Public Private Partnership-PPP Initiatives Armenia EIF, Mariam Davtyan

PPP primary objectives are:  to promote industrial cluster collaboration and development;  to improve quality and competiveness of Armenian businesses;  to strengthen the relationships with existing efficiency-seeking Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through improved research and skills capacity development,  to enhance potential for new FDI, bringing transfer of technology and business practices  to improve the quality and competiveness of Armenian products and services on domestic and foreign markets;  and to facilitate industry-academia collaboration.

Cluster Development PPPs Illustrative examples of initiatives could be:  The development of industry-wide local initiatives that would improve the competitiveness of the entire industry. Such initiative could be introduction of innovative technologies and approaches, developing a sector as a brand for the country and improving workforce competences.  Building industry specific facilities that are prohibitively expensive for individual firms in order to develop economies of scale and improve productivity, such as quality and testing laboratories, training centres, common logistics infrastructure, etc.

Cluster Development PPPs  To be proposed by an industry consortium involving private sector participants.  how the proposed CD PPP initiative will facilitate the growth of SMEs in the identified sector and catalyse a breakthrough for the specific industry  Facilitate establishment of publicly accessible good, infrastructure, ecosystem, adding unique value to the industry as a whole.  A consortium is obliged to have at least one private partner. Consortium may also have other partners  Clearly state financial commitment -50 %

Research and Skills Development PPPs (R&SD PPPs) Illustrative examples of such initiatives could be:  Development of enabling infrastructure, such as laboratories, accelerators, innovation centres and related collaborative efforts. Infrastructure supports dissemination of organizational expertise, know-how and facilitates creation of innovative solutions.  Upgrading academic programs within universities, providing state-of-art equipment for research projects and access to complex software, or otherwise supporting academic programs encouraging research and development.

Research and Skills Development PPPs (R&SD PPPs)  to be proposed by consortium comprising of the academia (university, research institution) and private sector participants.  Consortium may also have other partners and present the jointly developed proposal.  The consortium should clearly state financial commitment least 50 % in cash and/or in-kind of eligible expenses.  All proposals need to include an educational and innovation component.  Each initiative is expected to facilitate establishment of publicly accessible good, innovative environment, R&D laboratory, infrastructure, ecosystem, adding unique value to the industry as a whole.

How it works Stage 1 Pre-Application/ Awareness raising *Info Sessions *Q&As *Presentations Stage 2 Application *Concept Note *Full Application Stage 3 Evaluation *Selection Committee *TPQI Project Steering Committee Stage 4 Implementation *In-kind contribution valuation *PP changes *Project implementation Plan *Contracts Stage 5 Monitoring & Evaluation *Financial and progress reports