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Open Call for Applications of

Potential Green Climate Fund

Direct Access Entities

The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia represented by the Cabinet of the Deputy President of the Government in charge of Economic Affairs as a National Designated Authority for the Green Climate Fund is calling on all interested public and private legal entities from the Republic of North Macedonia to participate in the country’s prioritization process for potential Green Climate Fund Direct Access Entities.



Deadline for submission of application forms: 31 December 2020.

00 : 00 : 00 : 00 Time Remaining

For questions about completing the application forms, please contact:

  • Name : Blagica Petrova
  • Email : blagica.petrova@fao.org
  • Phone : + 389 (0)76 319 506
  • Position : FAO National Accreditation Consultant
  • Name : Igor Slavkoski
  • Email : Igor.Slavkoski@fao.org
  • Phone : + 389 (0)70 212 557
  • Position : FAO National Team Leader and Project Manager

Call for Applications of Potential Green Climate Fund Direct Access Entities

The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia represented by the Cabinet of the Deputy President of the Government in charge of Economic Affairs as a National Designated Authority (NDA) for the Green Climate Fund announces an Open call for Submitting Applications from potential Green Climate Fund (GCF) Direct Access Entities (DAEs).

The Open Call aims to target potential Direct Access Entities that wish to be considered during the process of prioritization and selection of the most suitable entity that could support the country as Direct Access Accredited Entity by the Green Climate Fund, to develop, implement and/or oversee projects/programs funded with GCF resources in alignment with North Macedonia ’s GCF Country Program.

Who can apply?

This call is open for any public or private legal entity from the Republic of North Macedonia interested to participate in the accreditation prioritization process of candidate GCF Direct Access Entities. All interested institutions at national, regional and local level from stakeholder groups including academic institutions, national/local authorities, public and private companies, civil society organization (CSOs) and other legal persons with capacities and expertise for implementation of investments financed with external and/or domestic sources are eligible to apply.

The overall process to prioritize and select the potential DAEs in the Republic of North Macedonia, will be conducted following the four stages shown below:


  • STAGE 1

    Preparatory Stage & Public Awareness

  • STAGE 2

    Rapid Assessment

  • STAGE 3

    Gap Analysis & Roadmap

  • STAGE 4

    Accreditation Application

1.Public Awareness Campaign

1.1 Conduct awareness-raising workshop (Webinar 1) & socialized FAO Guidebook GCF Accreditation Process (GCF-AP)
1.2 Initial Mapping of stakeholders: long-list potential Direct Access Entities(DAEs)

2.Rapid Assessment

2.1 Conduct Webinar (Workshop 2), socialized & disseminate Rapid Assessment Forms(RA-Forms)
2.2 Review RA & prepare report: shortlist of potential DAEs
2.3 National Designated Authority (NDA) & Coordination mechanism prioritize 1 DAE for Gap Analysis

3.Gap Analysis & RoadMap

3.1 Institutional Gap Analysis
Commitment letter from DAE
Information gathering, working sessions & detailed assessment
3.2 Develop ROADMAP (Action Plan)
Include Gap Analysis report & Roadmap in Country Workplan
3.3 Coordinate with NDA issuance of Nomination Letter

4.Accreditation Application

4.1 Support DAE in completing and submitting GCF Accreditation Application Form in Online Accreditation System (OAS)
Working sessions with potential DAE

This Call refers specifically to Stage 2, which will aim at conducting a Rapid Assessment of all entities with potential to become GCF Direct Access Entities. As a final product, Stage 2 will provide a shortlist of the institutions with greater potential to become accredited and a recommendation to the NDA of the one (1) institution to be prioritized to move into the next stage under which a detailed Institutional Gap Analysis will be conducted and a Roadmap for GCF accreditation will be developed.


The Call for Applications is officially launched on 19 November 2020. Interested entities will have up to 10 calendar days, after the call is launched, to express their interest through the NDA website, in order to receive the application forms.


How to apply? Interested institutions should visit the following link APPLY and follow the provided instructions and guidelines to register and receive the Rapid Assessment Application Forms. Only entities/applicants that will register on the NDA website HERE will receive the required application forms enabling them to participate in North Macedonia’s accreditation prioritization process.

  • REQUIREMENTS
  • EVALUATION CRITERIA
  • SELECTION PROCESS
  • GUIDELINES
REQUIREMENTS

• To participate in the process, applicants need to register on the NDA website to receive the Rapid Assessment Application Forms. The link for registration is: http://www.greendevelopment.mk/en/apply.aspx
• To be considered, applicant institutions must submit the fully completed application forms before the deadline, including the following documents:

o Completed Rapid Assessment Application Forms (FAO/MCD-ACC-02 and FAO/MCD-ACC-03)
o Copy of a legal document proving the Applicant is registered or authorized entity to operate in the Republic of North Macedonia
o Copy of the Applicant’s bylaws and other documents on its corporate governance

Fully completed application forms and supporting documents, should be submitted to the email address: info@greendevelopment.mk
1. What is the Green Climate Fund

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a new global fund created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to support the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate change https://www.greenclimate.fund/home. The main principle of the GCF, as a global fund, is to promote a paradigm shift to low-emission and climate-resilient development across the countries. Also read: The Green Climate Fund at a Glance

2. What are Accredited Entities

Accredited Entities (AE) are an essential part of the GCF business model, only AEs can submit funding proposal to the GCF. Their role includes developing and submitting funding proposals for appraisal and approval by the GCF and oversee and monitor the management and implementation of projects and programmes approved and financed by the GCF. To access GCF funds, applicant entities must go through a GCF accreditation process, designed to assess the entity’s capacities to manage the funds adequately and to safeguard funded projects/programmes in line with the GCF Accreditation Standards.

3. What are Direct Access Entities

Direct Access Entities (DAEs) are entities accredited under the GCF direct access modality, including subnational, national or regional entities, that have obtained a nomination from the NDA. They may include ministries or government agencies, development banks, climate funds, commercial banks or other financial institutions, private foundations and non-governmental organizations.

4. What is a Rapid Assessment Process

The purpose of the Rapid Assessment Process is to assess and prioritize the entities that have applied through this Call to be considered as potential DAEs. The Rapid Assessment Process shall result in a shortlist of those entities that present greater potential to become accredited, based on their performance and capacities for project/programme implementation.

The Application Form for being assessed through the Rapid Assessment process, based on which eligible potential Direct Access Entities will be shortlisted and further prioritized according to their capacities to potentially initiate the GCF accreditation process, consist of the following 2 (two) documents:

  • • Eligibility Assessment Questionnaire (FAO/MCD-ACC-02): The questionnaire consists of a blend of open and multiple-choice questions, which aim at getting to know the applicant entity, how the entity works, the main sectors or activities it implements, as well as information regarding its operations, standards, procedures, systems, among other useful information. The questionnaire is divided in eight sections, out of which seven (7) will be scored by the reviewers.

  • • Climate Change Project Portfolio (FAO/MCD-ACC-03): To understand the experience of entities designing and implementing climate change (mitigation and/or adaptation) project/programmes, a potential DAE will have to complete a Project Portfolio for the period comprising the past three years, providing detailed information on the type of projects implemented, financial instruments deployed, result areas, environmental and social risk category of the project, among other information.

5. How can I get support for completing the application forms?

When completing the application forms, entities can contact FAO national team, in case of any doubts or questions regarding how to answer the questionnaire, using the following contact details.

NAME POSITION CONTACT INFORMATION
Blagica Petrova National Accreditation Consultant,
FAO country office in North Macedonia 		Email: blagica.petrova@fao.org
Mobile: + 389 (0)76 319 506
Igor Slavkoski National Team Leader and Project Manager,
FAO country office in North Macedonia 		Email: Igor.Slavkoski@fao.org
mobile: + 389 (0)70 212 557

Questions received from Potential Green Climate Fund Direct Access Entities

• If you are interested in the conditions and obligations that you need to fulfill in this phase of rapid assessment, then you should refer to the application questionnaire. The questions contain the criteria / conditions that you need to meet to be a potential candidate for a direct access entity. If you are only interested in fiduciary standard on-lending, questions 5.8 and 5.9. are not relevant to you, and you do not need to answer them, and the specific lending requirements are contained in question 5.10. Also, if you are a private entity, questions 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 are not relevant to you and you do not need to answer and complete them. All other questions refer to the criteria that you need to meet and therefore need to be answered. As for obligations, from this stage of rapid assessment, no obligations arise for you.

o If you are interested in the criteria and obligations that you would have potentially in the long run, in case you start the accreditation process, then please refer to theChecklists used by the Green Climate Fund to evaluate accreditation applications. These lists detail all the conditions you need to meet to be accredited. Specific for on-lending are sections 5.3 (STAGE II ACCREDITATION REVIEW CHECK LIST - Str. 83-97, question 5.3 available at: www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/page/checklist-stage-ii-accreditation-panel.pdf, and STAGE I - INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND COMPLETENESS CHECK LIST (p. 31-35, question 5.3, available at www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/page/checklist-stage-i-secretariat.pdf ). If you are applying for on-lending only, you do not have to meet the requirements of sections 5.2 and 5.1. everything else applies.
o Master Agreement that the Green Climate Fund signs with each accredited entity. The obligations that each accredited entity has are defined in this Agreement. Available at www.greenclimate.fund/document/accreditation-master-agreement

Yes, the municipalities can apply for GCF projects. They can only apply directly if they have previously been accredited. If not, they can apply in partnership with another accredited entity. The current call refers to candidates for accreditation, not projects. If you have any project idea eligible for GCF funding, you should contact the NDA for the Republic of North Macedonia to initiate the screening of the project idea and receive feedback and guidance on how to advance the development of the funding proposal.
- General information on accredited entities is available at www.greenclimate.fund/about/partners/ae
- General information about the accreditation process is available at www.greenclimate.fund/accreditation
- Guide for engaging Entities with Direct Access with GCF, which provides detailed information on accreditation is available at: www.greendevelopment.mk/mk/Dokumenti/DocFAO/Guidebook_Engaging%20into%20GCF%20Accreditation.pdf
- Detailed information on the requirements to be met in the accreditation process can be found in the Checklists used by the Green Climate Fund to evaluate accreditation applications. These lists provide details on all the conditions you need to meet to be accredited. Specific for lending are sections 5.3 (STAGE II - ACCREDITATION REVIEW CHECK LIST - p. 83-97, question 5.3. and STAGE I - INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND COMPLETENESS CHECK LIST- p. 31-35, question 5.3)
- Regarding the manner and conditions of using funds from the GCF, the general conditions for each accredited entity can be seen in the Master Agreement that the Green Climate Fund signs with each accredited entity. The obligations that each accredited entity has are defined in this Agreement. Available at: www.greenclimate.fund/document/accreditation-master-agreement. Specific conditions for using the funds are defined at the project / program level.
- Whether only through one entity / institution the funds from the Fund will be distributed or more institutions can receive accreditation - the number of entities that can apply and be accredited is not limited. Any legal entity can start the accreditation process with a previously received letter of no-objection from the NDA (Cabinet of the Deputy President of the Government of North Macedonia in charge of Economic Affairs). As for the ongoing readiness project implemented by FAO, FAO and the NDA will select one entity and will support this entity in the preparation for the GCF accreditation process. This does not limit all others interested in starting an accreditation process.
At this stage of the process, during the rapid assessment of potential candidates for accreditation to the Green Climate Fund, it is not mandatory to submit supporting documentation. The two forms - ACC-02 and ACC-03 - must be dully completed and submitted for application. If during the review and evaluation phase there is a need for additional information from some of the applicants, the evaluators can, and have the right to request additional documents related to the questions and answers from the application. Additional documents, no matter if you submit them of your choice or at our request, at this stage of rapid assessment, should not be nor original/ notarized, neither translated in English.
For question 3.3 b, you only need to briefly list your ideas / potential projects without providing detailed information. Note that the answer to question 3.3 - a and b should not be longer than 300 words.
Yes, you can update the application and resubmit it. The last submitted application within the stipulated deadline will be taken into account.