Open call for consulting services. Reference Number

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1 Open call for consulting services Reference Number TERMS OF REFERENCE: Title: RCC Department: Reporting to: Duration: Support to the implementation of the digital integration measures within the Multi-annual Action Plan for a Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans Market analysis of domestic and roaming prices of telecom operators in Western Balkans Programme Department RCC Secretariat 10 th April th May 2018 (up to 50 working days) Eligible: Respective legal entities/ or individual consultants within bidding consortia Deadline for applications: 5 April 2018 I BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Purpose The purpose of this assignment is to perform an analysis of telecom markets in Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, 1 Montenegro, Serbia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) by identifying all mobile operators active in the region, their market shares in each WB economy, and other important parameters, and by examining actual domestic and retail roaming prices for services they offer to their customers The analysis should be performed with the aim to identify all operators of mobile services (calls, SMS, and data traffic) active in the region (in each economy) as well as the market structure, ownership and market share, including analysis of at least three largest 2 mobile network operators * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence 2 Based on the total number of mobile subscriptions If the combined market share of the three largest operators is less than 70%, the fourth largest operator should also be included If there are less than 3 operators active in the economy, two operators are sufficient Page 1 of 18

2 (MNOs) for each economy and number of their customers who are using roaming services, including Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MNVOs), if any Further, the research should provide information on the existing prices for domestic mobile services (calls, SMS and data) as well as retail roaming prices, including prices of MTR (mobile termination rate) wherever possible, for each economy (wholesale roaming) and provide comparative analysis between Western Balkan (WB) economies This research should provide a clear overview of prices (while applying the simplified OECD methodology) and differences between WB economies, and make possible identification of future steps and measures necessary for decreasing roaming prices and harmonisation of roaming policies in the Western Balkans region as one of priority measures in the Multi-annual Action Plan for a Regional Economic Area (MAP REA) Furthermore, this analysis should contribute to the preparation of a Roadmap to facilitate lowering the cost of roaming as part of the Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans to be launched by the European Commission, which is expected to be presented in May 2018 during the EU-WB Summit in Sofia Moreover, the purpose of this research is to present the effects of roaming regulation in force in the EU (the RLAH regime) which resulted in abolishing roaming charges among all EU MS and also the EEA, to identify implications on the WB economies, to explore effects of the Regional Agreement on Reducing the Prices of Roaming Services on Public Mobile Communication Networks 3 (Regional Roaming Agreement or RRA) which is already in force in four WB economies, and thus enable comparison of current domestic and roaming costs in WB Background information The leaders of Western Balkan economies endorsed the Multi-annual Action Plan (MAP) for a Regional Economic Area at the Trieste Summit held on 12 th July 2017 Upon request of WB Prime Ministers, the preparation of MAP was coordinated by the RCC with contribution of all 6 WB economies Furthermore, the RCC is tasked to monitor the implementation and report on the achieved progress in regular intervals The MAP has four components and Digital Integration is one of them Digital Integration component is further divided into several areas which focus on improving connectivity, trust and security, digital skills and digital economy Digital connectivity among other areas foresees activities on decreasing roaming charges and creation of a RLAH 4 economic area through coordination of roaming policies and following the EU s RLAH model So far the RCC Secretariat has been working on analysing the effects of signed RRA on decreasing roaming charges in the WB region Therefore, this research should provide additional analytical input needed for future actions related to coordination of roaming policies, and provide further guidance for developing a Roadmap to facilitate lowering the cost of roaming, taking into account present and still high roaming costs in WB (mainly due to high MTR costs), the recent abolishment of roaming charges in the EU, as well as side effects it has on the WB telecom markets In February 2017, the RCC completed the Study on Market Impact of the Regional Roaming Agreement which provided analyses of legal, institutional and policy framework for roaming 3 Signed in September 2014 by ministries responsible for electronic communications from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 4 Roam Like At Home Page 2 of 18

3 services in the Western Balkans region, as well as analyses of effects of RRA The study also offered analysis of the legal regulation on roaming price caps and marked developments related to the volume of cross-border traffic Coordination of roaming polices towards a RLAH economic area in the Western Balkans remains a focus of future RCC activities The new Enlargement Strategy also references this and its accompanying Action Plan defines the launching of the Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans, including a Roadmap to facilitate lowering the cost of roaming as a priority for 2018 Therefore, this research should be prepared with the aim to identify existing standard domestic and international prices of roaming services (for data, calls, SMS), to compare standard costs between WB economies (as a basket of goods), for the purpose of coherence ideally in one currency ( ),and to reflect on the impact of abolishment of roaming charges in the EU on Western Balkans telecom markets II DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES Objectives and Scope of the Assignment The objective of the study is to develop a better understanding of the developments in mobile markets by collecting information on mobile services' prices using the OECD mobile pricing baskets (methodology) Researching mobile prices is a complex exercise, as mobile operators offer a variety of price plans for different devices and usage patterns including the bundling of several services The OECD has defined 5X3 mobile broadband usage baskets to benchmark prices for handset use (considering also service bundles) separately In this study, we will apply the methodology defined by the OECD The methodology adopted by the OECD can be accessed here: The consultant should also take into account the International Roaming BEREC Benchmark Data Report and the methodology used The report can be accessed here: The data collection should take place at the same time in all the observed economies The European Commission has been collecting price retail data which can be found here: The overall objective of this assignment is to provide inputs helpful in shaping the future roaming strategy and policy, possibly including also the regulatory frameworks in the WB To accomplish this objective the consultancy will perform analysis of telecom market in the Western Balkans (WB) and will identify all mobile operators and their market share in each WB economy Based on the identified operators, the consultant is expected to develop a methodology Page 3 of 18

4 and design a tool for collecting data on domestic and roaming prices, and to perform data collection from the three largest 5 MNOs on domestic and roaming prices for three types of services: calls (incoming and outgoing), SMS and data transfer To collect data on MTR, the consultant might need to also conduct a (qualitative) research with national regulatory authorities The research should investigate actual prices for domestic and roaming services using available and comparable data (publicly available, obtained from operators, regulators, or other organisations) which should be presented in appropriate tables and charts making understanding and comparison easy for readers Based on the findings and identified actual prices, the consultant is required to provide interpretation of results, with comments and explanation of the main parameters, having performed comparative and other analyses The report shall also include (policy) recommendations, with various options described with pros and cons, and the preferred option identified with the explanation (reasoning why it is the most preferred option?) The research should cover domestic and EU roaming unit prices for mobile services (outgoing and incoming calls, SMS, data) The research should distinguish between pre- and post-paid tariff plans The research should analyse offers in the different baskets of mobile services defined by the OECD The consultant is also expected to develop and elaborate on the economic model for standardisation of prices to Euro, and include the local purchasing power parity (PPP) comparison The research should be performed in a way to enable systematised presentation of results, easy understanding of status, types of contracts and comparability among economies, in both descriptive verbal way and in graphic way (graphs, tables) Specific Tasks The scope of services under this assignment includes the following main activities: Task 1: Market analysis Analysis of telecom market in WB should include all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MNVOs) if any, active in the region, standard types of prepaid and post-paid contracts for their customers, market structure and ownership (private vs state owned) and their market shares This task should offer a clear understanding of existing telecom market, context, market conditions, available products, and standard tariffing models for pre-paid and post-paid customers, Average Retail Revenue per User (ARPU), basic information about customers (number of subscriptions), and other relevant parameters (National Regulatory Authorities in the 6 WB economies may provide useful information in that regard) 6 This analysis should also include identification of the number of customers using roaming services to and from each WB economy The consultant is required to propose the period (one 5 Based on the total number of mobile subscriptions If the combined market share of the three largest operators is less than 70%, the fourth largest operator should also be included 6 A direct contact with regulators and operators will be pursued by RCC RCC is also ready to sign non-disclosure agreements when needed Page 4 of 18

5 year 2017 or one month, ex February 2018) based on the most recent available data (subject to approval and agreement with RCC) for which data will be collected In addition to the above mentioned, the analysis of the telecom market in WB should include (where available and/or where possible) the following aspects: 7 - Termination rates (charged to domestic operators, to operators from other WB economies, and to operators from the EU); - Wholesale roaming prices charged to and paid to foreign operators; - Volumes of inbound roaming traffic (from foreign WB operators, from EU operators); - Outbound roaming traffic (to other WB economies, to the EU), and average monthly retail roaming consumption Based on the last two points (volume of inbound and outbound roaming traffic) the consultant is expected to provide a series of data (for previous period- subject to agreement with the RCC) that will enable identification of trends in volume of roaming traffic within WB and from/to EU MS in light of introduced RLAH model This part should determine relations between the decrease of prices and volume of used services, ie present impact of RLAH, and enable assessment of future trends for WB Results of this part should be presented in annexes to the report, which will be available only to economies to which they relate Task 2: Methodology for data collecting Coverage of mobile operators At least three largest mobile network operators should be covered for each economy, based on the number of mobile subscriptions If the combined market share of the three largest operators is less than 70%, the fourth largest operator should also be included Additionally, if operating, at least one MVNO per national market should be included in the data collection National Regulatory Authorities can be consulted on the list of selected operators subject to analysis The OECD has defined 5X3 mobile broadband usage baskets to benchmark prices for handset use (considering also service bundles) separately In this study, we will apply the methodology defined by the OECD The methodology adopted by the OECD can be accessed here: The data collection should take place at the same time in all the observed WB economies 7 Publicly available sources and data from regulatory authorities should be used, in case of delays and due to possible confidentiality of data, RCC is ready to sign non-disclosure agreements and coordinate with operators and regulatory authorities Page 5 of 18

6 The consultant is expected to develop a methodology and prepare a tool for collecting data for one standard pre-paid and one standard post-paid type of contract The tool should ensure obtaining all necessary data on domestic and roaming prices for three types of services (voice, SMS and data) for operators in WB as defined above The methodology should take into account different currencies in WB and provide a model for standardisation to Euro, as well as local purchasing power comparison In addition to this, under this task, the consultant is expected to propose a methodology and source of data for estimation of smartphone penetration in WB, having in mind a growing trend of use of smartphones, which have significant impact on roaming incomes of mobile operators Task 3: Data collecting (using developed tool, data on actual domestic and international roaming prices for all operators from all 6 WB economies need to be collected) For the purpose of systematised presentation of obtained data on domestic and roaming prices the consultant is also expected to deliver data in electronic open format (MS Excel, MS Access, or equivalent) in a user-friendly simulation tool Data sources For this task the consultant should use official websites of mobile operators in WB, providing valid links in the report, or information gathered directly from operators, regulators or other institutions 8 Data review Prior to publication, the data should be sent to the National Regulatory Authorities for a review The cheapest offers per basket and operator should be recorded for all the baskets in the table below Handset use (data volumes + voice/sms basket) Source: OECD MB + 30 calls basket 500 MB calls basket 1 GB calls basket 2 GB calls basket 2 GB calls basket DSTI/ICCP/CISP(2011)5/FINAL 8 The RCC will support this process in case of delays and when necessary particularly having in mind possible confidentiality of data and following non-disclosure principle Page 6 of 18

7 Additionally, 5GB calls SMS basket will be collected to ensure comparability with the European Commission datasets For detailed information on the calculation of data volumes and prices, please refer to the above OECD paper The consultant can propose to change slightly the composition of the OECD baskets, given the market evolution The final list of baskets shall be agreed upon with the RCC Task 4: Presenting, analysing and interpreting of data The consultant is expected to present the obtained insights and results using appropriate tables, diagrams and other tools which will facilitate and simplify understanding of market conditions, enable comparative analyses of economies and operators, and provide readers with a quick yet comprehensive insight into the situation in the region All information should be presented in understandable manner following logical order, using proposed standardisation to Euro and taking into account local purchasing power The final datasets: - The consultant shall provide an electronic database of all the raw data in MS Excel or equivalent in open format (as stated above) - The data set should allow users to filter and sort data according to a number of criteria such as economy, name of the operator, price and basket A delivery in the form of a simulation tool format is highly recommended - The database should also include a dynamic spreadsheet with graphical presentations of the data - The dataset should be provided as structured data in a machine readable format (eg in the form of a spreadsheet and/or an RDF file) for internal usage and for publishing (ex on the Open Data Portal) Data formats The raw datasets should comply with the following provisions: - The data delivered should include the appropriate metadata (eg description of the dataset, definition of the indicators, label and sources for the variables, notes) to facilitate reuse and publication - The data delivered could be linked to data resources external to the scope of the study, preferably data and semantic resources from the Commission's own data portal or from the upcoming pan-european portal The consultant should describe in the offer the approach they will adopt to facilitate data linking - In case of statistical data that could be used to derive/compute indicators (eg for benchmarking national policies), the consultant should use templates provided by (or agreed with) RCC, like those available on on the Data Cube vocabulary Page 7 of 18

8 Report format All deliverables must be written in English All reports should be consistent in style, following RCC rules (headings, margins, citations, bibliography, etc) and contain a short executive summary The consultant is required to properly apply quotation techniques and particular care will be taken to verify improper re-use of existing material To this end, the RCC will provide the consultant with the RCC Communication Strategy , Document Formatting Template, and the Guide for Drafting of RCC Documents All reports will be submitted in electronic format (doc, xls, ppt or equivalents in open formats) Exchange of advance copies as well as other non-formal communications shall take place via e- mail In addition to roaming prices, based on proposed methodology (from Task 2) the consultant is expected to present assessment of smartphone penetration in WB Task 5: Conclusions and recommendations Based on the obtained data and performed analyses of domestic and roaming prices in Western Balkans the consultant is expected to prepare narrative report with interpretation of the results, conclusions and recommendation for future activities related to decreasing roaming charges in WB Lines of Communication The consultant shall submit all reports and timesheets to the RCC Secretariat for review and approval of deliverables The consultant will work closely with the RCC Secretariat experts from whom he/she will seek guidelines to efficiently perform the assignment and will provide them with all deliverables Regular phone communication Once in ten days or, if needed, more frequently, a phone communication on the state of progress of the study will take place between representatives of the consultant and the RCC Timeframe The consultant is expected to use up to 50 working days for this assignment, starting from 10 th April and ending on 15 th May 2018 Deliverable Market analysis report (Task 1 and 2) it will include analyses of WB telecom market, active mobile operators, their market shares, existing standard types of contracts (pre-paid and post-paid), termination rates, inbound and outbound roaming traffic, wholesale roaming prices charged to foreign operators, Due date 14 days after signing of the Contract Page 8 of 18

9 trends in volume of roaming traffic (in form of annexes), etc This task should also include proposed methodology and a tool for collecting data including a short concept proposing next steps in finalisation of the assignment The assignment should include identification of special packages/services which operators offer to their customers for roaming services within their corporate/partners networks The methodology and tool for data collection, as well as the concept for finalisation of the assignment should be agreed and approved by the RCC Secretariat The methodology should include a methodology for selection of EU MS to be analysed in the document Data collection process (Task 3) will include collection of data using the developed tool and methodology agreed with the RCC Secretariat This process should cover one pre-paid and one post-paid standard contract for each operator (as described above) in WB for domestic services and (international) services provided in other WB economies and EU MS For this to be realised the consultant is expected to engage local experts who speak local languages and who will perform collecting data First draft of the report (Task 4 and 5) it will include presentation of obtained data (in appropriate tables and using graphs and other methods for illustrative graphical presentations), development of an electronic database with data gathered in previous phase (in open format), interpretation of results and preparation of a narrative report analysing findings and entire situation in telecom sector related to domestic and international roaming prices The report should contain conclusions and recommendations for the next steps towards reducing roaming costs in WB This part should also include assessment of smartphone penetration in WB based on the agreed methodology and inputs Final draft report (Task 4 and 5) will incorporate comments and recommendations received from RCC (including ones of the EC and WB economies) where the consultant deems appropriate, or justification in case of disagreement The final report should also contain final conclusions and recommendations The consultant is obliged to deliver the final draft as a 14 days after signing of the Contract 28 days after signing of the Contract 35 days after signing of the Contract Page 9 of 18

10 proofread document in English (checked by a native speaker or professional translator) Reporting The consultant will work under the direct guidance of the RCC Expert on Connectivity and will report directly to him III PROFILE AND COMPETENCIES The consultant should have ample knowledge and experience in the fields of mobile communications market, performing economic analyses, excellent analytical skills, and experience in collecting data, modelling and performing statistical analyses Qualifications: Education: University or preferably advanced degree in electrical engineering, economy, or other relevant field related to electronic communications market and economic analyses Experience: Qualifications and skills required Theoretical knowledge and minimum 7 years of practical experience in market research, market analyses, statistical and economic data processing; Solid knowledge of electronic communications market, existing technologies and trends in WB economies; Experience in developing electronic databases, organising data series and systematising data; Analytical skills and ability to conceptualise and write concisely and clearly, as well as strong presentational skills; Experience in working with indicators and statistical data, preparing reporting tables and graphical visualisation, market research, etc Language requirements: Fluency in English, as the official language of RCC The consultant is required to engage associates in order to cover all languages used in the region, ensuring along that way that information in each economy is collected by a native speaker Other: Full ICT literacy and familiarity with a text processors, and electronic Page 10 of 18

11 database tools necessary for implementation of the assignment; Ability to be flexible and respond to changes, as part of the review and feedback process; Communication and presentation skills and ability to work in an environment requiring liaison and collaboration with multiple actors including government representatives, regulators, businesses, operators, trade unions, civil society institutions, donors and other stakeholders IV APPLICATION RULES No more than one application can be submitted by a natural or legal person whatever the form of participation (as an individual legal entity or as leader or member of a consortium submitting an application) In the event that a natural or legal person submits more than one application, all applications in which that person has participated will be excluded The Technical Offer must include the following documents: Statement on Solvency or similar (in case of legal entities) issued by the hosting Bank; Copy of Company s Registration Certificate (in case of legal entities); Bidding consortia of individual consultants participating in this Call must indicate the members and show how the work is divided between them Specifically, all members must name the team leader and authorise this member to represent the consortium and receive payments on behalf of the other members A corresponding written authorisation, power of attorney must be attached to the bid; CV(s) of a team leader and experts of the project team, outlining relevant knowledge and experience as described in the Terms of References, along with contact details of referees; An outline work programme of a maximum of 5 pages that the applicant is applying for that will describe the main issues, sources of information to be used, timeline and research tools to be employed The Work Programme should include the initial outline of the content of the study; Page 11 of 18

12 List of references for relevant activities implemented over the past 5 years demonstrating relevant experience in the subject matter Copies of contracts may be requested for the short listed applicants; Service Tender Submission Form (Annex I); Signed Statements of Exclusivity and Availability (Annex II) Financial offer The financial offer should reflect the following (Annex III): All figures should be expressed in EUR; VAT amount, if applicable, should be presented When preparing the financial offer, the applicant should take into account the following: - The proposed budget should include daily fee rate for consulting services; the fee rates should be broadly consistent with the EU framework rates for these types of professional services Submission of applications: Qualified applicants are invited to send an application via to ProcurementforRCC@rccint no later than 5 April 2018 by 24:00 Central European Time; Please make sure that the application is submitted in two separate folders one containing Technical Proposal and the other Financial Proposal The documents should be submitted in a form of copies of the originals Evaluation rules: The consultancy will be awarded to the highest qualified applicant based on the relevance of skills and expertise to this assignment; The applications are evaluated following these criteria: Page 12 of 18

13 EVALUATION GRID Maximum score A Technical Offer (A1+A2+A3) 100 A1 Track record, references and general experience of the bidder: General work experience; evidence of other contracts of the size comparable with that of the tender; experience with clients comparable to the Contracting Authority A2 Quality and professional capacity of the team leader and experts: CV(s) satisfy the criteria set forth in the Terms of Reference and demonstrate professional capacity and experience required; quality of the team inspires confidence A3 Quality of an outline work programme: Bidder provided a clear outline of the work programme to be executed with a sound methodology; main challenges identified; the process is clear and the proposed use of resources adequate B Financial Proposal/ lowest price has maximum score 100 Score for offer X = A: [Total quality score (out of 100) of offer X / 100] * 80 B: [Lowest price / price of offer X] * 20 In addition to the results of the technical and financial evaluation, competencies based interview will be held with the selected bidder Page 13 of 18

14 Annex I APPLICATION SUBMISSION FORM Open Call for Consultancy Services Reference Number: One signed scanned copy of this Application Submission Form must be supplied 1 SUBMITTED by: Name(s) and address(es) of the Entity submitting this Application Full Name of the Entity 2 CONTACT PERSON Name Address Telephone Fax 3 STATEMENT [Name of the Enitity] hereby declares that we have examined and accepted without reserve or restriction the entire contents of the Open Call for Consulting Services, Grounds for Exclusions and Conflict of Interest as such: Grounds for Exclusion Candidates or bidders will be excluded from participation in a procurement procedure if it is known that: (a) They are bankrupt or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations; Page 14 of 18

15 (b) They have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a judgment which has the force of res judicata; (c) They have been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the Contracting Officer can justify; (d) They have not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established or with those of the country of the Contracting Officer or those of the country where the contract is to be performed; (e) They have been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation or any other illegal activity Contracts may not be awarded to candidates or bidders who, during the procurement procedure, are: (a) Subject to a conflict of interest; (b) Guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the Contracting Officer as a condition of participation in the contract procedure or fail to supply this information Conflict of Interest a) The candidate or bidder shall take all necessary measures to prevent or end any situation that could compromise the impartial and objective performance of the contract Such conflict of interests could arise in particular as a result of economic interest, political or national affinity, family or emotional ties, or any other relevant connection or shared interest Any conflict of interests which could arise during performance of the contract must be notified in writing to the Contracting Authority without delay b) The Contracting Authority reserves the right to verify that such measures are adequate and may require additional measures to be taken if necessary The candidate or bidder shall ensure that is not placed in a situation which could give rise to conflict of interests The candidate or bidder shall replace, immediately and without compensation from the Contracting Authority, any member of its staff exposed to such a situation c) The candidate or bidder shall refrain from any contact which would compromise its independence If the Consultant fails to maintain such independence, the Contracting Authority may, without prejudice to compensation for any damage which it may have suffered on this account, terminate the contract forthwith d) The candidate or bidder shall, after the conclusion or termination of the contract, limit its role in connection with the project to the provision of the services Except with the written permission of the Contracting Authority, the candidate or bidder or supplier with whom the candidate or bidder is associated or affiliated shall be disqualified from the execution Page 15 of 18

16 of works, supplies or other services for the project in any capacity, including tendering for any part of the project e) Civil servants and other agents of the public administration of the RCC Participants, regardless of their administrative situation, shall not be recruited as experts in contracts financed by the RCC Secretariat f) The candidate or bidder and anyone working under its authority or control in the performance of the contract or on any other activity shall be excluded from access to RCC Secretariat financing available under the same project unless they can prove to the Contracting Authority that the involvement in previous stages of the project does not constitute unfair competition STATEMENT We offer to provide the services requested in the Terms of Reference on the basis of supplied documentation subject to this Open Call for Consultancy Services, which comprise our technical offer, and our financial offer This Call for Consultancy Services is subject to acceptance within the validity period stipulated in the Terms of Reference Name of Authorized Person: Signature: Date: Page 16 of 18

17 ANNEX II: STATEMENT OF EXCLUSIVITY AND AVAILABILITY REF: By representing the Entity we agree to participate exclusively in the above-mentioned tender procedure We further declare that we are able and willing to work for the period(s) foreseen for the position for which our CVs have been included in the event that this tender is successful, namely: Full Name Available from (Date) Available until (Date) Acceptance by signature Number of man-days associated to each task from the ToR Page 17 of 18

18 ANNEX III: BUDGET BREAKDOWN REF: No Cost categories Daily fee rate Total Cost 2 TOTAL COSTS 3 VAT (if applicable): GRAND TOTAL (2+3): NOTE: When preparing the financial offer, the applicant should take into account the following: Include the number of proposed working days and daily fee rate for consulting services, the fee rates should be broadly consistent with the EU framework rates for these types of professional services Travel costs are not subject of the financial offer and shall be treated separately Page 18 of 18