Partnerships are important for ELI to achieve its mission of developing and supporting energy efficient lighting technologies in developing and transition economies.  They allow the Institute to add an energy efficiency and environmental policy dimension to its product certification programs, scale them up, intensify their outreach, and continue to support them far beyond what would have been possible working alone. Partnerships enable ELI to realise a significantly broader and deeper impact of its energy efficiency promotion activities in the target countries. Although energy is not explicitly addressed in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), access to clean, and affordable energy is a prerequisite to achieving sustainable development. Therefore, the ELI Institute together with its Partners are committed to support actions designed to help achieving the MDGs.

ELI intends to build partnerships with a wide range of organizations. Formal partnerships based on MoUs with organisations and companies which share ELI’s mission will provide expertise, content, facilities, staffing, funding, and many other inputs to support joint programs in capacity building, awareness, demand-side-management to name a few.  Such cooperation shall be established on a non-discriminatory basis, resulting in mutual benefit and synergy.

ELI wishes to cooperate with two  types of partners:

    * Resource Partners support ELI’s intellectual resources, content, strategy, knowledge networks, or provide other resources - including financial - to joint projects.  It is expected, that ELI’s  partners, in the public and private sectors, help - among others - to create cost-effective programs, coordinate activities, enhance joint outreach.
    * Implementation Partners are located preferably within ELI’s target regions and help ELI to deliver testing and certification programs and services as well as auxiliary activities supporting ELI’s and its partners’ core objectives related to energy efficiency and environmental policy.  At the same time, Delivery Partners will foster local programme ownership and commitment, they will mobilise local resources, and develop their own capacity in co-operation with ELI and Resource Partners. . Delivery partners may include for example NGOs, Government departments, local energy service companies, foundations, universities, think tanks, and training institutions. ELI intends to deliver most of its regional activities jointly with Delivery Partners.

All ELI partnerships share a common set of characteristics:

     * The partners share the goals and objectives of the joint activity and have a  strong interest in the partnership;
     * The partners formally commit resources (e.g. intellectual, financial,  technical, logistical, and/or personnel) to the joint activity;
     * The partners share the responsibility for the outputs of the joint activity and  the risks;
     * The partners have demonstrated technical competence: relevant faculty  and/or skills and experience, requisite infrastructure and networks in the  country or region,  proven track record in the area of the joint activity, and/or  commitment to strengthening capacity in the selected area;
     * The partners adhere to standards for procurement, financial management,  and reporting that are mutually acceptable;
     * The partners agree to a common approach for determining/measuring  outcomes and results of their activities.

ELI wishes to associate itself with partners in areas related to the promotion of energy efficient lighting. Partnerships shall complement ELI’s established certification programme for high quality and energy efficient lighting products targeted at developing or transition economies. Overall ELI’s actions shall contribute to the preservation of non-renewable resources, support the achievement of Millennium Development Goals - in particular related to energy issues (see here, page 80: http://www.undp.org/energy/docs/WEAOU_back.pdf ) -  and to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Specific activities to be agreed upon under individual MoUs with partners may include, but are not limited to:
     * co-operation on training/projects for reducing, respectively managing  hazardous substances  - including Mercury - in CFL’s during production and  final disposal;
     * designing and implementing pilot utility/CDM projects in ELI’s target  regions;
     * running demonstration projects related to the development of new ELI  specifications  (e.g. Indoor Luminaires,  LED products, Public Lighting);
     * supporting projects to phase-out incandescent lighting;
     * services related to bulk procurement of CFLs or energy saving electronic  ballast in the framework of DSM programmes;
     * using the partners communication pragrammes, network and activities to  jointly promote the activities under the partnership.

Any organisation or company wishing to partner with ELI may send a Concept Paper or a Co-operation Proposal containing the following minimum information:
     * A cover letter that contains the principal contact information, signature, type  of organization, and submission date;
     * Description of the proposed co-operation program including title and  outline of program objectives, concept paper/proposal’s objectives, proposed  activities, countries, expected outcomes, duration of proposed work,  responsibilities of ELI and of potential partner;
     * Estimated budget with information indicating the source and application of  the partners and suggested ELI’s contribution.

Note: While ELI may support the mobilisation of funds  or/and contribute from its own approved budget for joint programmes or activities, ELI does not otherwise provide funding for partner organisations and their programmes.

Projects and partners will be selected according to their contribution to ELI’s overall objectives as well with regard to specific skills, expertise, and capacity related to proposed joint activities.

Please send your project concept paper or partnership proposal via email to ELI’s Managing Director Dr. Uwe Weber: