Frequently asked questions

1. Should both the Concept-Idea and the Full Application be sent at the same time in the second call of the EU Grants scheme for Municipalities?

Yes, in the second call of the Grants scheme of the EU project for Municipalities, applicants must simultaneously send the concept idea and the complete application, together with the supporting documents defined in Section no. 2.2. of the Guide for Applicants.

2. Do all supporting documents need to be sent at this stage?

Yes, all supporting documents must be sent at this stage. Section 2.2 of the Guide to Applicants sets out all the documentation to be sent and how to apply.

 

3. Should the proposed project be based on a strategic document of the Municipality? If the municipality does not have a strategic document drafted, can the proposal be based on other action plan documents?

The project proposal must reflect the real needs of the municipality’s community and must be part of the strategic documents or priorities approved by the Municipal Council. These strategic documents may include the documents of the Local General Plan, Development Strategy, Capital Investment Plan, Strategy or Sectoral Action Plan, Medium-Term Budget Program, and other documents that clearly express the strategic orientations and priority areas of action of the municipalities.

4. Can other donors be co-financiers?

Yes, co-financing can come from the municipality’s own funds, from the central government and any other donor except the European Union.

5. For the verification of the document of capital expenditures realized in 2021, should supporting documents be sent?

Yes, supporting documents must be submitted to verify the criterion of the level of realization of capital expenditures, according to the definitions in section 2.2.1. of the Guidelines for Grant Applicants. The list of supporting documents is also defined in Appendix F. The supporting documents are the Initial Budget approved in the Municipal Council, for the year 2021 to confirm the initial investment plan; The Budget Implementation Monitoring Report for 2021 prepared for the City Council and the Ministry of Finance and Economy, to confirm the level of actual expenditures for capital investments; as well as the Act-Annual Reconciliations with the Treasury Branch to confirm the level of actual expenditures for capital investments. The main applicant, based on the Act-Reconciliations with the treasury, must also prepare a summary in the form of a table, of the expenses for capital investments of the municipality and its spending units.

6. Are public consultations valid as proof that the project was discussed with the citizens of the municipality? Do they have to be attached to the application and is it seen as an added value of the project?

Yes, they do. Supporting documents must be sent as specified in section 2.2.1 of the guide for applicants.

7. Does the implementation of the municipality's budget at the rate of 70% refer to the entire budget as a whole or only a specific item of the budget?

In section 2.1.1. The eligibility criteria of the guide for applicants specify that the main applicant must have spent 70% or more of the capital investment of the 2021 budget. In this framework, the criterion refers to the realization level of capital investments of the municipality. In Appendix F, further clarification on definitions is provided.

8. The level of co-financing between 10% and 30% can be chosen by the applicant himself?

The amount of co-financing is determined by the applicant. The level of co-financing should be within the limits of 10% – 30% of the total value of the budget.

9. Can co-financing be covered through wages?

Yes, co-financing can be covered through salaries, provided that the salaries of civil servants of the municipality do not exceed 10% of the total value of the budget.

10. Can the Applicant contribute more than 30% co-financing?

No, co-financing cannot be more than 30% of the total budget value.

11. Should all tendering actions be carried out through public procurement procedures?

Yes, the beneficiary municipality must follow the rules of public procurement according to the law “On Public Procurement” in the Republic of Albania.

12. Does the measure of co-financing affect the evaluation of the project proposal?

The amount of co-financing is an eligibility criterion, the value of co-financing varies from 10-30% of the total allowable costs. The assessment is carried out according to the criteria defined in section 2.3. of the guide for applicants.

13. Are bank fees allowable costs in this call?

Bank costs of opening and maintaining bank accounts are allowed costs, while commissions for bank transfers are not recognized as an allowed expense.

14. Can individuals be co-applicants in this call?

No. Co-applicants can be another Municipality or a Civil Society Organization, according to the definitions in section 2.1.1 of the Guide for applicants.

15. Can VAT be imposed as co-financing?

VAT is an ineligible cost, therefore it cannot be set as co-financing.

16. Is the condition of 70% feasibility of the investment budget also a condition for co-applicants?

This condition applies only to main applicants and not to co-applicants.

17. What do we mean by "written report and list of activities carried out in the framework of European integration?"

The report should present a short list and description of activities carried out by the municipality (with links and references, where possible) in the context of promoting EU integration and values. Projects realized with funding from the EU, activities carried out by European Integration Units of Municipalities, etc., can also be reported, according to the definitions in section 2.2.1. of the Guide for applicants.

 

18. Is there a specific format for presenting the written report and the list of activities carried out within the framework of European integration?

No, there is no set format for drafting this report. The applicant can submit this report in a free format.

 

19. In case the municipality is a simple applicant (not a leader), should it fulfill the criterion of 70% of the realization of capital investments for the year 2021?

No, this criterion only applies to the lead applicant, as defined in section 2.1.1 of the Guide for applicants and Appendix F.

 

20. Does having or not having a co-applicant affect the evaluation of the project? To have a higher evaluation, is it better to apply alone or with a co-applicant?

No, it does not affect the scoring and evaluation of the application proposal alone or with a co-applicant. The rules and criteria for the evaluation and selection of applications are set out in Section 2.3 of the Guide for applicants.

 

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