Contracting Authority: Italian Embassy in Cairo EU Joint Rural Development Programme Sustainable development of Fayoum rural communities

Transcription

1 Contracting Authority: Italian Embassy in Cairo EU Joint Rural Development Programme Sustainable development of Fayoum rural communities Guidelines for grant applicants Budget line(s) numbers ENPI/2013/ European Neighbourhood and Partnership Financial Cooperation with Mediterranean Countries Reference: 11 Call for Proposals for Eco-tourism in the Governorate of Fayoum Deadline full application: 29/10/2018

2 Notice This is an open call for proposals, where all documents are submitted together (concept note and full application). In the first instance, only the concept notes will be evaluated. Thereafter, for the lead applicants who have been pre-selected, the full applications will be evaluated. After the evaluation of the full applications, an eligibility check will be performed for those which have been provisionally selected. Eligibility will be checked on the basis of the supporting documents requested by the Contracting Authority and the signed declaration by the lead applicant sent together with the full application. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 2 of 29

3 Contents 1. EU-Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP) Background Objectives of the programme and priority issues Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority 7 2. Rules for this call for proposals Eligibility criteria Eligibility of applicants (i.e. lead applicant and co-applicant(s)) Affiliated entities Associates and Contractors Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made Eligibility of costs: costs that can be included How to apply and the procedures to follow Application forms Where and how to send applications Deadline for submission of applications Further information about applications Evaluation and selection of applications Submission of supporting documents for provisionally selected applications Notification of the Contracting Authority s decision Content of the decision Indicative timetable Conditions for implementation after the Contracting Authority s decision to award a grant 27 3 List of annexes 28 Page 3 of 29

4 1. EU-Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP) 1.1 Background The European Joint Rural Development Programme (EU-JRDP), funded by the European Union in 2014, is launching the present Call for Proposal aiming at enhancing the eco-tourism sector in Fayoum. The Governorate of Fayoum 3.5 million people of which 77 %in rural areas) has the potential to attract additional tourists since the present number and type of visitors that Fayoum currently receives is not fulfilling its potential. The natural and cultural heritage resources of Fayoum include rare fossil formations of international importance (e.g. the Wadi El Hitan or whales valley declared a World Heritage Site in 2005 by UNESCO 1 ), extraordinary antiquities, important biodiversity especially along the lakes, and remarkable scenic beauty. At the same time, the ancient pharaonic pyramids, tombs and temples, nestled in the desert oasis, have huge potential to attract tourists. The area is famous as well for the variety of handicrafts: producers of palm leaf baskets, carpets and kilim can be found in tiny workshops in villages. Nazla and Tunis villages are famous for producing pottery items. Ad-hoc Governmental strategies enhancing the eco-tourism sector in Fayoum and managing, protecting and promoting its rich cultural heritage are not yet finalized. The fragmentation of actors is also an important challenge as responsibilities are scattered among the Ministry of Antiquities, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Endowments, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Planning, Egypt's governorates, etc. A preliminary assessment aiming at the identification/location of potential eco-tourism attractions in Fayoum Governorate was finalized by EU-JRDP on April The main conclusions and recommendations of the assessment were shared with local stakeholders (representatives from governorate, EU-JRDP local committee, Archeological and Tourism departments, Natural protected areas) on May 18, One of the main recommendation from the discussions was i) to orient the formation of the Local Action Group 3 (LAG) towards the creation of a local association that will include all representatives of eco-tourism sector and ii) to assist the local association during the development of a tourism strategy plan (strategic investment plan). As per today, EU-JRDP assisted the Government of Fayoum in the establishment of LAG, the rehabilitation and equipment of an office in Fayoum government building for hosting the LAG and in the preparation of eco-tourism maps and e-books. Two maps were already prepared and can be downloaded from EU-JRDP web site as follows: Three itineraries for discovering Fayoum were identified. These are: Nature Itinerary (Petrified Forest, Gebel Qatrani,Widan El Faras, Wadi El Rayan, Wadi El Hitan); Archeology Itinerary (Karanis, Biahmu Pedestal, The Obelisk, Hawara and Lahoun Pyramids, Umm el Borigate, Necropolis of Khelua, Medinat Madi, Qasr Qarun, Dimeh El Sebaa, Qasr El Sagha); Culture Itinerary (Waterwheels, El Kaabi, El Alam and Tunis villages). 1 Sources: EDG, The Fayoum Ecotourism Development plan , An extract of the report is available on line: Assessment-Report-Extract-Booklet-A5.pdf 3 Local Action Groups (LAGs) are made up of public and private partners from the rural territory, and must include representatives from different socio-economic sectors. They receive financial assistance to implement local development strategies, by awarding grants to local projects. Each development plan must be structured around one of these themes: the use of know-how and new technologies to make the products and services of rural areas more competitive; improving the quality of life in rural areas; adding value to local products, in particular by facilitating access to markets for small production units via collective actions; making the best use of natural and cultural resources. See: Page 4 of 29

5 Additional initiatives from where the Applicants can draw lessons for the promotion of eco-tourism in Fayoum are those listed in the following table: Projects /programmes Fayoum Ecotourism Development plan ( ) - overall assessment of particular conditions relating to ecotourism development activities and to put forward major strategies and action steps necessary to increase capacity in ecotourism development Egyptian Italian Environmental Cooperation (EIECP) Program Institutional Support to the Supreme Council of Antiquities for Environmental Monitoring and Management of cultural heritage sites (ISSEMM) Sustainable Development of Shakshouk village project Starting date /2014 Donor Implementing institutions Status Italian MFA - Directorate General for the Development Cooperation Italian MFA - Directorate General for the Development Cooperation & UNDP Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Directorate General for the Development Cooperation 2009 EU + SFD Artisans Training Initiative 2011 Aid to Artisans Support to the Egyptian Protected Areas (SEPA) project Improving Rural Girls Income through training on heritage & eco-handicraft and marketing Building rural assets with valuable opportunities (BRAVO) project UNDP; Egyptian Italian Environmental Cooperation Programme, Debt Swap Programme Sawirus Foundation World Bank Egyptian Italian Environmental Cooperation Program Egyptian Environmental Affair Agency (EEAA) PMU of the Italian-Egyptian Department Swap Program, the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the Ministry of Tourism, The United Nations Development Programme, Pisa University, etc Fayoum Agro Organic & Development Association Fayoum Agro Organic & Development Association Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs (MSEA) Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) Fayoum Agro-Organic & Development Association Completed Phase III on going Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed 2014 Italian Cooperation MAIS and COSPE Completed Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 5 of 29

6 1.2 Objectives of the programme and priority issues The global objective of this Call is to contribute to improve rural livelihoods by promoting incomegenerating activities and making best use of local resources. The specific objective of this Call is to contribute to the achievement of the EU-JRDP expected result 6: Ecotourism sector, including archaeological site, enhanced. The main expected outputs are: i) Trail/path/dirt and gravel roads/routes system to connect existing eco-tourism attractions (including archeological sites) to generate tourism tours reinforced; ii) Capacity building of local tourist authorities staff enhanced; iii) Coordination and synergy between actors from economic and social bodies reinforced; iv) Touristic promotional campaigns organized. The EU-JRDP assessment made on April clearly indicated that, despite its great potential, the development of eco-tourism in Fayoum is seriously compromised by the following constraints: Irregular tourists transportation facilities for land travel at local level; Insufficient or inadequate road signs and illustrative display boards that help visitors to find and reach the archaeological and ecotourism sites; Rare and inadequate illustrative display boards available at the sites and very often illegible; Missing informative material, both maps and brochures, at the disposal of visitors in the hotels and at the field sites; Not exhaustive or not updated information on Internet; Weak network of local operators for ecotourism; Local population not fully aware of environmental degradation and of the negative impact that environmental degradation has at touristic level; Few and inadequate training opportunities for local tourism operators and local guides; Local associations for promoting local eco-tourism development not well structured and organized; Inadequate quality and quantity of toilet facilities and of containers for solid waste collection available on the touristic sites. Another serious obstacle to tourism development is the badly deteriorated state of the roads (gravel, dirt, allweather). Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) are also poor on these roads/trails/paths/routes. 4 An extract of the report is available on line: Assessment-Report-Extract-Booklet-A5.pdf Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 6 of 29

7 1.3 Financial allocation provided by the contracting authority The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 400, The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds. Size of grants Any grant requested under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amount of EUR 400, Any grant requested under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum percentages of total eligible costs of the action: Minimum percentage: 50% of the total eligible costs of the action. Maximum percentage: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action (see also Section 2.1.5). The balance (i.e. the difference between the total cost of the action and the amount requested from the Contracting Authority) must be financed from sources other than the European Union Budget or the European Development Fund Rules for this call for proposals These guidelines set out the rules for the submission, selection and implementation of the actions financed under this call, in conformity with the Practical Guide, which is applicable to the present call (available on the Internet at this address Eligibility criteria There are three sets of eligibility criteria, relating to: (1) the actors: The 'lead applicant', i.e. the entity submitting the application form (2.1.1), if any, its co-applicant(s) (where it is not specified otherwise the lead applicant and its coapplicant(s) are hereinafter jointly referred as "applicant(s)") (2.1.1), and, if any, affiliated entity(ies) to the lead applicant and/or to a co-applicant(s). (2.1.2); (2) the actions: Actions for which a grant may be awarded (2.1.4); (3) the costs: types of cost that may be taken into account in setting the amount of the grant (2.1.5). 5 Where a grant is financed by the European Development Fund, any mention of European Union financing must be understood as referring to European Development Fund financing. 6 Note that a lead applicant (i.e. a Coordinator) whose pillars have been positively assessed by the European Commission and who is awarded a grant will not sign the standard grant contract published with these guidelines but a PA Grant Agreement based on the PAGoDA template. All references in these guidelines and other documents related to this call to the standard grant contract shall in this case be understood as referring to the relevant provisions of the PAGoDA template. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 7 of 29

8 2.1.1 Eligibility of applicants (i.e. lead applicant and co-applicant(s)) Lead applicant (1) In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must: be a legal person or an entity without legal personality and be a specific type of organisation such as: non-governmental organisation, public sector operator, local authority, international (inter-governmental) organisation as defined by Article 43 of the Rules of application of the EU Financial Regulation 7 and be established in 8 a Member State of the European Union or in a country covered by the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) and be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the coapplicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary. In addition to the categories referred to in section 2.1.1, the following are however also eligible: Private sector operator recognised by the competent Egyptian authorities as body entrusted with a public task. For applicants categorised as NGOs (non-governmental organisations): be registered with the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MOSS) at least six (6) months prior to the Call for Proposals. For applicants categorized public sector operator, private sector entrusted with a public task and local authority: be legally entitled to implement the proposed action as shown in the articles of association/statue. For applicants categorised as governmental organisations: be legally independent. For applicants categorized as international (inter-governmental) organisation as defined by Article 43 of the Rules of application of the EU Financial Regulation: be in the position to work in Egypt. Note: The award of the grant contract is subject to the obtainment by the successful applicant/s of the required authorization (including security clearance, approval from involved Egyptian Ministries for dirt/gravel roads rehabilitation and work permits) to implement the proposed action within 60 calendar days from the letter of award. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to cancel the grant procedure in case of unavailability of funds as well as in the absence of the extension of the Delegation Agreement ENPI/2014/ under which the proposed action will be implemented. In no event will the Contracting Authority be liable for any damages whatsoever including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, in any way connected with the cancellation of the grant procedure, 7 International organisations are international public-sector organisations set up by intergovernmental agreements as well as specialised agencies set up by them; the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are also recognised as international organisations. 8 To be determined on the basis of the organisation s statutes, which should demonstrate that it has been established by an instrument governed by the national law of the country concerned and that its head office is located in an eligible country. In this respect, any legal entity whose statutes have been established in another country cannot be considered an eligible local organisation, even if the statutes are registered locally or a Memorandum of Understanding has been concluded. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 8 of 29

9 even if the Contracting Authority has been informed of the possibility of damage. Publication of the guidelines does not commit the Contracting Authority to implement the grant contract. (2) Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if they are in any of the situations listed in section of the Practical Guide; In Part B section 8 of the grant application form ( declaration by the lead applicant ), the lead applicant must declare that the lead applicant himself, the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies) are not in any of these situations. The lead applicant may act individually or with co-applicant(s). If awarded the grant contract, the lead applicant will become the beneficiary identified as the Coordinator in Annex E3h1 (Special Conditions). The Coordinator is the main interlocutor of the Contracting Authority. It represents and acts on behalf of any other co-beneficiary (if any) and coordinate the design and implementation of the action. Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant. Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself. Co-applicants must sign the mandate in Part B section 4 of the grant application form. If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the Coordinator) Affiliated entities Affiliated entity(ies) The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies). Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s): Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link. This structural link encompasses mainly two notions: (i) Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings: Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be: - Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control; - Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant; - Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies). (ii) Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association) as the proposed affiliated entities. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 9 of 29

10 The structural link shall as a general rule be neither limited to the action nor established for the sole purpose of its implementation. This means that the link would exist independently of the award of the grant; it should exist before the call for proposals and remain valid after the end of the action. By way of exception, an entity may be considered as affiliated to an applicant even if it has a structural link specifically established for the sole purpose of the implementation of the action in the case of so-called sole applicants or sole beneficiaries. A sole applicant or a sole beneficiary is a legal entity formed by several entities (a group of entities) which together comply with the criteria for being awarded the grant. For example, an association is formed by its members. What is not an affiliated entity? The following are not considered entities affiliated to an applicant: Entities that have entered into a (procurement) contract or subcontract with an applicant, act as concessionaires or delegatees for public services for an applicant, Entities that receive financial support from the applicant, Entities that cooperate on a regular basis with an applicant on the basis of a memorandum of understanding or share some assets, Entities that have signed a consortium agreement under the grant contract (unless this consortium agreement leads to the creation of a "sole applicant" as described above). How to verify the existence of the required link with an applicant? The affiliation resulting from control may in particular be proved on the basis of the consolidated accounts of the group of entities the applicant and its proposed affiliates belong to. The affiliation resulting from membership may in particular be proved on the basis of the statutes or equivalent act establishing the entity (network, federation, association) which the applicant constitutes or in which the applicant participates. If the applicants are awarded a grant contract, their affiliated entity(ies) will not become beneficiary(ies) of the action and signatory(ies) of the grant contract. However, they will participate in the design and in the implementation of the action and the costs they incur (including those incurred for implementation contracts and financial support to third parties) may be accepted as eligible costs, provided they comply with all the relevant rules already applicable to the beneficiary(ies) under the grant contract. Affiliated entity(ies) must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant and the co-applicant(s). They must sign the affiliated entity(ies) statement in Part B section 5 of the grant application form.] Associates and Contractors The following entities are not applicants nor affiliated entities and do not have to sign the "mandate for coapplicant(s)" or "affiliated entities' statement": Associates Other organisations or individuals may be involved in the action. Such associates play a real role in the action but may not receive funding from the grant, with the exception of per diem or travel costs. Associates do not have to meet the eligibility criteria referred to in section Associates must be mentioned in Part B section 6 Associates participating in the action of the grant application form. Contractors Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 10 of 29

11 The beneficiaries and their affiliated entities are permitted to award contracts. Associates or affiliated entity(ies) cannot be also contractors in the project. Contractors are subject to the procurement rules set out in Annex IV to the standard grant contract Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made Definition: Ecotourism: is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education" 9. Education is meant to be inclusive of both staff and guests. Target groups: groups/entities who will be directly positively affected by the project at the project purpose level. Final beneficiaries: those people who will benefit from the project in the long term at the level of the society or sector at large. Trails/paths/routes: a trail is usually a path, track or unpaved lane. There are many kinds of trails such as trails for footpath (walking trail), trails for cycling, for horse riding... Trails/paths and routes are dirt roads (cf. below) dedicated to specific uses. A dirt road: unpaved road made from available native material for pedestrians, animals, and small vehicles use. While most gravel roads (cf. below) are all-weather roads and can be used by ordinary cars, dirt roads may only be in remote areas. A gravel road: unpaved road surfaced with gravel that has been brought to the site from a quarry or stream bed to be used by normal vehicles during all-weather. This implies that the roadbed is drained effectively by adequate cross drainage structures (cf. culverts, minor bridges, cause ways). Gravel roads are also known as all-weather roads. Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS): refer to sign boards located along routes in rural areas that identify qualifying attractions or sites of significant interest to the traveling public. Recreational attractions: refer to outdoor recreational experiences directly dependent upon the natural or man-made elements of the landscape such as touring (cf. boat tours); outdoor experience (cf. fishing, hunting, eco-tourism camping, all-terrain vehicle areas, horse and camels ridings); outdoor activities (cf. fish ponds, resorts, picnic areas, campgrounds, sand boarding and bird watching). Heritage and historical attractions: refer to attractions both natural or man-made in the landscape in relation to past events, archeological and other sites and structures. They may include historic sites, archeological sites, museums, points of interest, significant ruins, artifacts, inscriptions, etc. Cultural attractions: refer to attractions that express traditions, values, customs and aesthetics passed along from generation to generation. They may include crafts, arts, rituals, festivals, food and special events, etc. Entertainment attractions: refer to attractions aiming at providing visitors with an experience that involves amusement, pleasure, fun, etc. This include shopping, tourist districts, markets, etc. Natural attractions: refer to attractions that occur naturally in the environment. This include wildlife viewing, conservation areas, natural sites and trails, forest, wood or tree related, etc. 9 The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), 2015, Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 11 of 29

12 Educational attractions: refer to both man-made and natural attractions aiming at providing visitors with learning/enrichment opportunities. This include visitors centers, conservation areas, scenic tours, sightseeing, tours. Duration The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 12 months nor exceed 12 months. Sectors or themes Local development Location Location of sites of touristic interest The sites of touristic interest and related territorial location are given in table 1 next page. The sites of touristic interest were identified during the Assessment on ecotourism potentialities in Fayoum 10 carried out by EU-JRDP in April This same table lists the priority of intervention set up during the stakeholders meeting organized by EU- JRDP on May 18, 2016 in Fayoum. Tab 1. Sites of touristic interests in Fayoum, their location and priority of intervention Archeological sites Location District Priority of intervention Umm el-baragat (Tebtunis) Lamloom village Itsa 1 Necropolis of Khelua Khalil El Gendi village Itsa 2 Dimeh El Sebah (Soknopaiou Nesos) North Qaroon Lake Yousef El Sedek 3 Qasr El-Sagha North Qaroon Lake Yousef El Sedek 4 Natural sites Gebel Qatrani and the Petrified Forest North Qaroon Lake Yousef El Sedek 1 Widan el-faras North Qaroon Lake Yousef El Sedek 2 Wadi el-rayan Protected Area Wadi el-rayan Yousef El Sedek 3 Wadi el-hitan Wadi el-hitan Yousef El Sedek 4 Handicraft and local culture centers Tunis village Tunis Yousef El Sedek 1 El-Kaabi & El-Alam El-Kaabi & El-Alam Fayoum 2 Location of priority roads (gravel, all-weather, dirt) of touristic interest The roads (gravel, all-weather, dirt) of touristic interest, and related distances, are given in table 2. These roads were identified during the meeting of the LAG on 4 th of July 2018 Tab 2. List of priority roads (gravel, all-weather, dirt) of touristic interest and distances No Description Distance (km) 1 From the main road of Qarun north lake to the entrance of Dimeh El Sebaa Soknopaiou site From the main road of Qarun north lake to the entrance of Qasr El Sagha site From Qasr El Sagha site to the Petrified Forest site From Petrified Forest to Widan El Faras site From Fayoum & Beni Swief main road (at km 3.00) to the entrance of Lahoun Pyramid site From the main road of Demo village to the entrance of Hawara Pyramid site From Asuit west road/wadi El Rayan road (at km 5.00) to the entrance of Umm El-Borigate From Asuit west road/wadi El Rayan road (at km 12.00) to the entrance of Necropolis of Khelua From Wadi El Rayan site to Medinat Madi site (Wadi El Rayan - Medinat Madi Road ) From Monshat El- Amer village to the entrance of Medinat Madi (Narmouthis, Gia) An extract of the report is available on line: Assessment-Report-Extract-Booklet-A5.pdf Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 12 of 29

13 11 From Gebel El Mudawara site on Wadi el Rayan road to Wadi el-hitan NB: Serial numbers do not reflect the order/priority of intervention Location of priority sites where to install TODS The list of priority sites and roads of touristic interest where to install TODS are given here below: From Tunis village to Daim al-sabah site (about 47 km); Daim al-sabah site; From Daim al-sabah site to Qasr el Sagha site (about 8 km); Qasr el Sagha site; From Qasr el Sagha site to Petrified Forest (about 10 km); Petrified Forest site; From Petrified Forest site to Widan el Faras (about 9 km); Widan el Faras site; From Medinet el Fayoum to Pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara (about 9 km); Pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara site; From the Pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara site to the Pyramid of Senwosret II at El Lahun (about 15 km); The pyramid of Senwosret II at El Lahun site; From the Pyramid of Amenemhat III at Hawara site to the Umm el-baragat (about 38 km); Umm el-baragat site; From Umm el-baragat site to Necropolis of Khelua (about 12 km); The Necropolis of Khelua site; From Wadi el Rayan to Medinet Madi (about 28 km). Karanis site 11 NB: The above list does not reflect the order/priority of intervention Types of action Actions should be designed in response to the specific situation of the target areas and to the specific needs of the target groups 12 and/or final beneficiaries 13. Actions should be self-contained operations, with a coherent set of activities including clearly defined target groups and final beneficiaries, operational objectives (outputs) as well as planned outcomes and impacts 14 within the given time frame. 11 It is recommended to install TODS large size (6.00 m x 3.00 m) in front of the museum showing map of tourist routes in Fayoum (three itineraries ). 12 Target groups are the groups/entities who will be directly positively affected by the project at the project purpose level. 13 Final beneficiaries are those who will benefit from the project in the long term at the level of the society or sector at large. 14 Beneficiaries will be asked to carry out a survey of target groups and final beneficiaries on their degree of satisfaction with the improved infrastructure/services. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 13 of 29

14 The Contracting Authority welcomes innovative actions and will prioritize actions with a high degree of replicability in other rural areas of Fayoum Governorate. Specific information on the types of action All Actions mentioned should: directly or indirectly improve the living conditions (including environmental conditions) of the local farmers and rural communities; address the needs and promote active participation of the different community groups during project design and implementing, where appropriate; be gender-sensitive, with particular reference to the involvement of women in the personnel/structure of the selected grant beneficiaries during the project implementation; be sustainable (to guarantee lasting impact after its implementation period); include adequate enforcement mechanisms, where appropriate; be coherent with existing public and/or private services; establish links and networks with similar service providers to create synergies in the area of intervention, where appropriate; engage relevant public authorities or partner institutions; The following types of action are ineligible under this Call: actions concerned only or mainly with individual sponsorships for participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and congresses; actions concerned only or mainly with individual scholarships for studies or training courses; one-time actions such as conferences, round tables, seminars or similar events. These actions can only be funded if they form part of a wider project. For this purpose, preparatory activities for a conference and the publication of proceedings do not in themselves constitute such a wider project; actions consisting solely of research, without any direct application to project activities; actions focusing solely on the purchase of equipment; actions consisting solely of the development of strategies, plans, surveys or other similar documents; infrastructure construction which might damage sites of special scientific and archaeological interest or other areas protected by Government legislation. Types of activity Main eligible activities under this Call are those identified with GOs, NGOs and local stakeholders as follows: Setting up/reinforcement/restauration trail/path/track connecting systems/networks to connect existing attractions/facilities (e.g. Wadi el Rayan, Medinet Madi) to generate well integrated eco-tourism itineraries within the pre-identified touristic itineraries indicated in the maps prepared by EU-JRDP (cf. Chapter 1.1) and touristic sites listed in table 1; Rehabilitation/maintenance of touristic roads to be selected from the list provided in table 2. To be noted that all road construction works are subject to Egyptian laws; Installation of TODS in sites and along roads to be selected from the list provided above. TODS shall meet current construction codes, be placed in accordance with health and safety requirements as per Egyptian Laws and shall suit the environment in which they are placed. Ad-hoc MoU shall be signed with local communities for protecting directional signs and preventing TODS for being stolen; Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 14 of 29

15 Installation of toilet facilities and containers for solid waste collection, etc; Establishment of coordination system/network (and reinforce synergies) among private and public stakeholders including tourism operators and social networks; Preparation/distribution of informative material; Creation/reinforcement of integrated logistic system (e.g. transportation, accommodations); Organization and facilitation of training courses/programmes for local eco-touristic guides and operators (including LAG members) and other private and public tourist stakeholders; Organization/facilitation of awareness and promotional campaign aiming at improving local population s environmental sensitivity/responsiveness; Protection of endangered sphinxes, mural paintings, etc. (e.g. Medinet Madi) against weather effects (e.g. sun, rain, wind). Rehabilitation of visitor centres and the hygienic services (e.g. Medinet Madi, Wadi Rayan); Creation/updating web portal/data base/links/studies/maps/gis, etc; Promotion of sustainable waste management nearby the main touristic targeted areas. Applicants shall select eligible activities from the above-mentioned list in synergy and complementarity fashion (e.g, roads to be rehabilitated/maintained, and TODS to be installed in the same roads). Financial support to third parties 15 Applicants may not propose financial support to third parties. Visibility The applicants must take all necessary steps to publicise the fact that the European Union has financed or cofinanced the action. As far as possible, actions that are wholly or partially funded by the European Union must incorporate information and communication activities designed to raise the awareness of specific or general audiences of the reasons for the action and the EU support for the action in the country or region concerned, as well as the results and the impact of this support. Applicants must comply with the objectives and priorities and guarantee the visibility of the EU financing (see the Communication and Visibility Manual for EU external actions specified and published by the European Commission at Number of applications and grants per applicants / affiliated entities The lead applicant may not submit more than one (1) application under this call for proposals. The lead applicant may not be awarded more than one (1) grant under this call for proposals. The lead applicant may not be a co-applicant or an affiliated entity in another application at the same time. A co-applicant/affiliated entity may not be the co-applicant or affiliated entity in more than one (1) application under this call for proposals. The co-applicant/affiliated entity may not be awarded more than one (1) grant under this call for proposals. 15 These third parties are neither affiliated entity(ies) nor associates nor contractors. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 15 of 29

16 2.1.5 Eligibility of costs: costs that can be included Only eligible costs can be covered by a grant. The categories of costs that are eligible and non-eligible are indicated below. The budget is both a cost estimate and an overall ceiling for eligible costs. The reimbursement of eligible costs may be based on any or a combination of the following forms: actual costs incurred by the beneficiary(ies) and affiliated entity(ies) one or more simplified cost options. Simplified cost options may take the form of: unit costs: covering all or certain specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance by reference to an amount per unit. lump sums: covering in global terms all or certain specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance. flat-rate financing: covering specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance by applying a percentage fixed ex ante. The amounts or rates have to be based on estimates using objective data such as statistical data or any other objective means or with reference to certified or auditable historical data of the applicants or the affiliated entity(ies). The methods used to determine the amounts or rates of unit costs, lump sums or flat-rates must comply with the criteria established in Annex K, and especially ensure that the costs correspond fairly to the actual costs incurred by the beneficiary(ies) and affiliated entity(ies), are in line with their accounting practices, no profit is made and the costs are not already covered by other sources of funding (no double funding). Refer to Annex K for directions and a checklist of controls to assess the minimum necessary conditions that provide reasonable assurance for the acceptance of the proposed amounts. Applicants proposing this form of reimbursement, must clearly indicate in worksheet no.1 of Annex B, each heading/item of eligible costs concerned by this type of financing, i.e. add the reference in capital letters to "UNIT COST" (per month/flight etc), "LUMPSUM", "FLAT RATE" in the Unit column. (see example in Annex K) Additionally, in Annex B, in the second column of worksheet no.2, "Justification of the estimated costs" per each of the corresponding budget item or heading applicants must: describe the information and methods used to establish the amounts of unit costs, lump sums and/or flat-rates, to which costs they refer, etc. clearly explain the formulas for calculation of the final eligible amount 16 identify the beneficiary who will use the simplified cost option (in case of affiliated entity, specify first the beneficiary), in order to verify the maximum amount per each beneficiary (which includes if applicable simplified cost options of its affiliated entity(ies)) At contracting phase, the Contracting Authority decides whether to accept the proposed amounts or rates on the basis of the provisional budget submitted by the applicants, by analysing factual data of grants carried out by the applicants or of similar actions and by performing checks established by Annex K. 16 Examples:- for staff costs: number of hours or days of work * hourly or daily rate pre-set according to the category of personnel concerned;- for travel expenses: distance in km * pre-set cost of transport per km; number of days * daily allowance pre-set according to the country;- for specific costs arising from the organization of an event: number of participants at the event * pre-set total cost per participant etc. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 16 of 29

17 The total amount of financing on the basis of simplified cost options that can be authorised by the Contracting Authority for any of the applicants individually (including simplified cost options proposed by their own affiliated entities) cannot exceed EUR (the indirect costs are not taken into account). Recommendations to award a grant are always subject to the condition that the checks preceding the signing of the grant contract do not reveal problems requiring changes to the budget (such as arithmetical errors, inaccuracies, unrealistic costs and ineligible costs). The checks may give rise to requests for clarification and may lead the Contracting Authority to impose modifications or reductions to address such mistakes or inaccuracies. It is not possible to increase the grant or the percentage of EU co-financing as a result of these corrections. It is therefore in the applicants' interest to provide a realistic and cost-effective budget. The simplified cost option may also take the form of an apportionment of Field Office's costs. Field Office means a local infrastructure set up in one of the countries where the action is implemented or a nearby country. (Where the action is implemented in several third countries there can be more than one Field Office). That may consist of costs for local office as well as human resources. A Field Office may be exclusively dedicated to the action financed (or co-financed) by the EU or may be used for other projects implemented in the partner country. When the Field Office is used for other projects, only the portion of capitalised and operating costs which corresponds to the duration of the action and the rate of actual use of the field office for the purpose of the action may be declared as eligible direct costs. The portion of costs attributable to the action can be declared as actual costs or determined by the beneficiary(ies) on the basis of a simplified allocation method (apportionment). The method of allocation has to be: 1. Compliant with the beneficiary's usual accounting and management practices and applied in a consistent manner regardless of the source of funding and 2. Based on an objective, fair and reliable allocation keys. (Please refer to Annex K to have examples of acceptable allocation keys). A description prepared by the entity of the allocation method used to determine Field Office's costs in accordance with the entity's usual cost accounting and management practices and explaining how the method satisfy condition 1 and 2 indicated above, has to be presented in a separate sheet and annexed to the Budget. The method will be assessed and accepted by the evaluation committee and the Contracting Authority at contracting phase. The applicant is invited to submit (where relevant) the list of contracts to which the methodology proposed had been already applied and for which proper application was confirmed by an expenditure verification. At the time of carrying out the expenditure verifications, the auditors will check if the costs reported are compliant with the method described by the beneficiary(ies) and accepted by the Contracting Authority. Adequate record and documentation must be kept by the beneficiary(ies) to prove the compliance of the simplified allocation method used with the conditions set out above. Upon request of the beneficiary(ies), this compliance can be assessed and approved ex-ante by an independent external auditor. In such a case, the simplified allocation method will be automatically accepted by the evaluation committee and it will not be challenged ex post. When costs are declared on the basis of such allocation method the amount charged to the action is to be indicated in the column "TOTAL COSTS" and the mention "APPORTIONMENT" is to be indicated in the column "units" (under budget heading 1 (Human resources) and 4 (Local Office) of the Budget). Eligible direct costs To be eligible under this call for proposals, costs must comply with the provisions of Article 14 of the General Conditions to the standard grant contract (see Annex G of the guidelines). Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 17 of 29

18 Furthermore, cost related to line budget 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (cumulative) shall not exceed 30% of the total eligible costs of the Action, excluding reserve (please refer to budget line 9). Salary costs of the personnel of national administrations may be eligible to the extent that they relate to the cost of activities which the relevant public authority would not carry out if the action were not undertaken. Contingency reserve The budget shall not include a contingency reserve. Eligible indirect costs The indirect costs incurred in carrying out the action may be eligible for flat-rate funding, but the total must not exceed 7 % of the estimated total eligible direct costs. Indirect costs are eligible provided that they do not include costs assigned to another budget heading in the standard grant contract. The lead applicant may be asked to justify the percentage requested before the grant contract is signed. However, once the flat rate has been fixed in the Special Conditions of the grant contract, no supporting documents need to be provided. If any of the applicants or affiliated entity(ies) is in receipt of an operating grant financed by the EU, it may not claim indirect costs on its incurred costs within the proposed budget for the action. Contributions in kind Contributions in kind mean the provision of goods or services to beneficiaries or affiliated entities free of charge by a third party. As contributions in kind do not involve any expenditure for beneficiaries or affiliated entities, they are not eligible costs. Contributions in kind may not be treated as co-financing. However, if the description of the action as proposed includes contributions in kind, the contributions have to be made. Ineligible costs The following costs are not eligible: debts and debt service charges (interest); provisions for losses or potential future liabilities; costs declared by the beneficiary(ies) and financed by another action or work programme receiving a European Union (including through EDF) grant; purchases of land or buildings, except where necessary for the direct implementation of the action, in which case ownership must be transferred in accordance with Article 7.5 of the General Conditions of the standard grant contract, at the latest at the end of the action; currency exchange losses; credit to third parties. 2.2 How to apply and the procedures to follow Information in PADOR will not be drawn upon in the present call Application forms Applications must be submitted in accordance with the instructions on the concept note and the full applications in the grant application form annexed to these guidelines (Annex A). Applicants must apply in English. Any error or major discrepancy related to the points listed in the instructions on the concept note or any major inconsistency in the application e.g. if the amounts in the budget worksheets are inconsistent) may lead to the rejection of the application. Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 18 of 29

19 Clarifications will only be requested when the information provided is unclear and thus prevents the Contracting Authority from conducting an objective assessment. Hand-written applications will not be accepted. Please note that only the grant application form and the published annexes which have to be filled in (budget, logical framework) will be evaluated. It is therefore of utmost importance that these documents contain ALL the relevant information concerning the action. No additional annexes should be sent Where and how to send applications Applications must be submitted in one original and two copies in A4 size, each bound. The complete application form (Part A: concept note and Part B: full application form), budget and logical framework must also be supplied in electronic format (CD-ROM or USB sticks) in a separate and single file (i.e. the application must not be split into several different files). The electronic file must contain exactly the same application as the paper version enclosed. The checklist (section 7 of Part B of the grant application form) and the declaration by the lead applicant (section 8 of Part B of the grant application form) must be stapled separately and enclosed in the envelope. Where a lead applicant sends several different applications (if allowed to do so by the guidelines of the call), each one has to be sent separately. The outer envelope must bear the reference number and the title of the call for proposals, together with the full name and address of the lead applicant, and the words Not to be opened before the opening session لا يتم فتحه قبل موعد جلسة فتح المظاريف and Applications must be submitted in a sealed envelope by registered mail, private courier service or by handdelivery (a signed and dated certificate of receipt will be given to the deliverer) at the address below: Postal address: EU-Joint Rural Development Programme Programme Management Unit 1081, Corniche El Nil St., Garden City, 26th Floor Cairo Egypt Applications sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by ) or delivered to other addresses will be rejected. Lead applicants must verify that their application is complete using the checklist (section 7 of Part B of the grant application form). Incomplete applications may be rejected Deadline for submission of applications The deadline for the submission of applications is as evidenced by the date of dispatch, the postmark or the date of the deposit slip. In the case of hand-deliveries, the deadline for receipt is at am local time as evidenced by the signed and dated receipt. Any application submitted after the deadline will automatically be rejected. However, for reasons of administrative efficiency, the Contracting Authority may reject any application sent in due time but received after the effective date of approval of the first evaluation step (i.e. concept note) (see indicative calendar under section 2.5.2) Further information about applications An information session on this call for proposals will be held on 26 August at am at: Date of publication: August 1, 2018 Page 19 of 29