The PMC welcomes preparatory project applications addressing:

Priority 1

• Renewable energy solutions adapted for remote areas and to the scale of sparsely populated areas
• Responding to climatic change in the Northern Periphery

Only the above themes are open for preparatory project applications. 

The PMC expects all preparatory projects to develop their project ideas addressing Terms of Reference for the forthcoming strategic project call, which can be found in the announcement for the preparatory project call targeting the strategic project call.  In a preparatory project application, a clear indication of the intended products/services should be outlined. 

Preparatory projects are expected to demonstrate their strategic capacity by presenting high standards regarding the following attributes as a future potential project:

• Have a relevance to the identified strategic topic. 
• Develop a project idea that is relevant for the whole of northern periphery area and where possible demonstrate activities that will take place in and be available to all regions. 
• Develop a focus on objectives, proposed activities and intended activities that lead to the development of existing and new products and/or services
• Outline products and/or services that clearly demonstrate an influence on local, regional, national and EU policies
• Outline products and/or services that attract follow-up activities after the project’s completion
• Outline products and/or services  of an “opened sourced” nature
• Display a partnership profile with a good vertical representation of stakeholders, end beneficiaries, intermediary bodies and different administrative levels of governance in the project partnership. 
• Outline future results building on existing NPP projects and others whilst distinguishing itself in terms of “added value” of the implemented actions and a broad scope of the partnership

Note: All preparatory project applications will be assessed against applicable Terms of Reference and preparatory project selection criteria.

The PMC expects all preparatory projects to outline their main project ideas that are focusing on activities facilitating economic benefit, which could be measured by demonstrating the expected “pay off time” of the NPP investment, or the expected increase in turn over or similar.

The PMC expects a strong focus on job creation both direct and indirect as a result of the project. Safeguarding of sustainable jobs will also be viewed as a strong outcome if it is clear and well demonstrated how the project's intervention will lead to business efficiency, increased competitiveness and added value to their current product and or service portfolio.

All the targets above should be met by creating a product and/or a service in a main project through main project activities, which is expected to be developed, tested, implemented and made into a viable solution during main project implementation. In a preparatory project application, a clear indication of the intended products/services should be outlined.

Note: The NPP Secretariat will continue to approve preparatory projects as long as there is funding available. Important: All project applications will be assessed against the criteria outlined above.