1. EuropeAid INFO-DAY Athens – 23 June 2008 Agnès Champion EuropeAid F4

2. EuropeAid 2 Presentation structure What is the Framework contract ? - External aid operations : slides 3 to 6 - EuropeAid FWC : slide 7 to 11 Opportunities for the Framework contract: 12 Present FWC : slides 13 to 21 Future FWC : slides 22 to end

3. EuropeAid 3 Who does what? Multi-annual Programming Evaluation Implementation Formulation Identification Financing DG Development DG External Relations Joint responsibility EuropeAid

4. 4 EC External Actions New Instruments 2007 Geographical coverage Pre-accession: IPA Neighbourhood: ENPI Development: DCI and EDF (10th EDF from 2008) Industrialised countries: ICI General coverage Thematic programmes (included in DCI) Human rights: EIDHR Stability: IFS Nuclear safety: NSI Humanitarian aid and Macro-financial aid

5. EuropeAid 5 Who manages? executive agencies bodies set up by Communities "(tradit. agencies) " bodies with a public service mission "(nat. agencies)" centralised jointly with international organisations shared (Member States ) directindirect decentralised (Third Countries)

6. EuropeAid 6 Legal Bases Budget 9th EDF Council regulation Legal base of programme Financial Regulation Comm decision AIDCO Rules and Procedures Comm regulation Implementing Rules of Financial Reg. AIDCO decision Practical Guides (Contract/Finance/Programme estimates) Instruction Notes Cotonou Agreement ACP-EC Council regulation General Regulations & General Conditions contracts Council regulation Financial Regulation

7. EuropeAid 7 2 main EuropeAid FWC Contracting Authority RulesAmountLotsValidity FWC BENEF Commission on behalf of the beneficiarie s PRAG procurement rules for external aid from 10.000 € Up to 199.999 € 13 lots for 13 technical sectors 16/09/05 to 15/09/09 FWC COM 2007 Commission on its own account Common EC procurement rules from 5.000 € (for lot 2 up to 500.000 €) 6 lots per type of service 16/01/07 to 15/01/09 + possible extension up to 2 years Competition between Framework contractors for each mission

8. EuropeAid 8 PRAG The Practical Guide o Harmonisation of procedures for External aid procurement procedures o Sole working tool o Coherent application of rules o New update next weeks

9. EuropeAid 9

10. 10 FWC BENEF A Procurement procedure Single tender  FWC where possible, otherwise  Competitive negotiated procedure/simplified procedure (EDF) International restricted tender 10.000 (5.000 EDF) 200.000

11. EuropeAid 11 FWC BENEF Procedure

12. EuropeAid 12 1.until 15/9/2009 : sub-contractor of the Framework contractors whose list on internet Either as individual expert Or as a firm 2. Tender for the future FWC BENEF 2009: participating as a partner or lead firm in a consortium candidate FWC opportunities

13. EuropeAid 13 FWC Information http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/framework-contract/index_en.htm

14. EuropeAid 14 FWC BENEF documents

15. EuropeAid 15 FWC’rs data and list

16. EuropeAid 16 FWC Commission 2007 Lots Studies TALot 1Drafting ToRs / evaluation of offers (3 FWC’rs) TALot 2Assessing calls for proposals (3) TALot 3Conferences organisation (3) StudiesLot 4Sectoral studies (except Trade) (3) StudiesLot 5Studies for Trade (3) TA StudiesLot 6 Training and course materials for distance learning (3)

17. EuropeAid 17 FWC BENEF Lots Lot 1:Rural development and Food Security (7 FWC’rs) Lot 2:Transport and Infrastructure (6) Lot 3:Telecommunications and Information Technologies (7) Lot 4:Energy and Nuclear Safety (5) Lot 5:Conferences (4) Lot 6:Environment (7) Lot 7:Culture, Governance and Home Affairs (7) Lot 8: Health (5) Lot 9: Education, Employment and Social (6) Lot 10:Support to Industry / Commerce / Services (7) Lot 11:Macro economy, Public Finance and Regulatory Aspects (7) Lot 12:Standards (6) Lot 13: Humanitary Aid, Crisis Management & Post-Crisis Assistance (4)

18. EuropeAid 18 FWC BENEF Sub-sectors common to 13 lots a.programme / project identification and preparation / formulation, b.assistance implementation, c.preparation of ToR’s (services, works, supplies, …) and evaluation of offers, d.evaluations (ex-ante, interim, ex-post etc.), monitoring e.(Cross-) sectoral policies and reforms, f.(Cross-) sectoral and macroeconomic (economic, budgetary) appraisals/studies (incl. Public expenditure review), g.legislation, regulations and law enforcement, h.approximation of legislation (acquis communautaire), i.institutional building, j.training and research, k.awareness-raising, (incl. information and communication) l.information systems and technological issues m.gender issues, n.environmental issues o.HIV/AIDS issues (impact, prevention, mitigation).

19. EuropeAid 19 FWC BENEF Sub-sectors specific to lot 10 B. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION 1.Investment promotion (domestic and foreign) 2.Small and Medium enterprises (SME) support (inclusive advisory services for management, production, technology, research & development, marketing, partnership, safety, exports promotion, financing, human resources management incl. gender issue, training, environmental impact, production quality, etc.) 3.Commercial banking, inclusive financial services to SMEs (credit lines, equity, guarantees, micro-credits …), guarantee funds 4.Supporting professional/commercial/advisory bodies (professional associations, decentralised advisory agencies, local consultancy strengthening, chambers of commerce, European Information Correspondence Centres (EICC) networking), Business Centres 5.Stock exchange

20. EuropeAid 20 FWC BENEF TA/studies mission 1.To be implemented in the countries benefiting of external aid (exclusive benefit of beneficiaries) 2.Short term (260 working days maximum within 2 years maximum) 3.199.999 € maximum

21. EuropeAid 21 Content of offer : financial offer + if required methodology + experts CVs + statement of availibility & exclusivity (validity : 14 days) Criteria : 1) administrative compliance 2) technical evaluation : CV/methodology Total fees comparison Notification of results within 14 days of offers submission FWC BENEF Assignments award criteria

22. EuropeAid 22 FWC BENEF 2009 call for tender Legal framework An international restricted tender according to procurement rules for external aid : it is not an open list. Transparency, proportionality, equal treatment, non-discrimination and fair competition Maximum FWC duration : 4 years

23. EuropeAid 23 http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/index_en.htm

24. EuropeAid 24 Tender opportunity EuropeAid Webpage

25. EuropeAid 25 FWC BENEF amounts 16/09/2005 to 15/09/2007* average per year 16/09/2005 to 15/09/2007* Lot NrFWC'rsRequests Requests per FWCor Contracted (MEUR) Number Contracts The min Contracts Nr The max Contracts Nr 171892716232465 272313321253572 373753437 4648856523 5546938823 6788137111232 772263219253678 856012610930 96129221218 52 1071352011151849 1172723929314774 126301036311 1344010391123 Total 1530 138 * except lot 3 : 1 year and lot 12 : 1,5 year

26. EuropeAid 26 FWC BENEF 2009 tender StepsInformationDecision Publication Forecast : 9/5/08 Contract notice Selection Shortlist : EuropeAid website Selection of firms for invitation to tender Evaluation Notification to candidates Award notice Award of the FWC : list of FWC’rs ContractingPublication on the FWC web pages of all contractual data (prices/contact) Signature of the Framework contracts with each successful tenderer

27. EuropeAid 27 Time Line FWC BENEF 2004 tender Forecast 30 days Procurement Notice 30 days Shortlist Tender Launch 50 days 9/07/0414/02/ 05 6-7 months for a service contract tender / 16 months for FWC Contract Award Evaluation Contract Signature 15/05/0420/05/0517/12/ 0404/10/04Sep 05

28. EuropeAid 28 FWC BENEF 2009 Forecast OJ/EuropeAid tender pages/some delegations website General Information : lots titles, estimated amounts & nationality eligibility Not binding Published at least 30 days before Procurement Notice

29. EuropeAid 29 Procurement Notice Where ? OJ/EuropeAid tender web pages/possibly locally When ? at least 30 days before deadline Content ? legally binding - Conditions of participation - Lots detailed description: sectors - Selection criteriaSelection criteria - Number of candidates that will be invited to tender Clarifications on content will be possible before deadline for submission of applications

30. EuropeAid 30 Procurement eligibility external aid Member States EEA Accession countries Beneficiary countries of the programme International Organisations Reciprocity Natural and legal persons Origin same as eligibility for nationals

31. EuropeAid 31 Short-listing Administrative compliance : nationality, declaration for exclusion and limitations of applications Selection criteria applied to check financial, professional & technical capacities: Selection criteria applied Result = Shortlist published on EuropeAid website

32. EuropeAid 32 Tender Launch Candidates informed + publication of shortlist notice Dispatch Tender Dossier : gives minimum and maximum number of tenderers to be retained per lot. Deadline for Submission = min. 50 days Questions 21 days – Answers 11 days Tenders are valid 90 days

33. EuropeAid 33 Evaluation 5 phases o Tender Opening Session o Administrative compliance o Technical Evaluation o Financial Evaluation o Conclusion

34. EuropeAid 34 Common mistakes made by candidates or tenderers What can go wrong?

35. EuropeAid 35 Administrative reasons Late arrival Incomplete documentation Not in accordance with templates Lack of original documents or required translations Not signed Tenderer/Candidate/partner not eligible Financial offer not in separate envelope

36. EuropeAid 36 Technical reasons Experts do not have the required experience Copy and paste of Terms of Reference

37. EuropeAid 37 FWC Award Committee recommends to Award the contract to the best value for money offers within the number limits set in tender dossier OR Cancel the procedure Contracting Authority must approve the evaluation report

38. EuropeAid 38 FWC Signature Inform successful and unsuccessful tenderers and ask for “Proof documents” Commission signs and sends the contract Publish Contract Award Notice

39. EuropeAid 39 FWC Tendering process My company does not fulfil the selection criteria…. Form a consortium (the consortium as a whole must meet the criteria, not each individual company, ! Leading firm !)! Try and gain relevant experience as consortium partner ! An economic operator may rely on the capacities of other entities for a particular contract (undertaking)! See Application form : “An economic operator may, where appropriate and for a particular contract, rely on the capacities of other entities, regardless of the legal nature of the links which it has with them. It must in that case prove to the contracting authority that it will have at its disposal the resources necessary for performance of the contract, for example by producing an undertaking on the part of those entities to place those resources at its disposal. Such entities, for instance the parent company of the economic operator, must respect the same rules of eligibility and notably that of nationality, as the economic operator.”

40. EuropeAid 40 FWC’r quality requirements Covering all the sectors of the lot : consortia Quick reaction : network of experts Quality insurance : backstopping & monitoring = in house capacities Local network : geographical coverage

41. EuropeAid 41