Funds from the European Union

The development of BT&A Group made it possible to expand the structure beyond the current areas of offered advisory services. Acquiring an efficient and experienced team of advisors specialising in EU subsidies has contributed to the establishment of another company – BT&A Dotacje. Within the framework of selected and specialised areas of the business of BT&A Dotacje, we offer services in the following areas:

Subsidies (analysis of a company’s potential, preparing documents, settlement, management)
Book-keeping for subsidy projects, in a full scope, or verifying the accuracy of books
Technology
Research
Trainings on subsidy programmes, rules of acquiring and settling projects

BT&A Dotacje provides comprehensive, professional and effective advisory services in the scope of acquiring European Union aid funds and managing projects which have obtained aid.

The services provided by the entity consist in advising at every stage of the management cycle of a project:

• Identification of investment needs
• Advising during the selection of an optimal source of investment financing
• Preparing a strategy for acquiring funds
• Selection of an aid programme
• Preparing and submitting application documentation
• Support at signing a co-financing agreement
• Supervising the actual implementation of a project
• Supervising a reporting system (reporting)
• Settling a project
• Monitoring a project and providing assistance during the inspection of a project

The enormous experience of our team, implemented quality policy and an original project management process result in the extreme efficiency of our actions.

This offer enables you to make use of services which will assist in acquiring non-returnable EU funds for investment execution.

The most crucial element in acquiring such funds is to prepare a subject-matter plan of the enterprise, in accordance with the guidelines of a given programme, which involves skilful preparation of application documentation and effective management of a project. Wishing to meet these requirements, we would like to offer you the comprehensive advisory services in the scope of project management, which include:

PART I - Preparations

This stage includes the preparation of the concept of an entire project and identification of goals which are consistent with your needs and constitute the basis for applying for aid funds. Our consultants then select an aid programme which is suitable for the type of an executed project – each programme requires different documents and has different goals. We will show you the best source of financing a project, what documentation you should have when submitting an application, we will help you set a project budget and perform other analyses which are necessary to increase your chances of acquiring funds. Projects with best justification and those which best fit in with the goals of a programme have a chance of acquiring funds. The experience of persons who cooperate with us during 3 weeks from the moment of obtaining detailed information on a project which is to be executed will make it possible for us to prepare an application for you – accurate in terms of formal requirements and subject matter – in accordance with the criteria of a given contest.

PART II - Execution

A project which is managed correctly guarantees settlement, and therefore constitutes the basis for the payment of aid funds. At this stage, the assistance of BT&A Dotacje employees consists in preparing settlement documentation, participating in monitoring activities and evaluating a project.

PART III - Settlement

When managing large and varied investment projects, we guarantee the participation of best experts for their execution. Supervision of the quality of works and their timely performance guarantees that the adopted goals will be reached and the project will be settled, and consequently, full co-financing will be obtained. Our help consists in active cooperation with a client during subsequent stages of project execution, in line with the needs of the project. We provide our advisory services for as long as the schedule of project execution and settlement requires it.

Comprehensive Project Management

The amount of remuneration for BT&A Dotacje depends on the type of a programme which includes a project participating in a contest, a subsidy amount and the complexity of application documentation which has to be prepared. Remuneration for BT&A Dotacje for the comprehensive management of a project within the framework of a measure is determined as a percentage of a requested subsidy amount, depending on the degree of complexity and work intensity of a project (usually it is 2-10% of this amount).

Remuneration is always paid in the following parts:

A fee for preparing application documentation, constituting 10-20% of a remuneration amount – this amount will be paid on the basis of a VAT invoice issued within 7 days from the date of concluding the Agreement between the Ordering Party and BT&A Dotacje for the execution of a given project, payable within 14 days from the issuing date. If submitted Documentation is not accepted by an appropriate authority which examines co-financing applications at the stage when Documentation is assessed in terms of its formal requirements, and such failure is the sole fault of BT&A Dotacje, the above amount will be returned to the Ordering Party on the basis of a corrective invoice issued within 7 days from the day when the Contractor receives this authority’s decision regarding the negative result of the formal assessment.
A fee for obtaining funds. The fee is charged after the co-financing agreement is signed, and it constitutes 80-90% of the remuneration amount – this amount will be paid on the basis of a VAT invoice issued within 7 days from the date of concluding “the Project Co-financing Agreement” with an appropriate Implementing Institution, payable within 14 days from the issue date.
A fee collected if the agreement includes project settlement. It is a fixed amount charged after a given stage of a project is completed. It is paid on the basis of a VAT invoice within 7 days from the day when the Ordering Party’s bank account is credited with subsidy funds paid under “the Project Co-financing Agreement”, on the basis of a submitted application for an advance/intermediary/final payment, payable within 14 days from the issue date.

Investments

Subsidies for the execution of technological investments, whose aim is to purchase and implement proprietary or new technology, and use it as a basis for launching the production of new or significantly improved goods, processes or services.

Example projects which may be implemented by entrepreneurs in the years 2014 – 2020:

Loan for technological innovations – directed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), includes projects which consist in implementing technological innovations.
Guarantee fund for supporting innovative enterprises – guarantees for projects which consist in implementing the results of R+D works by companies.
Support for enterprises through venture capital funds, network of angel investors and seed capital funds which support the establishment and development of new companies.
Support for the development of open innovations (cooperation between large companies as well as small and medium-sized enterprises for the purpose of sharing knowledge and implement innovative projects)
Support for the protection of industrial property of companies.
Support for the development of clusters – creating the system of national key clusters.

Subsidy amount:

Depending on the size of a company and an investment location – in accordance with the public aid map (link to the table below)

Example eligible expenses:

purchasing fixed assets, including buildings;
expansion of existing structures, buildings, machines, devices constituting fixed assets;
installation and start-up of machines and devices which constitute fixed assets;
purchasing intangible assets
purchasing advisory services relating to the protection of industrial property.

Subsidies for direct support provided to companies in the SMEs sector, with the aim of improving the innovation level of enterprises, expanding their business, more flexible response to the needs of local economy and creating new jobs.

Example projects which may be implemented by entrepreneurs in the years 2014 – 2020:

Regional Operational Programmes:

purchasing equipment and software to enable launching of a new e-service,
implementing a virtual system for managing the business of SMEs,
developing on-line business by implementing a system for managing sales an services,
purchasing software licences,
implementing modern IT solutions for the organisation and management of a company,
development of business incubators and means of supporting university entrepreneurship,
investment support for newly established companies/start-ups,
creating new infrastructure and developing existing one, for the benefit of business development – e.g. clearing, preparing or fitting out investment areas,
expanding a company with the purpose of launching new products/services (including services related to tourism) on a market,
activities carried out with the purpose of making substantial changes in a production process, or changing a method of providing services, resulting in the launching of new or improved products/services on the market, with the simultaneous increase in employment,
investments in modern machines and production equipment,
development of regional and local clusters,
supporting companies’ access to external capital through the development of financial instruments (loan and surety funds),

Subsidy amount (public aid reform):

50%	35%	25%
Lublin province Subcarpathian province Warmian-Masurian province Podlasie province	Pomeranian province Western Pomeranian province Swietokrzyskie province Opole province Lesser Poland province Lubusz province Lodz province Kuyavian-Pomeranian province	Lower Silesian province Greater Poland province Silesian

The situation of the Masovian province is unusual – the limit of the new allocation is 35%, with the exception of the western subregion (20%) and the capital city of Warsaw (15% until the end of 2017, and later only 10%).

+ 20 pp. in case of micro-enterprises and small enterprises, or

+ 10 pp. in case of medium-sized enterprises

Subsidies for research and development with the aim of creating new products, processes or services

Subsidies for supporting targeted projects – executing works in order to create a new process or new product/service, as well as Subsidies for: research activities and preparatory works for the implementation of research results, directed at preparing and implementing innovative technology, products or services which are to improve the competitiveness of the Polish economy.

Example projects which may obtain funds within the framework of:

I. National Operational Programmes – Intelligent Development Operational Programme

R+D Programmes implemented by scientific and industrial consortiums – support is granted for the execution of R+D works by scientific and industrial consortiums (sector programmes, application projects).
Supporting R+D projects of companies – from the initial stage of research to the stage when a new solution can be commercialised in a form of a product/service/technology/process.
Supporting research and development works with the participation of capital funds.
Supporting the implementation of R+D work results, with the use of repayable and complex instruments (subsidy and repayable instruments).
Creating infrastructure conditions for conducting R+D activity by companies; creating and developing R+D infrastructure of companies.

II. Regional Operational Programmes:

creating or developing research and development supply base, for the benefit of innovative activities of companies,
supporting R+D works by companies to enable, in particular, the development of regional, intelligent specializations (including co-funding for obtaining the protection of industrial property outside the Republic of Poland in accordance with the national, regional and international procedure),
supporting the implementation of the results of scientific/technology research as well as intellectual property rights,
R+D services consisting in the preparation of a new product, design project, new production technology or substantial improvement of a product or production technology (“Innovation Voucher”).

Subsidy amount:

Depending on a programme path, applicant type and executed works – from 40% to 100% of eligible costs

Example projects for which funds can be obtained within the framework of:

remuneration for employees involved in the project execution;
costs of purchasing or using equipment and apparatus,
costs related to the depreciation of land and buildings
purchasing research and advisory services;
operational costs (e.g. purchasing materials necessary for the execution of works);
general costs (e.g. renting, accounting services, legal services)

Environment

Protection of the environment is one of the European Union priorities. EU legislation introduces strict standards concerning the reduction of air pollutant emission, waste treatment and utilization of municipal and industrial waste. Within the framework of the new perspective, it will be possible to obtain funds for increasing renewable energy production, using non-renewable energy raw materials, energy-related modernisation of buildings, waste management,

Example projects for which funds can be obtained within the framework of:

I. National Operational Programme – Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme

construction, reconstruction of systems, resulting in increasing the power of land wind farms;
construction, reconstruction of systems, resulting in increasing the power of units which use biomass;
construction, reconstruction of systems, resulting in increasing the power of units which use biogas;
construction, reconstruction of systems, resulting in increasing the power of units which use water or solar energy, or geothermal energy.
construction and reconstruction of electrical power system with the minimum voltage of 110 kV, used for connecting renewable energy sources
redevelopment of production lines to make them more energy-efficient
comprehensive energy-related modernisation of buildings
construction or reconstruction of internal receiving systems and elimination of current heat sources;
installation of micro-cogeneration or micro-trigeneration for one’s own use;
installation of renewable energy sources in buildings which are modernised in terms of energy consumption, if this results from a performed energy audit.
preparation of energy-related modernisation projects which constitute a part of an investment project;
installation of individual heat meters, cooling meters and meters for hot utility water;
installation of riser valves and thermostats,
creating green roofs and “living, green walls”,
carrying out energy audits as a part of an investment project
modernising any part of infrastructure connected with technical equipment in public buildings, which uses energy for its operation (e.g. lifts):
insulating external partitions of a building, including external walls, floors, roofs and flat roofs, replacement of windows, external doors;
replacing lighting with energy-saving lighting
reconstruction of heating systems (or connecting a heat source which is more energy-efficient and more ecologically effective);
installing/reconstructing cooling systems, also with the use of renewable energy sources;
constructing and reconstructing ventilation and air-condition systems;
applying HVAC automation systems;
applying energy management systems in the building.

Additionally, within the framework of 1.6 measure which includes highly-efficient energy production, it is assumed that support will be used to develop new capacity, or increase the existing capacity (as a result of expansion or reconstruction) of current electrical energy production units or heat generation units with the use of highly efficient cogeneration technology in cogeneration units with the total nominal electrical power exceeding 1 MW.

Investment support from Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme is to be repayable. The form of a repayable instrument to be applied depends on the result of a test, carried out by IZ, concerning the ex-ante analysis of financial instruments, in accordance with art. 37 of the Commission Regulation (EU) 1303/2014.

Horizontal aid. In accordance with the rules specified in an aid programme or individual notification, however no more than 85%.

Example projects for which funding can be obtained within the framework of:

II. Regional Operational Programmes:

generation and distribution of energy from renewable sources
comprehensive, energy-related modernisation of public buildings, residential buildings,
investments in heating and cooling systems
creating comprehensive systems of waste management and supplementing the existing ones
removing and neutralizing products containing asbestos
wastewater management projects

Up to 85% of eligible costs of a project, subject to the following:

Guidelines in the scope of issues connected with the preparation of investment projects, including profit-generating projects and hybrid projects for the years 2014-2020 apply to projects which meet the definition of profit-generating projects;
for projects qualified for public aid – in accordance with relevant rules.

Trainings

In the new financial perspective, the Human Capital Operational Programme will replace the most of the POWER – Knowledge, Education and Development Operational Programme. It will be the first operational programme whose intended beneficiaries include only young people – up to 29 years of age. POWER has been created as an answer to the need of reform in the area of employment, social inclusion, education, higher education, health care and good leadership. It will also support social innovation and international cooperation in the above-mentioned areas, as well as implementation of initiative for employing young people in Poland.

Furthermore, support in the area of training and advising will be available also through Regional Operational Programmes implemented at the level of a given province, and partly within the framework of the Intelligent Development Operational Programme. Co-funding trainings for the employees of the small and medium-sized enterprises sector will be possible within the framework of the 8.9 Investment Priority concerning the adaptation of employees, companies and entrepreneurs to changes, individual regional operational programmes. The support will be provided on the basis of a demand model of providing high-quality services where entrepreneurs will decide about a type, form and scope of services used by them. Due to the fact that some training projects implemented in the years 2007-2013 were not adjusted to market needs, this idea seems to be very much valid. The intervention will be carried out through the implementation of comprehensive and individualised offer of supporting employers (preceded by the diagnosis of needs), also in the scope of identification and analysis of training needs and further implementation of training process, specialist advising, mentoring and coaching.

The support will be also aimed at providing outplacement support for employees who are in their notice period as the result of restructuring or reorganisation carried out in their companies, or employees who have been made redundant for reasons relating to their place of employment.

Fair and business missions

Subsidies for: promoting products/services abroad, increasing export level in a company, intensifying relations with foreign partners.

Example projects which can be implemented by entrepreneurs in the years 2014 – 2020: