Extension of the competitive application period for the creation and joint funding of R&D&I projects by knowledge clusters in the Balearic Islands

The project

This extension of the application period for proposals will encompass the awarding of subsidies, on a competitive basis, to innovative business associations (knowledge clusters) based both physically and fiscally in the Balearic Islands, with the aim of boosting their participation in national and international R&D&I calls for proposals and in projects with potential for innovation, and the creation of new clusters in different economic sectors of the Balearic Islands, in order to make our economy more competitive.   

The application period will remain in place throughout 2020, with a maximum amount of €400,000 available. Each action must have a duration of three years or less and will be awarded funding on an advertised, competitive and objective basis. 

In order to guarantee the scientific and technological quality of the projects and their technical and economic feasibility, the projects will be subject to double assessment, one external and another internal. The external assessment will be based on scientific and technical criteria, such as scientific and technical quality, the feasibility of the proposal and the extent to which the budget requested meets the objectives set. This external assessment will be carried out by a renowned independent organisation. The internal selection will be based on consideration of the criteria of opportunity, such as the project’s impact on the Balearic Islands’ productive sector. 

The actions that need to be carried out are as follows: 

- Preparing the extension of the application period for proposals: reflecting on the call for proposals of 15 October 2018 and how appropriate the text of the call for proposals in accordance with the terms and conditions of the government department and other applicable regulations.

-Processing the extension of the application period: the whole administrative process should be carried out in accordance with the regulations in force for approving publication in the Balearic Islands Official Gazette (budgets report, legal reports, prior intervention, etc.). 

- Ruling on extending the application period: two assessments will be made, one external to assess the scientific and technical quality, and another internal assessment to measure how appropriate the proposals are. The internal assessment will be carried out by a selection committee consisting of staff from the directorate-general for innovation and by individuals from the community’s scientific and technological sectors. 

- Implementation of the projects selected: the beneficiaries’ projects must run for no longer than three years. 

- Reviewing the justification for projects: justification for the projects will depend on the timeline proposed and approved. There may be two partial justifications and one final justification; one partial and one final; or a single final justification. Checks will be made that the items implemented are those that were put forward and approved in the project proposal, and all costs incurred will be checked to ensure that they match those set out in the ruling awarding the aid.