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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This Twinning project aims to strengthen the capacities of Moldova's National Bureau of Statistics to align its agricultural statistics with EU standards and best practices, supporting Moldova's EU integration process.
The direct applicant is a Public Administration or Mandated Body from an EU Member State. The primary beneficiary is the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC (Agriculture, Statistics).
The project's geographic scope for implementation is the Republic of Moldova. Applicants must be from EU Member States.
Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Must be an EU Member State Public Administration or Mandated Body with expertise in agriculture and statistics, capable of supporting EU alignment.
This is a specific Twinning project, part of the broader EU support for Moldova's resilience and governance, given its EU candidate status and ongoing accession negotiations. Twinning projects are a recurrent EU tool for institutional capacity building.

Financial Structure

The total maximum budget available for this Twinning project is EUR 850,000.
This project is implemented as a Twinning contract, meaning the European Union funds the expertise, activities, and associated costs incurred by the EU Member State(s) involved.
No direct cash matching fund requirements are specified for the applicant. However, the beneficiary (Moldova's National Bureau of Statistics) is committed to providing in-kind contributions, such as office space, necessary equipment, and dedicated staff involvement.
The European Union Delegation to Moldova (EUD) is responsible for the operational management, payments, and financial reporting of the project.
Financial reporting is a mandatory part of the interim quarterly and final project reports, which must adhere to the standards outlined in sections 5.5.2 and 5.5.3 of the Twinning Manual.
Eligible costs typically include expert fees, travel, per diems, and expenses related to the organization of workshops, training sessions, and study tours, as per Twinning Manual guidelines.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Type

Only Public Administrations or Mandated Bodies from an EU Member State may apply.
Applications must be submitted via the respective EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning.

Geographical Requirements

The beneficiary country for the project implementation is the Republic of Moldova.
The applicant entity must be based in an EU Member State.

Key Personnel Requirements (for the applicant's proposed team)

Project Leader (PL):
- Master's degree in a relevant field OR 8 years equivalent professional experience.
- Minimum 3 years professional experience in a National Bureau of Statistics, statistical office, or Data Centre (preferably covering agriculture statistics) of an EU Member State administration.
- Proven contractual relation to a public administration or mandated body, as defined under Twinning Manual 4.1.3.
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English (minimum C1 level).
- Experience in project management is required.
Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA):
- University degree in a relevant field (e.g., statistics) OR 8 years equivalent professional experience.
- Minimum 3 years specific professional experience in agriculture statistics, preferably related to the implementation and monitoring of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and EUROSTAT reporting.
- Proven contractual relation to a public administration or mandated body, as defined under Twinning Manual 4.1.6.
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English (minimum C1 level).
Component Leaders (CLs):
- Must be a civil servant or a staff member in a Member State public administration or mandated body responsible for the agricultural or statistics sector.
- University degree in a relevant field OR 8 years equivalent professional experience.
- Minimum 3 years of experience specifically in the field covered by the project component for which the Component Leader will be responsible.
- Good knowledge of related EU legislation and regulations.
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English (minimum C1 level).
Short-Term Experts (STEs):
- University degree in a relevant field OR 8 years equivalent professional experience.
- Minimum 3 years of specific experience in their field of expertise, such as general agricultural census or agri-environment indicators.
- Good knowledge of related EU legislation and regulations.
- Experience in knowledge transfer and/or training employees in an EU Member State.

Exclusion Criteria

A single negative evaluation of the operational capacity of any of the proposed key personnel (Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser, or Component Leaders) will disqualify the proposal.

Application Process

Application Submission

Application Deadline: The deadline for National Contact Points (NCPs) to submit Twinning proposals to the Contracting Authority is 2025-09-24 12:00:00+0200 (Brussels time).
Internal Deadline for EU MS Public Administrations: The specific deadline for EU Member State Public Administrations to submit their proposals to their respective National Contact Points for Twinning is determined by each NCP.
Submission Method: Twinning proposals must be submitted by the Lead Member State Administration to their National Contact Points, who then submit them via email to the Contracting Authority.
Number of Submissions: Only one Twinning proposal can be submitted per Member State through its National Contact Point.

Required Documentation and Materials

Twinning Proposal: The proposal must strictly adhere to the instructions and templates provided in the Twinning Manual.
Curriculum Vitae (CVs): Detailed CVs for the designated Project Leader (PL), Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA), and all Component Leaders (CLs) must be included in the proposal.

Evaluation Process Timeline

Evaluation Committee Meetings: Tentatively scheduled to begin on 2025-09-26.
Provisional Notification of Results: Applicants can expect provisional notification of the award process results by 2025-10-20.
Interview/Presentation: The Member State delegation, including the proposed PL and RTA, is expected to attend the evaluation committee meetings.

Post-Award Requirements

Project Duration: The overall execution period for the Twinning project is 27 months, with an active implementation period of 24 months.
Reporting Obligations: Applicants are required to submit interim quarterly reports for discussion at each Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting and a final report at the conclusion of the project. All reports must include both narrative and financial sections, following the standards detailed in sections 5.5.2 and 5.5.3 of the Twinning Manual.
Project Steering Committee (PSC): A PSC will be established to oversee project implementation, verify progress, ensure effective coordination, and finalize reports. PSC meetings will occur every three months.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Project performance will be measured by the progress reported in the EU Enlargement progress reports (specifically Chapter 18 'statistics' and Chapter 11 'Agriculture and rural development'), as well as the quality and timeliness of expert inputs and beneficiary satisfaction.
Conditionality: The mobilization of Short-Term Experts (STEs) is conditional upon the beneficiary maintaining sustained and persistent minimum staffing levels necessary for the absorption and implementation of project activities. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to suspend activities or expert mobilization if this condition is not met.

Support Offered

This grant provides funding for the expertise and activities of the EU Member State Public Administration(s) to facilitate institutional capacity building in Moldova.
Support mechanisms include expert missions, joint working sessions, mentoring, backstopping, organized study visits, traineeships/internships, and the facilitation of workshops and roundtable discussions.

Evaluation Criteria

Selection Criteria (Pass/Fail)

Operational Capacity of Key Personnel: Assessed on a 'Yes/No' basis for the proposed Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser, and Component Leaders. A single 'No' result for any of these roles leads to disqualification.

Award Criteria (Scored 1-5)

Proposed Methodology: Evaluation of the approach and strategy outlined in the proposal (scored 1-5).
Experience of Proposed RTA and PL: Assessment of the qualifications and relevant experience of the Resident Twinning Adviser and Project Leader (scored 1-5).
Administration's Experience in Cooperation Projects: Evaluation of the applicant public administration's track record and expertise in similar cooperation projects (scored 1-5).
Member State Presentation: Assessment of the overall quality and effectiveness of the Member State's presentation during the evaluation process (scored 1-5).
Qualitative Aspects: Includes various qualitative aspects contributing to the overall merit of the proposal.

Scoring Thresholds

Section 1: Must achieve a score of at least 'adequate' (27 points). Failure to meet this threshold will result in elimination.
Section 2: Must achieve a score of at least 'good' (16 points). Failure to meet this threshold will result in elimination.

Cross-cutting Themes

The principle of equal opportunity will be integrated into all stages of project implementation and is implicitly part of the evaluation of overall project quality, including the participation of individuals in trainings and study visits.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

EU Acquis Alignment: The project requires strict alignment with and implementation of the EU acquis communautaire, particularly concerning Chapters 11 (Agriculture and Rural Development) and 18 (Statistics) of the EU Enlargement process.
EU Regulations: Compliance with a comprehensive list of EU regulations is mandatory, including those related to the Common Agricultural Policy (e.g., Regulation (EU) 2021/2116, 2021/2115, 1305/2013), integrated farm statistics (e.g., Regulation (EU) 2018/1091, 2021/2269), and general financial rules (Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046).
Moldovan Domestic Legal Framework: Adherence to relevant Moldovan laws and government decisions is required, such as Law no. 136/2017 ('About the Government'), Law no. 142/2018 (data exchange and interoperability), and Law no. 71/2007 (registries).
Twinning Manual: Strict adherence to the rules and guidelines outlined in the Twinning Manual is essential for all aspects of project implementation and reporting.

Ethical and Environmental Standards

Ethical Standards: Project activities must adhere to the fundamental principles of official statistics, including those adopted by the United Nations and the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Environmental Considerations: Project activities are designed not to negatively affect the environment. Efforts should be made to minimize the production of printed materials.

Institutional Collaboration and Data Management

Inter-institutional Cooperation: Close collaboration is expected with other Moldovan agricultural and rural development sector institutions, notably the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) and the National Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA).
Data Exchange: The project includes the development of a Framework Agreement for agricultural statistics data exchange and management between MAFI and NBS, based on EU Member State best practices.
Digitalization: The project contributes to Moldova's Digital Transformation Strategy (STDM) 2023-2030, including collaboration on the establishment of a National Farm registry and other digital initiatives.

Special Project Nature

Twinning Tool Specificity: This project utilizes the Twinning instrument, which uniquely focuses on 'expert-to-expert' cooperation and 'on-the-job' knowledge transfer. The emphasis is on supporting the practical implementation of reforms, beyond mere legal transposition.
Beneficiary Commitment: The success of the project heavily relies on the strong commitment and support of the beneficiary's (Moldovan NBS) management, the active involvement of assigned staff at all levels, coordination between departments, and ensuring access to necessary information and documents.