The Northwest Regional Development Agency, as the Management Authority for the Northwest Regional Program 2021-2027 (NORTH-VEST REGION), publishes today, August 28, 2023, Applicant's Guide 121 – Digitization of SMEs in the North-West Development Region.

The call for projects is competitive, with submission deadline, and funding applications can be submitted through the MySMIS 2021/2021+ computer system during:  October 2, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – April 1, 2024, 10:00 a.m.

Download – Applicant's Guide 121 – Digitization of SMEs in the North-West Development Region.

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES related to this call for projects consist of: 

• Purchase of ICT (information and communication technology) hardware equipment and other related devices and equipment, including installation, configuration, commissioning expenses, justified from the point of view of project implementation;
• Purchase of equipment for automation and robotics intended for technological flows, integrated with digital solutions;
• Realization of the LAN network necessary for the implementation of the project;
• Acquisition of software applications/licenses necessary for project implementation (including software developed and/or adapted according to the beneficiary's requirements), configuration and implementation of databases, migration and integration of various existing data structures, including software automation solutions such as RPA, respectively Robotic Process Automation;
• Acquisition of artificial intelligence systems, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality;
• Purchase of the company's Website;
• Training of the staff who will use ICT equipment;
• Acquisition of services for converting archives from analogue/folders/paper to indexable digital;
• Purchase of specific IT applications for people with disabilities;
• Acquisition of information technology solutions for electronic commerce;
• Procurement of applicable cyber security enhancement services for software/hosting/networks;
• Acquisition of consultancy/analysis services to identify technical solutions regarding digitization that SMEs need.

Indicative areas for guiding investments related to digitization projects proposed by applicants in this call:
• Financial data management. Obtaining, storing and reviewing the applicant's financial data.
• Human resources management. Adaptation of the applicant's employees to the digital environment. Tools for streamlining communication and company-employee relations.
• Customer relationship management.
• Resources management. Access to data about asset management (raw materials, inventory, financial resources, etc.).
• Communication and customer relations. Applicant information available online based on keywords entered into search engines.
• Digitization of processes within the applicant's organization.
• Security policy and practices. The ability to quickly recover access to data in the event of its loss.
• Digitization in production. Automation/informatization/digitalization.
• Measurement sensors that transmit data to servers in order to optimize production;
• Devices/software for real-time tracking of production processes;
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or other similar digital functionality to track parts and subassemblies or finished products in the manufacturing process;
• Systems using virtual reality/augmented reality to train production/maintenance personnel or other applications.
• Other activities/processes to digitize.

The North-West Regional Program 2021-2027 proposes interventions for the development of research, development, innovation and digitization capacity, increasing the energy performance of the existing public and residential building fund, capitalizing on degraded spaces at the city level, sustainable urban mobility, investments in the network of county roads and in the educational infrastructure, as well as actions to capitalize on the cultural, touristic and spa potential.

In the financial year 2021-2027, public authorities and institutions, the business environment, the academic and research environment and NGOs can obtain funding.

The Northwest Regional Program benefits from a total allocation of 1,437,252,471 euros.

• Priority 1: A competitive region through innovation, digitization and dynamic enterprises - total value: 327,904,956 euros
• Priority 2: A region with smart localities - total value: 60,332,872 euros
• Priority 3: A region with environmentally friendly localities - total value: 210,666,112 euros
• Priority 4: A region with sustainable multimodal urban mobility – total value: 305,155,751 euros
• Priority 5: An accessible region - total value: 184,978,708 euros
• Priority 6: An educated region - total value: 77,386,100 euros
• Priority 7: An attractive region - total value: 210,363,134 euros
• Technical assistance – total value: 60,464,838 euros

More information about the Northwest Regional Program for 2021-2027 is available here, and the program can be consulted here.