Deadline: 31-Jul-24
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria through the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Beirut, Lebanese Republic, announces a procedure for the acceptance and selection of proposals for projects to be implemented with a grant through the Official Development Assistance of the Republic of Bulgaria, with an initial implementation period in 2025.
Priority Areas for Project Implementation on the territory of Lebanese Republic:
- Ensuring access to inclusive and equitable quality education;
- Support for ensuring universal health coverage and access to quality health care services;
- Preservation and conservation of the cultural and historical heritage;
- Protection of human rights with emphasis on women, children and socially disadvantaged people.
Objectives and Scope of the Projects
- Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (UNAgenda2030 SDG Nr 3);
- Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (UNAgenda2030 SDG Nr 4);
- Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (UNAgenda2030 SDG Nr 5);
- Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development (UNAgenda2030 SDG Nr 17).
Funding Information
- Minimal amount of the project is 20 000 BGN.
- Recommended maximum amount of the project is:
- for projects with main purpose to deliver goods and /or services – up to 150 000 BGN;
- for projects with main purpose to carry out repairs and /or construction activities – up to 300 000 BGN;
- for projects with main purpose to carry out so called “soft components of ODA: /conferences, seminars, study visits, colloquiums and so on/ – up to 30 000 BGN and term – up to 9 months.
Duration
- Project proposals must include an indicative start date for project implementation after January 15, 2025 and no later than November 30, 2025.
- Projects must be completed no later than December 31, 2027.
Outputs/Results
- Promotion of the Bulgarian Development Aid Governmental Program along with Bulgaria’s image as a donor country;
- Improving socio-economic development conditions and good governance;
- Ensuring an inclusive and equitable quality education;
- Ensuring access to quality health care services;
- Institutional and Capacity Building;
- Human rights protection;
- Strengthening cohesion in the Lebanese society through support of activities contributing to the raising and promotion of an awareness for a collective belonging to the past and collective responsibility for the future, leading on the longer term to a considerably higher levels of internal political and socio-economic stability.
Eligible Activities
- Development of new/updating existing training modules;
- Capacity building activities/organizing and conducting trainings in areas of interest of the administration/institutions of the partner country;
- Conducting trainings on specific topics in Bulgarian institutions to exchange good practices and increase the qualification of employees from the administration of the partner country;
- Organization and holding of seminars, forums, conferences;
- Research and strategy development;
- Activities to raise awareness of citizens’ rights;
- Activities to promote multicultural dialogue and to limit racism, xenophobia, hate speech, discrimination and intolerance in society;
- Activities to improve dialogue between non-governmental organizations and local, regional and national authorities;
- Activities related to improving the quality of social infrastructure (educational/health) ex.: Delivery of equipment and materials for state or municipal property – schools, hospitals, kindergardens, homes for elderly, etc.; Construction and repair works to improve the condition of state or municipal property – schools, hospitals, kindergartens, homes for elderly, etc.
- Compulsory Activities to be provided in the Project:
- Provision of an audit report issued by an independent financial auditor
- Activities to ensure publicity and visibility of the financial assistance provided, in accordance with the Publicity and Visibility Guidelines of the Bulgarian Development Aid, worth 3 to 5% from the total value of the grant for the project, but not exceeding 5 000 BGN.
Target Groups
- All society/social groups benefitting from improved quality, inclusive and equitable education and healthcare services.
Eligibility Criteria
- Priority
- Primary and secondary budget spenders – legal entities of the Lebanese Republic;
- Municipalities and their associations;
- Educational, health and social institutions;
- International humanitarian organizations;
- Others
- International and local non-governmental organizations;
- Others
Ineligible
- As ineligible candidates in the procedure for 2024 will be considered:
- Individuals and legal entities for whom there are circumstances under Art. 23, para. 3-8 of Resolution No. 234 of the Council of Ministers of 01.08.2011 on the policy of the Republic of Bulgaria on participation in international development cooperation
- Beneficiaries whose projects from previous years have not been completed within the term of the contract/annex and without final reports approved by the MFA by 30 June 2024.
- In the event that a candidate under the current procedure for 2025 implements a project under a previous financial cycle of the Development Cooperation Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, a condition for consideration of the project proposal will be the successful completion of the project within the term of the contract/annex, but not later than 30 June 2024 and approval of the final reports by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
- Beneficiaries who have not submitted interim reports on projects from previous years within the term of the contract/annex.
- Current beneficiaries who have not reimbursed due funds from previous projects financed under the Development Cooperation Program.
- Applicants without a sustainable project history of less than 2 years.
- Applicants with a registration period of less than 2 years.
- Applicants who have received first payment in the end of 2022 and still carrying out the project in 2024 and have no approved an interim report till the announce of the company for receiving the project proposals for 2025.
- Applicants may not submit more than one project proposal under this call for proposals. In the event that an applicant submits more than one project proposal, all of their submitted project proposals will be excluded from subsequent evaluation.
For more information, visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.