Evaluation process – Tourism 4.0

1. Evaluation Committee

The Evaluation Committee is composed of 1 evaluator from each of the following six countries: Italy, Portugal, Spain, Malta, Croatia, Poland.

Therefore, the committee will be formed by 6 evaluators, coordinated by Mr. Joan Puatè, Manager at Cluster Digital de Catalunya.

2. Evaluation process

The evaluation process of applications, which will take approximately 4 weeks after the call deadline is closed, is summarized in the following steps:

1.

Administrative revision of applications and request of documentation, if needed.

2.

Evaluation Committee’s coordinator distributes applications proportionally among all 6 evaluators. SME general information (i.e., company name, country, etc.) will be hidden from evaluators to ensure a fair, independent process.

3.

Each of the 6 evaluators will assess the applications assigned to him or her and will fill an evaluation form prepared for the purpose.

4.

Evaluation Committee’s Coordinator will collect all evaluation forms and generate a ranked list from the highest scored application to the lowest, according to country.

5.

Evaluation Committee meets to validate the results and agree on the final list of selected SMEs and a reserve list.

To achieve our project objectives in relation to geographical distribution, we will select:

13 SMEs in Italy
15 in Portugal
11 in Spain
11 in Malta
10 in Croatia

3. Selection criteria

The evaluation will be carried out based on the following criteria, which will be applied to the data you provide us in the application form:

Previous experiences and initiatives about innovation (the greater and more diversified initiatives an SME has been already engaged in, the higher score will achieve);

For the first criterion, a score from 5 to 0 will be assigned, according to the following scale:

Score 5: relevant and diversified initiatives have been adopted and the SME has already obtained a certification
Score 3: relevant and diversified initiatives have been adopted
Score 1: a minimum of initiatives has been adopted
Score 0: no activities declared

Minimum threshold: 1.

Previous experiences and initiatives about innovation (the greater and more diversified initiatives an SME has been already engaged in, the higher score will achieve);

For the second criterion, a score from 3 to 0 will be assigned, according to the following scale:

Score 3: high commitment
Score 2: medium commitment
Score 1: low commitment
Score 0: no commitment

Minimum threshold: 1.

Relevance of the potential improvements triggered with the achievement of Tourism4.0 financial support.

For the third criterion, a score from 7 to 0 will be assigned, according to the following scale:

Score 7: very high potential
Score 5: high potential
Score 3: medium potential
Score 1: low potential
Score 0: no potential

Minimum threshold: 1.

The assessment will focus on the actions that SMEs plan to implement, and the resources planned to support these actions.

Data collected in the application form will allow us to assess the ambition you have for your organization in terms of digitalization and innovation, the means you plan to engage to reach your goals, and the objectives you set in terms of the digitalization and innovation process to be implemented in the framework of Tourism4.0.

4. Notification of selected SMEs and feedback on the evaluation

Once the evaluation process is completed, all applicants will receive a notification
by e-mail about the results, which will lead to one of these scenarios:

No selection

The notification will be sent together with an unsigned copy of the evaluation report.

No selection (in reserve list)

The notification that your SME has not been selected but is on the reserve list will be sent together with an unsigned copy of the evaluation report.

Selection

The notification will be sent to selected beneficiary SMEs together with a contractual agreement and indications of the next steps. This agreement should be signed within 3 weeks after receiving the notification, otherwise the applicant’s interest in participating in the program will be considered withdrawn and its spot will be offered to the next ranked SME on the reserve list.