Rural Business Development Grant Scheme Workshop Details

Rural Business Development Grant Scheme Letter of Offer Workshop 27 October 2021 MS Teams

Welcome Catherine Harris Project Manager 07785 517483 Judith Tecey Project Officer 07920131448 Jennifer McKibben Project Officer 07702696260 Email: edproject@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk

Agenda RBDS Scheme Aims Understanding your Letter of Offer and Annexes 1 - 5 Terms & Conditions Procurement Process Quotes with supplier s name, signed and received by close of call Claiming & Payment of Grant End of Project Report

RBDS Aims RBDS is funded under the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme (TRPSI). Its key aim is to assist in tackling poverty and social isolation within deprived rural areas. The RBDS has been designed to support rural micro business develop, sustain and recover from the Covid 19 Pandemic whilst contributing towards the TRPSI s objectives of: Alleviate financial poverty by enhancing entrepreneurship and growth Alleviate financial poverty by supporting micro businesses in rural areas

Letter of Offer (LoO) Legally Binding Contract 2 parts (i) Letter of Offer (ii) Annexes 1 - 5 Is Valid for a Specific Time Period NO extensions given unless in exceptional circumstances All work must be completed and paid through the bank account used by the business by 17 December 2021 Submit claim and supporting documentation to your local council by 14 January 2022 Important to Read & Understand your Letter of Offer (LoO) and Terms & Conditions of Grant booklet. claim for grant submitted by 14 January 2022 All Terms and Conditions must be adhered to. Signed Letters of Offer must be returned by email within 14 working days of from the date of the LoO BACS form return with claim documentation

LoO - Key Sections General Terms & Conditions of Grant booklet 1. Definitions 2. Pre-Payment conditions 3. Payment of Grant Aid Grant awarded Start date date of your Letter of Offer. Timescales for delivery. You are recommended to pay all costs during the first month to ensure your project is completed and paid through your bank account on time use the remaining period to compile and submit your claim. Your claim for grant must be submitted Expenditure incurred after this date will not be eligible for reimbursement. Late claims will not be paid.

LoO - Key Sections General Terms & Conditions of Grant booklet 3. Payment of Grant Aid, continued Grant payable at up to 50% of Total Project Costs - you must provide at least 50% cash. Grant paid after you incur and claim eligible costs. Items purchased must be those identified in original application & detailed at Annex 1 of LoO NO changes permitted. NO cash payments. Grant paid by BACS Random checks will be undertaken on invoices received Delivery Agent Logo or Name here

LOO - Key Sections contd 4. General Conditions From receipt of Letter of Offer, no changes to project permitted Cannot duplicate other grant aid Inspection & Document Retention (2 years) Insurance & Indemnity *confirmed on claim form declaration Publicity Acknowledge Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council and DAERA RBDS in any publicity associated with the project. IF CLAIM IS RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR AN AUDIT CHECK, INSURANCE WILL BE CHECKED TO ENSURE IN PLACE 5 & 6. Disposal of Assets & Repayment of grant on default

LOO - Key Sections contd 7. Monitoring End of Project Report; Project achievements must be recorded, particularly relating to the number of people (beneficiaries) you estimate your project will contribute to improving the lives of. This number will be defined from the number of people with access to or using the new or improved facilities/equipment. How beneficiaries are estimated and recorded should be as realistic as possible. 8. Equality Legislation - DAERA legally required to carry out this monitoring. Promoters will be provided with electronic equality monitoring form, voluntary completion & anonymous. 9. Fraud - Inform DAERA immediately if fraud or attempted fraud is suspected if fraud is identified by DAERA or their Agents, Fraud Branch will be notified and possible debar from other DAERA schemes

LOO - Key Sections contd 10. Data Protection & Freedom of Information - any personal information you supply will be processed principally for the purpose for which it has been provided. However, DAERA may also use it for other legitimate purposes in line with the Data Protection Act 2019 and Freedom of Information Act 2000. 11. Other Conditions: You must ensure that all actions undertaken in relation to this project comply with relevant statutory requirements and legislation in existence during project lifetime. 12. Withdrawal of Application - The application can be withdrawn by the Project Promoter at any time unless an irregularity has occurred or an inspection is due and the subsequent inspection reveals irregularities,

LoO Annexes 1- 5 Annex 1 Schedule of Eligible Expenditure ** Items purchased must be those detailed at Annex 1 of LoO NO changes permitted [unless in exceptional circumstances and evidence must be provided]. ** Annex 2 Letter of Offer Workshop Annex 3 BACS Form return with Claim Form Annex 4 Claim Form, Claim Checklist & Claim Guidance Annex 5 End of Project Report Photographs - are mandatory for each item that the Business has purchased

Tender Process The quotes obtained for each item as detailed in Annex A of Application form are required to have been like-for-like quotations Grant is calculated on value of lowest quote You must identify to Council any Conflict of Interest between your organisation and any other organisation, supplier, person or employee associated in any way with the delivery of the Project

Claiming & Payment of Grant Annex 4 - Claim Form, Claim Checklist and Guidance Note. Claim form must be signed by the Owner or Director of the business SupplyInvoices must be addressed to your organisation & must show suppliers name, address & contact details. Invoices should detail the items bought (the quantities, unit costs, delivery costs & any discounts) If invoices received by e-mail provide a copy of the covering e-mail Supply Bank / Building Society statements Use the claim checklist to ensure all relevant documentation is included with the claim.

End of Project Report Annex 5 - End of Project Report. This MUST be returned with your claim. No report No payment. The Report should identify the estimated number of people (beneficiaries) the completed project will contribute to improving the lives of, as well as providing detail of the main benefits / impacts arising from your project along with summary financial information of the completed project. The report will assist DAERA with the overall evaluation of the RBDS and will help to provide project-based evidence to inform future policy on tackling rural poverty and social inclusion.

SUMMARY Checklist for submitting Claim Please ensure you have: Annex 3 BACS Form if not already sent to Council Annex 4 Signed Claim Form Annex 5 - Completed End of Project Report Items claimed match those approved per LoO Annex1 Invoice(s)/receipt(s) provided including Covering email Bank statement(s) Photographs for each item purchased Claim submitted by 14 January 2022

EQUALITY SURVEY Applicants are encouraged to complete the Equality Survey as requested by DAERA which can be accessed via the following link: https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/daera-statistics-and- analytical-services/41e5c613 (on covering email received with LOO) Information will be securely stored and treated as confidential. The information collected will only be used for equality monitoring, evaluation and other purposes The information will help DAERA to understand if the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme is providing equality of opportunity and good relations to all their customers.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Keep lines of communication open if in doubt ask!! Complete Project pay through your bank account by 17 December 2021 Submit your fully completed claim by 14 January 2022 late claims will not be paid to edproject@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk Rural Business Development Grant Scheme Contacts: Catherine Harris Judith Tecey Jennifer McKibben 07785 517483 07920131448 07702696260