Call for Proposals – “Solutions in the Field of ICT and Cyber Security in SMEs”

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Application period: October 17 – December 19, 2022

Total budget: BGN 30 600 000

The current procedure is in implementation of the investment “Economic Transformation Program” to the “Intelligent Industry” component of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The purpose of the procedure is to contribute to accelerating the transition to digitalization of the economy by providing grants for the implementation of information and communication technologies and solutions that ensure an increase in the level of digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Eligible applicants: Funds will be targeted at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that meet the following mandatory requirements:

1) To be merchants within the meaning of the Commercial Law or the Law on Cooperatives, or to be active law firms within the meaning of the Law on Advocacy.

2) To be registered no later than 31.12.2019.

3) To have realized net sales revenue in total for 2021 financial year depending on the category of the candidate enterprise, as follows:
• for micro enterprises ≥ BGN 41 000.
• for small enterprises ≥ BGN 82 000.
• for medium-sized enterprises ≥ BGN 123 000.

4) To have an average staff number for 2021 that is ≥ 1 employed person.

5) To apply for support for their main economic activity according to the Classification of Economic Activities – KID-2008

6) The main economic activity of the applicant does NOT fall into the following sectors, sections, groups and classes according to KID-2008:
– sector A “Agriculture, forestry and fisheries”;
– sector C “Mining industry”;
– sector C “Processing industry”, section 10 “Production of food products”; and section 11 “Production of beverages”, as follows:

• 10.1. “Meat production and processing; production of meat products, excluding ready meals”;
• 10.2. “Processing and preservation of fish and other aquatic animals, excluding prepared meals”;
• 10.3 “Processing and canning of fruits and vegetables, excluding ready meals”;
• 10.4. “Production of vegetable and animal oils and fats”;
• 10.5. “Production of milk and milk products”;
• 10.6. “Manufacturing of mill products, starch and starch products”;
• 10.81. “Manufacturing of sugar”;
• 10.83. “Processing of coffee and tea”;
• 10.84. “Production of food spices and flavorings”;
• 10.91. “Production of ready-made animal feed”;
• 11.02. “Production of wine from grapes”;
• 11.03. “Manufacture of other fermented beverages”;
• 11.06. “Malt production”.
– sector F “Construction”;
– sector R “Education”;
– sector Q “Human health care and social work”:
• section 87 “Medical-social care with accommodation”;
• section 88 “Social work without accommodation”.
– sector J “Creation and dissemination of information and creative products, telecommunications”:
• section 62 “Activities in the field of information technologies”;
• section 63 “Information services”.
– the fisheries and aquaculture sector regulated by Regulation (EU) No. 1379/2013;
– the sector of the primary production of agricultural products;
– the processing and sale of agricultural products, in the following cases:

• when the amount of aid is determined on the basis of the price or quantity of those products which are purchased from primary producers or placed on the market by the undertakings concerned, or
• when the aid is tied to the obligation to be transferred partially or fully to the primary producers.
– the processing and/or marketing of forest products.

Eligible expenses:
– Group I. ICT services/solutions for digital marketing, platforms, websites and mobile applications;
– Group II. ICT services/solutions for optimization of management, production and logistics processes;
– Group III. ICT services/solutions to ensure cyber security in enterprises.

Amount of the grant:
• minimum amount of the grant: BGN 3 000.
• maximum amount of the grant: BGN 20 000.

Percentage of funding:  100%

Duration of the projects: up to 12 months

If you are interested in applying, contact our team of professionals to guide you through the application process.

Technological Modernization Procedure: Call for Proposals

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Application period: July 22 – September 21, 2022.

Total budget: BGN 260 million

Technological Modernization is the first measure launched under the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan and will be implemented by the General Directorate “European Competitiveness Funds” of the Ministry of Innovation and Growth of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The aim of this measure is to increase the efficiency of production processes, to achieve higher productivity, to reduce production costs and to optimize the production chain by providing grants to the Bulgarian SMEs.

The expected effect is to restore the economic potential of enterprises from the period before the COVID-19 pandemic and create conditions for the growth and development of enterprises through digitalization of production processes in order to expand or diversify the activity of SMEs.

Eligible candidates: Funds will be targeted at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that should meet the following mandatory requirements:

1) To be legal entities or sole traders registered in accordance with the Commercial Act or the Cooperatives Act

2) To be registered no later than 31.12.2019

3) To have realized net sales revenue in total for the last three completed financial years (2019, 2020 and 2021) depending on the category of the candidate enterprise, as follows:

  • for micro enterprises >= BGN 210 thousand.
  • for small enterprises >= BGN 750 thousand.
  • for medium-sized enterprises >= BGN 3 million.

4) To have realized net sales revenue for the 2021 financial year, depending on the category of the candidate enterprise, as follows:

  • micro enterprise ≥ BGN 52,000
  • small enterprise ≥ BGN 187,000
  • medium enterprise ≥ BGN 750,000

5) To perform their main economic activity in one of the following sectors:

  • Sector C „Manufacturing“

C10 “Manufacture of food products”; C11 “Manufacture of beverages”; C13 ‘Manufacture of textiles and textile articles, except apparel’; C14 “Manufacture of wearing apparel”; C15 “Treatment of hides and skins; manufacture of footwear and other articles of hairless leather ‘; C16 “Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials’; C17 “Manufacture of paper and paperboard and of articles of paper and paperboard”; C18 “Printing and reproduction of recorded media”; C19 “Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products”; C20 “Manufacture of chemicals”; C21 “Manufacture of medicinal products and products”; R22 “Manufacture of rubber and plastic products”; R23 “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products”; C24 “Manufacture of basic metals”; C25 “Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment”; C26 “Manufacture of computer and communication equipment, electronic and optical products”; C27 “Manufacture of electrical equipment” C28 “Manufacture of machinery and equipment, general and special purpose”; C29 “Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers”; C30 “Manufacture of motor vehicles, except automobiles”; C31 “Manufacture of furniture”; C32 “Manufacture not classified elsewhere “; C33 “Repair and installation of machinery and equipment”

  • Sector E “Waste Management and Recovery”

E38 “Collection and disposal of waste; material recycling’; E39 “Reclamation and other waste management services”

  • Sector J „Creation and dissemination of information and creative products; Telecommunications”

J58 “Publishing”; J59 “Film and television production, sound recording and music publishing”; J60 “Radio and television activities”; J61 Telecommunications; J62 “Information technology activities”; J63 “Information services”

  • Sector М „Professional activities and research“

M71 “Architectural and engineering activities”; M72 “Research and development”

Eligible costs:

  1. Purchase of machinery, facilities and equipment representing long-term tangible assets
  2. Costs for the purchase of software representing a long-term intangible asset, including:
  • costs for the acquisition of specialized software;
  • costs for acquiring ERP systems, CRM systems and/or MOM/MES systems – up to BGN 50,000.

Percentage of funding: up to 50%

Maximum amount of the grant:

  • For micro enterprises – BGN 180 thousand, but no more than 100% of the realized average annual net sales revenue for the three-year period 2019, 2020 and 2021.
  • For small enterprises – BGN 350 thousand, but no more than 60% of the realized average annual net sales revenue for the three-year period 2019, 2020 and 2021.
  • For medium-sized enterprises – BGN 700 thousand, but no more than 25% of the realized average annual net sales revenue for the three-year period 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Duration of the projects: up to 12 months

If you are interested to apply, contact our team of professionals to guide you through the application process.

European Social Fund+ Programme 2021-2027: Call for proposals

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The European Commission has published a Call for proposals under the Employment and Social Innovation (“EaSI”) strand of the European Social Fund (ESF+) programme. 

With a budget of €10 million, the EC aims to support the realization of the European Pillar of Social Rights by funding 15 to 20 projects that develop and test integrated and inclusive social innovation approaches – in schools or training centres, at work or in local communities, or other relevant environments – to foster just green and digital transitions. A wide range of activities are eligible, including:

– identifying and addressing (re-/up-)skilling and (re-)training needs stemming from new, green or digital products, services or technologies;

– fostering social acceptance and/or behavioural changes for more sustainable business models, consumption patterns and/or modes of transport;

– developing sustainability pathways and transformation tools for social economy actors;

– developing tailor solutions to the particular contexts starting from general models, such as the City Doughnut or macro level climate adaptation solutions, to other, business or local environments;

– promoting the implementation of the EPSR principle 20. Essential services, including energy, mobility and digital communications, in the context of the green and digital transitions.

The foreseen results include: Greater uptake of new green and digital technologies; New trainings to endow European citizens to make the most out the green and digital transitions; Increase in social acceptance and ownership for fairer and more sustainable business models; Developed transformation tools for social economy actors; Engagement with local, regional, national authorities, as well as social partners and civil society at large to maximise the impact.

You can find more information on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, or contact our team to guide you through the Call’s documentation and the application process.