New calls under the ICT and Shared Services programme
At the end of October, first calls within the long-awaited second call under the Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness Operational Programme (OP EIC) were finally announced. In addition to calls designed for small and medium-size businesses, this also included calls for participation in the ICT and Shared Services programme for which large business may also apply.
A separate call has been announced for each individual activity that is being supported. Below we summarise the most important information for large businesses.
Applications for support will be accepted via the MS2014+ electronic system from 16 November 2016 to 16 February 2017. All calls are single-round calls, which means that the quality of the submitted application is the most decisive factor. However, the governing body may interrupt the acceptance of applications when reaching the double of the required funds for allocation, but not earlier than 14 days after the application acceptance inception date.
Supported activities, the amount of aid, funds for allocation and eligible costs
creation of new IS/ICT solutions:
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minimum subsidy of CZK 1 million; maximum subsidy of CZK 50 million; total funds for allocation of CZK 2 billion;
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eligible costs: operating expenses in form of personnel expenses (50% of eligible costs in the minimum) and rent; investment costs in form of HW, SW and other costs associated with a project on a de minimis basis;
establishment and operation of shared services centres:
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minimum subsidy of CZK 1 million; maximum subsidy of CZK 100 million; total funds for allocation of CZK 0.7 billion;
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eligible costs: operating expenses in form of personnel expenses (50% of eligible costs in the minimum) and rent; investment expenditures in form of HW, SW and other costs associated with a project on a de minimis basis;
building and modernisation of data centres:
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minimum subsidy of CZK 10 million; maximum subsidy of CZK 120 million; total funds for allocation of CZK 0.75 billion;
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eligible costs: investment expenditures in form of costs incurred for the acquisition of buildings, land, building reconstructions, HW, SW and other machinery.
The maximum amount of aid for large businesses is 25% of all eligible costs in respect of all the supported activities.
Other selected conditions of individual calls
Projects must be carried out in the Czech Republic but outside of Prague. The number of projects per one applicant (one identification number) is limited to one active application; projects must be implemented within a period of three years of the date on which they are accepted. Recipients of aid for the establishment and operation of shared services centres must create at least 40 new jobs and assign them to employees that will perform technical activities in compliance with a centre’s specialisation. In the case of recipients of aid for the creation of new IS/ICT solutions activities, four new jobs must be created and properly assigned.
2016 calls feature one novelty, which is the applicant’s obligation to document their ownership structure up to the ultimate owner. In addition, all fixed assets must be acquired from third parties unrelated to the applicant. In respect of the establishment and operation of shared services centres and the building and modernisation of data centres, recipients whose projects have been approved for aid of CZK 50 million and higher must provide a sustainability guarantee in the amount of the funds allocated to the project before signing the decision on granting a subsidy. This guarantee must be in form of a pledge of real estate established in favour of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, a creditworthy guarantor’s warranty or a bank guarantee, while the guarantee must be effective over the entire project sustainability period.
Should you be interested in more details, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will also be happy to help you with the preparation of your project application.