Activitati RINNO

Revised Plan of Activities

for RINNO project – cod MIS-ETC 168

Proposed activity (with underlining of the proposal for modification)

No.

Activity

Description of the activity

0.

Project preparation

This activity was carried out in order to develop the project and consisted in meetings and discussions between partners, as well as in preparing the application with the assistance of a consulting company.

1.

Project management

This activity will consist of 3 sub-activities as follows:

1.1.

Creating the Project Management Team (PMT)

The Project Management Team (PMT) will officially be created including the persons designated on the specified jobs, as results from the attached CV’s and job descriptions.

Each national authority for R&D&I will designate the responsible persons for Romania-Bulgaria Cross-border Cooperation. These persons will be part of the PMT.

The PMT has the following structure:

Partners’ own staff:

1. General Manager - coordinator of the project appointed by the Lead Partner – (Ro)
2. Organization expert  the Lead Partner – (Ro)
3. Deputy Manager – for Partner 2
4. Financial Responsible for Partner nr. 2 (Bg) – without salary
5. Financial Responsible for Partner nr. 3 (Ro)

6.    Financial Authorized Expert for the Lead Partner – (Ro)

1. Manager for Public Procurements for the Lead Partner – (Ro)
2. Financial Responsible for Partner nr. 4 (Bg)
3. Responsible for relation with universities and research entitiesfor Lead Partner (Ro)
4. Technical Expertfor Lead Partner (Ro)
5. Responsible person for the relations with the local administration and marketing – Partner 4 (Bg)
6. Responsible person for the relations with the business community and marketing – Partner 3 (Ro)
7. Responsible for communication and events – Partner 3 (Ro)
8. 2 Media Monitoring Experts – Partner 3 (Ro)
9. Responsible for communication and events - Partner 4  (Bg)
10. Technical expert for online video coverage and editing - Partner 3 (Ro)

Outsourced Project Management Team:

1. Financial Manager for LP (Ro)
2. Assistant manager for LP (Ro)
3. Project manager for Partner 2 (Bg)
4. Assistant manager for Partner 2 (Bg)
5. Financial responsible for Partner 2 (Bg)

The activity result:

- 1 PMT, comprising 22 members.

1.2.

Public procurement for equipment, software and services ensuring PMT

The project management team will have the necessary equipment, software and services for developing the activities of the project. The public procurement will be organized by the each partner by its own means. Each partner will purchase its own equipment, software and services.

1.2.1.

Equipment and software

The PMT will purchase the necessary equipment and software to properly implement the project.

The results of the activity:

Ø  3 contracts for purchasing the following equipment connected with the structure of the staff of each partner:

·         3 server

·         5 laptops

·         1 large screen 3 D TVs & supports & DVD players

·         1 smart boards

·         4 UPSs

·         8 antivirus licenses

·         5 Office licenses

·         1 MS Project Licenses

·         1 Corel Draw Licenses

·         3 server software licenses

·         1 mobile storage and recovery data centre

·         1 video conference equipment.

·         2 cars

1.2.2.

Internet services

Each partner will have connection to Internet for the day by day activity, including voice over IP, in order to reduce the costs for communication. The results of activity:

-          4 contracts for internet services signed by each partner with providers from Romania and Bulgaria

1.2.3.

Communication services

Each partner will have a budget for communication services (stable and mobile phones). The mobile communication contracts will include internet services to increase the flexibility of the PMT.

The results of the activity:

- 4 contracts for communication with providers from Romania and Bulgaria

1.2.4.

Media monitoring

Media monitoring activity will play two roles:

a) an instrument for the PMT to understand the landscape of the cross-border area, the evolutions in this market and for adapting the activities of the strategic project to the specific context;

b) a monitoring instrument to assess the results of the strategic project; the monitoring reports will be part of the quarterly report for the Joint Technical Secretariat.

The Partner nr. 3 will issue a weekly report. Also, it will issue a monthly report reviewing the main topics specific for the strategic project.

The acquisition will be made respecting the public procurement procedures. The Partner 3 will include this activity in house.

The results of the activity:

- 46 monthly reports

- 15 quarterly reports

- assistance for the PMT in disseminating the information about the strategic project

1.3.

Ensuring Project Management (PMT’s meetings, project monitoring)

Every 3 months the PMT members will meet in order to establish the to-do list and analyze the status of the implementation (including the progress reports, financial reports, first level control reports etc.). Other intermediary meetings of the PMT could be organized in order to discuss urgent issues, if the case.

The results of the activity:

- 15 PMT meetings during the implementation period

- 12 progress reports

- 11 reimbursement claims drafted and submitted.

1.4.

Meetings between partners (Project Steering Committee)

In order to ensure the good implementation of the project, there will be regular meetings between project partners’ representatives, including others than the PMT members.

Keeping in mind the specific of this strategic project, the partners agreed to declare full members of the Project Steering Committee the top management of each organization. The list of members from each partner will be defined inside the Partnership Agreement. Each partner will have only one vote in the Project Steering Committee and this number is not connected with the number of participants from each organization.

The results of the activity:

- 15 meetings between partners (Project Steering Committee)

2.

Evaluation of the R&D&I units operating in the cross-border area

The evaluation will be done in accordance with the local strategies for economic and social development. The evaluation process will be carried out once in 2014 and once in 2015.

A methodology for assessing the R&D&I units from the cross-border area will be designed. The draft of the methodology will be open for public debates.

The reports will be based on the statements of the R&D&I units from the cross-border area and on the assessment of the service provider. All reports will have international distribution to generate proper visibility of the R&D&I units operating into the eligible area to develop technological transfer in EU and other parts of the world. In this way, the strategic project will have a concrete contribution to the socio – economic development of the region.

The results of the activity:

- 1 contract for designing the methodology in accordance with the result of the open tender

- 1 public debate

- the draft methodology will be posted on minimum 10 web sites

- 1 methodology

- 2 public reports (one in August 2014 and one in August 2015); the reports will be printed in 50 copies in English – full color

- 1 database with universities, research entities and the results of the research activity in the area.

3.

Establishing and operation of the Council for the Cross-Border Innovative Development (Rinno Council)

This activity of the strategic project will be based on the results of the Project INNO GATE 21 where the Foundation for Democracy, Culture and Liberty – Calarasi Branch is the lead partner. The Innovation Council initiated by that project will be developed at a more influential level. The RINNO Council will include: representatives of local and central authorities, business community, universities, research entities and media.

The meetings of the RINNO Council will be open for public and will benefit from on line video live coverage. This approach will prove to the citizens that innovation is a day by day preoccupation of each of us, not a high level philosophy.

RINNO Council will have 10 meetings, 5 organized by the Lead Partner and 5 organized by P4.

The results of the activity:

- RINNO Council (41 members)

- 1 database for the RinnoCouncil

- 10 meetings

- 10 on line video coverage

4.

Setting up and develop strategies and plans

Rinno Council will develop strategies, plans and priorities for innovative economic and social development of cross-border region. At the end of the project these instruments will be evaluated and updated.

These documents will be publicly debated.

The documents will be elaborated by the Lead Partner.

The activity results:

- 3 strategies to be submitted until the end of the implementation period

- 12 public debates (6 organized by LP and 6 organized by P4)

- 60 mentions in media about the documents

5.

Organize RINNO Training Activities 

RINNO Training Activities will be for innovative groups. The training will develop activities from four focal points:

• Two from national level (Bucharest and Sofia)
• Two from the LOGIC (Ruse and Calarasi)

All four focal points will operate as components of a center through video conference equipment. All together represent the RINNO Training Activities.

LOGIC (Local Driving Forces for Innovative Companies) is the main part of the concept for this strategic project. The two national bodies are working to decentralize their activity and to promote local actors as facilitators of the innovative development. The Partner nr. 3 will transfer good practices to the Partner nr. 4 for developing in its own structure an office for the relation with industry and research entities. These two organizations from the cross-border area will sign contracts with the national bodies to represent them in the eligible area and to be the local structures for training.

In our approach, the virtual components of the RINNO Training Activities represent the training activity done through internet. In this case, the trainers and the trainees are not in the same room. The trainer may be somewhere in the world and the trainees may be somewhere in the eligible area. The costs of the training program will decrease by reducing the cost for accommodation. In this way, the budget of the project will be better used for other activities.

The RINNO Training Activities’ concept includes operational system of training:

• LOGIC represent the Romanian and Bulgarian central authorities in research and will develop the Training Center;
• Each part of the LOGIC system is in charge with specific training programs to respect the concept of common planning and common activities;
  • The Bulgarian side will organize training programs, in principal, into the following fields:
    • Innovative management for public servants
    • Accessing EU programs for research
  • The Romanian side will organize training programs, in principal, into the following fields:
    • Intellectual property and arbitration court
    • Using, storage and recovery of the data center
    • Accessing EU programs for innovation, other than the programs for research
    • Marketing the innovation for technology transfer

The list of training programs will be developed as part of the strategies for innovation developed under the Activity nr. 4. The plan for training activities will include 3 courses each year.

This concept presents some major advantages as follows:

• Involving the national and international personalities in the activity of RINNO Training Activities using IT&C facilities (video conferences equipments, Internet, data storage and recovery center, video on line coverage etc.)
• Low costs of the training activity because of the IT&C equipment
• Development of a strong cross-border training network for innovative activities. RINNO Training Activities will become a facilitator for creating networks between universities, research institutes and SMEs and for technological transfer. In this way, the Program will accomplish a part of its targets.
• With the RINNO Training Activities, the access to the local human resources with higher education will be easier for large companies, thus finding more motivation to invest in the cross-border area. 

5.1.

Developing the facilities for training of the Romanian national research authority

The Romanian national research authority will acquire video conference facilities to be able to involve national and international experts in the training programs from the cross-border area.

The activity results:

• 1 contract for public procurement of the video conference equipment;
• 1 set of video conference equipment

5.2.

Developing the RINNO Training Activities in Ruse (Bulgaria)

The Association of Danube River Municipalities “Danube” (ADRM) will make available a space for the training activities in Ruse, according the written statement of the Municipality of RUSE, member of ADRM.

5.3.

Developing the RINNO Training Activities Calarasi County (Romania)

The FDCL- Calarasi Branch will use the facility bought with the funds from the DANUBE HOUSE PROJECT. The project was accepted to financing by the CBC Program in May 2010. The FDCL – Calarasi will make available the DANUBE HOUSE facilities for the training activities of the RINNO project

6.

Develop the RINNO Model

The RINNO Model refers to two aspects:

§  An assessment of the capacity of the business communities and administrative entities (counties and districts) to attract R&D&I in their social and economic development programs and of the universities and research institutes / entities to generate innovation. This activity will be done twice a year (in 2014 and 2015)

§  A systematic brokerage activity for new technologies to generate partnerships between universities, research institutes / entities, SMEs, local administration.

The reports will have a large impact on public opinion proving the capacity of the public administration to attract innovative companies and research entities. In the same time, the reports will have international circulation through internet and delivering the hard copies.

The RINNO Model (methodology and the types of reports) could be extended to the other borders of Romania, Bulgaria and EU as a good practices exchange.

The results of the activity:

§  4 bi-annual reports of the innovative capacity of the local target groups printed in 250 copies in English

§  5 brokerage sessions to connect the innovative activity of universities, research institutes/entities, SMEs and local administration

§  50 media articles and presentations.

7.

Rinno Prizes

These are the rewards for the most innovative partnerships between universities, research institutes, SMEs and local administration. The list of rewards could be developed by the strategies developed under the Activity nr. 4.

The rewards will be delivered during formal ceremonies. Two ceremonies will be held in Romania and one in Bulgaria.

The activity results:

·         3 ceremonies for delivering the rewards

·         3 video live on-line coverage

·         25 media articles / presentations about the events

·         3 contracts for the ceremonies

8.

Generation of IT&C Rinno platform

RINNO PLATFORMis the core of the strategic project. It is a data storage and recovery centre for all partners and other beneficiaries as well.

The Management Authority, for example, could decide to storage on this platform the documents, web sites, applications of all projects from Romania - Bulgaria Cross-Border Cooperation Program. This approach will increase the accessibility to the projects for all interested parties from all over the world.

The instrument will offer a lot of facilities for the universities, research entities and SMEs to run applications for new models of competitive development and to keep the track of the evolution in the market. The RINNO PLATFORM will offer a huge capacity for data storage which otherwise could hardly be accessible for a single entity in the CBC region without the support of the EU. This is just an example on how the EU funding could be used in the eligible area to generate new services for innovative entities.

Our decision is to purchase a mobile data and recovery centre. This kind of equipment will offer the following advantages:

• It is cheap– the cost to build up 1 square meter for a storage and recovery centre is 4,000 – 6,000 euro. The size for an average data centre is around 200 sqm. Using mobile equipment we shall have the same facilities with a low cost.
• It is a training tool. The RINNO Training Activities will use the facilities of the data centre for training the target groups without affecting the day by day storage and recovery activities.
• It is a provider of new services in the area. At any important event in the eligible area of the target groups and of the partners, the data centre could be remote to the specific location to play, for example, the role of a communication centre.
• Fund raiser. The data centre will have a decisive role in generating funds for the applicants after the end of the implementation of the project. The services provided by this equipment will be more and more necessary for each institution.
• Public fund reducer. Instead of buying servers for each public institution to storage the data, the RINNO PLATFORM will represent a common resource for the whole eligible area which will be used free of charge by the public entities. This is a way to prove how the European programs are supporting member countries during the crises period.

The mobile data centre will have a stand-alone component and a mobile one. The mobile Data center will be transported wherever is needed in the eligible area and the two country capital cities with the specialized transportation mean purchased in the project.

The Data Center includes modules for IT&C equipment, power system, air conditioning, fire detection and suppression system, IT network infrastructure.

9.

Awareness campaigns, information and publicity

The communication campaign will have three pillars:

1. The activities and products of the Strategic Project

2. The activities and products of other projects in the eligible area connected with innovation process from the Romania – Bulgaria Cross-Border Program

3. The activities and products of other entities interested in promoting innovative development into the eligible area.

This approach will reduce the cost of the information and publicity activities included in the strategic project (including but not restricted to project website).

A dedicated website will be created for the RINNO project.

We shall offer to different entities the chance to be promoted using our logo.

9.1

Design of the visual identity elements of the project

The project logo, slogan, templates etc. will be designed by a specialized company. These elements will be used over the entire lifetime of the project and after this, ensuring a distinctive identity of the Rinno concept.

9.2

Development and printing of publications

The following publications will be created and developed:

§  1 edition of a book with studies will be printed and disseminated in 250 copies.

§  2,500 brochures (20 pages each);

§  5,000 leaflets

9.3

Development and production of promotional materials

The following promotional materials will be created:

§  250 USB memory sticks

All these materials will be branded with the visual identity elements of the project.

9.4

Organization of awareness campaigns

Awareness campaigns promoting the importance of research, innovation and technological transfer will be organized in 2014 and 2015 as follows:

§  2 Innovation Caravansin the eligible area – will comprise all counties and districts (one day per region). Estimated number of participants: 50 per day.  This activity is based on the experience of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research to organize a match-making process to put together the SMEs, universities, research entities and local administration for technologic transfer. The final goals of this activity are to increase the competitiveness of the SMEs, to generate new jobs and income to the local budgets.

§  5 films with presentation of innovative results of the research and development will be produced. These films will be produced by the professional team of the Partner nr. 3. The list of the films will be decided by the management implementation team based on the requests from the local entities and on the own proposals.

§  8 debates organized in the central markets of some of the main towns from the districts and counties from the eligible area (2 debates in each district and county); the debates will stay under the umbrella: INNOVATION = jobs, education, SMEs, future for our kids.

§  8 debates organized in universities and research institutes together with the business communities with the theme: Increase the competitiveness of the SMEs through innovation.

All these 16 debates will be fully on-line video covered.

9.5

Organizing media campaigns

The media campaign will be organized on internet (10 websites related to research and business), radio (one station per country/district) and written press (one local newspaper per country/district) as follows:

1.    three months in 2014

2.    two months in 2015

The activity results:

• 5 media campaigns which will touch:
  • 10 websites related to research and business)
  • 2 radio stations (one station per country)
  • 2 written media (one local newspaper per country)

10.

Audit

The external evaluation of the project will be done by an Registered Auditor, in accordance with the legislation in force. The auditor will provide yearly auditing reports connected with the report issued by the PMT for the Joint Technical Secretariat. Also, a final report will be issued by the audit company at the end of the Strategic Project.

The Romanian Ministry of National Education is in charge with this activity for the entire group of applicants.

10. 1.

Public procurement for audit services

TheManager for Public Procurement (LP), assisted by the PMT will organize and coordinate the public procurement for the audit services. The responsibility is belonging to the Lead Partner who will sign the contract.

10.2.

Audit services

The results of the activity:

§  1 contract for public procurement of services for audit

§  2 annual audit reports for all partners

§  1 final audit report for all partners