BG16RFOP002-1.001 „Support for the introduction of innovation in enterprises“
The Managing Authority of Operational Programme "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 published Additional list of project proposals proposed for rejection at stage „Assessment of administrative compliance and eligibility“ (only in Bulgarian language), included for examination and evaluation under grant procedure № BG16RFOP002-1.001 „Support for the introduction of innovation in enterprises” .
Applicants whose project proposals are proposed for rejection at stage „Assessment of administrative compliance and eligibility” under the above mentioned procedure may submit written objections to the proposal for rejection to the Head of the Managing authority OF OPIC, within 7 working days from the day following the date of publication of this list.
This list is published in accordance with the provisions of Article 20, paragraph 4 of the CMD № 107 of May 10, 2014 laying down the procedure for granting financial assistance under the programs financed by the European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund of the European Union and the European Fund for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for the period 2014 – 2020.
The MA of OPIC informs all applicants, that with State Gazette (SG) No 76/30.09.2016 a CMD №243/30.09.2016 for adoption of the Regulation for determining the terms and mechanism of functioning of the unified information system for management and monitoring of resources from the European structural and investment funds (UMIS) and for the conduct of proceedings before the managing authorities accordingly via UMIS is promulgated.
According to § 2 of the final provisions of the Decree: „In § 4 of the transitional and final provisions of the Decree № 160 of the Council of Ministers from 2016, determining rules for consideration and evaluation of offers and contracting procedure for selection with an open call by beneficiaries of grants from the European structural and investment funds (SG No52 from 2016) a new para. 4 is created:
„(4) In the cases of art. 2 para. 1 and 7 and art. 5 para. 2 – to ensuring technical possibility of using the UMIS, the physical and juridical persons and their associations – applicants for a grant by the ESIF, publish the public calls and messages for raising bids on the Single information portal, and the offers must be submitted to the address of the grant applicant, specified in the public invitation.“
The said provision creates an opportunity for the conduct of procedures for selection of contractor on behalf of grant applicants. In this respect, MA of OPIC draws attention, that no later than three days prior to the date of announcement of the procedure, it must be submitted to e-mail tenders@mi.government.bg for publishing on the Single information portal for general information about the management of Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund of the European Union in Bulgaria.
Given the opportunity for starting the implementation activities of project proposals submitted before signing a grant contract, stipulated in the Act for management of the funds from the European Structural and Investment Funds (amend. and supplemented. SG No 43 of 06.07.2016), MA of OPIC informs all potential applicants, that by 08.07.2016 is in force Decree № 160 from July 1, 2016 determining the rules for consideration and evaluation of bids and contracting procedure for selection with an open call by beneficiaries of grants from the European structural and investment funds (into force on 08.07.2016). In this regard, the selection of a contractor shall be in compliance with the provisions of Chapter Four of the Act for management of the funds from the European Structural and Investment Funds and DCM 160/01.07.2016 and the actual samples of the published on the Internet site of the MA Guidelines on implementation of grant contracts under OPIC (only in Bulgarian language).
The Managing Authority of Operational Programme "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 published List of project proposals proposed for rejection at stage „Assessment of administrative compliance and eligibility“ (only in Bulgarian language), included for examination and evaluation under grant procedure № BG16RFOP002-1.001 „Support for the introduction of innovation in enterprises” .
Applicants whose project proposals are proposed for rejection at stage „Assessment of administrative compliance and eligibility” under the above mentioned procedure may submit written objections to the proposal for rejection to the Head of the Managing authority OF OPIC, within 7 working days from the day following the date of publication of this list.
This list is published in accordance with the provisions of Article 20, paragraph 4 of the CMD № 107 of May 10, 2014 laying down the procedure for granting financial assistance under the programs financed by the European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund of the European Union and the European Fund for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for the period 2014 – 2020.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS UNDER THE PROCEDURE (only in Bulgarian language)
Directorate General "European Funds for Competitiveness" - Managing Authority of Operational Programme "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 invites those wishing to submit project proposals under Priority Axis 1 "Technological development and innovation", Investment Priority 1.1 "Technological development and innovation", by ANNOUNCING a procedure for selection of projects:
BG16RFOP002-1.001 „Support for the introduction of innovation in enterprises“
The aim of the procedure is to provide focused support to Bulgarian enterprises to enhance innovation in the thematic areas of the Innovation Strategy for smart specialization (ISSS), as the implementation of projects supported under the procedure, should lead to market realization of a product (good or service) or deployment process within the priority sectors of the thematic areas of ISSS.
The provided grant assistance should meet the conditions for state aid. The applicable state aid regime under this procedure for selection of projects are, as follows:
Element А „Investments“
Under Element А „Investments“ the applicants under the procedure can choose among one of the applicable state aid regimes depending on their needs and the specifics of the proposed project:
1) Regional investment aid according to Art. 13 and Art. 14 of Regulation (EU) № 651/2014 of the Commission of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the common market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty (OB L 187 / 06.26.2014).
or
2) „de minimis” aid according to Regulation (EC) № 1407/2013 of the Commission of December 18, 2013 concerning the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to "de minimis" aid.
Element B „Services“
The applicable state/ minimal aid under Element Б „Services“ is determined according to the category of the candidate:
1) „Consulting and support services for innovation in benefit of SMEs“ according to Article 28, para. 4 of Regulation (EU) № 651/2014 of the Commission of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the common market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty (OB L 187 / 06.26.2014), applicable to micro, small and medium sized enterprises.
2) „de minimis” aid according to Regulation (EC) № 1407/2013 of the Commission of December 18, 2013 concerning the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to "de minimis" aid, applicable to large enterprises.
The grant procedure is funded with the support from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. The projects should be implemented on the territory of Bulgaria. The total amount of the grant under the procedure is BGN 97 791 500.
Eligible under the procedure are projects, including the following activities:
Element A “Investments”
- Acquisition of new equipment necessary for the introduction of the innovative product (good or service) or process.
- Acquisition of intellectual property rights on innovations that will be supported under the procedure.
- Acquisition / development of specialized software necessary for the deployment of the innovative product (good or service) or process.
Element B „Services“
- Consultancy and support services in support of innovations.
The submission of the project proposal under the current procedure is carried out entirely electronically by completing a web based application form and submitting the application and accompanying documents via the Unified information system for management and monitoring of the EU Structural Instruments in Bulgaria (UMIS 2020) solely using a qualified electronic signature (QES), by module „Е-application“ at the following web address: https://eumis2020.government.bg.
The procedure is with deadline for submission of project proposals: 04/04/2016
Providing additional information:
Applicants may ask additional questions and request clarifications regarding the Guidelines for applicants up to 21 days before the deadline for submission of project proposals. Additional questions can be asked only by the e-mail shown below, clearly indicating the name of the procedure for the selection of projects:
E-mail address: innovation@mi.government.bg.
Clarifications that contain opinion on the quality of a specific project proposal will not be given. Answers to questions, set over the phone, will not be given. Individual replies to questions, asked by candidates under the procedure, will not be sent.
The full package of documents (Requirements for Application, Requirements for Implementation and their Annexes /only in Bulgarian language/) under the procedure is published on the website of the Operational programme: www.opic.bg, as well as on the Single information portal for general information about the management of Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund of the European Union in Bulgaria: www.eufunds.bg.