Call for EOIs for Selecting Innovative Digital Ideas under Innovation Challenge Scheme 6 Contest in Moldova

Deadline: 30-Nov-22

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Moldova, through the Accelerating Digital Transformation Project in Moldova, hereby announces an Expression of Interest for selecting innovative digital ideas under Innovation Challenge Scheme 6 contest, focused on developing and enhancing the renewable energy platforms, specifically digital projects in solar energy, with impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Digital Transformation in Public and Private Sectors.

UNDP Moldova partners in this challenge with the Government of Moldova, private sector, as well as other donor institutions.

Objectives

• Main objectives and areas of support of the Innovation Challenge for the SDGs are:
  • Engage with private sector for developing digital platform(s) on renewable energy to facilitate innovative decentralized investment in this area. The idea is to source solutions that would accelerate investments into RES, allowing citizens and private sector to invest into RES in Moldova; they speak about patient investors that are willing to invest in secure assets by accelerating energy transition in Moldova.
  • Support the development and scale up of renewable energy solutions/pilots, involving both private and social sectors. Pilots could be implemented in partnership with Governmental Agencies, LPAs, schools, hospitals, households, private sector, other. Solutions for the following industry sectors will not be considered: catering services providing only alcoholic beverages; casinos, gambling and similar activities; construction/purchase of residential and commercial space for housing/sales; gas stations; production and distribution of tobacco products; sales and service of cars.
  • Measure and make visible the impact of such innovative products, services or solutions on specific nationalized SDGs, inclusion of vulnerable people, and on the objective and subjective well-being of the population. Such measurement will be possible through the BCtA and Impact Lab facilities of UNDP Istanbul, to which the beneficiaries will be connected.
  • This EoI does not entail any commitment on the part of UNDP, either financial or otherwise. UNDP reserve the right to accept or reject any or all EoI without incurring any obligation to inform the affected applicant/s of the grounds.

Types of innovation projects supported

• Projects should satisfy all the below criteria:
  • A developed idea of the innovative services/products/solutions ready for prototyping and testing; or a prototype ready for testing and/or scale up. For the prototype solution, the applicant will provide evidence that it is technologically and economically feasible;
  • Innovative, including new on the market, or possibly a solution that is significantly improved, having a digital component in it;
  • Scalable and replicable, i.e. could be easily used and replicated by the public sector agencies/institutions in delivering better services to people, businesses, or inter-agency services, or, if solution is developed for private sector needs, it is sectorial and could be replicated within a short period of time on same market/country, or exportable (depending on the solution).
  • Feasible, i.e. the solution does not require changes in the current legislation and could be anchored within the existing legal framework;
  • With measurable impact on Moldova digitalization and SDGs. A preliminary estimate of SDG impact will be done by the applicant, which will further be detailed with support from UNDP BCtTA’s and Impact Lab toolkits.
  • Additional criteria applicable to collaborative projects:
    • In case of collaborative projects, it is required that the CGC involves partners that represent at least 2 different public or economic sectors, academia or other research institutions, public authorities, with the main applicant from ICT sector, i.e., ICT and Health, ICT and Transport, ICT and Education, ICT and Financial services, other.

Funding Information

• A single award will cover maximum 40,000 USD (co-funded by UNDP) or maximum fifty percent (50%) of the total project amount (what is lower) for innovation pilots, be it new or improved products, services, processes, or business solutions.
• Duration: The project and the project budget must be designed so to be completed within 10 months(not exceeding December 31, 2023). However, the project may be extended for maximum of additional six (6) months under exceptional circumstances, upon prior notification and approval from UNDP Moldova.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants to the Innovation Challenge Scheme are:
  • The main Applicants are legal private sector entities from ICT, financial, energy and related sectors of Moldova (or mixed groups). Moldovan companies shall be registered (or be in process to be registered) under the applicable Moldovan Entrepreneurship Law:
    • Moldovan privately owned companies, registered and operating in Moldova;
    • Start-ups and groups of initiative in the process to register the IT company under Moldovan legislation (registration shall take place before contract signature).
  • In case the application is submitted by CGC:
    • The main applicant is a Moldovan privately owned company;
    • Co-applicants from private sector are operating in any industry sector in both countries except: catering services providing only alcoholic beverages; casinos, gambling and similar activities; construction/purchase of residential and commercial space for housing/sales; gas stations; production and distribution of tobacco products; sales and service of cars;
    • Co-applicants can also be an Association, Governmental Agency, LPA, school, hospital, University or other research institution, other institutions representing public, private and/or associative sectors from Moldova;
    • The entities forming the CGC have no shared economic and financial interest; one company/institution is not owning shares or other interest in the other company/institution in the same CGC and this applies for the entire CGC independently from the number of participating companies/institutions.
  • The Applicants (and co-applicants) must not possess outstanding debts in terms of public contributions.
  • The Applicants (and co-applicants) must not have accumulated losses above the equity value.
  • The Applicants and individual owners have not been convicted for crimes connected to business operations.

For more information, visit https://sc.undp.md/tnddetails2/2562/