WORKING WITH DG ECHO AS AN NGO PARTNER | FPA 2014 - 2020

SUSPENSION BY THE PARTNER

The partner may have to suspend the implementation of the Action if changes in circumstances in the field are likely to make it excessively difficult to continue the implementation of the Action, notably in cases of:

“Force majeure”,

Serious threat to the safety of humanitarian workers (e.g. security concerns) and of the beneficiaries (do no harm);

Incompatibility between the implementation of the Action and compliance with humanitarian principles or conflict of interests.

TYPES OF SUSPENSIONS

The suspension may be

Total, if it involves all teh activities of teh Action
Partial, it it involves only some of the activities of the Action.

Depending on the type of suspension to be invoked, the procedure will vary as follow:

TOTAL SUSPENSION PARTIAL SUSPENSION

As soon as an event occurs in the field that could lead to a suspension of the action, the partner will inform ECHO (Desk or TA) by email, even if the partner is not sure yet that a suspension will be needed. This first message is important to set the possible start date of the suspension.

1) When the decision to suspend the action is taken, the partner will inform immediately ECHO via APPEL, using the "Request suspension" functionality in the eDocument result list screen
The partner is requested to provide the information supporting the suspension, i.e:

The reasons for the suspension
The expenses connected to the suspended activities during the suspension period.(e.g. the running costs of the local office). Please note that the eligibility rules continue to apply during the suspension.
The proposed start date of the suspension and the estimated duration (in days).

The partner can add supporting documents if deemed necessary.
Please note that the request can be made only when:

no draft final report has been created
no internal ECHO workflow is running.

2) ECHO will review the grounds for suspension and inform the partner of its decision concerning the suspension by email to the official address of the partner. ECHO's letter will confirm the start date of the suspension, the duration and the nature of the expenses considered as eligible.

3) As soon as the suspension is approved in APPEL, the action will change from 'ongoing' to 'suspended'. No further activity in APPEL will be possible during the suspension process.

4) As soon as circumstances allow, the partner will resume the activities and inform immediately ECHO via APPEL, by clicking on the button "Terminate Suspension' in the eDocument result list screen. The partner will have to provide the following information:

The end date of the suspension.
Other modifications necessary to adapt the action to new implementation conditions. (e.g. duration, results, budget)
Any other supporting documents if deemed necessary.

5) ECHO will analyse the information provided and inform the partner of its decision via a pdf letter sent via email to the official address of the partner:

When the resumption has no impact on any basic element of the agreement, ECHO will confirm the resumption and will give the new end date of the action.
When the resumption entails changes of the agreement's articles or of the basic elements of the action (e.g. results, end date, indicators), ECHO will have to agree first on these changes and will confirm its agreement.
When the suspension was longer than 1/3 of the implementation period, ECHO will have to decide whether to resume or terminate the action.

When the suspension is partial (concerning one or several results), the partner should not use the functionality “Request suspension” as this would suspend the entire action but the modification request functionality (MR).

1) The partner should inform ECHO immediately in writing of the risks of partial suspension to set the start date of the partial suspension.

2) Once the partial suspension is confirmed, the partner will provide detailed information on the suspension through a Modification request in APPEL. In section 13 of the Single form, the partner will provide information on:

the reasons for the partial suspension
the conditions and dates foreseen for the resumption of the activities
the expenses connected to the suspended activities.

3) ECHO will review the grounds for suspension and inform the partner of its decision by email to the official address of the partner. ECHO's letter will confirm the start date of the suspension, the duration and the nature of the expenses considered as eligible.

4) As soon as circumstances allow, the partner will resume the activities and inform immediately ECHO via APPEL by introducing a Modification request. The partner will explain which elements of the specific grant agreement, if any, have to be modified as a result of the partial suspension. The partner will have to provide the following information:

The end date of the suspension.
Other modifications necessary to adapt the action to new implementation conditions. (e.g. duration, results, budget)
Any other supporting documents if deemed necessary.

5) ECHO will analyse the information provided about proposed changes and inform the partner of its decision via a pdf letter sent via email to the official address of the partners.

DURATION AND EFFECTS OF SUSPENSION

The total duration of the suspension will be confirmed at the time of the resumption of activities and, in principle, it should not last longer than 1/3 of the implementation period.

If the suspension period is longer than originally foreseen, the partner will inform ECHO in writing.

If the Partner wishes to extend the suspension period over the maximum period of one third of the implementation period, it shall send to ECHO a justification for the extension. ECHO will reply in writing and if agrees to continue the suspension of the implementation period of the Action, no explicit derogation is needed.

In case the causes of the suspension are such that it is not possible to envisage a resumption of the activities or if the causes for suspension last longer than 1/3 of the implementation period the Agreement might be terminated.

Furthermore, if the Partner needs additional funding to resume and finalise the Action, it will have to discuss with ECHO the availability of funds. When funds cannot be made available, the Partner will have to reallocate amounts within the budget and possibly reorganise activities.

In any case during the suspension period, the Partner must take all necessary measures to reduce to a minimum the damages (e.g. measures to ensure the security of staff and assets) which may result from the suspension. At a later stage, the Partner will report on the actions and measures taken to reduce to a minimum the damage and on the impact on the final Action objective.

The suspension should not affect the basic elements of the agreements (e.g. implementing period, location).

REFERENCE & DOCUMENTS

GENERAL CONDITIONS, ARTICLES 13; 14.3

EN FR

FPA GUIDELINES, SECTION 10.5.1

EN FR