Application
requirements
CEF Energy Info Day
Olga Sihmane - CEF Programme and Call Coordinator, INEA 16 March 2015
•
Before starting the application:• Action vs PCI
• Types of actions
• A single or multiple proposals
•
Application form and its contents•
Submitting the proposal•
Important aspects to keep in mind•
Call helpdeskBefore the application: Action vs PCI
•
Action:
any financially and technically independent activitythat has a set timeframe and is necessary for PCI implementation
•
Evaluation concerns
only
the action, not the PCI
•
Types of actions (Art. 3 CEF Regulation):
• Studies – preparatory activities needed for project implementation
• Works – purchase, supply and deployment of
components, systems and services, or the carrying out of development and construction and installation
• Same proposal cannot contain elements related to both studies and works, i.e. no mixed proposals
Single or multiple proposals
•
Several proposals in relation to the same PCI can besubmitted throughout 2014-2020, provided they are for different activities
•
Under one call, a single proposal especially for works on interconnectors is strongly recommended•
For certain clusters, common proposals can be an advantage•
If two proposals for actions on the same PCI are submitted under the same call, activities in each must be clearlydefined and cannot overlap
•
If both a works and a study proposal are submitted under the same call, can the works proposal be mature enough?Application form: overview
Part A
Main characteristics of the proposal
Part B
Administrative information
Part C
Information on compliance with EU law
Part D
Technical and financial information
Application Form
Application form A
•
Essential information on the applicants and the proposal (summary of the action, activities, budget and requested funding)•
Must be completed in the TENtec eSubmission module (Word version provided only for reference)•
Includes forms that require signature of the applicants (A2.2) and Member State validation (A2.3)•
Be complete, informative and precise, particularly on thedescription of the proposed action and activities -> this data is also used for the grant agreement
Action and activities descriptions
•
Description of the proposed Action should mention:• Link between the proposed Action and PCI/corridor/region including technical parameters of infrastructure
• Objective of the proposed Action and its components and technical parameters
• Deliverables and outputs and how the proposed Action contributes to PCI development and its maturity
•
Activity and milestone descriptions also need to be complete and precise•
Better guidance as well as examples for works and studies are provided in the Guide for ApplicantsApplication form B
•
Further administrative information on applicants and their affiliated entities•
Legal entity form, financial identification form, additional requirements for third country applicants•
Information on operational and financial capacity•
Member States, third countries, certified TSOs and public entities established in the EU do not need to demonstrate their operational and financial capacity•
Uncertified TSOs that are private undertakings must demonstrate their financial and operational capacity!Financial and operational capacity
check
•
Required by Financial Regulation•
Financial capacity check form and financial statements for the last two financial years•
Financial capacity assessed regarding the proposed action only, not the PCI -> make sure only costs for the action are included•
If the result is 'weak financial capacity' or if the applicant has not been operating for two years, a letter of support isrequired together with positive financial capacity check for the entity providing support
•
For operational capacity: organisation's activity report, CVs,Application form C
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Information to allow the assessment of compliance with EU law on environmental protection, state aid, publicprocurement and other sources of EU financing
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Required for all proposals but only as far as activities of the proposed action - and not the PCI as a whole•
Information on compliance with environmental law (e.g. EIA, Natura 2000, Water Framework Directive, consultation with environmental authorities) and declaration by relevantauthorities needed only works or studies with physical interventions
Application form D
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Technical information describing the proposed action and its activities in detail•
Sequence of the questions reflects the award criteria•
Should provide all information needed by the evaluators for a fair and comprehensive assessment of the proposal inrelation to each award criteria
•
Responses need to be clear, well-structured, substantiated and concise -> experts have limited time to read and assess the proposals•
All relevant information for assessment of the proposalshould be contained within the application form - don’t rely on additional supporting documents
Improve your proposal by…
•
Being consistent in describing the objective, activities, duration and budget in your responses to differentquestions and parts of the application form
•
Presenting a clear time table and planning overview, explain possible risks and delays and provide evidence that these are being addressed•
Showing evidence that the action can be the next logical step for PCI implementation•
Identifying all parties affected by the action when looking at the cross-border dimension•
Justifying why the financial support is needed•
Providing quantifiable information on positiveSupporting documents
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Relating to eligibility criteria for works proposals:business plan, cost-benefit analysis and cross-border cost allocation decision (NB: CBCA is not required to electricity storage and smart grid proposals; CBA is not required but recommended for smart grid proposals)
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Annexes and documents required in the application forms, documents that demonstrate financial and operationalcapacity, Gantt charts, maps, GIS data, etc.
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Other additional information (e.g. executive summaries of previous studies) -> keep it to the minimum as evaluators focus on the application form and required documentsSubmitting the application
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Application form Part A must be filled in TENtec eSubmission module•
Application form Parts B, C and D must be completed in Word/Excel and uploaded as attachments•
All forms requiring signatures (e.g. A2.2, A2.3, Annexes B-I, B-IB-I, B-IIB-I, C-I) must be scanned and uploaded and be clearly identifiable by their title•
It is responsibility of the applicant to produce any originals upon request•
Submission in TENtec must be done before the deadline -29 April 2015, 17h00 (Brussels time)
Important to keep in mind
•
All requirements and criteria are mentioned in the work programme and call for proposals available on the call website•
Guide for Applicants provides step-by-step info on completing the application form•
Start early! (especially for MS endorsement and multi-applicant proposals)•
Save your proposal often and avoid loading all supporting documents and information at the last minute•
Visit the call website regularly as any updates will be posted thereIn case of questions
•
Guide for Applicants and FAQs on the call website•
For additional questions, contact the helpdesk: [email protected]•
Where relevant for all applicants, answers will be published as FAQs (no individual responses)•
Sign up for the FAQ notification service•
Questions must be submitted by 14 April - last FAQ update by 22 April•
Individual responses will be provided until the deadline on technical questions related to TENtec eSubmission moduleFor more information
http://inea.ec.europa.eu
@inea_eu
