EIT RawMaterials 2024 FAST-TRACK Call
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FAST TRACK 2024: Call for Ongoing EIT RawMaterials Projects - EIT RawMaterials
This document describes the process for preparation, submission, evaluation and selection of proposals in response to the 2024 Fast-Track call launched by EIT RawMaterials for the following segments:
• Booster
• Education (PhD Education, Master Education, Lifelong Education, Wider Society Learning)
• Upscaling
• Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS)
As a rule, the maximum amount of EIT funding allocated to each project will not exceed € 500,000. Project funding in excess of € 500,000 may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
Any funds received through this call will be counted in the maximum yearly funding available to the different Partner categories.
In line with current EIT and EIT RawMaterials strategy, financial sustainability for the KIC will be an important factor in the selection process.
1. Eligibility criteria
Eligibility to apply for this call is restricted to ongoing projects and start-ups that have been allocated EIT funding in 2024.
The following activities are eligible for support:
- Increase in scope of the project (hereafter referred to ‘XXX.PLUS’ projects, where ‘XXX’ refers to the acronym of the existing project): activities that will lead to a demonstrated and quantifiable increased impact of the project in terms of additional/higher KPIs (see Appendix 1).
- Speed-up the launch of a product to the market (hereafter referred to ‘XXX.SPEED’ projects, where ‘XXX’ refers to the acronym of the existing project): activities that will accelerate the launch of a product/service to the market. These activities are specifically aimed at recently finished or ongoing Upscaling and Lifelong Learning (LLL) projects with good performance (to be demonstrated by the consortium in the proposal), but in need of 1) additional funding to launch their products/services to the market, or 2) a commercialisation partner.
As a general rule, the same principles described in the most recent KAVA 12 Call apply, including provisions for financial backflow to the KIC. Note the following:
i) The Lead partner must be the same Lead partner of the current related KAVA project.
ii) Minimum 30% co-funding applies to Upscaling and RIS Acceleration projects.
iii) Minimum 10% co-funding applies to Education projects.
iv) No co-funding is required for RIS Education RIS M&N projects, however any co-funding contributed by the consortium will be evaluated positively.
v) Only the costs of existing (at the time of proposal submission) EIT RawMaterials Core, Associate and Project Partners will be considered. Non-members (entities that that are not current Partners of EIT RawMaterials) are eligible to apply, however, they must become Partner of EIT RawMaterials by the time of the project start (see point 5. below)2. RIS Task Partners will be considered only if they are based in the RIS region and the project is in the RIS category.
vi) Funding eligibility is subject to the same rules and conditions applied by EIT and EIT RawMaterials in the most recent KAVA and Booster calls. Within these rules, the decision to fund specific costs will be to the sole discretion of EIT RawMaterials.
vii) Funding will not be awarded to compensate for funding reductions requested in 2024 or in previous years.
2. Other conditions and information
i) Note that due to time constraints, no-pre-financing from EIT RawMaterials can be guaranteed, therefore Consortia must be able and willing to cover their costs until EIT RawMaterials funds are received.
ii) Project Agreements (PA) cannot be issued unless the Amended Business Plan 2024 is signed by EIT and EIT RawMaterials. Therefore, Consortia need to be able to start projects without having PAs in place.
iii) The changes will be made in BlueBook in the existing related KAVAs.
iv) All the funds awarded in this call must be fully expended by 31 December 2025.
v) All the activities supported in this call must be fully completed by 31 December 2025.
3. Selection criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by EIT RawMaterials using the criteria listed below. Based on the evaluations and the overall available funding, the EIT RawMaterials Management will rank the proposals and select the project portfolio. The total maximum score for a project is 75 (3 criteria, each with a maximum score of 5, and weights of 7, 4 and 4, respectively).
In addition to the eligibility criteria listed in Section 1, the following criteria will apply:
1. Strategic importance to the KIC, including impact; Weight: 7
Description of criteria
• Economic importance of the targeted theme/market
• Contribution to the overall EIT RawMaterials strategic objectives
• Financial backflow to EIT RawMaterials
• Contribution to core EIT KPIs
2. Performance and compliance with EIT RawMaterials feedback; Weight 4
Description of criteria
Overall performance of the related existing project to date and compliance with EIT and EIT RawMaterials requests and guidelines
3. Quality and impact of the specific activities to be carried out in 2024 and 2025, Weight 4
Description of criteria
• Definition of aims, objectives and deliverables and their relevance to EIT RawMaterials
• Demonstration of the project’s added value in terms of promoting entrepreneurship and innovation
• Details of how the funds are to be used for in the form of a clear budget plan and timeline with justification
• Realistic assessment of the expected contribution that the project will make to the impact of the KIC in relation to the requested budget
Evaluation scale: In relation to each of the criteria above, the score ranges from 0 to 5 according to the following scale:
0: Non-existent: no relevant information provided in the application file or cannot be judged because out of range
1: Very poor: The criterion is addressed in a very incomplete and unsatisfactory manner
2: Poor: There are serious weaknesses in relation to the criterion in question
3: Fair: While the proposal addresses the criterion, there are significant weaknesses that would need correction
4: Good: The proposal addresses the criterion well, although some improvements are possible
5: Excellent: The proposal successfully addresses all relevant aspects of the criterion in question. Any shortcomings are minor only.
Coordinators of projects that are selected for funding will be informed after approval by the EIT RawMaterials Management. Project Coordinators will be responsible for making the relevant changes and updates in BlueBook.
4. Confidentiality
Access to the project proposals might be given to EIT and EIT RawMaterials staff members for evaluation, management and reporting reasons. Public dissemination will be arranged in agreement with partners of the project consortium and the EIT RawMaterials staff.
5. Proposal submission and funding announcement
Proposals must be submitted at FastTrackCall2024@eitrawmaterials.eu no later than Friday 18 October, 2024 at 13:00 CET. Evaluation will commence after monthly cut-offs (19 August eob, 19 September eob) during the call period, and the outcomes of the evaluation will be communicated to the Partners within two weeks after the respective cut-off. Projects can start on or after 1 September, 1 October or 1 November 2024, respectively. All costs must be incurred, and all activities must be completed by 31 December 2025.
The level of any available pre-financing of a project will be announced together with the notification of acceptance of the project. Questions can be directed to Compliance@eitrawmaterials.eu.
6. Appeal and redress procedure
Upon reception of the feedback, the applicant may wish to lodge a request for redress, if there is a concern that there might have been a shortcoming in the way a proposal was evaluated, or if the results of the eligibility checks are incorrect. The redress procedure is not meant to call into question the judgement made by the evaluators. It will consider only procedural shortcomings and factual errors.
Requests for redress should be raised within one month of the reception of the evaluation feedback sent by EIT RawMaterials, and should be sent to Compliance@eitrawmaterials.eu. Requests must:
• be related to the evaluation process, or eligibility checks;
• include a clear description of the grounds for the complaint;
• be received within the time limit specified above.
An initial reply will be sent to complainants no later than two weeks after the deadline for redress requests. This initial reply will indicate when a definitive reply will be provided. A redress committee of EIT RawMaterials may be convened to examine the evaluation process for the case under consideration. The committee's role is to ensure a coherent interpretation of requests, and equal treatment of applicants. The redress committee itself, however, does not re-evaluate the proposal. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the committee may review the evaluation report and the individual comments made by the evaluators. Following its review, the committee will recommend a course of action to the EIT RawMaterials Management. If there is clear evidence of a shortcoming that could affect the funding decision, it is possible that all or part of the proposal may be re-evaluated. Unless there is clear evidence of a shortcoming there will be no follow-up or re-evaluation. The Executive Board of EIT RawMaterials will be informed of any redress procedures in due course.
Please note:
• This procedure is concerned with the evaluation and/or eligibility checking process.
• The committee will not call into question the judgment of the individual evaluators, whose qualifications have been already assessed and validated.
• A re-evaluation will only be carried out if there is evidence of a shortcoming that affects the quality assessment of a proposal. This means e.g. that a problem relating to one evaluation criterion will not lead to a re-evaluation if a proposal has failed anyway on the other criteria.