and must not be of a continuous
  or periodic nature, nor relate to the
  enterprises usual operating expenditure, such
  as routine tax consultancy services, regular
  legal services or advertising.

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• ERDF Innovation Actions Grant
• Scheme (Innovation)
• The Application Form

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The Application Form

• How to apply
• Application Form Structure

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The Application Form

• How to apply
• Documents to refer to

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The Application Form

• - Application Form and all relevant annexes have
  to be type-written, signed and dated
• To be deposited in the relevant Tender Box at
  Malta Enterprise reception, San Gwann
• An acknowledgement of receipt of application will
  be issued upon submission of application

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The Application Form

• Application Form Structure
• Applicant Details
• Project Details
• Horizontal Priorities
• Annexes
• Personal Data Protection
• Declaration
• Notes to the Application Form

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The Application Form

• Applicant Details
• Thorough description of the applicant and
  corresponding contact details, including a
  description of the key products and services
  provided and an outline of the applicants main
  markets.

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The Application Form

• Project Details
• Thorough description of the innovative project,
  including how the project will be implemented
  from a HR and financial resource perspective, the
  expected benefits and any preparatory work
  already undertaken by the applicant.

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The Application Form

• c. Horizontal Priorities
• The Horizontal Priorities of environmental
  sustainability and equal opportunities are
  cross-cutting themes defined by the EU that will
  be used to evaluate all projects under the ERDF
  Innovation Actions Grant Scheme (Innovation).
• This section will request the applicant to
  outline how the project will address
  environmental sustainability issues and equal
  opportunities.

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The Application Form

• d. Annexes
• Annex 1 Project Cost
• Annex 2 Costs Breakdown Consultancy Services
• Annex 3 Costs Breakdown Investment Costs in
  Tangible and Intangible Assets
• Annex 4 Disbursement Plan
• Annex 5 Enterprise Size Declaration
• Annex 6 Audited Financial Statements
• Annex 7 Permits and Approvals
• Annex 8 Supporting Documentation

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The Application Form

• Annex 1 Project Cost

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The Application Form

• Annex 2 Costs Breakdown Consultancy Services

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The Application Form

• Annex 3 Costs Breakdown Investment Costs

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The Application Form

• Annex 4 Disbursement Plan

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The Application Form

• Annex 5 Enterprise Size Declaration
• Determines the type of enterprise applying,
  whether its large, medium, small or micro
  enterprise and will also determine if the
  applying enterprise is autonomous, partner or
  linked.

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The Application Form

• Annex 6 Audited Financial Statements
• The Financial Statements required are the latest
  full version Audited Financial Statements or the
  Management Accounts (Profit Loss
  Statements/Income Statement and Balance
  Sheet/Statement of Assets and Liabilities)
  certified by a certified public accountant.
• In the case of a start-up not having the above
  documentation a Business Plan (which should
  include a Profit Loss Account/Income Statement,
  Cash Flow Projections and a Balance
  Sheet/Statement of Assets and Liabilities) would
  suffice.

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The Application Form

• Annex 7 Permits and Approvals
• Applicant will show proof of permits and
  approvals from relevant government entities.
• Projects in need of permits and approvals,
  should submit a copy of the application for the
  relevant permits with the application form.
  Following evaluation, the short listed applicants
  would need to submit such permit prior to the
  issuing of the Letter of Approval.

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The Application Form

• Annex 8 Supporting Documentation (if
  applicable)
• Any supporting documentation (preparatory work
  and correspondence) need to be attached as Annex
  8.

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• ERDF Innovation Actions Grant
• Scheme (Innovation)
• The Notes to Applicants

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• Call for Applications
• Eligibility Check
• Evaluation Process
• Letter of Approval

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• Call for Applications
• - This is a competitive call with a total
  budget of 1.5 million
• - The call for Applications is published on ME
  website www.20millionforindustry.com
• - Closure of Call - 12noon of Wednesday, 11th
  March, 2009

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• Eligibility Check
• - Application shall be complete
• - Application shall fit one or more of the
  focus areas of the scheme
• - Applicant has honoured any obligations set by
  ME
• - Within State Aid parameters
• - Project need to comply with the laws
  pertaining to the actions being proposed
• - Applicant is eligible
• - The project will be completed within 24
  months.

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• Evaluation Process
• i. Preliminary Evaluation (35)
• - Risk Appraisal
• - Extent of need for support
• - Holistic nature of the project
• ii. Strategic Evaluation (65)
• - Thematic Priorities
• - Project Impact
• - Innovation
• - Operational Programme I Indicators
• - Employment
• - Horizontal Priorities
• - Environmental Sustainability
• - Equal Opportunities

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• i. Preliminary Evaluation (35)
• - Risk Appraisal 20
• a. Age of organisation 5 - the longer
  the enterprise has been established, the
  higher the score.
• b. The duration of the project 5 - longer
  projects may carry more risk.
• c. Project Investment Costs vis-à-vis
  applicants Net Assets 5 - level of
  financial risk.
• d. Commitment and capacity to implement
  5 - level of preparatory work, internal
  project management structures and
  financial resources.

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• - Extent of need for support 10 determined
  through the size of the enterprise and whether
  it forms part of a network or is a start-up.
• - Holistic Nature of Project 5 - marks are
  awarded in line with the number of eligible
  actions to be implemented.

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• ii. Strategic Evaluation (65)
• - Thematic Priorities 55
• a. Project Impact 25 - expected benefits
  from the project.
• b. Project Innovation 10 - the innovative
  nature of the project with regards to the
  potential to develop new products, processes
  and services will be assessed.
• c. Operational Programme I Indicators 10
  - the degree to which the project contributes
  to increasing the number of SMEs launching
  new or improved products.
• d. Employment 10 - potential to ensure
  job retention and create new employment in
  the future.
  

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• - Horizontal Priorities 10
• a. Environmental Sustainability - 5 -
  project to address issues such as carbon
  neutrality and climate change, water, waste,
  air quality and nature protection where
  applicable.
• b. Equal Opportunities 5 - involvement
  of disadvantaged groups in the project
  increased participation of females, ensuring
  accessibility for all and family friendly
  measures.

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• Letter of Approval
• Value of Grant
• Respective Co-financing Rate
• Details of Project and corresponding financial
  plans
• Compliance with EU Council Regulations
• - Eligible Costs
• - On-the-spot checks by various National and EU
  Audit
• Authorities
• - Retention of all documentation in a separate
  file up to
• 31/12/2020 (including the application form
  annexes)
• - Retention of equipment as per Article 57 (1)
  for 5 years
• - Opening of a separate bank account
• - Conformity with publicity obligations
• Only fully implemented projects will be fully
  reimbursed otherwise grant will be reclaimed back
  from the beneficiary.

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4. The Notes to Applicants

• Publicity Guidelines
• - The beneficiary is responsible of informing
  the public about the assistance obtained from
  the funds.
• - Acceptance of funding is also an acceptance of
  their inclusion in the publication of the list
  of beneficiaries, the names of the operation
  and the amount of funding allocated to the
  operation.
• - Commemorative plaques shall be installed
  indefinitely at a site accessible to the
  general public.
• - Any equipment / websites / brochures
  benefiting from such funding should display the
  corresponding logos in line with the Publicity
  Guidelines.

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5. Contact Details

• Further information on the scheme, may be
  obtained by contacting Malta Enterprise during
  office hours.
• Postal Address
• Malta Enterprise
• Enterprise Centre
• Industrial Estate
• San Gwann
• SGN 3000
• Malta
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Website www.20millionforindustry.com
• e-mail marianne.copperstone_at_maltaenterprise.com

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THANK YOU