# C_2020013EN.01001601.xml

| 15.1.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 13/16 |
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15.1.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 13/16

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OPEN CALL FOR PROPOSALS – GP/DSI/ReferNet_FPA/001/20

ReferNet – Cedefop’s European Network of Expertise in Vocational Education and Training (VET)

(2020/C 13/07)

1.   Objectives and description

With the objective of establishing a European network of expertise in VET – ReferNet –, this call aims at selecting one applicant from Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands with which Cedefop will conclude a 46-month framework partnership agreement (from 13 March 2020 to 31 December 2023), and at concluding with each successful applicant a specific grant agreement for a work plan to be carried out in 2020.

Founded in 1975 and based in Greece since 1995, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) is an agency of the European Union (EU). Acknowledged as an authoritative source of information and expertise on VET, skills and qualifications, its mission is to support European vocational education and training (VET) policy development and contribute to its implementation.

ReferNet is Cedefop’s European network of expertise on VET. The mission devoted to ReferNet is to support Cedefop by reporting on national VET systems and policy developments and by raising the visibility of VET and Cedefop’s products. It comprises 30 members known as ReferNet national partners from EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. ReferNet national partners are key institutions involved in VET or labour market policies in the country they represent.

Framework partnership agreements are implemented through annual specific grant agreements. Therefore, applicants shall not only submit a proposal for the 46-month framework partnership (which, if successful, will lead to the signature of a Framework Partnership Agreement for the years 2020 to 2023, starting on 13 March 2020) but also the grant application for the 2020 action (which may lead to the signature of a Specific Grant Agreement for 10 months of the year 2020). The applicant must demonstrate its capacity to carry out all the activities foreseen over the 46-month period and ensure adequate co-financing for the implementation of the requested tasks.

2.   Budget and project duration

The estimated budget available for the four year duration of the framework partnership agreements amounts to EUR 4 000 000, depending on the annual decisions of the Budgetary Authority.

The total available budget for the 2020 annual work plan (project duration: 12 months) will be EUR 980 000 for the 30 partners (from the 28 EU Member States, Iceland and Norway).

The grant varies according to the country population and is awarded for carrying out an annual work plan. The total available budget for the 2020 work plan will be distributed on the basis of three country groups based on country population:

| — | Country group 1: Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Iceland. Maximum grant amount: EUR 23 615. |
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Country group 1: Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Iceland. Maximum grant amount: EUR 23 615.

| — | Country group 2: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway. Maximum grant amount: EUR 33 625. |
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Country group 2: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway. Maximum grant amount: EUR 33 625.

| — | Country group 3: France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom (1). Maximum grant amount: EUR 43 620. |
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Country group 3: France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom (1). Maximum grant amount: EUR 43 620.

Since the annual action for ReferNet partners in Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands is to last less than 12 months in 2020, the relevant grant as awarded will be lower than the above maximum per country during that year and will amount to EUR 33 258.

The Union grant is a financial contribution to the beneficiary’s (and/or co-beneficiaries’) costs which must be supplemented by own financial contribution and/or local, regional, national and/or private contributions. The total Union contribution shall not exceed 70 % of the eligible costs.

Cedefop reserves the right not to award the total budget available.

3.   Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, applicants should meet the following requirements:

| (a) | be a public or a private organisation, with a legal status and legal personality (natural persons, i.e. individuals, are not eligible); |
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(a)

be a public or a private organisation, with a legal status and legal personality (natural persons, i.e. individuals, are not eligible);

| (b) | have their seat registered in a country where the grant is applied, i.e. in one of the following:






  — | EU-28 (Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands). |
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(b)

have their seat registered in a country where the grant is applied, i.e. in one of the following:

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EU-28 (Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands).

4.   Deadline

Applications for the framework partnership agreement must be submitted at the latest on 14 February 2020.

5.   Further information

The detailed specifications of the call for proposals, the application form and its annexes will be available as from mid-January 2020 on Cedefop’s website at the following address:

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/about-cedefop/public-procurement

Applications must comply with the requirements set out in the full text of the call and be submitted using the official forms provided.

The evaluation of proposals will be based on the principles of transparency and equal treatment.

All submitted applications will be evaluated by a committee of experts against the eligibility, exclusion, selection and award criteria defined in the full text version of the call.

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(1)  If the United Kingdom withdraws from the EU during the grant period without concluding any agreement with the EU ensuring in particular that British applicants continue to be eligible, these will cease to receive EU funding and be required to discontinue the project on the basis of Article II.17.2.2 q of the Framework Partnership Agreement, which shall be terminated.

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