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Tender specifications for subcontracting external expertise

VS/2007/0502


Tender specification - The expertise is part of a project supported by the European Commission (Budget line VP/2007/001 “Capacity Building in New Member States and Candidate Countries-Integrated Project II- Textile Clothing leather and Shoe Industries"


1. Background

Taking into account:

- The full support of the sectoral social partners in the new Member States and the applicant countries during the EU Forums on economic and social issues (Sofia, 2nd Forum of the Textile and Clothing Industry, November 2004/Istanbul, 2nd Forum Of the Shoe Industry, November 2004/ Warsaw, 3rd Forum of the leather Industry, July 2004),

- The weakness of the sectoral social partners in general in the new Member States and Applicant Countries : fragmentation, lack of representativeness (cfr study UCL for the textile and clothing); and as a matter of consequence the weakness, even non-existence of a bipartite/autonomous sectoral dialogue social (cf Communication of the Commission of the 26/06/2002, study ILO, Communication of the Commission of the 12/08/2004, etc);Cf. The Communication “Textiles and clothing after 2005 – recommendations of the High Level Group for textiles and clothing” adopted by the Commission on 13 October 2004 –COM (2003)649:”both the ILO and the Commission have recognised that although the tripartite inter-professional social dialogue is making progress in the acceding and candidate countries, autonomous sectoral social dialogue in these countries is still almost inexistent and needs to be promoted.”,

- The conclusions of the recent project on capacity building (2006-2007) aiming at strengthening social dialogue in the sectors concerned both at European and national levels with a view to encouraging the full participation of the sectoral social partners from new Member States and candidate Countries in the European sectoral dialogue committee (This project contributed to reinforce social dialogue at sectoral level in these countries,

The social partners decided to develop another project, extended to the Shoe Industry, and aiming at organising follow-up seminars and exchanges of experts, as well as by animating, enriching and updating the existing internet Portal to make it more interactive, as a real tool for improving sectoral social dialogue within Europe.

2. Purpose of Contract

The purpose of the contract is to provide the social partners from these three industries with an expertise and animation on the functioning of social partners in New Member States and Candidate Countries well as of the different mechanisms of the EU and international Institutions in the area of social dialogue, capacity building and vocational training.

One expert/animator will be appointed to represent the Trade Union views, and one expert/animator will be appointed to represent the Employers' views.

The consultants to be appointed will work with a steering group in order to provide the background research; They will participate and provide presentations to all steering group meetings and final conference. They also will report to the sectoral social dialogue committees on their request. At the same time the consultant will report his work to the Coordinator of the project who will maintain constant contacts between all partners and the expert.

As far as the pilot activities project is concerned, the consultants are expected to moderate the debates in each national seminar, facilitating the debate amongst national social partners and accompanying them in the setting up and follow-up of action plans.

3.1 Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The contractors will carry out the expertise work that should cover the following main points:
- Basic overview of the existing social dialogue action plans and their level of achievement in the New Member States and Candidate Countries
- Examination of the social dialogues processes, players, issues and achievements in the
Shoe sector in the new EU Member States and Candidate Countries
- Identification of opportunities for further development of the social dialogue in
the new EU Member States and the acceding countries.
- Evaluation of the waves of visits to UE15 and the evaluation of the trans-national training seminars
- Evaluation of the entire project and drafting of recommendations

As far as the pilot activities project is concerned, the contractors should cover the following main points:
- Moderation of debates during in each national seminar,
- Facilitator of discussions amongst national social partners
- Assistance of national social partners in the setting up of action plans

3.2 Guidance and indications on task execution and methodology

The expertise work could be carried out directly by the contractor or may be subcontracted, after approval of the steering committee.
The contractor would be expected to indicate whether he would be likely to sub-contract any of this work and how he would go about this.

The steering group (representatives of the EU social partners) will oversee the project and assist the contractor. ETUF:TCL and Euratex secretariats will function as liaisons between project steering group and contractor and will be guiding the contractor in the execution of the daily activities.

4. Expertise required

The contractors would be expected to demonstrate:
- Experience in carrying out survey-based and interview-based research
- Experience of working with both trade union and employer organisations in several different European countries;
- Knowledge of the Textile, clothing, leather and shoe sectors in Europe
- Knowledge and practical experience of Social Dialogue Structures in Europe
- Ability and experience to produce reports which are accessible in terms ofboth format and content
- Ability and experience to moderate debates
- Ability and experience to lead capacity building sessions taking into account different models of industrial relations
- Language skills: Fluent English (both written and spoken)

Expertise must be evidenced through the proposal for carrying out the work as well as CVs of proposed staff members.

5. Time scheduling and reporting


- 1/01/2008- 01/03/2008 (Brussels) analysis of the implementation of the national social actions plans

- 1/02/2008 (Brussels) Kick-off meeting and first report on the analysis of the implementation of the national social actions plans

- 1/03/2008 (Germany or Sweden Belgium, France or Italy)1st wave of visits from NMS and CC to old Member States (12 representatives from 5 NMS represented & 1 CC to 3 MS during one week)

- 1/05/2008 (Germany or Sweden Belgium, France or Italy) 2nd wave of visits from NMS and CC to old Member States (12 representatives from 5 NMS represented & 1 CC to 3 MS during one week)

- 15/05/2008 – 01/09/2008 (Brussels) Follow-up of the national work and preparation of the national training seminars

- 01/6/2008 (Brussels) 2nd meeting on the follow-up of the visits to EU countries and preparation of the national training seminars

- 01/09/2008 (Poland) 1st wave of national interactive training seminars- (5 NMS represented & 1 CC)

- 01/10/2008 (Romania) 2nd wave of national interactive training seminars- (5 NMS represented & 1 CC)
- 01/10/2008- 15/11/2008 (Brussels) Evaluation of the national training seminars

- 01/11/2008 (Brussels) Meeting – Reporting on the evaluation of the national training seminars

- 15/11/2008 (Brussels) Final Conference

- 01/11/2008-30/11/2008 (Brussels) Evaluation of the entire project

- 30/11/2008 (Brussels)Last meeting - Reporting and analysis on the project

6. Payment and standard contract

The payment will be made on receipt in different phases (initial payment of 30%, and
70% on completion of the final report) The contract will be drawn up between Euratex and the contractor.

7. Price

The maximum price is 120.000 EUR.

8. Selection criteria

The contractors would be expected to demonstrate:
- Experience in carrying out survey-based and interview-based research
- Experience of working with both trade union and employer organisations in several different European countries;
- Knowledge of the Textile, clothing, leather and shoe sectors in Europe
- Knowledge and practical experience of Social Dialogue Structures in Europe
- Ability and experience to produce reports which are accessible in terms ofboth format and content
- Ability and experience to moderate debates
- Ability and experience to lead capacity building sessions taking into account different models of industrial relations
- Language skills: Fluent English (both written and spoken)

They would also be expected to provide similar information on any organisations they would consider using as sub-contractors on the project.

9. Award criteria

The contractors will be awarded to the tendered whose offer represents the best
value for money – taking into account the above criteria (Point 8)

It should be noted that the contract will not be awarded to a tender who receives less than 70% on the Award Criteria.

10. Content and presentation of the bids

10.1 Content of the bids

Tenders will set out their relevant experience and outline how they would obtain information for the study. They must include:
• All information and documents necessary to appraise the bid on the basis of
the selection award criteria
• Detailed CV(s)

10.2 Presentation of the bids

Bids should be presented in triplicate and must contain all the information requested.
Offers must be received within 30 days of the date of publication of this call for tender on the websites – by 10 January 2008 at the latest

The Project steering Group will be responsible for the final selection of the contractor, on the recommendation of the Euratex/ETUF:TCL Secretariat.

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