Deadline: 15-Oct-20
The project “Development of Export Potential on the Banks of the Dniester” ( AdTrade ), funded by Sweden and implemented by UNDP Moldova, will support the development of export promotion capacity among business support organizations.
The aim is to identify partnerships created between business support organizations (industry associations, chamber of commerce, business service providers) from both banks of the Dniester, which offer support to the private sector to bridge gaps in their business activities, including those caused by the Covid-19 pandemic , and improving the business environment on both banks.
Support will be provided to organizations for 16 months, and the corresponding costs will be covered by the AdTrade project, in particular for services provided in the following areas: a) Strengthening the organizational capacity of business associations in the field of protecting the interests of their members, with special attention to banks of the Dniester, b) Development of sustainable measures and solutions to provide high quality services to exporting companies from both banks of the Dniester, c) support the export potential of selected MSMEs from the Transnistrian region by offering them professional business development services.
Objectives
- Strengthening the organizational capacities of business associations for advocating the interests of their members, with particular focus to the exporters from the both banks of Nistru river,
- Developing sustainable interventions and solutions for provision of high qualitative services for exporter led companies from the both banks of Nistru river,
- As an immediate response to COVID 19, support export capacities of the selected MSMEs from the Transnistria region by offering professional business development services.
Funding Information
- The maximum amount the applicants can request under the submitted project proposals will not exceed 50,000 USD.
- The implementation timeframe for the project proposal is up to 16 months, but not less than a year.
Time Frame And Project Size
- The implementation timeframe for the project proposal is up to 16 months, but not less than a year. Projects should start in September 2020 and finalize by December 2021. The maximum amount the applicants can request under the submitted project proposals will not exceed 50,000 USD. The projects will be implemented by partner organizations from the both banks.
Eligible Projects
- Recommended measures for strengthening the organizational capacities for advocating the interests of their members, with particular focus to the exporters from the both banks of Nistru river,
- Recommended measures for developing sustainable interventions and solutions for provision of high qualitative services to be delivered to exporter led companies from the both banks of Nistru river,
- Recommended business development services to be provided to the selected export led MSMEs from the Transnistria region as an immediate response to COVID 19.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only cross-river partnerships of at least two organizations from both banks will be admitted. Under this competition both banks organizations will be able to submit only one project proposal as main applicant, at the same time being allowed to participate as secondary partner in several projects.
- Legal entities registered on the right or left banks of the Nistru river.
- Representing one of the forms of business support organizations (unions of producers, business associations, employers’ associations, chambers of commerce, private business services providers, NGOs), which have the competency stipulated in the registration documents to carry out project the activities from the project proposal, being directly responsible for management and implementation of the project.
- Under this competition both banks organizations will be able to submit only one project proposal as main applicant, at the same time being allowed to participate as secondary partner in several projects.
- Organizations which at the time of application do not have debts or arrears for taxes, fees and fines.
Non-eligibility criteria
- The main applicant, or the partners organization was found liable for serious professional or financial mismanagement, proven by such evidence as recognized by UNDP Moldova;
- The main applicant or the partner organization has a history of failing to comply with contractual obligations arising from previous arrangements with donor organizations;
- The main applicant or the partner organization is a state-owned legal entity.
Eligible expenses include
- Expenses for experts, consultants, personnel, and IT support,
- Expenses for the service providers to deliver services to both implementing organizations and benefiting companies;
- Expenses for trainings;
- Transportation expenses (rent of transportation, gasoline, transportation for participants etc.);
- Expenses for marketing and promotion materials;
- Expenses for the purchase of expendables and other materials required for the project;
- Expenses for events (meals, accommodation, information campaigns and awareness raising, copying, printing, interpretation and translation etc.);
- Administrative expenses (communications, office rent, postal and banking services) shall not exceed 25% of the project budget proposed and be well reasoned.
Ineligible expenses include
- Expenses incurred before the contract has been signed (including expenses related to project submission);
- Fines and penalties;
- Activities already financially covered by another grant programme/other persons providing financial support;
- Individual sponsorship for participation at workshops, seminars, and conferences;
- Individual educational scholarships;
- Covering the current costs of an organization, unless it is clearly related to the project goals; –
- Exchange rate losses.
Selection Procedure
Selection will be based on principles of merit, transparency, equality and rational use of funds.Evaluation of project proposals includes two stages:
- Stage I: Checking compliance of applications and eligibility of applicants. Evaluate relevance of proposed project, available expertise, proven partnership, but also budget relevance and financial reliability. To the second stage of the selection procedure will be admitted project proposals which comply with eligibility criteria and which will accumulate at least 140 points.
- Stage II This stage is carried out by an Evaluation Committee. The projects that receive the highest total number of points will be recommended for final approval by the AdTrade Project Board.
For more information, visit https://sc.undp.md/tnddetails2/2136/