Consultancy services related to EU accession negotiation process and EU harmonization
UNOPS
Consultancy services related to EU accession negotiation process and EU harmonization
Request for proposal
Reference:
RFP/2023/46910
Beneficiary countries:
Multiple destinations (see 'Countries' tab below)
Registration level:
Basic
Published on:
13-Jun-2023
Deadline on:
30-Aug-2023 17:00 0.00
Description
RFP for the establishment of the Long-Term Agreements (LTA) for the provision of multi-disciplinary consultancy services related to EU accession negotiation process and EU harmonization as further described in Section IV of this RFP.
Notes:
The scope consists of consultancy services provision related to EU accession. The LTAs are subjected to mandatory secondary bidding for Consultancy Services.
UNOPS will use the results of this solicitation process to establish Long Term Agreements with more than one vendor (Maximum of 3 LTAs ) for a period of 2 years with the possibility of extension. Prices quoted against this RFP shall remain fixed for an initial period of 2 years from the date of signature of the Long Term Agreement. The supplier may be allowed to request a price adjustment at the end of the initial period subject to the UNOPS approval process stipulated in the Procurement Manual (Ref: Duration, amendment of LTAs 11.4.4.)
The bidders are requested to cover all the 6 countries in the Western Balkans region (Albania, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina).
* All references to Kosovo are made in the context of UNSCR 1244.
Notes:
The scope consists of consultancy services provision related to EU accession. The LTAs are subjected to mandatory secondary bidding for Consultancy Services.
UNOPS will use the results of this solicitation process to establish Long Term Agreements with more than one vendor (Maximum of 3 LTAs ) for a period of 2 years with the possibility of extension. Prices quoted against this RFP shall remain fixed for an initial period of 2 years from the date of signature of the Long Term Agreement. The supplier may be allowed to request a price adjustment at the end of the initial period subject to the UNOPS approval process stipulated in the Procurement Manual (Ref: Duration, amendment of LTAs 11.4.4.)
The bidders are requested to cover all the 6 countries in the Western Balkans region (Albania, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina).
* All references to Kosovo are made in the context of UNSCR 1244.
This tender has been posted through the UNOPS eSourcing system. / Cet avis a été publié au moyen du système eSourcing de l'UNOPS. / Esta licitación ha sido publicada usando el sistema eSourcing de UNOPS. Vendor Guide / Guide pour Fournisseurs / Guíra para Proveedores: https://esourcing.unops.org/#/Help/Guides
First name:
N/A
Surname:
N/A
This procurement opportunity integrates considerations for at least one sustainability indicator. However, it does not meet the requirements to be considered sustainable.
Gender issues
Social
The tender contains sustainability considerations addressing gender equality and women's empowerment.
Examples:
Gender mainstreaming, targeted employment of women, promotion of women-owned businesses.
Human rights and labour issues
Social
The tender contains sustainability considerations related to human rights, fundamental principles and rights at work, occupational health and safety, fairly traded goods, targeted employment of people with disabilities, etc.
| Link | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| https://esourcing.unops.org/#/Help/Guides | UNOPS eSourcing – Vendor guide and other system resources / Guide pour fournisseurs et autres ressources sur le système / Guía para proveedores y otros recursos sobre el sistema |
80101509
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Government affairs and community relations consultation service
New clarification added: Q : May you elaborate what does the amendment 'Section Financials. Financial offer details in vendor submission * - indicated as not required'' mean, as in the tender portal the section on Financial offer is still very much mandatory to be uploaded? A: Please note that this amendment undeslines that TOTAL financial offer figure is not required that was previously asked by the online tendering platform. Financial offer forms must however be duly completed and submitted with the offer.
Edited on:
24-Aug-2023 17:29
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New amendment added #3: 1. Last Extension of the tender deadline to 30th August, 2023 (18:00 CET)2. Section Financials. Financial offer details in vendor submission * - indicated as not required.
Edited on:
16-Aug-2023 17:42
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added:
Edited on:
15-Aug-2023 17:02
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question : Referring to your clarification provided on 25/07/2023 via tender portal and considering that a) our organization has offices and experts/employees in many countries and that we act as one brand globally, b) this particular opportunity is related to several countries in the region so projects and references would naturally be distributed and c) our usual practice working with the development/donor agencies is to act as one team, we wanted to further clarify that although we would formally be submitting the bid through one legal entity, that we are eligible to showcase our references and expert profiles from other countries/offices that are part of our global organization?Answer : As stated in the tender requirements, the bidder must demonstrate its own experience as a legal entity and cannot “piggy-back” on the experience of other related organisations unless the company represents an integrally incorporated part of a larger organisation and the ownership can be legally demonstrated. Suppliers are also encouraged to explore options of submitting bids as joint ventures.
Edited on:
15-Aug-2023 16:57
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question : Under the Financial Offer details tab in the portal, there is a box for us to enter our total financial offer. Considering the nature of this contract, could you please advise how to fill in this box? Since the system doesn’t allow us to indicate 0, which value should be written? We considered writing 0,01, can you confirm this understanding?Answer: Please note that you can indicate any amount in the total financial offer. The financial evaluation methodology is described in the Financial template_RFP_2023_46910.xlsx document and figures provided in UNGM under ""total financial offer field" will not have influence on the evaluation process.
Edited on:
15-Aug-2023 16:42
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question : Among compulsory documents to prove compliance with technical requirements, it is asked for “Any promulgated policy development and / or other analytical documents that assisted the beneficiary country to implement EU recommendations with a view to advancing respective national reform agendas towards EU acquis alignment)”? In our understanding, these are any deliverables (policy reports) of the projects that have been implemented before. Most of the deliverables are confidential and belong to the Contracting Authority therefore cannot be shared. What should we submit in this case?Answer : If contract provisions do not allow disclosure of deliverables, the bidder shall only refer to the final result (i.e. impact assessment / policy paper drafted, strategy drafted/approved/adopted, draft law drafted, law adopted) which was made public.
Edited on:
07-Aug-2023 11:39
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question : 1. The tab on the upper right corner of the tender states that te tender is closed, but the deadline indicated states 17 August 2023. Is the tender still active?2. When looking into the tender documents, I do not see available document on Section I: RFP Particulars. Where can this document be found?Please advise on the two matters above. I thank you for your clarification in advance.Answer : 1. The tender is still active with the deadline of 2023-08-17 19:00 UTC . 2. As mentioned in the clarifications before, "Section I: RFP Particulars" is integrated in the tender itself and is not a stand-alone document.
Edited on:
04-Aug-2023 17:49
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New amendment added #2: 1. Extension of the tender deadline to 17th August 2023. 18:00 CET
Edited on:
27-Jul-2023 14:08
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: I would like to kindly ask you for a clarification please, can we put in the proposal experiences on similar engagement provided in the target region from different EY offices knowing that if needed we will be able to make these same experts that worked on these projects in the proposal available for UNOPS or do these experiences can only come from the EY offices that are preparing the response to the LTA ? Answer: As stated in the tender requirements, the bidder must demonstrate its own experience as a legal entity and cannot “piggy-back” on the experience of other related organisations.
Edited on:
25-Jul-2023 14:06
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question 1. waht to put in the Form F: Financial proposal Form if we are not offering any discount? Shall we put N/A? For example, there is the line: If our proposal is accepted the folllowing discount shall apply. - What to write here? There will be no discount, or? Answer: Bidders are strongly encouradged to provide discount, however if your company chooses not to provide it, please, indicate n/a.
Edited on:
19-Jul-2023 12:10
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question : please do clarify whether Forms on which there is no signature envisaged place, needs to be signed or not? Answer: The Forms which have a dedicated place for the bidders signature have to be signed respectively. In case there is no dedicated place for the signature, there is no requirement to sign the Form. Question : Should all 7 experts be employees of the bidder or can the bidder have its pool of external individuals available to the supplier to engage upon request?Anwer : All 6 key experts identified by the supplier should be available to the supplier to engage upon request. Contractual modality between key experts and suppliers is upon bidder discretion. Question : regarding the Form I: Format of Resume for proposed Key Personnel, there are these two lines to be filled in: "Title and Years with Firm":If our Key Experts are Individuals to be contracted by the Bidder what shall we put in these lines? Is it acceptable to put just N/A?Answer : Yes if the experts are yet to be contracted supplier can indicated N/A
Edited on:
18-Jul-2023 17:52
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question : since there was nowhere stated in the tender documentation that Global Coordinator should be a representative from our company, not itill this todays answers, can you please explain does the Global coordinator needs to be employee of the Bidder or Bidder can contract someone fro this position?ANd, because of all these clarifications we would kindly ask for the prolongation of the submission deadline.Answer: The LTA holder must appoint a “Global Coordinator” under the Agreement, i.e. a focal point which will manage the agreement after the award and be the main representative in all dealings with UNOPS. The Global Coordinator should be responsible for managing the Agreement, in particular in the initial stages, to Page 5 of 10 ensure appropriate use of the agreement and to maximize and monitor its utilization with a global perspective. The contractual agreement between supplier and global coordinator is upon descretion of the supplier, howevr, he/she must be readily available to take on the roles discussed above. Answer 2 : The deadline of the tedner was extended.
Edited on:
18-Jul-2023 17:36
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question 1. Under section 4: Organizations commitment to sustainability under (4.1), we understand that ISO45001 certificate is not a mandatory document to attend this tender. If we do not present an ISO45001 certificate, we wouldn't be eliminated from the procedure; instead we may only lose points. Could you please confirm that our understanding is correct? Answer: yes, your understanding is correct. Only the leader of the consortium should submit the sustainability related documentation mentioned in the Section III: Evaluation Criteria (Organizations commitment to sustainability). Submission of ISO 45001 is not mandatory, however will provide the supplier additional points during sustainability evaluation criteria. Question 2. Can you please clarify and indicate what would be considered as aceptable sustainability related documentation mentioned in the Section III: Evaluation Criteria other than ISO certificates? Is it for point 4.1 - Basic – Health and safety policy as an internal document in for of a manual Manual acceptable? Is it for point 4.2 - Mature - A gender, diversity and inclusion/ anti-discrimination policy as an internal document in form of a Manual aceptable? Answer: yes, this would be acceptable.
Edited on:
13-Jul-2023 15:43
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question 1. regarding the evaluation criteria points on points 4.1 and 4.2, can you please confirm that for 4.1 Basic experience – Health and safety policy for 0,5 Point, an internal company policysigned document will be enough? Answer: Yes. 4.1 Health and safety policy - 0,5 Point ; Detailed procedures on OHS/EHS. Evidence of training conducted - 1 Points; Organization is compliant with ISO 45001 or equivalent. Third party audits are carried out. Gender-security systems are in place - 2,5 Points Question 2. And for 4.2 Basic experience – Statement with details on how diversity and inclusion / antidiscrimination is ensured in the organization, that signed statement on diversity and inclusion by the Director of the company will be enough? Answer: Yes. 4.2 Statement with details on how diversity and inclusion / anti-discrimination is ensured in the organization - 0,5 Point; A gender, diversity and inclusion/ anti-discrimination policy, internal programmes and/or awareness campaigns aimed at promoting gender, diversity and inclusion in the workplace - 1 point; A diversity and inclusion action plan/annual report showing target-based achievements - 2,5 points
Edited on:
13-Jul-2023 15:33
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: We note that certain chapters of the EU acquis communautaire were omitted from the list under Task 2 of the Schedule of Requirements, e.g. chapter 5 (public procurement), 23 (judicial and fundamental rights), 24 (justice, freedom and security) etc. Is there particular reason for this? Do you anticipate a potential need for experts to provide services in relation to chapters that were omitted from the list? If so, shall we include in the pool of advisors/experts the consultants with relevant experience?Answer: For the current exercies the suppliers are reuqired to cover chapters specified in the terms of reference. The topics related to the remaining chapters are not covered by the project at the current stage.
Edited on:
13-Jul-2023 15:19
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New amendment added #1: 1. Extension of the tender deadline to 27th July, 2023. 18:00 CET2. Upload of the Long Term Agreement template 3. Upload of the Pre-Bidding Minutes 4. Further clarifying qualification criteria №25. Form D: Joint Venture Partner Information Form is made optional for submission
Edited on:
13-Jul-2023 09:14
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Vendors,The deadline for submissions will be extended till 2023-07-27 18:00 UTC.Best Regards,UNOPS Team
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 23:39
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question. It is not clear to us which documents you are expecting under these sections "Documents to show compliance to sustainability criteria # 4.2" and "Documents to show compliance to sustainability criteria # 4.1" In the first batch of clarifications, you mentioned that ISO certificate is not mandatory so which kind of document is required under these sections? If no document is provided under both sections, will our offer be disqualified or we will only lose some points. Answer: The list of documents to meet sustainability criteria can be found in Form B: Checklist Form. The points you may receive for the particular documentation can be found Section III: Evaluation Criteria. Section 4: Organizations commitment to sustainability. In case the sustainability documentation will not be submitted, the bidder will not be disqualified, however it will lead to the loss of points during the technical evaluation. 4.1 Health and safety policy - 0,5 Point ; Detailed procedures on OHS/EHS. Evidence of training conducted - 1 Points; Organization is compliant with ISO 45001 or equivalent. Third party audits are carried out. Gender-security systems are in place - 2,5 Points 4.2 Statement with details on how diversity and inclusion / anti-discrimination is ensured in the organization - 0,5 Point; A gender, diversity and inclusion/ anti-discrimination policy, internal programmes and/or awareness campaigns aimed at promoting gender, diversity and inclusion in the workplace - 1 point; A diversity and inclusion action plan/annual report showing target-based achievements - 2,5 points
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 14:42
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question. Can the team only consist of a total of 7 people? Meaning 1 leader, 3 experts and 3 advisors? Or are these the key members, and we can also suggest other team members who will cover other chapters, and maybe personnel that can assist in the project implementation. Answer: For evaluation purposes It is expected that the bidder will propose CVs of Global Coordinator + six Key Experts.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 14:32
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. In Form G (technical proposal form), there is a question regarding the experience of similar engagement provided in the target region. Does this experience have to be provided by the bidder organization or can it be provided by the proposed experts or by a local entity with which the bidder organization has agreements?Answer: experience on similar engagement has to be provided by the bidder.2. Does the Global Coordinator have to comply with any specific experience requirements? The tender documents do not specify any experience requirements for him/her. Answer: All the necessary information regarding the duties of global coordinator described in Section IV: Schedule of Requirements (6. Management of Long Term Agreement). The personnel should be a representative from your company which will take over all contract management activities.3. In light of the new information provided/clarified during the meeting, we kindly ask you to postpone the deadline to allow us to prepare a compliant tender.Answer: The extension of the deadline is being considered, the decision whether to extend or not will be communicated COB 12th of July.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 14:23
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question. on the submission portal in the document checklist part, there is a document to be uploaded "Any promulgated policy development and/or other analytical documents that assisted the beneficiary". Can you please explain what kind of documents are these? Can you give us the example?Answer: This may be described as a document that was adopted by the beneficiary country under which the experts or the consulting company facilitated the EU accession process. In case the consultancy supported law enforcement, supported the beneficial country to develop a particular law the company can specify if that law was somehow promulgated by the beneficiary country.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 14:07
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question. Regarding composition and structure of the team proposed and your clarification given, that the Supplier must provide following CV’s from the existing pool of suggested experts/advisors using the Form I: Format for Resume of Proposed Key Personnel: Global CoordinatorCV of Advisor covering chapters 9CV of Advisor covering chapter 14CV of Advisor covering chapter 15CV of Expert covering chapter 9CV of Expert covering chapter 14CV of Expert covering chapter 15 Can you pease tell us whether 1 Key expert can cover for the same Chapter both positions? For example the same person as Advisor and Expert for Chapter 14 ?Answer: It is expected that the bidder will propose different personnel for each position discussed above.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 14:02
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. Regarding the Section III Experience it is stated that for the references we need to submitt reference letters. Regarding the content of the letter, European Union Delegation and Beneficiaries have their own forms of letters, and we cannot ask for the specific text in the letter they will provide us or alredy provided. If bidder was not lead but partner or subcontractor on the implemented project than maybe bidder will not be stated in the reference letter but just the Lead partner. Answer: The supplier, their role and the project that it has delivered must be explicitly states in the recommendation letters.2. Would it be than later possible if clarifications will be needed, for us to send some other evidence like paid invoices or final reports approved by the Benenficiary institution from which you can see that bidder implemented the project? Answer: It is expected that the bidder will submit all documents within the deadline.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 13:56
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: Please, advise on the way forward regarding the submission of Form D: Joint Venture Partner information Form. It is indicated in the system that it is mandatory to upload it while our entity is not going to apply as a joint venture. Answer: This is noted and will be included in the upcoming amendment as it could be changed to an optional.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 13:44
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: Regarding the financial template provided, there are listed all the Chapters and in some of the Answers it was stated that bidders should provide only the CV's of following 7 experts:Global CoordinatorCV of Advisor covering chapters 9CV of Advisor covering chapter 14CV of Advisor covering chapter 15CV of Expert covering chapter 9CV of Expert covering chapter 14CV of Expert covering chapter 15Does this mean that we have to name only these experts but we have to include fees for Experts for all Chapters in this financial template? And can you please confirm that in Form G: Technical Proposal Form - Section 3: Key personnel proposed, we should name and propose only above mentioned 7 Experts?Answer: Yeah. the financial form should be completely filled with no blank spots left. It is expected that the bidder will propose CVs of Global Coordinator + six Key Experts.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 12:21
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: I would like to know if Non Profit Organisations are eligible to apply? Or if this is only open to companies. Answer: UNOPS procure goods and services from any ‘source’ with legal capacity, other than UN entities (UN to UN is not considered procurement, and not covered by the PM). In our tenders, the standard Instructions to Bidders document confirms as follows: "Bidders may be a private, public or government-owned legal entity or any accosiation with legal capacity to enter into a binding contract with UNOPS" If the legal entity is registered in the UN Global Marketplace as a supplier (consultant company), and provides commercial (non-grant) services to various companies and institutions, there is a possibility to participate in the tendering process.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 12:15
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: Thanks for the useful pre-bid meeting. In light of the new information provided/clarified during the meeting, we kindly ask you to postpone the deadling to allow us to prepare a compliant tender. Answer: The extension of the deadline is being considered, the decision whether to extend or not will be communicated COB 12th of July.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 12:06
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Thank you for providing the Link. Under the Attachment 2 of the LTA, which General Conditions of Contract from below would be relevant in this case:a) UNOPS General Conditions of Contract for the provision of Goodsb) UNOPS General Conditions of Contract for the provision of Servicesc) UNOPS General Conditions of Contract for the provision of Goods and ServicesCan you please provide and enclose LTA agreement with the exact and explicit information and all documents that will be part of the LTA, especially:1) Documents from Clause 3;2) The content of annexes that are being mentioned in the LTA template - including:- Annex 1: special conditions;- Annex 2: General Terms and Conditions for a) services OR b) goods and services - please deliver link of the document;Answer: Annex 1 : Is only used in case of any special conditions to the contact. At this moment there are no special conditions envisaged. Annex 2 : General terms and conditions are attached hereby. (Ref: UNOPS General Conditions of Contract for the provision of Services).
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 11:59
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. Are there any specific experience requirements for the Global Coordinator?Answer: All the necessary information regarding the duties of global coordinator described in Section IV: Schedule of Requirements (6. Management of Long Term Agreement). The personnel should be a representative from your company which will take over all contract management activities. 2. Can the Global Coordinator be one of the proposed Experts at the same time?Answer: it is expected that a global coordinator will be responsible for contract management aspects, therefore should be a different personnel.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 11:43
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. Regarding the Financial capability, is the “annual turnover of minimum USD 350,000 in any two years during the past five years” to be fulfilled by the consortium cumulatively or by all members singularly? Answer: Qualification criteria (financial capability & experience) must be met by each member of the consortium separately. 2. It is stated as Criteria that the offeror should have Experience - At least 2 years of experience in supporting EU candidate countries through the provision of technical expertise related to EU integration and the EU accession process. In particular, under any of the clusters 2, 3, 4 or 5 (as referred in Section IV: Schedule of Requirements) through deployment of local and/or international consultants, providing technical support aiming at EU acquis alignment. As Documents to establish compliance with the criteria, it is stated that Form J: Performance Statement Form must indicate at least 2 previous projects/contracts (most recent ones). And that at least 2 reference letters from previous projects/contracts (explicitly mentioning the bidders technical capacity in the provision of local and/or international experts supporting government institutions towards alignment of legislation of thoseof the EU) at a satisfactory level.Question: What is the broader time frame under which we can present at least 2 years of experience in supporting EU candidate countries through the provision of technical expertise? Answer: The timeframe of experience and previous contracts is not limited. Question: Which period is assumed under the most previous projects/contracts (most recent ones)? Answer: The timeframe is once again not limited Question: Do all presented projects in form J have to be relevant for the areas and terms stated in the Criteria? Answer: Yes they have to be relevant to the criteria. Question: Do reference letters have to be provided for the projects listed in form J? Answer: No, in form J the list of suppliers is advised to list all previous contracts relevant to the project, however, the reference letters only have to be provided for two. Question: Is it necessary for each member of the consortium to individually submit at least 2 reference letters from previous projects? Answer: yes. Qualification criteria (financial capability & experience) must be met by each member of the consortium separately.3. In the Financial template - do we put the loaded fees in the first sheet or consulting fees, i.e. do the figures that we put in the first sheet are the ceiling to be paid to the consultants, or the overall loaded fee (price) per expert? Answer: The fees are “ceiling fees”, i.e. they are the maximum fees which later can be used for calculation of quotes and must be inclusive of all costs and profits (overhead and administration costs, profit etc.) and should be exclusive of the DSA rates. 4. Please confirm if travel costs and DSA rates should be included in the financial offer and how? Answer: No, DSA rates should not be included in the financial template. 5. Can you clarify what would be the content of financial proposal?i. What is the offered cost-what does it include? Answer: Consultant daily fees:must include all costs and expenses (overhead and administration costs, profit etc.) and must exclude travel and DSA rates. ii. Would the offered cost be the average unit price of the consultants, calculated in the manner presented in the excel form Financial template? Answer: The expert fees offered by the supplier will be “ceiling fees”, i.e. they are the maximum fees which later can be used for calculation of quotes. The average of the offered fees will only be used for financial evaluation purposes. iii. Or is it expected to provide the estimated figure for the 2 years of implementation and estimate the total number of working days? Answer: The supplier must ONLY provide daily fees of consultants. The supplier shall NOT estimate the workload over the duration of the contract. iv. It is said that The Financial Proposal must be filled in Tables 1 (for which the total amount should match). Question: What are the Tables 1? What is the total amount?The Table one refers to the first tab of the Financial template documents (Financial template_RFP/2023/46910). Please note that figures provided in tab 1 and tab 2 should match. 6. Having in mind that there are a lot of questions that need to be clarified will you consider extending the deadline? Answer: The extension of the deadline is being considered, the decision whether to extent or not will be communicated COB 12th of July.
Edited on:
12-Jul-2023 11:35
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Sabina, Please try the following link. The document will be uncluded into the amendment and uploaded into the system as well. Best,UNOPS Procurement Team
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 11:54
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: 1. When a new request for service for a specific project financed under this contract will be published, will the contractors have the opportunity to submit CVs of experts that were not presented in the initial offer? Response: yes, selected suppliers, during implementation of the project, will be expected to present the experts CVs that were not presented in the initial offer.Question 2. Can you please confirm that experts proposed in the initial offer do not need to sign a statement of availability? If this is the case, what would happen if an expert submits his candidature with multiple companies? Response: The experts proposed in the initial offer do not need to sign a statement of exclusivity and availability.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 11:08
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. Within the provided template 'Form J: Performance Statement Form' there is subtitle 'DRIVE Supplier Sustainability Questionnaire' provided. Does it mean that the answers to this questionnaire apart from the tender portal itself where there can be found need to also be included in the mentioned form J?Responses: No, the supplier drive questionnaire is filled out only via the tender portal.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 10:52
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. Is it necessary for all members of the consortium to fill out the Supplier Forms on the web platform or only the Main Bidder? (six DRiVE supplier sustainability questionnaires)Answer: Only the leader of the consortium should submit the DRiVE supplier sustainability questionnaire. 2. In the case of bidding in a consortium, is it necessary for each member of the consortium to individually submit at least 2 reference letters from previous projects/contracts and at least 2 previous projects/contracts? Or is it necessary to submit a total of 2 reference letters /2 previous projects contracts as a consortium?Answer: All joint venture members must meet Qualification criteria (financial capability and experience) - each member of the consortium must individually submit at least 2 reference letters in addition to other required documents. 3. In the case of bidding in a consortium, is it necessary to submit documents to prove compliance to sustainability criteria 4.1 and 4.2. - that relate only to the work of Main Bidder or possible to submit those that relate to the work of other members of the consortium? Answer: only the leader of the consortium should submit the sustainability related documentation.4. The document "Form F. Financial Proposal Form" mentions "Table 1". Can you tell us within which document it is located or is it a separate document within the application documentation? Answer: Table 1 is in the following document : Financial template_RFP_2023_469105. Is the "Consultants fee" that we enter in the "Financial offer" document of an illustrative or binding character considering the major changes that may occur during the implementation period and the actual cost of engagement? Answer: Consultant fees provided by the suppliers are of binding character in the sense that they are the maximum fees which later can be used for calculation of the quotes.6. Can you clarify what would be evaluated under the evaluation of financial offers? Would it be the average unit price of the consultants, calculated in the manner presented in the excel form Financial template? Answer: Yes the financial offer will calculate according to the methodology described in the Form. Financial template_RFP_2023_469107. Please confirm if travel and DSA rates should be included in the financial offer. Answer: No, travel and DSA rates should not be included in the financial offer.8. Please explain the COO value that should be used for the discount proposals? The supplier must define the discount percentage based on the value of COO(Call of Order) as further described in the Form: Financial template_RFP_2023_469109. Can you define and clarify the term "national expert"? Does the term national expert refer to a local expert from the country from which the task order came or does it refer to experts from the region? Answer: National expert referrers to the expert of the same nationality as the country of engagement.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 10:45
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Based on the published clarification answer no: 6 (dated 2023.06.27) and answer no: 5 (dated 2023.06.15); we understand the bidders will only provide "daily rates" of experts in the financial template (form B: Price and breakdown sheet) "without adding per-diem cost and travel costs" on these rates since these costs will be reimbursed additionally in the implementation. Please confirm our understanding is correct. Answer: Yes your understanding is correct.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 10:38
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. We are writing to kindly request LTA template and T&Cs that will be used to the LTA awardees to be able to conduct initial review apart from the information obtained from the document 'Section II: Instruction to Offerors'. Answer: Please find the Long Term Agreement template at the following URL.2. Furthermore, considering our willingness to bid for this tender and collect all the information and documents required by this RFP during the summer period which is somewhat more silent in the corporate world, we would very much appreciate it if you could consider extending the deadline for the submission of the bid.Answer: At the moment the extension of the tender is not planned. If the tender deadline will be extended all potential suppliers will be notified via the tendering portal.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 10:36
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. The tender documents say that offerrors must quote prices for the total goods, services and/or works for the total requirement. However, the template for the Financial Proposal only seek information about the maximum daily rates for experts and advisors. Please clarify how you would conduct evaluation of financial offers? Answer: The suppliers are expected to provide daily rates of the consultants as per – Form Financial template_RFP/2023/46910 . Financial evaluation will be done by considering the average unit price of the consultants. Average price = [( average price of "Expert"+ average price of "Advisor" 2) ] /2 Average price = Sum of the average price of two experience categories/number of disciplines quoted. 2. We note that the template for the Financial Proposal invites bidders to indicate maximum daily rates for experts and advisors across a selection of different chapters of the EU acquis. In practice there is virtually no difference in the fee rates for experts advising on different chapters of the EU acquis. What is your rationale behind this differentiation? Answer: The daily rates of experts might vary depending on area of expertise. In case the supplier believes that the fees are the same, they are free to submit similar fees for all chapters. 3. We note that the template for the Financial Proposal invites bidders to indicate maximum daily rates separately for international and local experts with the differentiating criteria being the country of engagement and a nationality of the expert. We believe such an approach disadvantages the experts working in the usual place of their residence. What is your rationale behind this differentiation? Answer: Based on our experience the rates for local and international experts differ. Thus we request suppliers to submit their bids for both positions. 4. We note that the template for the Financial Proposal invites bidders to indicate maximum daily rates on "all-inclusive" basis. Please clarify what specific costs should be covered by this rate and what can be excluded (bearing in mind an uncertain nature of the requests for services procured under LTA)? Answer: Expert fees must include all costs and expenses (overhead and administration costs, profit etc.) and must exclude travel and DSA rates. The fees are “ceiling fees”, i.e. they are the maximum fees which later can be used for calculation of quotes.5. Please explain what COO stands for in the template for the Financial Proposal. Answer: COO stands for Call Of Order.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 10:30
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. One of the qualification criteria is to provide Form J ‘Performance Statement Form’. How would the assessors understand the type of services provided by a contractor if there are no fields for this? Answer: The type of services may be described in Form J ‘Performance Statement Form, column “Description & quantity of ordered items”2. Is there a mistake in the phrasing ‘Was the supply of goods satisfactory? Answer: this is the standard UNOPS template. Please, refer to the wording “services” instead of “goods”3. Do we understand correctly that this certificate should be signed by a contractor and not a contracting authority, and is equal to ‘past experience form’? Answer: Form J should be signed by the bidder. 4. Can reference letters be provided for ongoing projects? Answer: This Qualification criteria # 2 requires recommendation letters for the projects that have already been implemented at a satisfactory level.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 09:56
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1. The tender documents say "The Supplier must provide following Cvs from the existing pool of suggested experts/advisors using the Form I [...]". What does "from the existing pool of suggested experts/advisors" mean? Experts and advisors must be registered in a specific pool? If so, which one?Answer: Expert pool means the company's internal list of experts/advisors available to the supplier to engage upon request.2. According to the tender documents, all members of the Joint Venture must meet the financial and experience criteria. Is there another way to collaborate with local entities that do not meet all of the financial & experience criteria? Answer: All (each) joint venture members must meet Qualification criteria. Suppliers can collaborate with local entities, however this will not be taken into consideration during the evaluation process.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 09:50
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: 1) In Section III, under Qualification Criteria 2. Experience, we understand that we are going to present at least 2 previous projects/contracts consortium as a whole on the basis that each member in the consortium will demonstrate experience. Would it be possible to confirm that our understanding is correct?Answer: Each member of a joint venture must meet Qualification criteria (financial capability and experience) independently. Pooling of the experience and financial capability is not permitted. 2) Under section 4: Organizations commitment to sustainability under (4.1), we understand that ISO45001 certificate is not a mandatory document to attend this tender. If we do not present an ISO45001 certificate, we wouldn't be eliminated from the procedure; instead we may only lose points. Could you please confirm that our understanding is correct? Answer: Only the leader of the consortium should submit the sustainability related documentation mentioned in the Section III: Evaluation Criteria (Organizations commitment to sustainability). Submission of ISO 45001 is not mandatory, however will provide the supplier additional points during sustainability evaluation criteria.
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 09:44
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webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question: Regarding composition and structure of the team proposed and your clarification given, that the Supplier must provide following CV’s from the existing pool of suggested experts/advisors using the Form I: Format for Resume of Proposed Key Personnel: Global CoordinatorCV of Advisor covering chapters 9CV of Advisor covering chapter 14CV of Advisor covering chapter 15CV of Expert covering chapter 9CV of Expert covering chapter 14CV of Expert covering chapter 15Can you please tell us whether 1 Key expert can cover more than 1 of above mentioned positions, in other words can 1 expert be proposed for several positions?Response: The supplier is expected to provide different experts for each of the required chapters (9,14 and15).
Edited on:
07-Jul-2023 09:40
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Tatjana,Thank you for the clarification. Please, see the response below.Q 1 : regarding the Section III Experience it is stated that for the references we need to submitt reference letters. Does the letter need to contain explicitly this kind of text which is stated in the tedner documentation "mentioning the bidders technical capacity in provision of local and / or international experts supporting government institutions towards alignment of legislation of those of the EU) at a satisfactory level" or it can be different? Answer: The text of the reference later is not restricted as long as it describes the bidders technical capacity in provision of local and / or international experts supporting government institutions towards alignment of legislation of those of the EU.Q2 : And the other question is, can we provide as proof something other than reference letter, for example if we can mention contact person of the person from the Client who will confirm project was done succesfully, or invoices of the amount paid from the Client? Answer: No, unfortunately only reference letter will be accepted .Best Regards,UNOPS Procurement Team
Edited on:
28-Jun-2023 16:19
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Tatjana,Thank you for the clarification. Please, see the response below.regarding the sectIion III Qualification criteria - experience, it is not stated what should be the value of the implemented contract, nor does it says the implementation period. Can you please indicate whehter the value of the contract is important or it can be any value as log as it is dealing with the right scope of work? Answer: The suppliers must demonstrate At least 2 years of experience in supporting EU candidate countries through provision of technical expertise : To do so Suppliers are required to provide ● Form J: Performance Statement Form indicating at least 2 previous projects/contracts (most recent ones) ● At least 2 reference letters from previous projects/contracts (explicitly mentioning the bidders technical capacity in provision of local and / or international experts supporting government institutions towards alignment of legislation of those of the EU) at a satisfactory level. The value of the contract is not limiting factor in while accessing this particular criteria as log as it is dealing with the right scope of work.Best Regards,UNOPS Procurement Team
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28-Jun-2023 16:15
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Vendors, UNOPS will provide a tender briefing as follows:Location: Google Meet. Please confirm your participation and provide details of the bidder’s representatives by sending an email to the following addresses: 1.tornikeg@unops.org 2. nataliago@unops.org (please, kindly put both UNOPS representatives in copy).Please, see below the link. Pre-bid meeting_RFP/2023/46910Monday, July 10 · 2:00 – 4:00pmTime zone: Europe/ViennaGoogle Meet joining infoVideo call link: https://meet.google.com/hty-cxbi-ihqOr dial: (AT) +43 1 22781000 PIN: 546 769 130 2724#More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/hty-cxbi-ihq?pin=5467691302724Attending the pre-bid meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged to avoid the risk of non-compliant quotations. Bidders shall notify UNOPS in advance no later than 5th July 2023 COB (CEST) at the latest as to whether or not they intend to participate in the pre-bid meeting and shall give the details of their representatives who will attend. Failure to attend the mandatory pre-bid clarification meeting shall not render your bid invalid. Minutes of the Pre-Bid meeting will be shared through eSourcing.We remain at your disposal if you have any questions related to the pre-bid meeting agenda.Best Regards, UNOPS Procurement Team
Edited on:
28-Jun-2023 12:00
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Tatjana,Thank you for the submitted clarification. Please, see the response below.in all the documents there is a refferal to section I RFP particulars but we cannot find this section I under tender documents. Can you please indicate where can we find this Section I, and if it is part of some othe document can you please indicate which one? Answer: Section I: RFP Particulars is integrated in the electronic tender notice itself and is not a standalone document. Best Regards,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
27-Jun-2023 14:28
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Tatjana,Thank you for the submitted clarification. Please, see the response below.regarding section III. evaluation criteria, can you please clarify where it is stated for JV requirements, that all joint venture members must meet Qualification criteria (financial capability and experience in supporting EU candidate countries through provision of technical expertise related to EUintegration and the EU accession process), does this "all" means all together or each of the JV members needs to meet the criteria separately? Answer: All partners in the consortium(joint venture) must meet the Qualification criteria separately. Best Regards,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
27-Jun-2023 14:24
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Emmanuel,Thank you for the submitted clarification. Please, see the response below.Question: For the global coordinator position, please could specify if the proposed candidate should have knowledge of locally spoken languages of the countries where services will be provided? Answer: The Global Coordinator should be fluent in English. Knowledge of other languages will not influence the evaluation process.Best Regards,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
27-Jun-2023 14:18
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Tatjana,Thank you for the clarification. Please, see the response below.ISO certification is not a limiting requirement. The list of the required documentation is presented in Form B: Checklist Form. Concerning documents required to establish compliance with technical criteria, Section 4: Organizations commitment to sustainability, please review Section III: Evaluation Criteria. Best regards, Procurement Team
Edited on:
27-Jun-2023 14:14
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Elektra,Thank you for the clarifications submitted. Please, see the responses below:1. Are the CVs of the three advisors and three experts required only for the profiles mentioned in Chapters 9, 14, and 15? The education criteria mentioned do not seem to be related to these chapters' fields of expertise. Answer: The supplier are required to provide CVs of the following experts : Global CoordinatorCV of Advisor covering chapters 9CV of Advisor covering chapter 14CV of Advisor covering chapter 15CV of Expert covering chapter 9CV of Expert covering chapter 14CV of Expert covering chapter 15Concerning Education : Section IV: Schedule of Requirements, 8. Evaluation Considerations/Personnel requirements state that Advanced University Degree in the required field for the relevant chapters. The educational backgrounds presented in the above mentioned section are provided as examples. 2.In paragraph 7, regarding the Timeline and Payment Schedule, it is stated that Quarterly/Annual/Final reports are expected to be submitted. However, it is unclear whether these deliverables are directly linked to payments. Does this imply that specific service requests will be issued for these deliverables as well? Answer:As stated in Section IV: Schedule of Requirements, Part 7 - Timeline and Payment Schedule, Payments will be released upon successful completion of the deployment and upon provision of the invoice and acceptance of the deliverable by the beneficiary and the UNOPS. As per Tender Particulars, Payment Terms, UNOPS will release payment Within 30 days after receipt of the services and on submission of payment documentation. Quarterly, annual and final reports will not have an effect on payment terms and schedule.Best Regards,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
27-Jun-2023 14:09
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Utku, Thank you for the submitted clarifications. Please, see the responses below. Question 1: In Section III. Evaluation Criteria, in Section 4,4.1: “Organizations commitment to sustainability”, it is mentioned that "Advanced – Organization is compliant with ISO45001 or equivalent. Third part audits are carried out. Gender-security systems are in place”. We understand only the leader of the consortium is expected to present ISO45001 certificate, not from the partners in the consortium. Could you please confirm our understanding? Answer: Yes, only the leader of the consortium should submit the sustainability related documentation mentioned in the Section III: Evaluation Criteria (Organizations commitment to sustainability).Question 2: In Section III., under qualification criteria, it is mentioned that Form J: Performance Statement Form is going to be submitted as a document to establish compliance with the second criterion. Is our understanding correct that this Form J document is going to be signed by the Contractor? Answer: All partners in the consortium (joint venture) should fill in and sign the form J and provide information regarding their experience. Please note that All joint consortium(joint venture) members must meet Qualification criteria.Question 3: In Section III., under qualification criteria, it is mentioned that at least 2 reference letters from previous projects/contracts (explicitly mentioning the bidder’s technical capacity in provision of local and / or international experts supporting government institutions towards alignment of legislation of those of the EU) at a satisfactory level. According to this statement, is it eligible to present our on-going projects as references? Answer: This Qualification criteria # 2 requires recommendation letters for the projects that have already been implemented at a satisfactory level. Question 4: In Section IV: Schedule of Requirements, under heading 8. Evaluation Considerations/Personnel Requirements, the minimum requirements of Advisors and Experts are mentioned, do we need to submit Statement of Exclusivity and Availability for the proposed expert in our technical proposal, could you please clarify that? Answer: Statement of Exclusivity and Availability is not required. The list of the relevant documentation is presented in Form B: Checklist FormQuestion 5: In Section II “Instruction to Offerors” under heading 36. “Payment Terms”, it is mentioned that Payment discounts will not be considered in the financial evaluation. Is our understanding correct that payment discounts will not be evaluated during financial evaluation? Answer: Yes, payment discounts will not be considered in the financial evaluation. Question 6: In Section IV, under heading 9. “Travel”, it is mentioned that “Experts are expected to work in the field (country). International travel as well as intra-country travel is expected. Number of trips per expert will depend on the needs of the assignment and will have to be cleared in advance by the project and will be reimbursed as per actual costs (upon provision of proof related to travel such as (copy of the ticket, invoice, proof of payment, boarding passes). Each travel related arrangement shall be approved by the UNOPS team prior to any type of travel.” Is our understanding correct that travel and per diems are going to be covered by an incidental budget? Answer: The contractors will be responsible for covering all travel related expenses and will be reimbursed according to actual expenditures upon provision of all supporting documents (copy of the ticket, invoice, proof of payment, boarding passes). All travel must be in line with UNOPS travel related policies, rules and regulations( economy class, most direct and economical option, per diem shall not exceed UN DSA rates etc). Please also note that all travel related expenses shall be cleared in advance by UNOPS. Further information can be found in Section IV - Schedule of Requirements, part 9. Question 7: Section V is missing; would it be possible to clarify and share this section V? Answer: Section V is not required in this tender.Best,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
27-Jun-2023 14:02
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Question 7 : The Instruction to Offerors reads “If an Offeror does not have all the expertise required for the provision of the services/goods to be provided under the Contract, such Offeror may submit a Proposal in association with other entities, particularly with an entity in the country where the goods and/or services are to be provided.”, however the Evaluations criteria reads: “All joint venture members must meet Qualification criteria (financial capability and experience in supporting EU candidate countries through provision of technical expertise related to EU integration and the EU accession process)”. Answer : Suppliers that do not have ALL expertise / capacity required can submit their proposal via joint venture, however, both company must also meet Qualification criteria.
Edited on:
21-Jun-2023 10:02
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Emmanuel,Thank you for the submitted clarification. Please, see the response below.Question 6. Shall the pool of non-key experts include experts covering all the chapters indicated in the Overview of Services required on Section IV and in the financial template (chapter 1, 6, 7 etc.) ?Answer : The bidders are required to submit CVs of the following key personnel (Global Coordinator; CV of Advisor covering chapters 9; CV of Advisor covering chapter 14; CV of Advisor covering chapter 15; CV of Expert covering chapter 9; CV of Expert covering chapter 14; CV of Expert covering chapter 15). Bidder are not required to provide CVs of the experts of other chapters, but at the same time are not prohibited from doing so.Best Regards,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
20-Jun-2023 16:31
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org
New clarification added: Dear Emmanuel, Thank you for the submitted clarifications. Please, see the responses below. Question: 1. We noticed that the Section I: RFP Particulars and Form A are missing. Please could you share these documents?Standard Form A was not relevant to this tender. Section I: RFP Particulars is integrated in the tender notice itself.Question: 2. In addition to key experts, shall we provide a pool of non-key experts?Yes, the bidders are expected to provide an existing pool of experts. As per Form G: Technical Proposal Form (Section 3: Key personnel proposed, 3.1 Composition and structure of the team proposed). The Supplier must provide following Cvs from the existing pool of suggested experts/advisors using the Form I: Format for Resume of Proposed Key Personnel: Global CoordinatorCV of Advisor covering chapters 9CV of Advisor covering chapter 14CV of Advisor covering chapter 15CV of Expert covering chapter 9CV of Expert covering chapter 14CV of Expert covering chapter 15Question 3: A pre-bid meeting is foreseen for the 10th of July but it is only 7 days before the deadline. Would it be possible to organize such a meeting sooner so that the information shared during the meeting could be efficiently used for the tender preparation ?UNOPS Austria procurement team believes that the provided timing of the pre bid meeting is relevant and sufficient for suppliers. Question 4: Please could you indicate how many LTAs will be signed?UNOPS will use the results of this solicitation process to establish Long Term Agreements with more than one vendor (Maximum of 3 LTAs ) for a period of 2 years with the possibility of extension.Question 5: Please could you indicate what is the maximum budget for this tender ? Could you also precise what would be the maximum budget to cover travel (international and domestic)?The aim of this particular procurement process is to establish a long term agreement. The procurement process does not have a minimum or maximum budget. Travel of experts shall be in economy class (most direct and most economic option).Transportation costs will be reimbursed based on the actual expenses upon provision of supporting documents (copy of the ticket, invoice, proof of payment, boarding passes).Proposed per diem shall not exceed UN DSA rates (link).Best Regards,AUMCO Procurement Team
Edited on:
15-Jun-2023 16:19
Edited by:
webservice@unops.org