Library FAQ
What are the terms and budget for experts advising on the EIC Market Place?
Experts appointed in their personal capacity acting independently will receive a special allowance of EUR 450/day. Type of action: Expert contracts. Indicative budget: EUR 100 000 from the 2021 budget.
What is Action 1 and what are its limits?
Improved definition of procurers' challenges and needs via needs assessments (focus groups, workshops, studies) before procurement. Maximum duration 5 months and maximum budget EUR 10 000 (public or private buyers).
What is Action 2 and what are its limits?
Improved market sourcing and consultation before designing a tender, including events or supplier pitching. At least two EIC-funded projects/companies must be invited per engagement. Maximum duration 5 months and maximum budget EUR 10 000 (public or private bu...
What is Action 3 and what are its limits?
Co-creation of pilots/test solutions (development and early testing for TRL 6–9) including at least one EIC-funded company. Majority of support should co-finance supplier development. Maximum duration 10 months (public procurers only). Maximum budget per pilot...
What is Action 4 and what are its limits?
Support to the development of terms of reference, including innovation management, legal and IP advice. Maximum duration 10 months (public procurers only). Maximum budget per co-development EUR 50 000.
What is the action type, application deadline and indicative budget for the procurement call topic?
Type of action: Coordination and Support Action (CSA). Deadline for applications: 30/09/2021. The Commission considers proposals requesting a contribution in the order of EUR 2 million would address the challenge appropriately.
What is the format, target volumes and selection rules for the EEN support service?
Support takes the form of a 3–5 day (on average) 1-to-1 advisory service to strengthen business, innovation and partnering strategies. Target volumes per year: 300–400 companies from widening countries, 600–800 women-led companies, and 300 SoE holders. Proposa...
What is the objective of the innovation procurement call topic?
To support public and private procurers to better define their innovation and procurement needs, engage with suppliers (notably EIC-funded companies), foster aggregation of demand at European level, and create business opportunities for innovative technologies...
What is the purpose of the EEN support to the EIC Accelerator?
To help innovative companies in widening countries and women-led companies prepare high-quality EIC Accelerator proposals, and to support Seal of Excellence (SoE) holders in obtaining funding from public and/or private sources and accessing finance services.
What is the role of the group of experts on the EIC plug-in pilot?
They will support operation and implementation of the pilot Plug-in scheme for the EIC Accelerator, assess programmes and related evaluation processes submitted by Member States and Associated Countries annually, and certify programmes suitable for the pilot p...
What language(s) will be used for communication with the EIC?
English will be the communication language with the EIC, EIC companies and the European Commission, in addition to the language used by the public authority for the procurement procedure.
What proportion of the budget must be allocated to financial support to third parties?
Applicants must allocate at least 75% of the total proposed budget to financial support to third parties.
What topics will the Expert Group on EIC Market Place and 'Tech to Market' advise on?
They will advise on supporting a broad spectrum of intellectual asset protection forms, wide asset types, different information/disclosure levels, valuation categorisations, modalities and incentives for sharing results, ways to combine/enrich assets, traceabi...
Which actions can private procurers access?
Private procurers (large corporates) have access only to Actions 1 and 2. Public procurers have access to all four Actions.
Who can be supported by this call?
Public and private procurers of innovation, with actions designed to benefit primarily EIC-funded projects and companies (Pathfinder, Transition activities and Accelerator).
Who should primarily benefit from the implemented actions?
Primarily EIC-funded projects and companies (Pathfinder, Transition activities and Accelerator).
Can previous winners or prior EU prize recipients apply to the Challenge Prize?
Winners of previous editions of the European Social Innovation Competition are not eligible, and applicants that have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.
How are applications evaluated for the procurement contest?
A jury reviews and scores eligible applications and will invite shortlisted applicants to a hearing (which may take place remotely). Further details and rules are published at the contest launch and on the Funding and Tenders Portal.
How is the two-stage submission process organised and what are the prizes for the Challenge Prize?
Stage 1: short application; jury shortlists up to 30 applicants. Stage 2: finalists submit full applications; jury ranks three winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Each winner receives EUR 50 000 and all 30 finalists are offered business acceleration services for up to th...
What are the award criteria and prize for the Impact Prize?
Criteria: quality and clarity of the theory of change and impact measurement methodology with relevant indicators, and demonstrated results over the previous year based on those indicators. The winner receives EUR 50 000.
What are the award criteria for the Challenge Prize?
Degree of Innovation, Impact, Sustainability (financial and environmental), and Scalability and replicability.
What are the date requirements for initiatives submitting to the Challenge Prize?
The proposed solutions must relate to ongoing (even in an early phase) or completed initiatives started after 11 December 2019; for ongoing activities only work achieved by the submission deadline will be considered and applicants must prove the starting date.
What are the expected results of the procurement awards?
To stimulate innovation procurement uptake; acknowledge and support procurers and supporting legal entities; and build a diverse European community of public and private buyers to share and inspire each other in designing innovative procurement processes.
What are the Fast Track and Plug-in schemes for applying to the EIC Accelerator?
Fast Track: a scheme for proposals stemming from existing Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020 projects where a funding body conducts a project review using award criteria equivalent to the EIC Accelerator short stage and independent evaluation; if criteria are met...