Deadline: 23-Dec-22
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH , the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) are pleased to announce the Public call for participation in the program of technical support and grant allocation within the investment support measure for the purpose of improving safety and security at work (including measures to protect against COVID-19).
The EU4BusinessRecovery project aims to reduce the consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural and tourism enterprises , micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the metal and wood sector, and the textile, clothing and footwear sector, as well as on entrepreneurs and farmers. The project ensures the continuity of business operations and the establishment of innovative start- ups , in order to preserve existing and ensure new jobs and thus reduce negative social consequences such as unemployment, poverty or migration.
The general goal of the project is to ensure the survival of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in important economic sectors of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to reduce the negative effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic . The project makes an important economic and social contribution in the areas of hygiene and safety at work, workplace safety, product innovation and digitization.
Objectives
- The general goal of this Project is aimed at ensuring business continuity of micro, small and medium enterprises in the agricultural sector, despite the negative effects of COVID-19.
- The specific goal of this public call is to improve the operations of business entities in the agricultural sector by improving safety and security at work (including measures to protect against COVID-19), and in accordance with the current legislation on Occupational Safety in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brčko District.
Funding Information
- The total available funds of the Project to support investments for the purpose of business improvement through investments in safety and occupational health and safety measures for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises amount to KM 600,000.00 according to this public call. The project reserves the right not to allocate all available funds in the event that submitted applications do not meet expectations and defined criteria.
- Support funds per application can amount to 10,000 KM up to 30,000 KM and can only be used to finance eligible expenses (without VAT).
- For each project, the applicant must ensure his own co-financing in the amount of at least 15% of the total amount of acceptable costs of the proposed investment (15% co-financing by the applicant and 85% financing through the support measure).
Expected Results
- Through the implementation of this public call, the following results are expected:
- Raised awareness of the importance of applying protection and safety measures at work (including COVID-19).
- Minimum of 40 companies participated in education on measures of protection and safety at work in the agricultural sector;
- 20 companies received technical support related to defining the measures needed to improve protection and safety at work (including COVID-19);
- Minimum 20 companies received financial enforcement support _ measure , te advanced protection and security on work in his business , in accordance with valid legal regulations .
- NOTE: All applications that do not comply with the objectives and expected results of the public call will not be considered.
Rules Of The Public Call
- This public call expresses interest in education, technical and financial support related to protection and safety at work (including COVID-19). After the education and technical support, the company will be qualified for financial support, which will be aimed at implementing the recommended measures to improve safety and security at work (including COVID-19 measures).
- In order to be eligible to participate in this public call, a company must meet the general application requirementS:
- participation in education on legal aspects and the importance of the application of occupational safety and health measures (including COVID-19), intended for directors/owners of companies and persons responsible for occupational safety and health)
- Participation in the technical support program.
- Technical support will include one or several forms of support offered, and depending on the expressed needs of the applicant:
- Assessment of the current state of work resources related to protection and safety at work,
- Examination conditions working environment and recommendations for improving working environment conditions and means of working in existing facilities,
- Preparation of the act on risk assessment for each workplace,
- Preparation of an internal act on occupational safety together with a proposal for the necessary means for occupational safety and protection,
- Employee education on protection and safety at work.
- Note: The creation of the Risk Assessment Act will be done in accordance with the following regulations:
- For FBIH: Law on Safety at Work (Official Gazette of FBIH No. 79/20), Rules on Risk Assessment (Official Gazette of FBIH No. 23/21),
- For the Republic of Srpska: Law on Occupational Safety (Official Gazette of the RS No. 1/08 and 13/10), Rulebook on Risk Assessment at the Workplace and in the Working Environment, Rulebook on Risk Assessment at the Workplace and in the Working Environment (Official Gazette of the RS No. 66/08),
- for BD: Law on Safety at Work ( Official gazette BD BiH No. 31/05 H), Labor Law of BD BiH ( Official gazette BD BIH No. 34/19),
- Other relevant legal regulations.
- UNDP will provide education and technical support, and this cost will not be part of the total cost of the investment.
- Companies that do not participate in education and technical support will not be qualified to use non-reimbursable financial resources.
Eligibility Criteria
- As part of this public call, applications for projects that will be implemented on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina are acceptable.
- Eligible applicants for grants under the support measure can be trades, entrepreneurs , cooperatives and companies in accordance with the valid classification in BiH, as follows:
- micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that were registered no later than one year before the publication of this Public Call and are engaged in primary agricultural production or processing of agricultural products and raw materials, and in 2021 did not achieve income greater than 50 million KM together with related parties (total income represents the simple sum of the applicant’s income which cannot exceed 10,000,000 KM and related persons whose income cannot exceed 40,000,000 KM. The data is taken from individual financial reports, not from consolidated reports);
- Which in the ownership structure do not have a share of public capital or voting rights of that public capital?
- In addition, applicants must meet the following general eligibility criteria;
- Have their headquarters in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- They performed positively in 2021;
- They have no due and unpaid obligations based on taxes (direct and indirect taxes) and other duties, including those due to employees, income tax and other due and unpaid obligations;
- Are not in the process of pre-bankruptcy settlement or liquidation;
- Have not been convicted of a criminal offense related to their business based on a final judgment,
- They have a building permit (if the project relates to the construction/reconstruction/rehabilitation of an existing building) , and will present it for inspection during the verification visit of the project team;
- The owner and/or responsible person of the applicant does not hold a public office;
- Which with the proposed investment clearly contribute to the improvement of protection and safety at work (including COVID-19 measures).
- Applicants may submit only one application to this public call. Applicants can submit applications for investments defined by this public call exclusively independently. Applications from multiple applicants within one application will not be taken into account. Applicants are responsible for the realization of the investment, including financial obligations.
Acceptable support sectors
- To support investments in the purpose of business improvement through a measure of support for the improvement of safety and security at work (including COVID-19) are acceptable business entities in the agriculture sector, including primary agricultural production and/or processing of agricultural products for human consumption:
- Cultivation and/or processing of fruit, including planting material;
- Winemaking, viticulture and olive growing;
- Cultivation and/or processing of vegetables, including planting material;
- Production and processing of milk;
- Meat production and processing;
- Production and processing of eggs;
- Breeding, processing and canning of fish;
- Cultivation and processing of cereals and oilseeds;
- Cultivation and processing of mushrooms, herbs, medicinal plants ;
- Production and processing of honey.
Ineligible
- The project will not consider or grant support to applicants who are found to:
- Submitted untrue and incorrect information and accompanying documentation through the application;
- Are in the process of pre-bankruptcy settlement or liquidation;
- They are not registered on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- did not fulfill obligations to pay due taxes and contributions for pension and health insurance in accordance with legal provisions (applicants who have concluded a contract with tax authorities in BiH on debt service will not be taken into consideration);
- Have not settled all obligations towards their employees on any basis;
- Have been convicted of a criminal offense related to their business based on a final judgment;
- In the past 3 years, they have unfulfilled obligations for the allocated incentive measures of the entity ministries, that is, the relevant institutions of the Brčko District of BiH (BD);
- They do not fulfill previously assumed contractual obligations, if they are existing users of the EU4AGRI, EU4AGRI-Recovery and EU4BusinessRecovery projects;
- They have a share of public capital or voting rights of that public capital in their ownership structure;
- Have achieved a negative business result in 2021;
- Have achieved an annual income in 2021 of more than 10,000,000 KM;
- The owner and/or responsible person hold a public office, or are employed in government institutions.
- Additionally, when reviewing applicants, the acceptability of their business practices will be considered. The project will not grant support to applicants who are found to:
- Violate or participate in the abuse of human rights, including the rights of minority peoples;
- Use or tolerate forced or imposed labor;
- Use or tolerate the worst forms of child labor;
- Participate in production, trade or distribution:
- Weapons and/or ammunition or their component parts and replica weapons sold to children;
- Alcoholic beverages (except beer and wine);
- Tobacco or tobacco products ; and
- Equipping and/or organizing gambling activities , casinos, bookmakers and similar ventures organizing games of chance;
- Violate UN sanctions, relevant conventions, treaties and resolutions or are on UN inadmissibility lists;
- Are involved in the production, sale and distribution of pornography;
- Engage in the illegal manufacture or sale or distribution of any product, or engage in an activity deemed illegal under domestic laws or regulations or under international conventions and agreements or those subject to international phase-out or prohibition;
- Engage in activities that are prohibited by domestic laws or international conventions related to the protection of biological diversity resources or cultural heritage;
- Are exposed to controversies and/or other actions before or during the implementation of the public call and which may have a negative impact on the reputation of UNDP, the Project, donors or institutional partners involved in the implementation of project activities.
For more information, visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=97017