Public competition for employment support in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje

The Municipality of Rožaje in cooperation with the NGO "Center for Regional Development", Rožaje, the NGO "Association of Paraplegics", Rožaje and the NGO "Cluster drvoprerade", Rožaje, within the project "Joint action for active employment measures in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje" CFCU/ MNE/180, which is co-financed by the European Union and the Government of Montenegro within the framework of the EU and Montenegro Program for Employment, Education and Social Protection, announces,

PUBLIC COMPETITION FOR EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT IN THE WOOD PROCESSING SECTOR IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ROŽAJE

1. Employers (companies and entrepreneurs) who have their headquarters or offices in the territory of the municipality of Rožaje, and who have been operating for more than 12 months from the date of signing the Agreement on the implementation of the project "Joint action for active employment measures in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje", i.e. from October 26, 2021, to submit their applications to the Public Competition for the award of a grant to support employment in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje.
2. The area recognized by this public competition as a priority in accordance with the development goals of the Municipality of Rožaje is wood processing.
3. The total amount of funds distributed by this competition amounts to 300.000,00 €. Funds for the distribution of grants are provided by the project "Joint action for active employment measures in the wood-processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje" (Joint action for active employment measures in wood-processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje - CFCU/MNE/180), which the Municipality of Rožaje implements as part of the IPA II - Multiannual Program of the European Union for Montenegro for employment, education and social protection.
4. Certain financial resources are allocated as state aid of small value in accordance with the Regulation on detailed criteria, conditions and methods of granting state aid (Official Gazette of Montenegro, No. 27/2010 and No. 16/2014) with the aim of increasing employment and supporting employers for creation of jobs and on-the-job training in less developed municipalities in Montenegro, and accordingly The National Strategy for Employment and Development of Human Resources 2016-2020 i Regional Development Strategy of Montenegro for the period 2014-2020, and the Strategic Development Plan of the Municipality of Rožaje for the period 2021-2025.
5. The project envisages support for the implementation of on-the-job training for at least 30 and the employment of at least 20 long-term unemployed persons from the records of the ZZZCG - Rožaje Labor Bureau, who were registered with the ZZZ before the announcement of the public competition for the grant award. 
6. Priority in employment is given to vulnerable groups - young people[1], women, persons with disabilities, long-term unemployed persons.
7. The grant amount requested within this public competition must be between the following minimum and maximum amount:
   • the minimum amount of the grant is €10,000.00 (for at least two trained and at least one newly employed worker), and
   • the maximum grant amount is €30,000.00 (for at least three trained and at least two newly employed workers).
8. Companies (employers) applying for a grant between EUR 10,000.00 and EUR 15,000.00 they are obliged to provide training conditions for at least two (2) unemployed persons and to employ at least one (1) person who has undergone the training in the long term after the completion of the training.
9. Companies (employers) applying for a grant between EUR 15,001.00 and EUR 30,000.00 they are obliged to provide the conditions for training at least three (3) unemployed persons and to employ at least two (2) persons who have undergone the training in the long term after the implementation of the training.
10. The grant funds are intended to ensure conditions for the employment of persons from the records of the ZZZ, the Rožaje Labor Bureau, through the procurement of modern woodworking equipment, which will serve, first of all, for the purpose of employment and creation of new jobs, clear finalization of production, i.e. for the purpose of modernization and improvement business operations of the grantee company.
11. The deadline for submission of applications is July 22, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. The public tender was published on the website of the Municipality of Rožaje (www.rozaje.me), where interested parties can download the mandatory application forms for the competition with guidelines for applicants and accompanying documentation.
12. When applying for the Public Competition, it is necessary to send the Application Form and accompanying documentation via the postal service in a closed and sealed envelope marked "Application for Public Competition for Employment Support in the Wood Processing Sector in the Municipality of Rožaje", to the address: Municipality of Rožaje, ul. Marshal Tito no. 1, 84310 Rožaje, with indication CFCU/MNE/180-5 and inscription DO NOT OPEN BEFORE THE REGISTRATION OPENING SESSION. The name of the company and the contact person representing it must be clearly indicated on the envelope.
13. Applications can also be delivered by hand in a closed and sealed envelope marked "Application for the Public tender for employment support in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje" to the archive, i.e. in the office for citizens in the building of the Municipality of Rožaje, at the address: ul. Marshal Tito no. 1, 84310 Rožaje, with indication CFCU/MNE/180-5 and inscription DO NOT OPEN BEFORE THE REGISTRATION OPENING SESSION. The name of the company and the contact person representing it must be clearly indicated on the envelope.
14. The application form (Appendix A – application – business plan) and accompanying documentation (Appendices B, C, D, E, F and G) are submitted in 3 copies (1 original and 2 copies) and an electronic version at It is sufficient to submit the completed Appendices A, B, C, D, E, F and G to word on a CD/USB memory.
15. Applications for the Public tender for employment support in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje that are not submitted within the stipulated period, that are handwritten, that are submitted on forms that are not prescribed by the Tender, as well as administratively incomplete, will not be considered.
16. Employers can apply with only one application. Related legal entities cannot apply.
17. Appendix A - The application for the award of a grant (business plan) must be clear, detailed and done in the context of the employment of persons from the records of the Labor Bureau, Rožaja, i.e. the opening of new jobs.
18. Employers submit the following when applying mandatory documents to fill out:
      
    • Appendix A – Grant application (business plan);
    • Appendix B – List of proposed unemployed persons from the Labor Bureau;
    • Appendix C – Statement of proposed unemployed persons from the Labor Bureau;
    • Appendix E – Declaration of the applicant-obligations;
    • Appendix F – Central Bank Credit Register i
    • Appendix G - Checklist.
19. Employers submit the following when applying mandatory supplementary documents (supplementary documents are submitted in one copy - original or certified copies):
    • Extract from the Central Register of Business Entities,
    • VAT registration decision (if the employer is registered in the VAT system);
    • A copy of the valid Statute of the company;
    • A set of forms for annual accounts, i.e. financial forms for 2020 and 2021 (balance sheet and income statement) - for companies. For registered entrepreneurs, it is necessary to submit the appropriate form issued by the Revenue and Customs Administration (ZPO, GPPFL, Ruling of the Revenue Administration (tax administration) on flat taxation or other);
    • Confirmation of the Revenue and Customs Administration on the orderly settlement of taxes and contributions, as of December 31, 2021.
    • The appropriate form for the last month of payment of taxes and contributions for employees, certified by the Revenue and Customs Administration, as proof of the number of employees, as of December 31, 2021.
    • Confirmation by the local government authority whose competence is the determination, collection and control of taxes that the applicant has no unpaid tax obligations in the previous year;
    • Offer/proforma invoice/pre-contract/contract for the realization of equipment procurement with description and costs (signed and certified), if the offer is in a foreign language, provide a clear translation; The contact of the equipment supplier must be clearly indicated on the offer/proforma invoice/pre-contract/contract;
    • Proof of ownership of business premises (ownership certificate in the name of the company) or proof of long-term lease of business premises, concluded at least one month before the day of the announcement of the competition (the duration of the contract must be at least 5 years);
    • Confirmation that the company and the responsible person are not in the criminal records of the Ministry of Justice;
    • Confirmation/certification that the company is not in bankruptcy/liquidation proceedings;
    • Evidence of the existing condition: a document describing the previous condition, photographs, cards of fixed assets as of December 31, 2021. etc.;
20. The evaluation process of applications is carried out by the Evaluation Committee in accordance with the acceptance criteria and the criteria contained in the Evaluation Table. After the administrative check of the completeness of the received applications, the evaluation will be based on the following criteria:
    • Operational capacities of the applicant,
    • The innovative aspect of the biynis plan,
    • Target group,
    • Previous experience in the field of business,
    • Length of employment of newly employed workers,
    • Budget.
21. The evaluation table with the presented criteria is used to evaluate the quality of received applications:

Section	Max. result
1. Operational capacities of the applicant	15
1.1. Does the applicant have sufficient business capacity? (including staff, equipment and premises)?	10
1.2. Are women represented in the ownership/management structure?	5
2. Innovative aspect of the business plan	40
2.1. Does the applicant have final production?	10
2.2. Does the introduction (installation) of new equipment contribute to the finalization of production and the creation of a new product?	10
2.3. Does the introduction of new equipment create new jobs and create conditions for new employment in the medium term?	10
2.4. Detailed description of the activity that the applicant plans to implement through this project (goals and results that will be achieved after the implementation of the activity, whether the implementation of the activity will affect the increase in employment, increase in income, expansion of the market and how, etc.)	10
3. Target group	15
3.1 Do the proposed unemployed persons belong to the vulnerable target groups specified in the public call (youth, women, persons with disabilities, long-term unemployed persons)?	15
4. Previous experience in the field of business	15
5.1 Does the applicant have all the necessary professional and entrepreneurial knowledge and references for the implementation of the grant?	10
5.2. Has the applicant made investments in the previous two years in related activities with the aim of further developing the company and increasing competitiveness?	5
5. Length of employment of newly employed workers	10
6.1 Will newly employed persons conclude an employment contract for a period longer than the minimum?	10
6. Budget	5
6.1 Is the planned budget made in the form and in accordance with the amounts established in the public invitation?	5
Maximum total score	100

22. Only companies that have passed administrative and criteria verification (evaluation) acquire the condition for a field visit, i.e. determination of the factual situation by visiting the company.

23. The Evaluation Committee is obliged to prepare a proposal for the Decision on grant awarding to support employment in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje, indicative until July 28, 2022

24. The decision on awarding a grant to support employment in the wood processing sector in the municipality of Rožaje is delivered to the participants of the competition and published on the website of the Municipality www.rozaje.me, indicatively ten (10) days from the closing date of the competition.

25. All activities provided for in the Public Tender must be completed by July 29, 2022, including the signing of the Agreement with the responsible person of the employers to whom the funds were allocated.

26. All information regarding the project and application can be obtained by sending an inquiry to the e-mail address: [email protected] and [email protected]

27. Competition package published on the website of the Municipality of Rožaje www.rozaje.me contains forms to be filled in, the text of the Public Competition, Guidelines for applicants, which explain the details of the competition in more detail.