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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core objective: Improve sustainable and integrated use of marine resources and stimulate inclusive economic growth by strengthening regional mechanisms for the long-term maintenance of natural capital, biodiversity, and marine/coastal ecosystem services.
Target recipient: Non-profit legal entities, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public sector operators, and local authorities.
Size: Organizations with a minimum annual turnover of 500,000 EUR.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Marine conservation, Blue Economy, Fisheries management.
Geographic scope: Actions implemented in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, specifically within the Rio Campo and Manyange na Elombo Campo transboundary landscape.
Key filtering criteria: Non-profit legal entity, specific geographic focus, minimum turnover, authorization to operate in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Grant frequency: An open call for proposals within the ongoing 'Sustainable Ocean and Blue Economy in Central Africa' (ODEBAC) program.
Program context: This grant is part of the broader ODEBAC program, which is a significant regional initiative addressing the preservation and development of marine and coastal areas in Central Africa.

Financial Structure

Total indicative budget for the call: 2,000,000 EUR.
Individual grant amounts must be between 1,900,000 EUR and 2,000,000 EUR.
The grant covers 75% to 90% of total eligible costs.
Mandatory co-financing: The remaining 10% to 25% of eligible costs must be financed by sources other than the EU budget or the European Development Fund.
Eligible direct costs include: Costs actually incurred by the beneficiaries and affiliated entities, staff remuneration (including for national administrations if for new activities), equipment, supplies, travel, and external services.
Eligible indirect costs: A flat rate of up to 7% of the estimated total direct eligible costs (excluding volunteer costs and project office costs).
Simplified cost options: Lump sums and unit costs are permitted, provided they are clearly justified and respect co-financing principles.
Ineligible costs include: Debts and debt service, provisions for losses or debts, costs already funded by other EU/EDF grants, purchases of land or buildings (unless indispensable and transferred), exchange losses, in-kind contributions (except volunteer work), personnel bonuses, negative interest charged by banks, and credits to third parties.
Financial support to third parties: Allowed up to 60,000 EUR per third party, provided the application clearly defines objectives, eligible activities, types of beneficiaries, selection criteria, and methods for determining the exact amount of support.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type and Legal Status

Must be a legal entity (personne morale).
Must be non-profit (n’avoir aucun but lucratif).
Must belong to one of these categories: non-governmental organization (NGO), public sector operator, or local authority.
Must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action, not acting as an intermediary.
Must not be in any of the exclusion situations listed in the PRAG (Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EU External Actions) section 2.4.

Geographic Establishment and Operational Scope

Must be effectively established in an EU Member State, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, or any OECD member state as per IVCDCI Article 28(1) and (2).
Must have authorization to intervene in marine protected areas in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea (e.g., protocol of agreement, MoU, letter of intent from relevant authorities).
Proposed actions must be implemented in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, specifically in the Rio Campo and Manyange na Elombo Campo transboundary landscape.

Financial Capacity

Must have a minimum annual turnover greater than the estimated annual contract value, i.e., at least 500,000 EUR.
For grants over 750,000 EUR, must provide an audit report by a licensed external auditor for the last three available financial years, or a sworn statement if no audit is legally required.
Must provide latest financial statements (profit and loss account, balance sheet).

Operational Capacity and Experience

Must possess sufficient and stable experience in managing similar actions in the same sector and of equivalent scale over the last 3 years.
Must have the management capacity, competencies, and professional qualifications required to carry out the proposed action.

Partnership Requirements

Can act individually or with co-applicants (codemandeur(s)).
Co-applicants must meet the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant.
Affiliated entities are allowed if they have a structural link (legal or capital control, or membership in the same network/federation) with the applicant, existing independently of the grant. They must also meet the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant.

Application Specifics

Mandatory registration in the PADOR online database; profile must be up-to-date.
Mandatory online submission via PROSPECT.
The lead applicant cannot submit more than one application or be awarded more than one grant under this call.
The lead applicant cannot concurrently be a co-applicant or affiliated entity in another application under this call.
A co-applicant/affiliated entity cannot be a co-applicant or affiliated entity in more than one application under this call, nor be awarded more than one grant.

Application Process

Application Stages and Deadlines

Application deadline: 2025-10-10 at 17:00 (Brussels time, CEST).
This is a two-stage submission process: both a concept note (note succincte de présentation) and full application (demande complète) must be submitted simultaneously. Only concept notes will be evaluated initially, and full applications of pre-selected candidates will then be assessed.
Applicants are strongly advised to submit their applications well in advance of the deadline to avoid potential technical difficulties or internet connection issues.

Submission Method

Mandatory online submission via PROSPECT (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/prospect). This is the primary and preferred method.
Offline submission (sealed envelope by registered mail, private express courier, or hand-delivery) is only permitted in exceptional cases due to technical, security, or confidentiality reasons preventing online submission or PADOR registration.
For offline submissions, applicants must provide: 1 signed original of the full application, 2 additional A4 copies (bound), and an electronic version on a USB drive (which must be an exact copy of the paper version).
All application documents must be submitted in French.
Applications should adhere to the specified format: Arial 10 font, single spacing.

Required Documentation (for Full Application)

Completed Grant Application Form (Annex A.2).
Completed Concept Note (Annex A.1).
Statutes or articles of incorporation for the lead applicant, co-applicants, and affiliated entities. If the contracting authority has previously recognized their eligibility for another call under the same budget line within the last two years, proof of this previous eligibility can be submitted instead, unless their legal status has changed.
Declaration of Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (Annex H), signed by the lead applicant, all co-applicants, and affiliated entities (required if the total grant amount requested exceeds 15,000 EUR).
For grants exceeding 750,000 EUR, an audit report prepared by a licensed external auditor is required for the lead applicant's last three available financial years. For smaller grants, a sworn statement by the authorized representative certifying the validity of accounts for the last three years is sufficient.
Latest financial statements (profit and loss account and balance sheet) for the lead applicant.
Completed Logical Framework (Annex C).
Completed Budget (Annex B).
PADOR offline registration form (Annex F) if online registration is technically impossible.
Co-applicant mandate (Annex A.2, Section 5.2) signed by each co-applicant.
Affiliated entities declaration (Annex A.2, Section 5.3) signed by each affiliated entity.

Support and Communication

Questions regarding the call can be submitted via email to [email protected] (with a copy to [email protected]) up to 21 days before the application deadline. Responses will be published online at least 11 days before the deadline.
Technical support for PADOR/PROSPECT issues is available via [email protected] (support in English, French, and Spanish).
Individual advice on eligibility cannot be provided by the contracting authority.

Post-Submission

Applicants will receive an automatic acknowledgement of receipt via their PROSPECT profile.
Notification of provisional selection will be communicated via PROSPECT.
The final grant award decision will be provided in writing.
Successful applicants will be offered a grant contract based on the standard grant contract (Annex G).

Project Implementation Timeline

The project duration must be between 48 and 60 months.
Applicants must provide a detailed indicative action plan for the first 12 months of implementation and a more general plan for subsequent years.
Internal or external evaluations are expected; they are mandatory for actions exceeding 500,000 EUR and strongly recommended for smaller ones.

Evaluation Criteria

Stage 1: Concept Note Evaluation (Total 50 points, minimum 25 points to pass)

Relevance and Design of the Proposed Action: Assessed based on consistency with call objectives, needs, and target beneficiaries.

Stage 2: Full Application Evaluation Selection Criteria (Capacity)

Financial Capacity: Assesses stable and sufficient funding sources to operate and co-finance the action. (Minimum 12 points for Section 1 overall, no sub-section score of 1).
Operational Capacity: Assesses management capacity, professional competencies, and qualifications to implement the action. (Minimum 12 points for Section 1 overall, no sub-section score of 1).

Award Criteria (Quality)

Relevance of the Action: Assesses alignment with objectives and priorities of the call, and relevance to target countries/regions/sectors. Includes analysis of needs, synergies, and added value (e.g., innovation, best practices).
Quality of the Proposed Action: Assesses methodological approach, logical framework, expected outputs, outcomes, and impact. This section accounts for a significant portion of the score, emphasizing strong project design.
Effect and Sustainability: Assesses expected long-term benefits for target groups and beneficiaries, a detailed risk analysis and contingency plan, potential multiplier effects (replication, scaling, knowledge sharing), and the project's sustainability after completion (financial, institutional, policy, and environmental aspects).
Cost-Effectiveness: Evaluates the realism and efficiency of the proposed budget in relation to the expected results and overall value for money.
Cross-cutting Themes: Assesses the integration and consideration of cross-cutting issues such as environmental protection and climate change, gender equality and empowerment of women/girls, human rights, reduction of inequalities, democracy, conflict sensitivity, peace and resilience, and disaster risk reduction, where relevant to the project.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory and Ethical Compliance

Absence of Conflict of Interest: Applicants must ensure no conflict of interest exists or arises, either with the contracting authority, other applicants, or project parties.
Environmental Legislation: Actions must comply with environmental legislation, including multilateral environmental agreements, and must not result in significant negative environmental or climate impacts.
Labor Standards: Compliance with fundamental labor standards as defined by International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions (e.g., freedom of association, elimination of forced or compulsory labor, abolition of child labor).
EU Values: Grant recipients must commit to upholding core EU values, including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights, encompassing the rights of minorities.
Zero Tolerance for SGBV: The European Commission enforces a 'zero tolerance' policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Successful applicants for grants exceeding 60,000 EUR must complete a self-evaluation questionnaire (Annex L) on their organization's internal policies and procedures for combating SGBV.
Anti-Corruption: Compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws, regulations, and codes of conduct is mandatory. The use of 'extraordinary commercial fees' (commissions not explicitly stated or not for legitimate services, payments to tax havens, or shell companies) is strictly prohibited.
EU Restrictive Measures: The lead applicant, co-applicants, and affiliated entities must not be subject to any restrictive measures imposed by the EU.
No Undetected Debts to the Union: Applicants must not have any established debts towards the European Union.

Visibility and Communication

EU Visibility: All actions financed fully or partially by the EU must visibly acknowledge EU funding by correctly displaying the EU emblem and a corresponding funding statement.
Derogations: In exceptional circumstances, such as security concerns or local political sensitivities, derogations to standard EU visibility requirements may be granted with prior agreement from the EU.

Financial Compliance

No Double Funding: Costs submitted for reimbursement under this grant must not have been previously funded by another EU action or program.

Data and Information Management

PADOR and PIC Registration: Mandatory registration in the PADOR database for organizational data is required. Registration in the Participant Register (PIC) is strongly recommended and will soon become mandatory. Personal data will be processed for the management and monitoring of the grant.
Transparency: Information regarding awarded grants and beneficiaries may be publicly disclosed through the EU's Financial Transparency System.
Audit Rights: The European Commission, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) reserve the right to conduct documentary checks, on-the-spot controls, and investigations related to the use of EU funds.

Project Specifics

Third-Party Financial Support: If the project intends to provide financial support to third parties, specific conditions must be detailed in the application, including clear objectives, eligible activities, types of beneficiaries, selection criteria, and the methodology for determining the exact amounts of support. Recipients of such support must not be on EU restrictive measures lists.
Strategic Alignment: The proposed action should demonstrate integration with other components of the broader ODEBAC program and actively promote contributions, collaborations, and knowledge sharing with regional actor networks.

Grant Details