Assessment criteria

Funding decisions are made on a competitive, deadline-driven basis. Applications will be assessed by an independent, anonymous Assessment Panel, on the basis of the Assessment Criteria listed below.  Only the best bids will receive funding.

Concept Notes are first screened for eligibility. Only Concept Notes for eligible projects and from eligible bidding organisations will be appraised by the panel on the extent to which they satisfy the following criteria:

·         Involve development of commercially viable products and or services that have the potential for replication in other Arab League countries.

·         Involve a product, or service that is innovative.

·         Have a realistic probability of being successfully implemented by the bidding organisation or consortium within two years.

·         be based on a reasonable relationship between costs, activities and outputs.

·         Extent to which private sector resources are mobilised.

·         Contribute to one of the following:

·         Increase in high quality Arabic online content.

·         Improve access to knowledge and information on ICT platforms.

·         Develop ICT-based resources that support education and learning (particularly in leadership and development).

·         Promote Arab culture through the use of ICT.

·         Create commercially viable, innovative and potentially replicable ICT-based products and services

Full Applications will be appraised by the Panel on the extent to which they satisfy the following criteria:

·         Involve development of commercially viable products and or services that have the potential for replication in other Arab League countries

·         Involve a commercially viable product, or service that is innovative.

·         Contribute to one of the following:

• Increase in high quality Arabic online content:
• Improved access to knowledge and information on ICT platforms;
• Development of ICT based resources that support education and learning (particularly in leadership and development);
• Promotion of Arab culture through the use of ICT.

Applications will also be assessed against the following factors:

·         The quality of the business case and implementation plan including assessment of risks involved;

·         the existing internal capability and capacity of the bidder and its personnel to implement the project in the timeframe set out in the bid

·         Level of new private sector resources mobilised (directly from the bidder, and indirectly as a result of the project);

·         Inputs, results and impacts are clearly defined, measurable and achievable; and the level of direct and indirect benefits arising from the project and the likelihood they will be achieved.

For more information, or to apply for Sawaed Programme, please send an email at sawaed@mbrfoundation.ae