[{"bbox": [129, 162, 753, 194], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 4 IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS"}, {"bbox": [129, 228, 425, 258], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.1 Financing Agreement"}, {"bbox": [141, 274, 1134, 327], "category": "Text", "text": "In order to implement this action, it is not envisaged to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country."}, {"bbox": [129, 342, 554, 373], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.2 Indicative Implementation Period"}, {"bbox": [141, 388, 1134, 468], "category": "Text", "text": "The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in section 3 will be carried out and the corresponding contracts and agreements implemented, is 84 months from the date of adoption by the Commission of this Financing Decision."}, {"bbox": [141, 468, 1134, 522], "category": "Text", "text": "Extensions of the implementation period may be agreed by the Commission's responsible authorising officer by amending this Financing Decision and the relevant contracts and agreements."}, {"bbox": [129, 549, 741, 579], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.3 Implementation of the Budget Support Component"}, {"bbox": [129, 594, 172, 617], "category": "Text", "text": "N/A"}, {"bbox": [129, 636, 483, 666], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.4 Implementation Modalities"}, {"bbox": [141, 695, 1134, 771], "category": "Text", "text": "The Commission will ensure that the EU appropriate rules and procedures for providing financing to third parties are respected, including review procedures, where appropriate, and compliance of the action with EU restrictive measures⁹."}, {"bbox": [129, 800, 469, 827], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 4.4.1 Direct Management (Grants)"}, {"bbox": [141, 843, 427, 869], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**Grants: (direct management)**"}, {"bbox": [141, 896, 399, 922], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**(a) Purpose of the grant(s)**"}, {"bbox": [141, 934, 925, 961], "category": "Text", "text": "The grants will implement part of the two specific objectives of the action, which are:"}, {"bbox": [141, 979, 1116, 1033], "category": "Text", "text": "* SO1: Sustainably increase productivity and profitability of smallholder agriculture and livestock nutritious short value chains using agro ecological practices"}, {"bbox": [141, 1046, 1106, 1099], "category": "Text", "text": "* SO3: Increase equal and sustainable access to natural resources in order to contribute to food security and mitigate conflicts and allow the voluntary return of conflict-displaced people."}, {"bbox": [141, 1111, 443, 1138], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**(b) Type of applicants targeted**"}, {"bbox": [141, 1151, 323, 1174], "category": "Text", "text": "International NGOs"}, {"bbox": [141, 1196, 464, 1223], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**(c) Justification of a direct grant**"}, {"bbox": [141, 1235, 1134, 1448], "category": "Text", "text": "Under the responsibility of the Commission's authorising officer responsible, the grant may be awarded without a call for proposals to consortia of national and international NGOs selected using the following criteria: Implementers with in-depth experience in food security, agroecology, smallholder farmers cooperatives development, water management and conflict mitigation in Sudan, strong implementation capacities including for inputs delivery, infrastructure works and procurement components, solid capacities and representation in the field at states and locality level. Furthermore, implementers need to have specialized experience with empowerment of vulnerable groups, such as IDPs and refugee communities, women and youth and people with disabilities."}, {"bbox": [141, 1459, 1134, 1563], "category": "Text", "text": "Under the responsibility of the Commission's authorising officer responsible, the recourse to an award of a grant without a call for proposals is justified because of the possibility to use flexible procurement and grant procedures in crisis situations as defined by the Financial Regulation (Article 195 (a)), provided that they are valid at the time of the attribution."}, {"bbox": [129, 1597, 453, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ https://www.sanctionsmap.eu/#/main"}, {"bbox": [1027, 1681, 1143, 1704], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 21 of 26"}]