2020 Technical Support Program

The Turkish Republic East Marmara Development Agency (MARKA) is continuing to accept applications for its 2020 Technical Support Program. The Technical Support Program supports non-profit institutions and organizations in procuring services such as consultancy, contributing to program and project preparation, and providing training. Activities to be carried out under the Technical Support application must be matched with only one of the priorities listed below, and the matched priority must be clearly stated in the application form. Applications will only be accepted online; unless requested by the Agency, no printed documents will be submitted to the Agency until the contract stage, except for the commitment letter. The maximum project implementation period is 6 months, and can be extended by 1 month in the presence of valid reasons.

For details on the priorities, please click on the relevant priority below:

• Priority 1: Product, Production Structure and Export Infrastructure (Maximum support amount: 95,000 TL)
• Priority 2: Innovation (Maximum support amount: 95,000 TL)
• Priority 3: Digital Transformation in Industry (Maximum support amount: 95,000 TL)
• Priority 4: Green Industrial Zone (Maximum support amount: 95,000 TL)
• Priority 5: Outcome-Oriented Programs (SOPs) (Maximum support amount: 20,000 TL)
• Priority 6: Topics outside of Outcome-Oriented Programs (SOPs) (Maximum support amount: 15,000 TL)

The deadline for applications for the fifth term is Friday, October 30, 2020.

Announcement: http://www.marka.org.tr/destek/2020-yili-teknik-destek-programi/38

Online application system: https://kaysuygulama.sanayi.gov.tr/Kays/KaysIstemci/giris.jsp

Priority Issues, Eligible Applicants, Support

Priority

Eligible Applicants*

Support Amount and Support Rate Limit Per Project

Priority 1: Product, Production Structure and Export Infrastructure

Among the priorities stated in the 2020 Work Program of the East Marmara Development Agency are:

• The project involves analyzing the production structure in the region based on product type, identifying high value-added products that can be put into production, and working towards opening these products to new target markets (consulting activities covering a minimum of 10 businesses).
• Product space studies at the regional or provincial level.

• Provincial Directorates of Industry and Technology
• Chambers of Industry and/or Commerce
• Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)
• Technology Development Zones (TDZs)

• Maximum Support Amount: 95,000 TL (including VAT)
• Destek oranı: %100

Priority 2: Innovation

• Consultancy activities aimed at improving the quality of the private sector, focusing on creating an innovation ecosystem in the region, measuring and developing innovation management skills, and involving a minimum of 10 businesses, based on a robust needs analysis.

• Chambers of Industry and/or Commerce
• Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)
• Technology Development Zones (TDZs)

• Maximum Support Amount: 95,000 TL (including VAT)
• Destek oranı: %100

Priority 3: Digital Transformation in Industry

• Digital check-up studies covering a minimum of 10 businesses to identify the needs and capacities of the private sector regarding digital transformation.

• Chambers of Industry and/or Commerce
• Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)
• Technology Development Zones (TDZs)

• Maximum Support Amount: 95,000 TL (including VAT)
• Destek oranı: %100

Priority 4: Green Industrial Zone

• Consultancy services are provided for the preparation of research reports, inventory studies, action plans, roadmaps, and strategy documents on the following topics, with the aim of identifying the potential of organized industrial zones and the firms located within them in areas falling under the scope of Green Organized Industrial Zone initiatives:
  • Industrial Symbiosis (minimum 5 companies)
    • It represents two or more industrial enterprises, preferably physically close to each other and normally operating independently, coming together to form long-term partnerships and work collaboratively to improve both environmental performance and competitiveness.
  • Eco-efficiency, Clean Production (minimum 3 companies)
    • "Eco-efficiency," which is currently used interchangeably with clean production, is described as a combination of economic and ecological efficiency and is fundamentally defined as "doing more with less.".
    • This means the continuous application of an integrated and preventive environmental strategy to processes, products, and services in order to increase overall effectiveness and reduce risks to people and the environment.
  • Energy Efficiency (minimum 10 companies)
  • Utilization of Renewable Energy Sources (minimum 10 companies)

• Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)

• Maximum Support Amount: 95,000 TL (including VAT)
• Destek oranı: %100

Priority 5: Outcome-Oriented Programs (SOPs)

• Projects that are considered to directly contribute to the general and specific objectives of the Results-Oriented Programmes included in the 2020 Work Programme:
  • Management Consulting Results-Oriented Program (SOP) Based on Smart Specialization
  • Results-Oriented Programme (SOP) for the Development of Vocational and Technical Education
  • Destination Management Results-Oriented Program (SOP) in Tourism

• Public Institutions and Organizations

• Local Governments and Local Administration Unions

• Professional Organizations with the Status of Public Institutions

• Chambers of Industry and/or Commerce

Universities, Vocational Schools, Research Institutes

• Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)

• Industrial Zones
• Technology Development Zones (TDZs)

• Small Industrial Estates

• Business Development Centers (İŞGEM)

• Civil Society Organizations

• Unions and Cooperatives

• Maximum Support Amount: 20,000 TL (including VAT)
• Destek oranı: %100

Priority 6: Topics outside of Outcome-Oriented Programs (SOPs)

• Training and consultancy activities aimed at increasing institutional capacity and preparing programs and projects in areas that are compatible with national, regional and local plans/programs and that can contribute to local and regional development.
• Consultancy activities aimed at developing innovative services/solutions that meet the needs and demands of disadvantaged groups such as women, children, and youth in our region.
• Preliminary feasibility studies for private sector investments in areas that will contribute to regional development.
  • For Priority 6 applications submitted as part of the preliminary feasibility study, the submission of the Preliminary Feasibility Information Form is mandatory.

• Public Institutions and Organizations
• Local Governments and Local Administration Unions
• Professional Organizations with the Status of Public Institutions
• Chambers of Industry and/or Commerce
• Universities, Vocational Schools, Research Institutes
• Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)
• Industrial Zones
• Technology Development Zones (TDZs)
• Small Industrial Estates
• Business Development Centers (İŞGEM)
• Civil Society Organizations
• Unions and Cooperatives

• Maximum Support Amount: 15,000 TL (including VAT)
• Destek oranı: %100

* All applicants must meet the following requirements:

• It must have legal personality (This requirement does not apply to public institutions and organizations and their affiliated units).
• The technical support issue must fall within the scope of duties and responsibilities of the applicant institution/organization.
• The agency must be registered in the TR42 Level 2 Region (Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bolu, Düzce, and Yalova) where it operates, or its headquarters or legal branches must be located in this region, or it must be carrying out public services within its area of responsibility in this region.
• The company should be directly responsible for the technical support application process (together with its partners, if any), and should not act as an intermediary.
• For details on eligible applicants and the departments they can apply to: http://www.marka.org.tr/uploads/files/2020_TD/Ek-D.pdf

Collaborative Project Applications

• Applicants may apply individually or as part of a partnership.
• Partners must meet the same eligibility criteria as the Applicants and actively participate in the design and implementation phases of the technical support application.
• Partnering organizations must complete a partnership declaration. The declaration form, included in the KAYS Application Form (Annex-A), must be signed by the legally authorized representatives of all partners.

About Outcome-Oriented Programs (SOPs):

SOP name

General Purpose

Special Purposes

Management Consulting Results-Oriented Program (SOP) Based on Smart Specialization

The overall objective of the Excellence in Smart Specialization and Cluster Management Results-Oriented Program is to "develop innovative products and services in priority sectors and themes for regional development and to ensure that clusters play an active role as dominant actors in these processes.".

• Qualified definition of intervention areas within the agency and relevant stakeholders regarding focus areas.
• Institutionalizing innovation management processes to increase the R&D and innovation capacity of businesses in the region.
• Developing activities to increase the level of technology and knowledge in production and services.
• Identifying key technologies that are lacking in specialized fields and ensuring their integration into value chains through foreign investment.
• Creating world-class clusters on a regional scale.

Results-Oriented Programme (SOP) for the Development of Vocational and Technical Education

The overall objective of the program is to develop the institutional and physical infrastructure in vocational and technical education in order to provide qualified employment needed by the labor market in the TR42 Region.

• Improving the perception and image of vocational and technical education.
• Increasing interaction between vocational and technical education institutions and industry, and structuring the curriculum in a demand-oriented manner through education-industry collaboration.
• Developing institutional capacity in vocational and technical education.
• Aligning the vocational and technical education infrastructure with innovative production processes.

Destination Management Results-Oriented Program (SOP) in Tourism

The overall objective of the Tourism Results-Oriented Programme is "to increase tourism revenue by protecting cultural and natural assets in prominent destinations in the region.".

• Implementing destination-focused governance in tourism.
• To conduct promotional activities in a holistic and thematic manner, focusing on the target market.
• To promote the widespread use of supplementary activities that increase the length of stay in tourist facilities.
• Improving the capacity of local travel agencies
• To accelerate the production, commercialization, branding, and internationalization of local products.

Project duration: Maximum 6 months (Project duration can be extended by a maximum of 1 month, taking into account the Agency's workload, expert profile, and work schedule.)

Project implementation location: The support provided by the agency should primarily be carried out within the boundaries of the TR42 Level 2 Region (Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bolu, Düzce, and Yalova). However, in cases where its suitability to the objectives is justified, some support, especially that requiring national and international relations, may be provided outside the region.

Suitable Project Topics

• Providing consultancy
• Contributing to program and project preparation.
• Temporary assignment of expert personnel.
• Providing training

Inappropriate Project Topics: The following training topics are included within the scope of the East Marmara Development Agency's Continuous Education Center and therefore will not be supported under the Technical Support Program.

• Project Cycle Management Training
• Quality Management System Certification and Training Activities
• Foreign Trade Training
• Strategic Planning Trainings
• Training on Tender and Procurement Legislation
• Intellectual and Industrial Property Rights Training
• E-Government Services Seminars
• Environmental Legislation and Energy Subsidies Training
• Communication, Motivation, and Individual Coaching Training
• Training on Device Usage
• Operating Systems and Office Programs Training (Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• STEM (STEAM) Education
• Robotics, Coding, and Physical Programming Platform Trainings
• Geographic Information Systems Training
• Basic Foreign Language Training

Application Periods: Each technical support period begins on the first business day of the first month and ends on the last business day of the second month. For applications related to the Technical Support Period to which they belong, the date on which the commitment letter is signed with an e-signature (or, if not signed with an e-signature, the date on which it is delivered to the Agency with a wet signature by the applicant) will be considered the date.

Points to consider

• Before applying Application Guide It is recommended to review this.

• Technical support applications can be submitted by applicants individually or in partnership with other organizations.
• Applications only Development Agencies Management System (KAYS) This will be done through [the agency/institution]. Unless requested by the agency, no printed documents other than the commitment letter will be submitted to the agency until the contract stage.
• Documents required for applications:
  • Except for public institutions and organizations, applicants must upload a document (obtained within the last 3 months) proving that the organization is active.
  • Organizations other than public institutions and organizations, and professional organizations with the status of public institutions (Foundations, Associations, Cooperatives, Unions, or their affiliated businesses, etc.) must upload to the system their bylaws or articles of incorporation, and a document from their minutes book indicating that their application for the technical support program has been approved.
  • If the applicant is a cooperative, or if there is a cooperative among its members, it is necessary to upload to the system the articles of association or general assembly resolution stating that no profit distribution will be made for a period of 5 years.
  • If a partner institution/organization is involved in the activity, the decision of the authorized decision-making body of the partner institution/organization to participate in the relevant technical support application, specifying the person(s) authorized to sign the documents (Annex C/Example 2), must be uploaded to the system.
  • If the cost of the requested technical support exceeds 20,000 TL, at least 3 proforma invoices or offer letters, including technical details of the activity, must be uploaded to the system.
  • To improve institutional capacity and service quality, applicant organizations must possess a license for the relevant software/modeling/computer program training. Supporting documentation for the license must be submitted.
  • For applications under Priority 1, 2, 3, and 4, submitting the Needs Analysis Form, which is among the supporting documents, is mandatory. Applications submitted without the Needs Analysis Form will be considered unsuccessful during the preliminary review phase.
  • To be carried out within the scope of preparing the preliminary feasibility study. Priority 6 Submission of the Preliminary Feasibility Information Form is mandatory for applications.
• The upper limits for the number of applications and projects to be supported for 2020 are as follows:
  • • An applicant may apply for a maximum of 1 project under Priorities 1, 2, 3, and 4 within the relevant period and receive support for a maximum of 1 project within the relevant calendar year.
    • For applications under Priority 5 and Priority 6, a maximum of 1 project can be applied for and receive support within the relevant period, and a maximum of 2 projects can receive support within the relevant calendar year.
    • An applicant may apply for a maximum of 4 projects from the same or different priorities within a calendar year. If applications are from different priorities, a maximum of 2 projects from the same institution will be supported.
• If technical support is provided through a service procurement contract, only the expert's expenses (including travel and accommodation) will be covered by the Agency within the scope of the service procurement. All costs other than these are considered ineligible.
• No monetary contribution is requested from the beneficiary organization for Technical Support activities. However, the expenses and requirements for the organization of necessary working materials, training, workshops, etc., required for the implementation of Technical Support activities are covered by the beneficiary or its partner, if any.

For more information and questions: teknikdestek@marka.org.tr