An investment project is a project whose essence is the acquisition or improvement of long-term assets – a building, technology, equipment or infrastructure. It is also referred to as a hard project and differs from soft projects in three respects. Preparation takes longer, because it requires project documentation, permits, settled land ownership and often also assessments, which takes months to years. The budget is higher and more tied to procurement, so it is subject more strictly to the rules of public procurement and economy. And the obligations after completion are longer and more specific – the asset must not be sold or taken out of use during the sustainability period, its insurance is usually mandatory, and an inspection can come even years after the last payment. Start the preparation from the permits, therefore, not from the call.
See also: Soft project, Project sustainability, Attachments to the NFP application.
