The evaluation process is two-stage, with specific criteria for each stage.
Stage I Evaluation (TAK/NIE - Yes/No Criteria)
Projects are assessed against fundamental eligibility requirements. A 'TAK' (Yes) must be achieved for all criteria to proceed to Stage II.
- Applicant Eligibility: Verifies if the applicant/consortium members meet the requirements for operating in Poland (registration, minimum 24 months operation for enterprises with 2 closed financial years), consortium structure (max 3 members, enterprise as leader), and national control.
- Project Alignment with STEP Initiative: Ensures the project falls within the 'digital technologies and deep-tech innovations' sector and the thematic scope specified in the RWP. For value chain projects, it checks the link to specific critical technologies.
- R&D Nature of the Project: Confirms that the project exclusively involves industrial research and/or experimental development, crucial for critical technology development.
- Exclusion Check: Verifies that the project does not involve activities explicitly excluded from funding.
Stage II Evaluation (Scored and TAK/NIE Criteria)
Projects that pass Stage I are then scored based on the following criteria. A minimum score is required, and all TAK/NIE criteria must still be 'TAK'.
Scored Criteria (0 or 3-6 points)
- Impact on STEP Technology Development (0 or 3-6 points, min 3 points required):
- Innovation/Breakthrough: Assesses if the R&D outcome brings an innovative, cutting-edge, or breakthrough element to the EU internal market (combination of at least two of these is required).
- Economic Potential: Evaluates the project's ability to enhance EU competitiveness, including market scope beyond a single country, competitiveness against existing solutions, potential to create new markets or transform existing ones, and positive impact on the applicant's production cycle (e.g., cost reduction, quality improvement).
- Problem Identification: Checks if the research/technological problem is clearly identified and described in the context of current global knowledge.
- Innovation Features: Assesses if the product/process innovation features result from the planned R&D, and if key features are measurable with correctly defined baseline and target values.
- Value Chain Contribution: For value chain projects, assesses how R&D results contribute to strengthening the EU value chain of the critical technology.
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Bonus Points (up to 2 additional points): Awarded for significant broader positive social, economic, environmental, or climate impacts at the EU level. An additional 1 point is given if the R&D result introduces a 'breakthrough' element to the EU internal market.
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R&D Work Plan (0 or 3-5 points, min 3 points required):
- Clarity and Logic: Evaluates if R&D tasks are clear, necessary, logical, and lead to project results within the planned timeframe, with an adequate research methodology.
- Category Assignment: Checks correct assignment of tasks to industrial research or experimental development categories (no basic research or routine work).
- Milestones: Assesses whether tasks have measurable milestones with verification methods and impact on project continuation if not met.
- Risk Analysis: Reviews the adequacy of risk analysis and mitigation measures.
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Consortium Specifics: For consortia, verifies compliance with collaboration rules (e.g., tasks not solely human/financial resources, no internal trading, common purpose).
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Potential for Project Implementation (0 or 3-5 points, min 3 points required):
- Project Team: Assesses the completeness and expertise of the key project team (R&D manager, managing director), their experience, roles, and commitment.
- Technical Resources: Evaluates whether the applicant/consortium has adequate technical resources (facilities, equipment, infrastructure) or a plan to acquire them.
- Intellectual Property (IP) Rights: Confirms availability of necessary IP rights for R&D.
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Subcontractors: If applicable, checks the necessity, selection process, and capacity of subcontractors, and ensures no conflict of interest (e.g., project manager not also a subcontractor).
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Potential for Project Outcome Implementation (0 or 3-5 points, min 3 points required):
- Implementation Conditions: Checks realism of the implementation timeframe (no later than 5 years after project completion) and chosen implementation method (own business activity within EU, licensing, or IP sale).
- Implementation Plan and Profitability: Evaluates the realism of the market entry plan or internal application plan, profitability analysis, and consistency of financial forecasts.
- Implementation Resources: Assesses availability or plan for acquiring necessary personnel, technical resources, and certifications for implementation.
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Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy: Checks for existing IP that could hinder implementation, the defined method of IP protection for new results, and the distribution of IP rights within consortia.
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Implementation of R&D Results in Poland (0 or 5 points, optional):
- Grants 5 additional points if the R&D results are implemented within business activities in Poland (e.g., starting production of new goods/services). This includes cases where the applicant (or consortium leader) ensures a licensee/buyer uses the results in Poland.
TAK/NIE Criteria (Mandatory for Positive Assessment)
- Project Budget: Checks if expenses are correctly categorized, eligible, rational, justified, and within funding limits (e.g., minimum qualified costs, max 140M PLN grant, subcontractor limits).
- Incentive Effect: Confirms that project implementation has not started before or on the application submission date.
- Financial Capacity: Assesses the applicant's/consortium's ability to finance the project, including own contribution, based on financial models and external funding sources.
- Horizontal Principles of Equal Opportunities and Non-Discrimination: Verifies compliance with equal opportunities, non-discrimination (including accessibility for people with disabilities), and gender equality principles.
- Compliance with Charter of Fundamental Rights: Ensures the project adheres to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- Compliance with Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Confirms adherence to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Sustainable Development Principle: Assesses compliance with sustainable development, including environmental protection laws, 6R principles (refuse, reduce, reuse, recover, recycle, rethink), and relevant environmental indicators.
- Project Indicators: Checks if outcome indicators are consistent, measurable, verifiable, and realistic (excluding environmental indicators and product/process innovation parameters which are assessed elsewhere).