FAQ
1.Is obtaining building permits obligatory for project implementation?
For starting project implementation, building permit issued by the building authority is required if the investment requires building permit. If the investment does not need building permit, it is enough to enclose a supporting statement from the building authority.
2. The dimensions and the layout of the building to be made accessible make it difficult to observe requirements.
It is recommended to rely on the expertise of a rehabilitation engineer already in the preparatory phase, to determine the scope of required accessibility work that is both feasible and suitable for the demands in that building. The Foundation accepts the expertise of the rehabilitation engineers published on the expert list.
Information!
THE DECLARATION CONCERNING REHABILITATION ENGINEERS, THE LIST OF SUCH ENGINEERS AND THE 'AID FOR ACHIEVING COMPLEX ACCESSIBILITY' HAVE BEEN UPDATED. THE UPDATED VERSION CAN BE DOWNLOADED FORM THE DOCUMENTS FOR APPLICATIONS MENU.
3. As to creating accessible lavatories as described under 3.c of the 'Minimum requirements for removal of physical obstacles' under section 'C' of the call for applications, interested parties raised the following issue: the building's dimensions do not allow creating as many lavatories as specified in the call for applications. In small communities so many facilities are not even needed.mód annyi akadálymentes mellékhelység kialakítására amennyi a pályázati felhívásban szerepel. Valamint, mivel kis településekről van szó, akkora igény sincs.
According to the rehabilitation engineer's standpoint, the requirement referenced shall be regarded just as a recommendation, not as an obligatory stipulation. During the implementation of the accessibility of lavatories, the building's dimensions, the number of probable users, as well as the requirements of the national settlement arrangement and building 'OTÉK' (paragraph 99), along with the 'Aid for complex removal of obstacles' document' must be followed.
4. If the existing status meets the requirements set by Hungary's National Public Health and Medical Officer Service ÁNTSZ, do requirements relate only to the lavatories to be made accessible?
According to the rehabilitation engineer's opinion, the existing state must meet the standards of both the OTÉK and the Aid, and this conformity shall be presented in the application. If this investment is obliged to have building permits, the competent authority will examine their compliance. If only the accessible lavatory needs to be built (and the number or he layout of the existing sanitary blocks will not change), then the OTÉK's rules shall be implemented as set forth in the Aid.
5. Applicants informed that using a plan inspector is stipulated by law since 1 September 2008. In your opinion, is it an obligatory activity and if it is, is this expense of the expert reports (as in C3/3) deductible?
The plan inspector's fee can be deducted under the costs of the expert reports used for the project implementation by expert's services.
6. Shall all the minimum requirements for achieving physical and info-communications accessibility be met, or in this case can we rely on the statement from the rehabilitation expert appointed by the applicant concerning the minimum required and satisfactory accessibility work?
Establishing the info-communication system ensures that people with disorders of perception and communication, along with autistic people, can access the services. Applying the minimum requirements set forth in the Guideline shall take place with regard to the characteristics and properties of the service/location to be made accessible, but it can differ from it. E.g. an institute for disabled people requires special info-communications solutions. The rehabilitation engineer's or experts' statement shall be relied upon, and it is also recommended to involve the representatives of the related interest reconciliation organs into the preparation.
7. Chapter C1, point 6 of the Guidelines sets the info-communications accessibility of the existing websites a minimum requirement for the info-communications accessibility. Based on Chapter C1.2 of the Guidelines, in addition to the minimum requirements under point 4, the realization of other info-communications accessibility is an advantage in the evaluation. One of the examples is making an existing website accessible. Now it is not clear for me whether the website is a minimum requirement element, or does the announcer mean it is extra. Since out of the total score of 100, maximum 10 points are available for the extra accessibility elements undertaken, in my opinion it is important to elucidate this issue. (Particularly because you mentioned during the telephone conversation that the Forest School has a website, and it is about to be made accessible.)
The existing website and the information on it shall be made available for people with sensual disorders, so it is a requirement. It is recommended to certify the compliance of the accessibility of the website by an IT expert.
8. In chapter C1 of the Guideline, there is a paragraph about additional requirements. Based on it, it is obligatory to involve a rehabilitation engineer to check and sign the plans and to make a statement. Based on C1.2 chapter, point 5 of the Guideline, it is an advantage during the evaluation (extra score again) if the applicant involves a rehabilitation engineer during the preparatory phase. It is ambiguous for me what the announcer means by preparatory phase, because there is a separate description about implementation. I think the implementation includes the making of working designs in a given case, and it always contains the implementation of the building project. But what does preparation mean then? Or did you mean only implementation?
The contribution of the rehabilitation engineer in the preparatory phase means participation in the professional creation of the accessibility documentation, in cooperation with the applicant, the designer, as well as the participants of preparations for the application.
For example:
- evaluating the scene from the aspect of accessibility
- making accessibility proposals
- providing consultations with the designer
- making accessibility technical description/documentation, etc.
9. When renewing or constructing a building, can improving accessibility be linked with modernizing energy utilization?
The priority is to provide accessibility. If this involves such a large-scale refurbishment or transformation that the building permit requires the building's energy refurbishment, then it could become a deductible costs, if it is required for the licence. The applicant shall take into consideration that complex accessibility shall be realized and the upper limit of the grant restricts the costs of a complete reconstruction. Please note that in such cases, during the evaluation of the application, we will inspect the proportion of the strictly accessibility project's and the 'auxiliary' (building energy) construction project's costs and based on that will we determine which 'other' construction costs qualify as deductible.
10. We are a major public benefit organization for handicapped people. We have around 500 members. The building of our headquarters belongs to the local municipality and we received it for use free of charge for an undefined period (we have been using it for 14 years now), on condition that 40 people with reduced capabilities shall be employed in this building. We have been meeting this requirement, and we will be able to do so in the futures, too. Are we eligible for application if we do not actually own the building; is it enough to have the Municipality's declaration of assent to make the building accessible? How shall we act in this case?
You will need to enclose the document in which the municipality makes the real property available for you. If you do not have such document, you should urge concluding long-term rent agreement. It is also necessary to have the municipality's statement of assent about the realization of the renewal, the completion of the accessibility project, as well as making the real estate available until the end of the period of obligation.
11. With the Act on VAT changed, what tax rate shall apply when submitting the application?
We need to submit the incoming applications and the inspection to the National Development Agency NFÜ for approval, therefore NFÜ's announcement relating to the VAT increase shall be followed: Under the Act XXXV of 2009 on modifying some tax laws and other related laws, in case of the existing open and future calls for applications we recommend the applicants to calculate with the higher VAT rate when making VAT-concerned product and service purchases with fulfilment date after 30 June 2009, if they are aware of the project implementation's schedule.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
Hereby we request Applicants that on page 2 of the 'Applicant's declaration' document, under the 'Amount of own contribution', the amount of the contribution paid by the applicant's organization shall be entered based on 275 HUF/EUR exchange rate.
12. The Guideline seems ambiguous in defining accountable costs: 'The starting date for project costs' deductibility is the date when the last party signs the Support Contract.' (p.13) 'From the date of the application's receipt, the project can be commenced at applicant's own risk, but this does not guarantee winning the grant.' Does this imply that in case of a winner application, any costs incurred between the date of the receipt and the date when the last party signs the Support Contract are not accountable?
The project can be physically started at the applicant's own responsibility after the invoice, but the starting date of invoice' accountability is the date when all parties sign the Support Contract. This means that under this project, only invoices that do not have dates (invoice date, fulfilment date, or due date) preceding the date when all parties sign the Support Contract are expensable.
13. The Guideline informs that the application shall also be submitted in electronic form. Is it enough to have the data sheet on the CD, or are the enclosures also required? Is the Word format sufficient or shall we scan the signed copy?
It is sufficient to submit the data sheet in Word format.