Grants8 | The most comprehensive grants search on the web

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, a 'Coordination and Support Action' (CSA), aims to lay the groundwork for a future 'Pre-Commercial Procurement' (PCP) action focusing on innovative security technologies. The core objective is to help public buyers and security end-users come together to define their common needs for new security solutions, explore available technologies, and plan for future joint procurement of research and development (R&D) services. It's a preparatory step to streamline how the EU acquires cutting-edge security innovations. This grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC, targeting the field of civil security, including border security, fighting crime and terrorism, protecting infrastructure and public spaces, and enhancing societal resilience against disasters. It specifically targets consortia composed of public procurers and end-user organizations. The geographic scope is limited to EU Member States and Associated Countries. Key filtering criteria for this grant include the mandatory participation of a specific number of both end-user organizations and public procurers from at least three different eligible countries, and the project's focus on setting up a future PCP rather than direct technology development. This opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, specifically under the 'Civil Security for Society' cluster, suggesting it's a recurring program, but this particular call is for the 2025 cycle.

Financial Structure

This grant operates on a lump sum funding model, meaning the financial contribution is a fixed amount based on an agreed work plan, rather than reimbursement of actual costs. This aims to simplify financial management and reduce administrative burden.

Grant Amount: The maximum contribution per grant is 1,000,000 EUR. The total budget allocated for this specific topic is 2,000,000 EUR, expecting to fund two grants.
Eligible Costs: The lump sum is determined by approximating your estimated direct and indirect project costs. Eligible cost categories typically include:
- Personnel costs (employees, contractors, seconded persons, SME owners).
- Subcontracting costs.
- Purchase costs (travel, equipment depreciation/capitalization, other goods/works/services).
- Other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, research infrastructure access, PCP/PPI procurement costs). Costs that would be ineligible under standard Horizon Europe rules cannot be included in the lump sum calculation.
Indirect Costs: A flat rate of 25% for indirect costs is already integrated into the calculation of the lump sum.
Co-financing: While no specific percentage is stated, the methodology ensures compliance with the co-financing principle, meaning the total estimated costs of your action should be greater than the estimated Union contribution.
Payment Mechanisms: Lump sum contributions are paid based on the proper implementation of the corresponding work packages. If work package conditions are not met in a reporting period, payment may be delayed until they are met, or the grant amount can be reduced if conditions are never met. Pre-financing follows standard Horizon Europe rules.
Financial Guarantees: Between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Financial Reporting/Audit: For lump sum grants, there is no obligation to report actual costs, and financial ex-post audits are typically not conducted. Checks and audits will focus on the technical implementation of the project and the fulfillment of the conditions for releasing the lump sum per work package.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this grant, your consortium must meet the following hard, non-negotiable criteria:

Consortium Composition: Your proposal must include, as beneficiaries, at least 6 end-user organizations and at least 3 public procurers. An organization can fulfill both roles simultaneously and count towards both numbers.
- Public Procurer Definition: A 'public procurer' is defined as 'the State, regional or local authorities, bodies governed by public law or associations formed by one or more such authorities or one or more such bodies governed by public law, managing the process through which they acquire work, goods or services from economic operators.'
Geographic Origin: All participating end-user organizations and public procurers must be from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries.
Open Market Consultations: Any open market consultations carried out as part of the project must take place in at least three EU Member States or Associated Countries.
Project Type: This grant is specifically for 'Coordination and Support Actions' (CSA) to prepare for a future Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) action. It focuses on the acquisition of Research and Development (R&D) services.
Duration: The project should have a maximum estimated duration of 1 year.

Application Process

The application process for this grant is managed through the European Commission's Funding & Tenders Portal.

Application Deadline: The submission deadline for proposals is 2025-11-12 at 00:00:00+0000.
Submission Procedure: This is a single-stage submission process, meaning you submit a full proposal directly. Proposals must be submitted via the Electronic Submission Service available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Required Documentation: You will need to complete the standard Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) application form. Additionally, you must fill in the Annex 'Information about security practitioners' in the application form, using the template provided in the submission IT tool. This annex is crucial for explaining how each project beneficiary fulfills the specific additional eligibility conditions related to end-users and public procurers.
Project Implementation Timeline: The project should have a maximum estimated duration of 1 year. Applicants intending to submit a proposal for a follow-up PCP in a future Horizon Europe Cluster 3 Work Programme should ensure that the evidence required for PCP justification is consolidated in the deliverables of this CSA before the PCP proposal submission.
Reporting Obligations: Payments are linked to the completion of defined work packages. While there are no financial reporting requirements for actual costs (due to the lump sum model), the project will be subject to technical checks, reviews, or audits focusing on the proper implementation of the action and the fulfillment of conditions for releasing lump sum contributions. You will be required to deliver clear evidence on various aspects to justify and de-risk a possible future PCP action, as outlined in the scope.
Application Assistance: A wide range of support is available:
- The Online Manual guides you through the procedures from proposal submission to grant management.
- The Horizon Europe Programme Guide provides detailed guidance on the program's structure, budget, and political priorities.
- The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ addresses common questions.
- The Research Enquiry Service can answer general questions about European research.
- National Contact Points (NCPs) offer practical information and assistance in participating in Horizon Europe, available in EU and many non-EU/non-associated countries.
- The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs, on EU research funding.
- The IT Helpdesk assists with technical issues related to the Funding & Tenders Portal.
- The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues.
- CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on standardization in project proposals.
- The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment provide principles for researchers, employers, and funders.
- A Partner Search tool is available to help you find suitable organizations for your consortium.

Evaluation Criteria

While detailed scoring specifics are referenced in broader Horizon Europe documents not provided here, the grant outlines the key elements that will be assessed for a successful application:

Excellence and Justification: Proposals will be evaluated on the clarity and pertinence of the security challenge being addressed, and whether a PCP action is genuinely required to mature the relevant technologies. You must provide clear evidence to justify and 'de-risk' a possible follow-up PCP action.
Consortium Cohesion and Commitment: The evaluation will look for a consolidated group of potential buyers with common needs and requirements who are committed to carrying out a PCP action. It's crucial to demonstrate a quantifiable and identifiable community of potential buyers (both within and beyond the proposal's beneficiaries) who share these common needs and could be interested in future joint uptake of solutions.
Market and Technology Landscape Analysis: You must show that you have thoroughly explored and mapped the state of the art and the market (including research) and identified different technical alternatives to address the proposed challenge. This includes having a clear understanding of potential EU-based suppliers of technical alternatives.
PCP Plan Clarity and Feasibility: A clear future PCP tendering process must be proposed, including a draft planning and assurance that supporting documentation and administrative procedures will be ready in due time to launch the call for R&D services according to PCP rules.
Compliance and Societal Impact: The project will be assessed on its ability to ensure that technology developments conducted in the future PCP can comply with European societal values, fundamental rights, and applicable legislation (including free movement of persons, privacy, and personal data protection). Additionally, proposals should demonstrate how societal and gender aspects (e.g., perception of security, side effects of technology, societal resilience) will be comprehensively and thoroughly taken into account in developing technology solutions. The integration of the gender dimension in research and innovation content should be addressed if relevant to the project's objectives.
Alignment with Funder Priorities: Proposals must demonstrate alignment with policy priorities in the Work Programme for the specified security areas, adhere to the EU Directive for public procurement (especially PCP provisions), and consider the specific requirements for innovation procurement supported by Horizon Europe grants, as well as guidance for attracting innovators, particularly high-tech start-ups and innovative SMEs.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Adhering to specific compliance and unique requirements is essential for this grant:

Regulatory Compliance: Your project must comply with the EU Directive for public procurement, particularly the provisions related to Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP). The preparatory work must also consider the specific provisions and funding rates of PCP actions and innovation procurement supported by Horizon Europe grants, as stated in the General Annex H of the Work Programme.
Ethical and Societal Standards: Compliance with European societal values, fundamental rights, and applicable legislation, including in the area of free movement of persons, privacy, and protection of personal data, is mandatory during technology developments envisioned for the future PCP. Additionally, societal and gender aspects (e.g., perception of security, side effects of technological solutions, societal resilience) should be taken into account in a comprehensive and thorough manner, if relevant to the project's objectives.
Intellectual Property (IP) Policies: While not explicitly detailed in the provided documents, IP policies will follow general Horizon Europe rules, likely outlined in the Model Grant Agreement. The European IPR Helpdesk is available for assistance.
Risk Management: A key aspect of this preparatory grant is to 'de-risk' a possible follow-up PCP action. Your proposal should clearly demonstrate how the preparatory activities will achieve this.
Unique Project Focus: This is a unique opportunity because it is a preparatory action specifically designed to build the 'grounds' for a future PCP action, rather than directly funding technology development. It focuses on aggregating demand, informing decision-making, and increasing the capacity of public procurers.
Strategic Opportunity: This grant offers a strategic opportunity to shape future security technology procurement across the EU by consolidating demand and aligning requirements between public buyers and industry. It encourages attracting innovators, including high-tech start-ups and innovative SMEs, by aiming to reduce barriers for them.
Coordination and Support Action (CSA): The grant is a CSA, meaning its primary goal is to coordinate activities, exchange knowledge, and support the groundwork for future actions, rather than funding large-scale research or demonstration projects.

Grant Details