Early Years Capital 2015

Transcription

1 Early Years Capital 2015 Community Based Providers Application Guidance Terms & Conditions Contents 1. Introduction Objectives of Early Years Capital Funding strands Budget and timescale Eligibility What is ineligible? Further information for applicants Application Process... 8 Introduction All Strands... 8 Strand 1 Expression of Interest & Funding Proposal... 9 Strand 2 & 3 Funding Proposals Strand 4 Funding Proposals Quotes Template and Conflict of Interest declaration All Strands Attachments All Strands Sign off and Submit All Strands Award and Selection criteria Strand Strands 1, 2 & Decisions & Contracting Strands 1, 2 & Payments Further Support Communication Terms & Conditions of grant approval The Review Process... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1

2 1. Introduction The Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA) wishes to maintain progress in improving and reinforcing quality of early childhood care and education services provided to children. A range of capital investment programmes have supported this progress to date including the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme; the National Childcare Investment Programme, the Childcare Capital Programme 2012/2013 and Early Years Capital DCYA has secured 7 million for Early Years Capital Programme 2015 (EYC2015). EYC2015 will provide small ICT equipment grants to existing private and community-based Early Years services participating in at least one funding scheme to ensure all services are adequately equipped to fully engage in quality improvement programmes and to access the Pobal online administration system PIP (Programmes Integration Project). In addition Early Years Capital 2015 will support community facilities to remain fit-forpurpose, improve quality, and make community services more efficient and sustainable through improving the energy rating of these facilities Application forms will be available from 29 th April 2015 until 5pm on 28 th May All queries about the programmes should be sent to onlinesupport@pobal.ie NB - Strand 1 applicants must complete and submit a pre- application by COB 6th May Objectives of Early Years Capital 2015 To provide for large scale works to allow community early years facilities undertake relocation/major refurbishment in order to maintain/improve services (Strand 1) To provide for critical work that ensures that community early years facilities continue to be fit for purpose (Strand 2) To improve the quality and support the sustainability of all community early years services to children and families (Strand 3) To ensure all early years services are equipped to participate in quality improvement programmes and to access PIP (Strand 4) (Details of Strands can be found below) 3. Funding strands To achieve the programme objectives the available funding has been divided into four strands. Community services make an application under either Strands 1, 2 or 3 and Strand 4. For example applications may be submitted under Strand 1 and Strand 4, or Strand 2 and Strand 4. Private providers can make ONE application against Strand 4 per facility. Applicants should prioritise their needs and categorise that need by making applications against the most appropriate Strands. All threshold limits are inclusive of VAT. All applicants must be currently providing services under one or more of the following Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) funding programmes: Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme; Training & Education Childcare (TEC) programme; Free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) 2

3 NB If you received funding under Early Years Capital 2014 the maximum funding available under Strands 2 & 3 will be 50,000 over the two years e.g. if you were approved 20,000 in 2014 you can apply for up to 30,000 in A maximum of 200,000 is available to services Strand 1 Relocation/Major Refurbishment of community-based early years services Grants expected to be in the region of 500,000 for large scale works. Objective To provide for large scale works to allow community early years facilities undertake relocation/major refurbishment in order to maintain/improve services. To maintain the quality of services to children and families. What can be funded? Strand 1 funding is aimed at groups who have an opportunity to move their service to a more suitable location e.g. where a premises has been made available to the group but will need works to make it suitable for the delivery early years services. Or where the current facility requires major refurbishment work in order to be fit for purpose. All capital works pertaining to the relocation/refurbishment of the early years service only are eligible for funding. Professional fees (e.g. architect, project manager) up to a maximum of 10% of total project costs can also be included. NB Lien requirement - Grants in excess of 200,000 require that a charge or lien in favour of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is put in place in order to protect the investment being made. Solicitor s fees pertaining to the implementation of the lien can be included in the maximum 10% of total grant for use towards professional fees. See Section 8 - Application Process for further details. Contract period Services will be required to remain in operation for up to 17 years from the date of last payment depending on amount of funding approved. NB - Strand 1 applicants must complete and submit an Expression of Interest preapplication by 5pm on 6th May Strand 2 Essential Maintenance of community-based early years services Grants up to maximum 50,000 for medium scale essential maintenance works. Objective To provide for critical work that ensures that community early years facilities continue to be fit-for-purpose. To maintain the quality of services to children and families. What can be funded? General maintenance works that will ensure that the building remains fit-for purpose and maintain quality standards within the facility. For example: maintenance to the fabric of the building e.g. roof repairs, works to maintain facility security e.g. replacement fencing/shutters, replacement of worn and dilapidated fixtures and fittings. Contract period Services will be required to remain in operation for at least 2 years from the date of last payment. 3

4 Strand 3 Quality Improvement & Sustainability for community-based early years services. Grants up to maximum 50,000 for medium scale works to improve the Building Energy Rating (BER). Objective To improve the quality and support the sustainability of community early years services to children and families by improving the energy. What can be funded? Projects that will have immediate or short term, medium/high impact on the energy rating of the building. For example: building insulation, replacement of windows and doors, draught stripping, improving water and heating systems, installation of thermostatic controls. An allowance of up to 200 can be claimed as part of the total grant against the cost of the BER Advisory Report and should be included in the quotes template. NB All applications submitted under Strand 3 must be supported by a BER Advisory Report. A BER Advisory Report must be undertaken by a registered non-domestic BER assessor. A list of registered assessors can be found on the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) website at There is no set fee for assessors and the advice is to shop around for the best value for money. Make sure that you confirm all the relevant fees in writing prior to commissioning a BER assessment. The BER Advisory report setting out recommendations for cost-effective improvements to the energy performance of the building must be submitted with the application form, Pobal does not require the BER certificate to be attached to the application form. Contract period Services will be required to remain in operation for at least 2 years from the date of last payment. Strand 4 Quality Improvement ICT upgrade for private and community-based early years services. Grants up to maximum 500 for the upgrade of ICT equipment. NB If the fund is oversubscribed a pro rata reduction may apply to all grants approved. Objective To improve the quality by ensuring all services are adequately equipped to fully engage in quality improvement programmes and to access the PIP. What can be funded? ICT equipment included in the list below which will be for use in early years facility only. PCs/Laptops, Satellite for Broadband access (where broadband is otherwise inaccessible), Printer /Scanners, Cameras/video equipment. Contract period 4

5 Services will be required to remain in operation for at least one year from the date of payment. 4. Budget and timescale The total budget across the four strands of the programme is 7M. The amount of funding under each Strand will be apportioned in accordance with the level of demand but will be in the region of 2M each for Strands 1 and 4 and 3M for Strands 2 and 3. The funding must be spent and reported by 31 December Eligibility Who is eligible to apply? For Strands 1, 2 & 3 only community/not-for-profit providers that are currently providing services under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) funding programmes can apply. For Strand 4 both private providers and community/not-for-profit providers can apply. For service providers with multiple facilities, a maximum of four grant approvals may be permitted per applicant up to a maximum of 200,000 over both EYC2014 and EYC2015. What are the eligibility criteria? The eligibility criteria for Early Years Capital 2015 are as follows: Applicants must confirm that they will fully spend and report expenditure by end December Strand 2 & 3 - The total project cost must not exceed 50,000. No cost or part thereof, of any element of the proposed capital application, with the exception of the cost of the BER advisory report (relevant to Strand 3), can be previously expended before approval date i.e. before the date on which funding approval is confirmed. Where the value of the goods and/or works is 10,000 or more (inclusive of VAT), potential suppliers must provide the applicant with either a current general Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) or a valid C2 certificate, a copy of this certificate should be retained by the applicant and available for inspection up to 31st December Suppliers of quotes submitted with application must be registered for VAT (if required) and have a valid in date TCC. Applications must be accompanied by at least one valid quote for all works for 5,000 or less and three valid quotes for all works over 5,000. (See FAQ document for explanation of a valid quote.) Where the total cost of a capital works sought is in excess of 50,000 public procurement rules regarding etendering must be observed. The quotes template must be fully completed. In the case of services under the remit of TUSLA, TUSLA may be consulted on proposed works after the application has been received. Applications from services that are not required to be registered with TUSLA may receive an on-site visit by Pobal or the local County Childcare Committee (CCC) before any approval, to verify the application and validate the need. 5

6 Only applications made online through the PIP - Early Years Capital 2015 application process can be considered. Completed application forms and supporting documentation must be submitted by 5 pm Thursday 28 th May Applications received after this date will automatically be deemed ineligible. Additional specific eligibility criteria per Strand: STRAND 1 Proposed projects must be at an advanced stage, i.e. planning and tendering process completed or commenced, in order to be fully completed by end of The legal owner of the building must agree to having a 1 st charge or lien in favour of Dept of Children & Youth Affairs on the facility if required in order to protect the investment being made. Applications must be supported by additional material. For example, a TUSLA Report, Facility Manager s Report, Engineer/Architect/Fire Officer s Report or photographic evidence that supports the need for the proposal should be submitted with the online application. If the project is being part-funded from another source the full balance of funding has been secured prior to application and evidence of such must be submitted with the application. STRAND 2 Applications must be supported by additional material. For example, a TUSLA Report, Facility Manager s Report, or Engineer/Architect s Report that supports the need for the proposal should be submitted with the on line application. STRAND 3 Application must be supported by a Building Energy Rating (BER) Advisory Report indicating medium or high impact of proposed project. BER advisory reports are quick and easily obtainable with a large number of services countrywide. Useful link Although not a requirement, additional material may also be submitted to support the application e.g. a TUSLA Report, Facility Manager s Report, Engineer/Architect/Fire Officer s Report or photographic evidence. An invoice for BER Advisory should also be attached if included in the quotes template. If applicants do not meet all of the above criteria, they will not be eligible for further consideration. 6. What is ineligible? Under all Strands the following will be deemed ineligible for funding: Applications from facilities who are currently not providing services under one of the three DCYA childcare programmes. Non capital costs e.g. rental costs for relocation during major refurbishment. Applications to Strands 1, 2 & 3 from private providers. Expenditure incurred PRIOR to APPROVAL date i.e. before the date on which funding approval is confirmed. 6

7 Applications under Strands 2 & 3 for any work that requires planning permission. Expenditure not related to the use of the early years facility. Expenditure not spent for the purposes for which it was approved. Applications under Strands 2 & 3 requesting part funding towards projects costing in excess of 50,000. In addition to the above the following will deemed ineligible under Strands 2 & 3. Strand 2 Funding will not be provided for work that is not integral to the structure of the building. For example: Extensions. New playgrounds. New Equipment. Professional/legal fees. Should an applicant choose to engage a professional this will be at their own expense. Strand 3 Funding will not be provided for: Projects, such as installation of solar panels, where initial cost is high and impact is not achievable over the short or medium term. Additional work that is not recommended in the BER Advisory Report. Strand 4 Funding will not be provided for: Any items other than those listed on application form. Tablets and other mobile devices that cannot be used to fully access the PIP portal e.g. e.g. be used in order to print parental declarations. Second hand/refurbished equipment. Expenditure incurred in excess of 500. Any additional expenditure must be met by the applicant. 7. Further information for applicants It is important that applicants take cognisance of the Childcare Capital Programme 2012/2013 and EYC2014 when submitting applications under the Early Years Capital A high volume of applications can mean that the process is extremely competitive. Good applications are those that represent the most complete, coherent, precise and compelling case for funding. Applications with specific and complete quotes and supporting documentation, which are clear in what the project will achieve and have demonstrated the need, will score well under appraisal. Applications that do not have adequate supporting documentation or where the need for the project has not been fully demonstrated nor confirmed independently will score poorly under appraisal. 7

8 In addition: Applicants must co-operate with Pobal in relation to on-site visits and/or any queries associated with the consideration of an application. Where the building is not used solely for childcare purposes this should be highlighted in the application. When appraising the application, consideration will be given to the percentage use of the building for childcare purposes. This needs to be clearly documented in the application. The demonstration of Value for Money of the proposed expenditure will be indicated by the achievement of maximum output for the proposed expenditure and that the costs are in line with market norms. Successful applicants will be required to meet programme requirements during the delivery of the project and for the contract period from the date of last payment. Pobal will undertake compliance checks during this period. In cases of non-compliance with any of the terms of this funding programme, the commitment to funding will be withdrawn and the recovery of any funding paid will be pursued. 8. Application Process Introduction All Strands Applications must be completed and submitted on-line. Application forms can be accessed through PIP at Once you have logged on to PIP you will be able to click on the EYC2015 link that will direct you to the application forms. All mandatory sections of the form must be completed in order to successfully submit an application. The application form has 3 parts: 1. Service and contact details - to be completed by all applicants 2. Funding proposal forms will differ depending on which Strand of funding is requested 3. Sign off and attachments- to be completed by all applicants Please note that the application process for Strand 1 applications is in two stages. Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest pre-application by 6 th May 2015 which will be reviewed by Pobal to ascertain the readiness of the proposal to commence and complete within the time frame. Applicants who best meet the application criteria at this stage will then be invited to complete a full application for appraisal and review. All applicants will be notified by of the outcomes of the review of EOIs. Part 1 - Service and Contact details Section 1 Service and Organisation Contact Details This section will be pre-populated with some details currently held on PIP including CCC, DCYA reference number, applicant name, facility name & address. In this section you will be requested to confirm your service address. This is the address used for general correspondence from PIP in relation to the ECCE, TEC and CCS programmes. 8

9 You are requested to specify what type of service provider you are. You must select Private Provider or Community Based from the drop down menu. Lastly you need to indicate the level of service you are currently providing. You can choose from Full Day, Sessional, Part-time and Babies. One or all boxes may be ticked. Contact Details - Primary Organisation Contact The Primary Organisation Contact entered must be the legal owner or person authorised by the Board to act on behalf of the organisation, e.g. Owner, CEO, Chairperson, Director. A primary address accessible only to the Primary Organisation Contact must be provided. The Primary Organisation Contact details given in this application will be set up on PIP as the Primary Contact at Organisation Level and will be used to manage your Contracts including (ECCE, TEC and CCS), to manage finance/bank details, Tax Clearance Certificates and authorise PIP access to any other users in your organisation. (see PIP Homepage: Guide to Access and Authorisation Level for Level for more details). You have the option in the next section to specify a different contact for correspondence relating to EYC2015 only. Section 2 EYC2015 Contact Details The contact details given will be used for all correspondence with regard to your EYC2015 application. Please ensure that the contact person is the most suitable person and will be available to respond to any correspondence ensuing from the application. Section 3 Funding Strands In this section you must specify which Strand/s of funding you are applying for. Community- based services will be able to apply under either Strand 1, 2 or 3 and Strand 4. Private providers can apply under Strand 4 only. Once you have selected the Strand application form/s will be available for you to complete. Part 2 - Funding proposal You must provide a clear rationale for requesting the funding and demonstrate a clear need for the proposed project. Strand 1 Expression of Interest & Funding Proposal Expressions of Interest will be reviewed to ascertain the readiness of projects to proceed. Readiness is of critical importance given that all projects must be complete and fully reported by 31 st December Applicants that can best demonstrate readiness are those that have: a) obtained full planning permission, or can demonstrate that planning is not required; b) completed an appropriate public procurement tendering process where tenders are still in date and valid; and, 9

10 c) confirmation from chosen contractor that project can be completed with timeframe available. The legal owner must also agree to having a 1 st charge or lien in favour of Dept. of Children & Youth Affairs on the facility if funding requested is in excess of 200,000 in order to protect the investment being made. A Lien pack will be issued to successful applicants and a completed Solicitor s Undertaking to put a lien in place must be submitted before the first payment. Successful applicants may be required to engage a solicitor for the process. Reasonable costs can be included in funding request as part of the max. 10% of grant for professional fees. The lien requirement may entail amendments to your company s Memorandum and Articles or, if the premises is rented, the permission of the landlord and amendments to the lease. If the premises is rented the lease must be for at least the duration of the EYC2015 contract - up to 17 years depending the amount of funding approved. Grant amount Contract peroid (from date of last payment) 200, , , , , , Deadline for submission of Expression of Interest pre-application is 5pm on 6 th May Once submitted, your pre-application will be reviewed by Pobal and if successful you will be invited to make a full application. The full application will allow applicants to submit further details of the proposal including the need for the project and the impact that the project will have on the quality of the service delivered. Under appraisal, close consideration will be given to any possible duplication and displacement of existing local services. Where duplication and displacement may be an issue, i.e. if your service is relocating or the number of places will significantly increase as a result of funding, you must give details of how you will address the possible impact on neighbouring services. Detail of the degree to which your service targets disadvantage and/or special needs are also requested. 10

11 Strand 2 & 3 Funding Proposals The application requests that you briefly describe the exact nature of work proposed e.g. repairs to roof; insulation of attic space; replacement of boiler etc. The amount requested should match the total amount in the Quotes Template and should not exceed 50,000. In the summary you should give further details of the project, including the need for the project and the impact that the project will have on the quality of the service delivered. This section should also be used to give details of how your service targets disadvantage and/or special needs. Strand 4 Funding Proposals Applicants must indicate which item(s) they are requesting funding towards. More than one item can be selected. The amount of funding requested must be 500. If the total cost of items to be purchased is in excess of 500 the balance must be met by the applicant. Please note that in the event that the fund is oversubscribed the maximum funding available to each applicant will be reduced on a pro rata basis. Quotes Template and Conflict of Interest declaration All Strands This section includes the Quotes Template and the Conflict of Interest declaration. The Quotes Template must be fully completed and selected quotes identified. Where the amount for proposed works is less than 5,000, only 1 written quote is required and this should also be inserted on quotes template. Where amount is greater than 5,000 and 25,000 and applicant is required to submit a minimum of 3-5 written quotes. Where the total cost of capital works sought is in excess of 50,000 public procurement rules regarding etendering must be observed. Quotes must be valid, itemised and comparable. The quotes should also include a valid VAT number for the contractor/supplier. (See FAQ document for explanation of a valid quote.) For Strand 4 items pages from suppliers catalogues or websites where the costs are clearly shown are acceptable for use as quotes. NB - Quotes must be from separate contactors/suppliers. Two or more quotes from the same contractor/supplier will be treated as one quote. Where it is not possible to obtain 3 quotes for a particular good or service, i.e. where there is a limited number of suppliers or service providers, a full explanation must be submitted with details of attempts to source 3 quotes. 11

12 It is expected that the selected quote will be the lowest quote but should this not be the case, the applicant must provide a sufficient and acceptable rationale for the choice. In all cases the total value of the selected quotes should equal the amount of funding requested. Applicants may round up or down to the nearest euro only. For Strand 3 applications the cost of the BER report to a maximum of 200 should be included in quotes template and the invoice submitted with the application. NB Do not include the cost of Strand 4 items in the quotes template. In this section you are required to accept the Conflict of Interest declaration. PLEASE NOTE: Any potential Conflict of Interest with any of the organisations/persons included on the quotations template must be declared. Failure to declare a conflict of interest is likely to lead to a withdrawal of a commitment to funding / a recovery of funding received. Attachments All Strands All quotes and supporting documentation must be attached here. At least one document must be attached. Documents which are to be attached to the application should be scanned at a low resolution and legible. If a small number of pages are to be attached, i.e. 3 single page quotes, these can be scanned as one document before being attached. Further help with attaching documents can be found in the FAQ document. Strand 4 applicants should attach quote/s for each item to be purchased. Total of quotes should equal amount requested if amount requested is 500 or less. Quotes can be from a supplier s catalogue or website where prices are listed. Sign off and Submit All Strands This section is where you confirm your agreement to the programme terms and conditions (See section 14 below) and submit your application. 9. Award and Selection criteria Strand 4 Approval of funding is dependent on the successful submission of a fully completed application form. The amount of funding will be 500 as requested or, in the case of oversubscription of the programme a pro rata percentage of that amount. Decisions will be notified to all applicants by . 12

13 Strands 1, 2 & 3 The Appraisal process will be desk-based (with some on-site visits to verify applications if required) and will rely on the information provided in the on-line application form and supporting documentation. Applications that do not have the required information/documentation as set out in the Eligibility Criteria above (Generic and Strand Specific) will not be considered for funding. Additional information to corroborate the need for the funding must be submitted with the application and this will be considered as part of the appraisal. No additional information can be accepted or considered after submission of the application. Whilst every reasonable effort has been taken to address or pre-empt all circumstances, applications may present scenarios on which Pobal may need to seek advice as to whether the project as proposed meets the objectives of the programme, the terms and conditions of the programme and/or other conditions or requirements that might govern the funding and its management. This may result in further or on-going clarifications updated on our website. Applications will be appraised on the strength of the rationale submitted, the corroboration of need, and the degree to which the focus on disadvantage/special needs has been demonstrated. Appraisal Process In appraising applications under Strands 1, 2 & 3 Pobal will give particular consideration to: the need for the proposed works as demonstrated in the rationale on application form. The rationale must explain how the proposed works will directly enhance the quality of the service and quality of the environment for the children attending. The need may also be validated by an on-site visit by Pobal or the CCC. applications that demonstrate that the service caters for disadvantaged groups or services areas of disadvantage. services located in / servicing areas of disadvantage (using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index based on the 2011 census -see Maps.Pobal.ie. the range of service offered, for example, a full day care service compared to a sessional service only; services catering for babies (0-18 months). In addition, an applicant s previous substantial adherence to contractual obligations under DCYA funded programmes will be checked and Pobal may invite observations from TUSLA and the local CCC. Scoring All projects will be scored out of 150 points. In the case of oversubscription a minimum threshold for Merits of case may be put in place. Thereafter, this threshold must be achieved in order for a project to be considered for funding. Criteria Robust Rationale Corroboration of Need Targeting Disadvantage Service Attributes Total 13

14 Points available Selection Criteria and Scoring: Strand 1 & 2 Merits of case Robust rationale Applicant has demonstrated: a clear case for the need for project, how the proposed project meets the needs identified. Corroboration of need - Applicant has submitted: evidence to support the need - engineers/architect reports, TUSLA report, facilities manager report, photographs etc. Targeting disadvantage Applicant has demonstrated: that the facility caters for disadvantaged/special needs groups or services areas of disadvantage. Selection Criteria and Scoring: STRAND 3 Merits of case Robust rationale points will be awarded for the degree to which the applicant has demonstrated: a clear case for the need for project as supported by BER report, how the proposed project meets the needs identified. Corroboration of need - Applicant has submitted: Building Energy Rating (BER) Advisory Report indicating medium or high impact of proposed project. Targeting disadvantage Applicant has demonstrated: that the facility caters for disadvantaged/special needs groups or services areas of disadvantage. Scoring for Strands 1, 2, & 3 will be as follows: Merits of case a. Robust Rationale up to 50 points b. Corroboration of need up to 30 points c. Targeting disadvantage up to 30 points Using the Pobal Haase score the points for the level of deprivation will be awarded as follows: High Lower than or equal to points Medium to Zero 10 points Low Greater than Zero 0 points 14

15 Additional points, up to a maximum of 30 points in total, can be awarded where the applicant has demonstrated that the facility: i) serves a particular target group e.g. drug misusers. ii) specifically targets their services at nearby area(s) of high deprivation. iii) caters for children with disabilities or special/additional needs. iv) caters for children from ethnic minority groups. Additional points may be awarded to these facilities if it has been demonstrated in the Rationale provided by the applicant or in the supporting documentation that children from these groups attend the service. Further points will be awarded based on the attributes of the service. The attributes considered are the level of service provided by the applicant e.g. whether the service operates over a full day and/or caters for babies. Attributes of the service a. Full Day Service 30 points b. Caters for Babies 10 points 10. Decisions & Contracting Strands 1, 2 & 3 The Board of Pobal will make recommendations as a result of the appraisal process. The recommendations are then considered by the Programme Appraisals Committee which is chaired by DCYA and includes officials from DCYA and Pobal. Thereafter, the final decisions are made by DCYA. Decisions will be notified to all applicants by . This will explain the details of the full or partial approval and will include conditions (if any) being made as part of the approval. Following the notification all approved services will be issued a contract. 11. Payments Spend must be reported to Pobal through the online reporting system. Details and guidance of how to report will be issued to all successful applicants. Strand 1 - The first payment of the approved grant will be paid on receipt of the signed contract. Further payments will be made on foot of completed drawdown requests. Strands 2 & 3 - The first payment of 90% of the approved grant will be paid on receipt of the signed contact. The final 10% will be paid retrospectively when the final online report is submitted correctly and ALL funding is reported. Strand 4 100% of funding will be paid retrospectively when online report is submitted correctly and ALL funding is reported. 15

16 Reporting will require that you to submit a receipt/invoice for the works/goods selected in your application and a bank statement showing the amount paid to contractors or supplier/s. Receipts for cash payments will not be accepted. You will be able to access details of payments made on foot of completed returns through the PIP portal. 12. Further Support A help-desk will be available in Pobal after the Programme opens to assist applicants with applications. The help-desk will remain available while the Programme remains open for applications. Applicants can contact the help desk by ing onlinesupport@pobal.ie Applicants can also contact their local CCCs for assistance in completing and submitting their application. 13. Communication PIP portal will channel all communications relating to the Programme. All information relating to the programme can be found here. Any queries/clarifications on the programme/application process should be ed to onlinesupport@pobal.ie 14. Terms & Conditions of grant approval Should you be successful some conditions of grant approval you should be aware of: i. An applicant who wins a grant approval is called a grantee. A grantee will be required to sign a contract for the grant and to meet the terms of the contract. ii. No payment will be made under this programme unless a current Tax Clearance Certificate in the name of the grantee is submitted. iii. Grants must be fully spent and fully reported by 31 December iv. For Strand 1 the first payment the approved grant will be paid on receipt of the signed contract. Further payments will be made on foot of completed drawdown requests. v. For Strands 2 & 3 the first payment of 90% of the approved grant will be paid on receipt of the signed contact. The final 10% will be paid retrospectively when the final online report is submitted correctly and ALL funding is reported. vi. For Strand 4 a payment of 100% of the approved grant will be paid retrospectively on completion of an expenditure report. vii. NO CASH PAYMENTS to contractors/suppliers are eligible and will not be reimbursed. viii. Grantees may receive approval for part of the total grant sought, i.e. partial approval. ix. If funded under this programme in 2015, grantees will not be eligible for Lottery funding in the same year. x. Grantees will be required to report the expenditure for the funding awarded, supported by a bank statement; expenditure must be reported to Pobal for funding awarded under all Strands. xi. Grantees who receive grant funding under this programme must remain in operation for the contractually required period (up to 17years for services funded under Strand 1, 2 years for services funded under Strands 2 & 3 and one year under Strand 4) after the date of the final payment, regardless of the amount of the grant awarded. 16

17 xii. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. If the childcare facility has already been funded under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) or the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) and is still within the contractual period for that funding, the service will be required to remain in operation for the duration of that previous contract or the duration of the new (EYC 2015) contract, whichever is the longer period. Applicants under Strands 2 & 3 must ensure that amount requested plus the any capital grant received in 2014 for the same facility must not exceed 50,000. Applications that breach this threshold will automatically be deemed ineligible. Only one application is permitted per childcare facility. In cases of service providers with multiple facilities, a maximum of four grant approvals under Strands 1,2 or 3 may be permitted per applicant. Leaseholders must ensure that a lease is in place and that the duration of the lease covers the requirement to remain in operation after the date of final payment. The lease document must be available for inspection up to 31st December Grantees must record all monies received and spent under the grant, and all accounts and associated documents should be retained by the beneficiary until 31st December Pobal and the DCYA (and its agents) shall, at all reasonable times, have access to all activities and records of the grantee as they relate to this grant and in this regard grantees may be subject to an on-site compliance and/or verification visit by Pobal to services approved under Early Years Capital 2015 in order to secure assurance on the delivery of the project against the contracted terms throughout the contractual term applicable for the grant. Grantees must comply with all monitoring/reporting requirements of the programme including any ad hoc requests. Should the compliance/verification visit determine that the project is not being delivered in accordance with the approval and contracted terms, a recommendation will be made for the withdrawal of the commitment to funding and recovery of funding to be pursued as necessary. Grantees will have the right to appeal against any such recommendation. 15. The Review Process In the event that an applicant is not satisfied with the outcome of the programme, a call back can be requested from Pobal on their particular case by ing eyc2015@pobal.ie. Following receipt of an , Pobal will contact the applicant to explain the reason that the application has been declined, or only partially approved. After this call, if the applicant still wishes to appeal the outcome or has concerns about fairness and due process, he/she can submit a written request to Pobal, to review the treatment of their application, as originally submitted. Please refer to Pobal's Appeals Procedure. 17