Project OfficeVojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 1

Contents/

1. About VOICT2. Activities & Services3. Project Office a. Origin b. Genesis c. Model d. Service Portfolio & Catalogue4. Results 2010 – 2013

Milan ŠolajaJürgen KappenmannMarija Stanču Mirosavljev

Authors/

2 Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT provides a single point of contact with the best companies in Serbia, with a total workforce of over 2,000 experienced IT professionals. We build long-term relationships based on trust and qu-ality, bringing expertise, experience and passion for ex-cellence to each and every project.

The strategic objective of Vojvodina ICT Cluster is to in-crease visibility of the Serbian ICT sector and put Novi Sad on the regional and European map as the hotbed for ICT in this part of the world.

VOICT offers nearshoring, outsourcing and Joint Ven-ture opportunities with highly professional, reliable and experienced partners. The cluster is a recognized partner in the development and application of new ICT products and services with high profit potential. VOICT is a key partner in the development of individuals, companies and regional businesses.

The mission of Vojvodina ICT Cluster includes coordina-tion of its own and its partners’ efforts toward a strong positive influence on social and business environment.

Selected opportunities when doing business with VOICT members

• Software outsourcing, nearshoring• Commercialization of R&D• Joint applications for EU programs• Free trade agreement with Russia• Development of industrial applications• Subcontract work & JV with cluster members• Embedded software development• Franchising• Finding distributors

1. About VOICT (intro, vision, mission)

To the members, the cluster serves as a platform for cooperation and provides a portfolio of services, such as building capacities and competitiveness of its members through training and education at the Cluster Academy, building links with the education system, creation of new business opportunities, ac-cess to new markets, lobbying activities, etc. The cluster also has an important role in building tighter bonds in the triple helix Business – Education – Go-vernment.

2. Activities & Services/

Activities include the further strengthening of the asso-ciation, its positioning as the most relevant Serbian ICT institution within the country and abroad, building an ever stronger network of international contacts, creating new business opportunities for the members, compiling and delivering sets of services to members and third par-ties, lobbying for business environment improvements in Serbia, and popularization of ICT both in terms of gen-erating more ICT professionals and enabling more pen-etration of these technologies throughout other sectors of Serbian economy.

The most important services to members are:- Lobbying and protection of IT companies’ interests- Promotion of education for IT- Training-on-demand for cluster members via the

Cluster Academy- Project Office project development and

implementation services- Promotion of members and increase of their

visibility- Building strong relations among the members- Opening doors of new markets for the member

companies

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 3

2. Activities & Services/

Activities include the further strengthening of the asso-ciation, its positioning as the most relevant Serbian ICT institution within the country and abroad, building an ever stronger network of international contacts, creating new business opportunities for the members, compiling and delivering sets of services to members and third par-ties, lobbying for business environment improvements in Serbia, and popularization of ICT both in terms of gen-erating more ICT professionals and enabling more pen-etration of these technologies throughout other sectors of Serbian economy.

The most important services to members are:- Lobbying and protection of IT companies’ interests- Promotion of education for IT- Training-on-demand for cluster members via the

Cluster Academy- Project Office project development and

implementation services- Promotion of members and increase of their

visibility- Building strong relations among the members- Opening doors of new markets for the member

companies

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 3

3. Project Office/

4 Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

Origin/a

Since March 2012 Serbia has the status of an EU acces-sion candidate. Several EU programs are open to appli-cants from Serbia. The most important programs for the Serbian ICT sector are:- Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Program-

me 2007-2013 (CIP)- EU 7th Framework Programme for Research 2007-2013

(FP7)- Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

Of course, after 2013 there are Horizon2020, COSME, Danube Region Strategy, and other programs. Conside-ring experiences so far, VOICT Project Office is well posi-tioned to continue its work with these new opportunities.

However, the number of Serbian applications to these EU programs and the respective success rate vary from

program to program. In particular, SMEs are struggling to access the available programs. Serbian SMEs are often not aware of the availability of these support programs and administrative burdens and challenges in the appli-cation process are (or are regarded as) rather high. At the same time, support structures for this process dedicated to SMEs are lacking.

The ICT sector is one of the most dynamic and promising sectors in the Serbian economy. This is reflected in the comparatively high number of applicants for EU funds. Yet one of the major challenges for SMEs in the sector is the lack of institutionalized support structures. VOICT is one of the few BMOs in the sector that is genuinely providing support and services to its members.

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 5

Genesis/bIn order to support SMEs in this sector to take advantage of the available EU programs, VOICT teamed up with Ger-man Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit – GIZ, to build an internal service and competence unit with

• Integration VOICT trategy 2011-13S

• Status quo Analysis

• Follow-up Planning

• Service Catalogue• Skill & HR Development Matrix• Financial Plan• Pricing & Contracting Model(s)

• Implementation in Defined Phases

Organi-zational Analysis

Sustainability

Business Plan Development

Action Plan

the capacity to successfully apply for respective EU programs. This unit was named simply Project Offi-ce. Its services and know-how are available to VOICT members and external clients (non-members) alike.

Model/c

The objective in setting up the Project Office (PO) is to su-pport VOICT in four different areas:

1. Enhance the service portfolio of the cluster to increase attractiveness to current and future members.

2. Support its clients to gain access to EU programs and build a knowledge base on this subject.

3. Strengthen the linkages between the research and busi-ness communities.

4. Reduce the dependency of VOICT on bilateral donors by generating projects for the cluster itself.

In its activities, the PO collects as much information as possible on the challenges and opportunities for SMEs presented by EU programs available in Serbia and the res-pective application procedures. This information is utilized to enhance the programs themselves and the framework conditions in Serbia.

To summarize, the PO has two separate functions:

1. Service provider to SMEs2. Dialogue partner for government, EU, and other

donors

6 Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

In order to ensure the sustainability of the intervention, the approach was built on an elaborated business plan and bu-siness case, i.e. the costs of the unit should be covered by fees from its services and other income of the unit.

The demand for the services and work of the VOICT PO can be categorized in two groups:1. Internal Beneficiaries / Clients 1.1. VOICT members2. External Beneficiaries / Clients 2.1. Companies (Serbian and international) 2.2. Other clusters (Serbian and international) 2.3. Successful projects (creating business opportunities for members rather than the PO via the supply of IT solutions) 2.4. Local (public) self-government bodies (focus on e-government, ICT solutions etc.) 2.5. Public utility companies

VOICT Project OfficeCentral Competence Centre

VOICT Members

ExternalClients

Service ProviderSingle point of contact

Public & Private

Organizations

Knowledge & Dialogue

Partner

VOICT PO Service Catalogue

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 7

8 Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

Service Portfolio & Catalogue/d

The PO developed the following service catalogue, which provides, together with the pricing model for each servi-ce, the binding basis on which all services and training sessions are offered and charged. Of course, these servi-

ces are free of charge or with minimal charge for VOICT members, while at the same time are offered commercia-lly to third parties

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 9

# Service Description

1 Screening of calls

1.1. Screening of national calls for proposals and tenders

1.2. Screening of bilateral calls and opportunities

1.3. Screening of EU calls for proposals and tenders

1.4. Screening approved projects for business opportunities

2 Database

2.1. Access to the database of projects

2.2. Collection and distribution of information on active calls

2.3. Business intelligence on technologies and developments relevant to different calls

3 Coordination & Consortia

3.1. Coordination of the VOICT members' participation in calls

3.2. Coordination of activities with third parties (consortium building)

4 Project Development

4.1. Project Development

4.2. Project Writing

4.3. Project implementation support and monitoring

4.4. Managing project development

5 Project Management

5.1. Managing project implementation

6 Post-project Reporting and Analysis

6.1. Processing project data, reporting, analysis of the process

7 ICT Service Providing

7.1. ICT service/product providing to other successful projects

8 Lobbying and Raising Awareness

8.1. Lobbying for improvement of call procedures with national authorities

9 Training

9.1. Introductory trainings

9.2. Proposal writing training

10 Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

4. Results 2010 – 2013/

Overview of Project Office activities - list of international and national projects, along with status and financial data:

# Project Title Source of Funding Status Overall funds € Funds to VOICT €

International projects

1 CIRENE - Cross-border ICT Research Network IPA CBC HU-SRB Completed 19,370.00 16,464.50

2 CompComp - Computer Industry Competency Based Cross-border Business Building

IPA CBC HU-SRB Completed 11,501.00 9,775.85

3 PPP4BroadBand - Tackling the "Broadband Gap" in SEE Rural areas through PPP model

IPA SouthEastEurope (SEE) Implementation 77,955.00 66,261.75

4 ICT ICE - ICT Innovation Clustering and Entrepreneurship IPA SouthEastEurope (SEE) Rejected 0.00 0.00

5 ConnecIT IPA CBC CRO-SRB Rejected 0.00 0.00

6 CHET - Cooperation Hub for Engineering Technologies IPA CBC CRO-SRB Rejected 0.00 0.00

7 SmartCities CIP ICT-PSP Rejected 0.00 0.00

8 Cluster Academy RSEDP2 Rejected 0.00 0.00

9 Center of Excellence USAID Implementation 63,500.00 36,200.00

10 E-parliament - the way to improving democratic processes SIDA Application 0.00 0.00

11 DBE - Digital Business Ecosystem FP7 Application 0.00 0.00

12 ED4ICT - European Bridges for the ICT Entrepreneurship Experience Sharing FP7 Application 0.00 0.00

13 KA3 - Sustain the COMunity Knowledge through the ICT / ICT.COM Life Long Learning Programme Application 0.00 0.00

14 Enterprize-University partnership – towards better employability - ENTE TEMPUS Application 0.00 0.00

15 STudent EnterPrize University Project – STEP UP TEMPUS Application 0.00 0.00

16 Fostering students’ entrepreneurship and open innovation in university – industry collaboration - iDEA Lab

TEMPUS Implementation 23,492.00 21,142.80

National projects

17 Project for newly established innovative clusters in 2010 MoERD (Ministry of Economy and Regional Development)

Completed 10,000.00 5,000.00

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 11

18 Development of 6 curricula for Cluster Academy MoERD Completed 5,600.00 2,800.00

19 Improvement of existing video surveillance system for the city of Novi Sad Pilot project

MoERD Completed 21,000.00 10,500.00

20 Preparation and printing of VOICT's promo material for CeBIT Vojvodina Government Completed 1,454.55 727.27

21 PO capacities raising, Information system development for communication between VOICT's members

Vojvodina Government Completed 11,818.18 5,909.09

22 Co-financing of VOICT's contribution in 2 running IPA HU-SRB CBC projects Vojvodina Government Completed 4,545.45 2,272.73

23 TV Informatics Digital Agenda Rejected 0.00 0.00

24 SoftBizz RNIDS 4PI Rejected 0.00 0.00

25 Studiraj IT RNIDS 4PI Rejected 0.00 0.00

26 Co-financing approved EU projects, improvement Project Office performance, support competitiveness growth via support to clustering

Vojvodina Government Implementation 15,800.00 7,900.00

27 Compilation of feasibility study for connecting VOICT members via fiber optic infrastructure of the City of Novi Sad

NARD (National Agency for Regional Development)

Implementation 14,900.00 7,450.00

28 DanubeIT conference and B2B meetings Ministry of Internal and External Trade and Telecommunications

Implementation 15,800.00 7,110.00

Totals 296,736.18 199,513.99

10 Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT

4. Results 2010 – 2013/

Overview of Project Office activities - list of international and national projects, along with status and financial data:

# Project Title Source of Funding Status Overall funds € Funds to VOICT €

International projects

1 CIRENE - Cross-border ICT Research Network IPA CBC HU-SRB Completed 19,370.00 16,464.50

2 CompComp - Computer Industry Competency Based Cross-border Business Building

IPA CBC HU-SRB Completed 11,501.00 9,775.85

3 PPP4BroadBand - Tackling the "Broadband Gap" in SEE Rural areas through PPP model

IPA SouthEastEurope (SEE) Implementation 77,955.00 66,261.75

4 ICT ICE - ICT Innovation Clustering and Entrepreneurship IPA SouthEastEurope (SEE) Rejected 0.00 0.00

5 ConnecIT IPA CBC CRO-SRB Rejected 0.00 0.00

6 CHET - Cooperation Hub for Engineering Technologies IPA CBC CRO-SRB Rejected 0.00 0.00

7 SmartCities CIP ICT-PSP Rejected 0.00 0.00

8 Cluster Academy RSEDP2 Rejected 0.00 0.00

9 Center of Excellence USAID Implementation 63,500.00 36,200.00

10 E-parliament - the way to improving democratic processes SIDA Application 0.00 0.00

11 DBE - Digital Business Ecosystem FP7 Application 0.00 0.00

12 ED4ICT - European Bridges for the ICT Entrepreneurship Experience Sharing FP7 Application 0.00 0.00

13 KA3 - Sustain the COMunity Knowledge through the ICT / ICT.COM Life Long Learning Programme Application 0.00 0.00

14 Enterprize-University partnership – towards better employability - ENTE TEMPUS Application 0.00 0.00

15 STudent EnterPrize University Project – STEP UP TEMPUS Application 0.00 0.00

16 Fostering students’ entrepreneurship and open innovation in university – industry collaboration - iDEA Lab

TEMPUS Implementation 23,492.00 21,142.80

National projects

17 Project for newly established innovative clusters in 2010 MoERD (Ministry of Economy and Regional Development)

Completed 10,000.00 5,000.00

Project Office Vojvodina ICT Cluster - VOICT 11

18 Development of 6 curricula for Cluster Academy MoERD Completed 5,600.00 2,800.00

19 Improvement of existing video surveillance system for the city of Novi Sad Pilot project

MoERD Completed 21,000.00 10,500.00

20 Preparation and printing of VOICT's promo material for CeBIT Vojvodina Government Completed 1,454.55 727.27

21 PO capacities raising, Information system development for communication between VOICT's members

Vojvodina Government Completed 11,818.18 5,909.09

22 Co-financing of VOICT's contribution in 2 running IPA HU-SRB CBC projects Vojvodina Government Completed 4,545.45 2,272.73

23 TV Informatics Digital Agenda Rejected 0.00 0.00

24 SoftBizz RNIDS 4PI Rejected 0.00 0.00

25 Studiraj IT RNIDS 4PI Rejected 0.00 0.00

26 Co-financing approved EU projects, improvement Project Office performance, support competitiveness growth via support to clustering

Vojvodina Government Implementation 15,800.00 7,900.00

27 Compilation of feasibility study for connecting VOICT members via fiber optic infrastructure of the City of Novi Sad

NARD (National Agency for Regional Development)

Implementation 14,900.00 7,450.00

28 DanubeIT conference and B2B meetings Ministry of Internal and External Trade and Telecommunications

Implementation 15,800.00 7,110.00

Totals 296,736.18 199,513.99