Support for the Integration of Post-Quantum Cryptography into Application Platforms
ClosedDescription
Project scope The objective of the call is to support all categories of companies that integrate post-quantum cryptography into application platforms. The supported projects should help organisations prepare for future quantum-related cybersecurity risks by analysing existing cryptographic mechanisms, identifying suitable applications for migration, documenting application architecture and data flows, designing the replacement of cryptographic algorithms, and preparing a migration plan. Mandatory activities include risk analysis based on the assessment of cryptographic mechanisms, identification and selection of an application suitable for migration to post-quantum cryptographic mechanisms, description of the application architecture, documentation of implemented cryptographic mechanisms, proposal for replacing cryptographic algorithms, and preparation of a project plan. Optional activities may include implementation of post-quantum cryptography, testing and updating the application architecture. If optional activities are selected, all optional activities must be implemented, and the applicant must demonstrate sufficient internal or external capacity to carry out the implementation.
Beneficiary & submission
Submission route:
·The submission process is fully digital. All call documents and manuals are available at https://www.kyberkomunita.sk/kaskadove-financovanie/
·The applicant first registers on the grant portal granty.kcckb.sk.
·The applicant fills in the online application form and uploads all required annexes.
·After submission through the portal, the system generates the application in PDF format.
·The generated PDF, without annexes, must be signed by the statutory representative or authorised person using a qualified electronic signature, qualified electronic signature with mandate certificate, or qualified electronic seal.
·The signed PDF must then be sent to the NCC-SK through the official Slovak e-government mailbox on slovensko.sk
·This must be done no later than 5 working days after submission through the portal.
·If this second step is not completed, the application is not considered submitted and is excluded from the evaluation process.
Evaluation process:
The NCC first verifies whether the application fulfils all grant conditions. These conditions are assessed on the basis of information provided by the applicant in the application or on the basis of other objectively verifiable information. The grant conditions include, for example, applicant eligibility, timely and proper submission, completeness of the application, project eligibility, eligible costs and other conditions set out in the call documentation at https://www.kyberkomunita.sk/kaskadove-financovanie/.
Project selection is based on the project selection criteria. Exclusion criteria are assessed first; failure to meet an exclusion criterion results in non-approval of the application. The exclusion criterion assesses whether the project costs included in the application meet the eligibility conditions.
If the available allocation is not sufficient to support all eligible applications, scored selection criteria are applied and applications are ranked in descending order according to the total score. The scored criteria assess project relevance, project maturity, project impact, enterprise size category and the applicant’s financial situation. A project must reach at least 11 points and must not receive 0 points in any scored criterion, except for the enterprise-size criterion. In case of equal scores and insufficient allocation, tie-break criteria apply: first, membership in the cybersecurity competence community, and second, the time of submission of the complete application. After the criteria are applied, the provider sends a notification on fulfilment of grant conditions within 40 working days from the closure of the call; this notification does not create a legal entitlement to the grant.
Further information
The aid intensity is 90% of the total eligible project costs.
The minimum grant amount is EUR 7,200, and the maximum grant amount is EUR 45,000.
The target beneficiaries are companies registered in the Slovak Republic, including small, medium-sized and large enterprises.
For de minimis purposes, only the national 50% share of the grant is counted towards the EUR 300,000 de minimis ceiling.
The basic payment model is prefinancing and reimbursement.
The grant can be paid after completion of an activity or as one final payment at the end of the project.
The NCC may also provide pre-financing up to 50% of the approved grant.Pre-financing is only possible if the beneficiary is assessed as having a good financial and economic situation.