Call for proposals Professionalization of research centers program

Under the Call DIGIT.1.2.03, indirect costs are not foreseen. Given the broad eligibility of cost categories and the allowed maximum ratio between personnel and other costs, the inclusion of indirect costs is not envisaged under this Call.

Only the costs of newly employed staff are eligible. New employment must be planned as part of the project activities, in line with the operational needs of the research center and the objectives of the BDP. All personnel costs must be clearly justified and properly documented.

Provided that the person will be newly employed for the remaining workload percentage (e.g. an additional 50%) specifically for the purposes of the project, in such cases, only the newly contracted portion of the employment (i.e. the part corresponding to project-specific work) can be considered eligible.

The employment must be clearly documented and justified as a new position contributing to the implementation of the BDP (e.g. manager).

Indicators in the BDP will be evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative assessment method. Evaluators will consider the relevance, realism, and ambition of the proposed indicators in relation to baseline data and project’s objectives and activities as well as quantitative elements (e.g. measurable targets, numerical baselines) which will support the qualitative evaluation.

In such cases, the applicant should select the scientific area and field that most accurately reflect the scope and focus of the research center defined in project proposal. The selection should be based on the core research activities and capacities that the center aims to support or enhance.

The scope of the center should be clearly defined and explained in the Business Development Plan (BDP), including its connection to the selected scientific areas and fields.

In the Funding category column, the applicant should indicate the type of applicant, i.e., specify research organization, since the eligible applicants are Croatian public higher education institutions (HEI) or public research institutes (PRI). In the Support intensity column, the applicant should indicate the percentage of support intensity, which for public research organizations can be up to 100%. In the Grant funds column, the applicant should indicate the amount of grant requested, calculated based on the total eligible costs and the applicable support intensity. It is not necessary to add new rows, as the data should be entered for the total value of eligible costs per applicant.

As indicated in the Business Development Plan, applicants should provide baseline data from the 3 years preceding the submission of the project proposal.

In line with the Guidelines for Applicants, the maximum project duration is 36 months. Applicants should plan the project duration in accordance with the set objectives, proposed activities, and budget. All eligible costs must be incurred between the date of project proposal submission and no later than October 31, 2028. The responsibility for the timely execution of the project lies with the applicant/beneficiary.

The two cover pages can be excluded from the total length of the Business Development Plan.

Methodology for calculating personnel costs is given in section 9. of Guidelines for Applicants. Applicants must ensure compliance with all relevant internal acts, salary regulations, and applicable national legislation/by-laws (including labour regulations, institutional salary policies, internal rules, and collective agreements, if applicable).

CVs of key staff members should be provided in a clear and concise format; applicants may choose either a standard CV template (such as Europass – preferably) or a narrative style, as long as the information on qualifications, experience, and relevance to the project is presented comprehensively.

The factor 1.2 for calculating the monthly salary, corresponding to a 20% increase in personnel costs, is a budgeting reference. It is intended to provide flexibility for estimating personnel costs over the duration of the project. This approach acknowledges potential increases in salaries compared to the baseline personnel costs. The applicants are responsible for interpreting any legislation or internal procedures.

In line with the Guidelines for Applicants, applicants must foresee the employment of a new person dedicated to this role.

In line with the Guidelines for Applicants, as part of the implementation of the Business Development Plan (BDP), applicants are required to plan the employment of new staff necessary for the execution of project activities and the achievement of planned results. This particularly refers to the obligatory employment of a manager, but may also involve other expert or administrative profiles, depending on the specific needs of the project. Applicants must provide a clear justification that each employment is necessary for the effective implementation of the BDP. The minimum employment level of each newly employed person is 50% of full-time (i.e. part-time employment at 0.5 FTE).

The target value should represent the total expected value at project completion, including the baseline value.

Annexes to the Business Development Plan may include documents such as CVs of key staff, lists of equipment, technologies and resources, list of projects, collaborations, and other relevant supporting information as long as it is clear and relevant to the context of the project.