SIGMA Programme: Announcement of the 11th call in SIGMA - sub-objective 4, Bilateral cooperation

On 7 May 2025, the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to as “TA CR”) announced the eleventh public call in the Programme for Support of Applied Research and Innovation SIGMA – sub-objective 4, bilateral cooperation (hereinafter referred to as “SIGMA – Bilateral cooperation”).

The announcement of the public call was published by TA CR in the Commercial Bulletin and the Information System for Research, Experimental Development, and Innovation.

SIGMA Programme – DC4 is aimed at supporting international cooperation in the field of applied research through joint projects of Czech entities supported by TA CR and foreign partners with the support of foreign organizations.

The main objective of this call for proposals is to increase the number of outputs and results in areas that are promising for the future of the participating countries. Another objective is also to promote the transfer of international knowledge, share good practices, and facilitate the penetration of foreign markets.

The project proposal shall be submitted through the SISTA information system in English. TA CR recommends switching the language in SISTA to English via the “EN” button in the top right corner screen after logging in. 

Foreign partners must be based in one of the following localities:

The Call Period begins on May 8, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. and ends on July 9, 2025, at the times indicated below:

• 16:29:59 – This is the latest possible time to submit a project proposal through the SISTA information system;
• 23:59:59 hod. – This is the latest possible moment to send the documents to prove eligibility, which must be sent by each applicant separately.

Data box ID TA CR: afth9xp

The 11th Call for Proposals of the SIGMA Programme will be announced in the TA CR shared information system – SISTA. Please note that all calls for proposals will be announced in SISTA only. To submit a project proposal, applicants must meet the new technical requirements of the system. This includes registering their organization and designating an administrator. Without completing the organization registration and adding administrators, it will not be possible to submit a project proposal or receive public funds for applied research projects. In this article, we describe all the new technical requirements in detail and recommend reading it carefully.

Detailed information necessary for the preparation and submission of the project proposal, including details on the evaluation method and criteria, can be found in the Call documentation and other documents associated with the call for proposals. The SISTA information system includes help sheets to assist applicants in completing the project proposal.

Do you have any questions? You can ask it via HELPDESK. You can also contact the regional representatives of the TA CR.

TA CR will not organize any webinars for this public call. During the call period, TA CR will publish an information presentation on its website summarising the terms and conditions of the public call. 

TA CR further informs applicants that it will only accept such project proposals whose applicants (i.e., the main applicant and another participant):

• publish the financial statements in the public register – for entities that have this obligation for a period of three years (2021, 2022, 2023); 
• do not meet the definition of a company in difficulty; 
• are registered in the register of beneficial owners by the end of the call period, i.e., by July 9, 2025;
• meet the other conditions set out in the Call documentation.

ELIMINATION OF CORRUPTING INFLUENCES

In order to eliminate corrupt influences during the call process, TA CR asks all applicants to inform the company immediately of any alleged corrupt activity of which they become aware. Notification, together with a description of the relevant facts, can make it much easier for the TA CR to identify and eliminate possible corrupt efforts. Complaints concerning suspicions of corrupt practices or other unfair activities may be reported according to the procedure on the website of TA CR. 

DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE 11^TH CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Call documentation

Zadávací dokumentace (CZ)
Call documentation (EN)
Příloha č. 1 – Specifické podmínky jednotlivých zahraničních organizací (CZ)
Annex No. 1 – Specific conditions of individual foreign organizations (EN)
Příloha č. 2 – Hodnoticí proces (CZ)
Annex No. 2 – Evaluation process (EN)
Common Proposal (EN)

Related documentation and forms

Všeobecné podmínky v8 (CZ)
General Terms and Conditions v8 (EN)
Výklad podmínek uznatelnosti nákladů dle Všeobecných podmínek verze č. 8 ze dne 19. 9. 2024 (CZ)
Smlouva o poskytnutí podpory (CZ)
Rozhodnutí o poskytnutí podpory (CZ)
Čestné prohlášení za uchazeče/Sworn statement of the applicant (CZ/EN)
Form Pre-existent knowledge (EN)
Formulář pro druh výsledku Nmet/Form for result of the Nmet type (CZ/EN)
Výzkumná data a otevřený přístup k výstupům/výsledkům (CZ) 
Research data and open access to outputs/results (EN)
Plán správy dat – TA ČR (CZ)
Data Management Plan – TA CR (EN)
Plán správy dat – Horizont Evropa (CZ/EN)

Additional documentation

Program SIGMA (CZ)
SIGMA Programme (EN)
Karty tematických oblastí RIS3 strategie ČR (CZ)
Povinná publicita podpořených projektů TA ČR (CZ)
Použití anglického jazyka v realizaci (CZ)
Národní priority orientovaného výzkumu, experimentálního vývoje a inovací (NPOV) (CZ)
National priorities of oriented research, experimental development and innovations (EN)

Handbooks

Uživatelská příručka k definici malých a středních podniků (CZ)
User guide to the sme definition (EN)
Obecná příručka pro experty (CZ)
Podání návrhu projektu v SISTA: Návod pro uchazeče (CZ)

The public call was announced in accordance with Act No. 130/2002 Coll., on support for research, experimental development, and innovation from public funds and amendments to certain related acts, in accordance with the Framework for State Aid for Research, Development, and Innovation 2014/C 198/01 and in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No. 651/2014 of 17 June 2014.

7. 5. 2025