Tender Specifications VT/2015/034

Transcription

1 Tender Specifications VT/2015/034 Feasibility Study on a "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" Social Security at Your Fingertips

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Technical Part Title of the contract Background Subject of the contract Tasks to be carried out by the Contractor List of tasks Contents of the feasibility study Time schedule and reporting Time schedule Reporting Price Protocol and taxes applicable Details for prices Presentation of the financial offer Payments and contract Source of funding First payment Second payment Payment of the balance Administrative Part Participation Participation to the procedure Contractual conditions Sub-contracting Joint tenders Exclusion criteria and supporting documents Selection criteria Economic and financial capacity and evidence Technical and professional capacity criteria and evidence Award criteria Content and presentation of the offers Content of the bids Presentation of the bids June

3 1. Title of the contract Technical Part Feasibility Study on a "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" - Social Security at Your Fingertips 2. Background The Commission is considering the opportunity and feasibility of setting up a tool that aims at facilitating the interaction between citizens and national authorities across borders in the field of social security coordination, with the working title "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" (EMPSS). The initiative is related to the on-going work on free movement of persons which stands as one of the four basic freedoms of the EU single market. One of the cornerstones of facilitating free movement is the coordination of the social security systems of the Member States. This is ensured by the EU Social Security Coordination rules (Regulations (EC) Nos 883/2004 and 987/2009). Nevertheless, as EU law provides for the coordination and not the harmonisation of the Member States' social security systems, each Member State remains free to determine the details of its own social security system (including which benefits are provided, the conditions for eligibility, how these benefits are calculated and what contributions should be paid). Therefore, for example, when a person who has worked in various Member States reaches retirement age and needs the calculation of its pension rights, or when a mobile worker claims unemployment benefits in his/her host country, this calls for the intervention of different public authorities in the same Member State and across borders to establish the applicable rules, to provide the benefits and to proceed with reimbursements across different social security systems, when needed. The existing legislative framework has been developed over the past decades by continuously adapting it to the needs of a growing number of Member States and EU citizens, who are covered by an increasingly diverse range of social security systems. Along with the modernised social security coordination rules which entered into force on 1 May 2010, a number of important steps have been already taken towards facilitating the coordination activity. One of the key innovations introduced by the new rules in force since 2010 is the obligation for Member States to exchange social security information in cross-border cases by electronic means. Currently a transitional period from paper-based towards full electronic exchange between national authorities is ongoing, and the message exchange system is under development. A major step towards full electronic exchange is the change from paper based social security "E-forms", which will disappear and which are currently in the process of being replaced by so-called Structured Electronic Documents (SEDs) for the purposes of information exchange between national authorities. In some cases the information required by citizens is still issued in the form of paper based Portable Documents (PD), which certify the entitlement of the holder to various social security benefits. These cover a number of different aspects, such as the legislation applicable to the person, sickness benefits, pensions, and unemployment benefits. Currently there are ten Portable Documents altogether, including the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), and its Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC). Apart from the EHIC which is issued in the format of a card, the others are paper forms. In order to implement in practice the requirement for full electronic exchange between social security authorities across borders, the European Commission is working June

4 together with the Member States within the framework of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) project on developing an IT system that will enable these exchanges. The EESSI project is currently advancing with the development of the IT platform allowing for the exchange of data across borders. The IT solution is expected to be ready by the end of 2016, and the Member States will then have a maximum of 2 years to connect their national applications to the central platform. While EESSI will facilitate the exchanges between the competent authorities working on social security coordination and, as such, will indirectly benefit citizens, the EESSI message exchanges will not be accessible to the general public. Therefore, in the quest of continuously modernising the social security coordination activity, a "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" (EMPSS) could be created to connect citizens with national authorities across borders and facilitate the interaction between them. The EMPSS, as envisaged at this stage, could help addressing a number of challenges: due to the inherent complexity of social security coordination activity, individuals may find it challenging to obtain tailor made information, guidance and advice on the legal framework which applies to them and on their rights; the interaction between mobile persons and the public authorities in relation to social security still takes place in some cases in a paper based world, and needs frequent face to face contacts. This may be time consuming when it comes to cross-border cases and it can also imply a risk of errors. Moreover, the identification and authentication of a person in a quick and reliable way can be a challenge for national authorities given the multitude of Personal Identification Numbers, case numbers, or file numbers allocated to the same person for various purposes by different authorities over time, at Member State level and across borders; currently the social security rights are often certified by means of Portable Documents issued by national authorities (such as the EHIC or the A1 form). In case of doubt, verifications of the validity of the document, the accuracy of the information contained in it and the fact that such information is up-to-date need time-consuming contacts between the authorities concerned. These challenges could be addressed through the following potential functionalities of the EMPSS: it may allow for electronically requesting and obtaining certificates that are today issued in the form of paper based Portable Documents. This may simplify to a large extent the contacts between mobile people and public authorities and speed up the process by removing any doubt about which authority to contact and how to obtain the document, and it may also contribute to removing doubts that public authorities may have about the validity of such certificates and the accuracy of their contents; improve the identification and authentication of mobile persons across borders by national authorities. This could potentially be achieved through the introduction of a unique set of credentials that mobile people receive and can then use in their contacts with any relevant authority, across borders and sectors of social security, providing a straightforward mechanism to keep track of entitlements and help the individuals to access their rights in various countries. It would allow for public authorities to easily authenticate a claimant June

5 and reduce administrative burden and risk of fraud and error in terms of identification; establish a single starting point for citizens to access existing services of Member States, given that some Member States already offer such remote access options for public administration. Such a one-stop shop approach in the relations with public authorities on social security issues may bring about advantages in terms of diminishing language barriers or difficulties related to different approaches to administrative procedures. The successful interconnection with existing solutions in selected Member States may also provide an impetus for an accelerated implementation of remote services in Member States currently not offering such possibilities; provide personalised information, guidance and advice to individuals on the legal framework which applies to them and on their entitlements and rights. This can be envisaged, for example, through dynamic and interactive forms on a website which, by guiding the users through a number of pre-determined questions on their personal and professional circumstances, will allow them to receive tailor made responses on their potential entitlements and rights. While ultimately it is the responsibility of public authorities to determine the entitlements, this interactive tool can provide users with a useful first indication of what they can expect or may be entitled to. The initial steps are intended on focus on certain practical implementations, such as the Portable Documents for the purposes of social security. On the basis of the findings of the study, the Commission s services may explore whether additional functionalities could be introduced to the EMPSS at a later stage such as, for instance, on-line declaration of events, pension tracking, the possibility of setting out a personal career history, an interface with national registers, the provision of information on practical aspects linked to mobility, storage and access to emergency data set of individuals, storage and access to medical information, e-prescribing, or other aspects. The EMPSS might take different forms, such as an on-line platform based on a website or portal, a mobile application, a gateway to Member States' tools, databases and services, or a combination of those elements these options should be assessed by the feasibility study. The EMPSS would be operational in all EU official languages. EaSI 1 The European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" is a European-level financing instrument managed directly by the European Commission to contribute to the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy, by providing financial support for the Union's objectives in terms of promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions. Other background information: Information on EU social security coordination: 1 Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on a European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation ("EaSI") and amending Decision No 283/2010/EU establishing a European Progress Microfinance Facility for employment and social inclusion, OJ L 347, 20/12/2013, p June

6 Information on the national social security systems: EU's Mutual Information System on Social Protection (MISSOC): 3. Subject of the contract The purpose of the call for tender is to obtain the delivery of a study assessing the feasibility of creating a "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" and proposing technically, financially, administratively and legally feasible implementation options for further consideration. Such a tool would assist mobile people in their contacts with public authorities, primarily related to social security, and would simplify the procedures that mobile people are confronted with when exercising their right to free movement. At the same time, such a service and tool may help public authorities fight instances of fraud and error. The study must provide underlying data, analysis, options and recommendations to allow the services of the Commission to assess the feasibility of an EMPSS, and if deemed appropriate, to further define the scope and contents of such a tool. 4. Tasks to be carried out by the Contractor 4.1. List of tasks The following tasks are to be carried out by the Contractor: Define the methodology and work plan The Contractor will present in the offer and fully elaborate in the inception report the methodology to be used to carry out the study and ensure coverage of 32 countries and of relevant EU tools and services. The methodology should include: a detailed and realistic planning of the activities, identifying project stages and proposing timelines; an accurate and detailed description of how the team of experts will organize and manage the different tasks, outlining who will manage the activity and who will work on different tasks; the proposed approach to data collection and information processing (surveys, questionnaires, interviews, fact finding missions and field visits, etc.); the provisional list of stakeholders that the Contractor intends to interview. As regards relevant contact points in Member States, the services of the Commission will provide the Contractor with a list of potential contacts 3 ; the provisional list of fact finding missions and field visits that the Contractor envisages to carry out, which should allow for face to face interviews, in depth analysis of national work and practices and of the public administrations' interaction with citizens; 3 While the services of the Commission will provide initial contacts to Member States, the Contractor will be expected to clearly outline whom they will be in contact with and share the content of the proposed exchanges with the Commission. June

7 the provisional list of the sources (studies, databases, websites, etc.) that will be analysed 4. The methodology presented will be subject to comments and recommendations from the Commission. Following the presentation of the interim report the Commission may request a revision and fine-tuning of the methodological approach before the development of the final report Define the data collection tools and methods to be used The Contractor will propose in the inception report the drafts of all relevant questionnaires and/or tools for gathering information, and elaborate on the approach and methodology that will be used for processing such information gathered Carry out the information gathering The Contractor will carry out the information gathering in the Member States as well as amongst the Commission services and the other EU institutions to address the issues detailed below under the heading "4.2 - Contents of the feasibility study" Analyse the information gathered and prepare the feasibility study The feasibility study prepared by the Contractor which will elaborate on the analysis undertaken, the study findings as well as recommendations; covering all the tasks and matters outlined below in detail under heading "4.2 - Contents of the feasibility study" Report to the Commission The Contractor will report to the Commission according to the time schedule foreseen below under the heading "5 - Time schedule and reporting". The following reports are to be prepared and will be subject to comments from the Commission: The inception report outlining in detail the methodology to be used and explaining how it will be implemented to carry out the feasibility assessment work and drafting the study, presenting a detailed work plan, the draft structure of the interim and final reports, and any additional proposals for matters to be analysed and included in the feasibility study in addition to those listed below under heading "4.2 - Contents of the feasibility study"; The interim report highlighting any major findings and issues encountered during the initial phase of the work on preparing the feasibility study. This interim report is intended to provide the Commission with a good overview about the progress of the work in line with the agreed methodology, and about the preliminary results in particular of the following topics requested under heading "4.2 Contents of the feasibility study": mapping of existing tools and services (point A.1), potential technical options for the EMPSS (point B.6), and a preliminary indication of administrative and financial impact (point D.11). The final report containing the full feasibility study should cover all aspects of outlined below under heading "4.2 Contents of the feasibility study", and it 4 See i.a. the report on the Project Towards a European Social ID in the construction sector available at: the European Parliament Study on "A European Single Point of Contact" available at IMCO_ET(2013)507453_EN.pdf, the e-government factsheets June

8 should fully elaborate also on the aspects presented as preliminary results in the interim report. Further to the above listed reports, the Contractor should be ready to provide regular updates at request of the Commission about the ongoing work, in the form of meetings at the Commission's premises in Brussels (as set out below under heading 5.2). Furthermore, the Contractor should be available to answer questions about the progress of the work and main findings per at the request of the Commission. The Contractor should also be ready to prepare supporting documents, such as presentations, to be used for disseminating the findings to stakeholders, for instance during meetings of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems (as mentioned below under heading 5.2) Contents of the feasibility study The Contractor is requested to prepare a feasibility study covering the following matters: A. Mapping and analysis of existing tools and services at EU level and in Member States to avoid overlaps and build synergies, interoperability and/or cooperation 1. carrying out a comprehensive mapping of existing tools and services providing information, guidance and online or remote public administration services to citizens in the field of social security, both at EU level and in the Member States. 2. carrying out a comprehensive survey regarding the interaction between national authorities and citizens for the purposes of social security coordination at EU level. This should: a. quantify the exchanges between authorities and citizens in terms of frequency and also time needed to resolve requests for information or documents for cross-border social security cases; b. methods and practice currently in place for such interaction (e.g. procedures in place for postal, , telephone, face to face exchanges needed) between the administrations and citizens; c. assess the content of such exchanges, to identify under which circumstances citizens and national authorities need to be in contact with each other, which are the branches of social security and types of questions and requests most frequently taking place. 3. analyse this information and: a. identify shortcomings and gaps in online services for cross-border social security cases; b. identify best practices that can be either taken as example, or starting point to be developed into an EU wide tool; c. propose options on how to build synergies and interoperability with already existing or planned information sources and remote public administration services (for example Your Europe 5, Your Europe Advice 6, 5 The Your Europe Portal ( provides information on EU rights and rules in various fields of interest, from travelling to residence formalities or consumer rights. 6 Your Europe Advice ( provides free of charge legal advice on cross-border situations within a week. June

9 SOLVIT 7, EURES 8, the MISSOC Guides on national social security systems 9, the eid building block of esens 10, the outcomes of the EU-funded project TTYPE on pension tracking), examining the possibility of up-grading, further developing or merging functionalities of existing EU-level tools; d. avoid duplications or overlaps with existing or planned information sources and services, as well as with overall EU initiatives planned to be put in place in the near future; 4. suggest options on how to avoid overlaps and duplication and eventually enable interoperability and/or cooperation with Member States' IT systems, with the EESSI system under development and with the "H5NCP Platform" on combating fraud and error, 11 as well as with other existing or upcoming initiatives, and EU or national structures related to mobility 12 ; B. Options on the scope and form of the "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" 5. provide the underlying analysis that can help defining the personal and content related scope of the initiative, elaborating on what kind of tailor made services would be useful for different categories of insured persons covered by the EU social security coordination rules (such as workers, family members of workers, students, pensioners, jobseekers, non-active persons, tourists, etc.). This analysis should provide quantitative and qualitative results on: a. the benefits that each category of users (workers, pensioners, students, non-active mobile people, etc.) could derive from the EMPSS; b. the impact that the EMPSS could have on their mobility; c. the perception of this initiative by the public opinion in relation to the different categories of users; d. whether the costs related to changing or connecting the infrastructures, and to the changes in procedures and staff training would be considerably reduced or remain largely unchanged depending on the personal scope of the service. The Contractor should provide options that are feasible within the framework of the existing EU legal framework on social security coordination; 6. propose options on the form (technical set-up) of the EMPSS, whether it should be an on-line platform, website, application, accessible through mobile devices or by use of an identification system (for instance by means of a physical card with a chip and pin function), a gateway to Member States' tools, databases 7 SOLVIT ( is a network amongst national administrations working together with the view to solving problems individuals encounter when exercising their EU rights, within the timeframe of 10 weeks, and free of charge. 8 EURES ( provides information, advice and recruitment/placement (job-matching) services to workers and employers. 9 MISSOC, the EU's Mutual Information System on Social Protection ( provides regularly updated information about national social security systems. 10 esens is an EU co-funded project looking into technical solutions to foster electronic interaction with public administrations across the EU ( 11 This Platform is based on Decision H5 of the Administrative Commission concerning cooperation on combating fraud and error within the framework of Council Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of social security systems. 12 Such as the bodies foreseen in Directive 2014/54/EU of 16 April 2014 on measures facilitating the exercise of rights conferred on workers in the context of freedom of movement of workers, the national contact points on healthcare set up by Directive 2011/24/EU on patients rights in cross-border healthcare. June

10 and services, an addition to one or more of the existing or planned information sources and remote public administration services mentioned above under point A.3.c., a combination of those elements or other options identified by the Contractor as feasible for such a service/tool including advantages and disadvantages, or limitations of each option; C. Options on the envisaged functionalities of the EMPSS 7. provide suggestions on methods to enable a reliable electronic identification of persons using the EMPSS. This could be for instance achieved through the introduction of a unique set of credentials (such as a unique number, user ID and password, token, etc.) that mobile people can then use in their contacts with any relevant authority across borders and sectors of social security. The assessment should take into account existing EU initiatives and propose a practical implementation in the field of social security of the opportunities provided by the e-idas Regulation 13, including an overview of necessary infrastructure, costs and timeline for setting up such functionality and maintaining it in the long term. 8. suggest options on remotely requesting and accessing electronic documents, in particular electronic versions of Portable Documents through the EMPSS by citizens, and how to set up an electronic means of checking the validity and authenticity of such documents in real time or within a short timeframe by national authorities and inspection services (for example, the A1 form by work inspectorates, the EHIC 14 by healthcare providers); 9. how to set up a gateway for citizens to access existing e-government tools and services of Member States, and elaborate on which existing tools in Member States, if any, may be useful to consider as examples to follow when introducing such remote services for cross-border cases at EU level; 10. how to provide through dynamic and interactive forms (or other means identified as feasible) personalised information, guidance and advice to individuals on the legal framework which applies to them and on their rights and potential entitlements. 11. provide options for ensuring that the tool will be expandable/scalable in terms of functionality to continuously improve user experience, and assess how it would be possible to allow for incorporating in the EMPSS (in longer term) elements relevant to mobile people beyond social security coordination aspects, such as questions related to residence formalities or any other aspects of registration when moving abroad, taxation, access to employment records, or other aspects that may facilitate mobility including advantages and disadvantages, or limitations of each option (unless provided under point D); 12. propose options on incorporating an automated translation functionality on the EMPSS 15. The Contractor should provide clear proposals, in line with the best practices identified in Member States and at EU level. D. Assessment of the impacts of the EMPSS and of the political, legal and practical concerns that such a tool could raise 13 The Regulation (EU) N 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market. 14 The analysis on checking the EHIC validity should take into account the work that was done within the framework of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems on exploring the possibilities for an electronic EHIC and for exchanging the EHIC related dataset electronically between national authorities. The services of the Commission will provide existing documentation to the Contractor. 15 For instance, by elaborating on a practical implementation of the Automated Translation options in the EMPSS (see or other means. June

11 13. assess the administrative and financial impact of the EMPSS for the Commission and the Member States, taking into account costs and administrative changes needed in terms of: a. the different forms and technical set-up that the EMPSS might take (on-line platform, website, application, gateway to Member States' tools, databases and services or a combination of those elements or other options identified by the Contractor as feasible for such a service/tool); b. the different functionalities, content and personal scope it could cover. For each option, the study should present scenarios for the ideal cost-benefit balance that can be achieved, elaborating on: a. the initial investments in terms of setting up, changing or connecting the required infrastructure, data bases and/or systems, changes in procedures and training of staff; b. a long term projection of resources needed to maintain such a tool for the Commission and the Member States, including public and private social protection institutions; c. future (financial) benefits for various stakeholders (citizens, administrations), related to the reduction of administrative burden and to the potential reduction of instances of fraud and error; d. possible contributions to the running costs of the EMPSS from different institutions, taking into account the expected benefits and potential cost savings (e.g. if this tool would replace other, more costly, forms of information provision); 14. assess the security implications of the initiative and suggest options on how to tackle security concerns related to the identification/authentication of the individuals, to their access rights and to the validity of the issued documents as well as the reduction of the risks of forgery, highlighting what are the best practices and proposed solutions possible within the current legislative framework and in terms of ideal cost-benefit aspects; 15. assess the data protection implications of the initiative and suggest options on how to tackle data protection concerns. The EMPSS will need to be in strict compliance with EU data protection rules. The study should assess how to ensure that these are respected and built in the system in a clearly perceivable way to citizens, to ensure that people feel safe and confident in using the EMPSS; 16. identify potential problems and risks of the initiative on administrative, operational and practical level, which could arise in the conception and in the implementation phase and suggest the way to address such problems and risks; E. Suggested steps towards a practical implementation of the EMPSS 17. provide a proposal for the practical development of the initiative, formulating recommendations on how to set up and run such a system and, in particular, outlining the best options regarding the respective roles of the Commission and the Member States in building, hosting and maintaining such a tool, identifying the different project stages, proposing realistic timelines and cost projections. The Contractor shall perform the analysis set out under the above points on the basis of an assessment covering the 28 EU Member States as well as the four non-eu Member States where the social security coordination rules apply (Iceland, June

12 Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), as well as relevant tools and services available at EU level. The analysis should focus on the branches of social security covered by the EU social security coordination Regulations, on occupational pensions covered by Directive 2014/50/EU and it should also take into account other fields related to labour mobility, such as residence formalities, taxation, or other aspects of registration when moving abroad. The study should clearly indicate the potential distinction of expected uptake of such a service in countries with mature e-government/online public administration services or well advanced plans to develop such services in the social security sector, as well as in countries with less advanced systems, clearly identifying feasibility challenges in both scenarios (e.g. challenges in setting up new systems or changing existing systems and practice) and under various organisational structures (central versus regionalised systems, etc.). The Contractor may suggest in the offer and the inception report additional elements beyond those listed above, which could be included in the scope of the study with the agreement of the Commission, but this additional element will not be part of the evaluation of the offer per se. The feasibility study should focus on the viability of the EMPSS with an emphasis on identifying potential problems and suggesting solutions for its conception and implementation. Furthermore, given that the study is funded by the EaSI Programme, the Contractor shall acknowledge and respect the following principles: The EaSI Programme shall, in all its axes and actions, aim to: (a) pay particular attention to vulnerable groups, such as young people; (b) promote equality between women and men; (c) combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation; (d) promote a high-level of quality and sustainable employment, guarantee adequate and decent social protection, combat long-term unemployment and fight against poverty and social exclusion. Hence, in designing, implementing and reporting on the activity, the Contractor must address the issues noted above and will be required to provide details, in the final activity report on the steps and achievements made towards addressing those aims. The Commission, with the support of an external Contractor, will monitor regularly the EaSI Programme. Therefore, beneficiaries/contractors will have to transmit qualitative and quantitative monitoring data on the results of the activities. These will include the extent to which the principles of equality between women and men has been applied, as well as how anti-discrimination considerations, including accessibility issues, have been addressed through the activities. Related templates are attached or will be provided. In setting up the action, the Contractor must foresee the necessary funding for monitoring and reporting to the Commission. June

13 5. Time schedule and reporting 5.1. Time schedule The duration of the contract shall be of sixteen (16) months. The Contractor shall present a detailed work plan describing how the specific tasks will be fulfilled, and how the final output will be reached within this time schedule. The main milestones of the activities are presented below. Actions/deliverables Timetable Payment schedule Start of activities Kick-off meeting Draft inception report Inception meeting Signature of the contract Within 1 week following the start of activities Within 5 weeks following the kick-off meeting Within 1 week following receipt of the inception report Finalised report inception Within 1 week following inception meeting Request for first interim payment of 20% Progress meeting Draft interim report Within 4 months following the start of activities Within 6 months following the start of activities Interim meeting Within 1 month following receipt of the draft interim report Finalised interim report Within 2 weeks following interim meeting Request for second interim payment of 30%. Draft final report Meeting on the draft final report Definitive version of the final report Within 13 months following the start of activities Within 1 month following receipt of the draft final report Within 16 months following the start of activities. Request for final payment of 50% June

14 5.2. Reporting The work must be completed within a maximum of sixteen (16) months from the date on which the contract is signed. The exchanges with the Commission will be done in English. The Contractor must ensure that all reports are provided in proofread English. The various stages and reporting points are as follows: 1. Within one (1) week following the signature of the contract, the Contractor will participate in the kick off meeting with the European Commission in Brussels to discuss the preparation of the inception report and the overall planning of the activities. The Contractor will take into account the information provided and suggestions and recommendations made at the meeting by the Commission for the preparation of the inception report. 2. No later than five (5) weeks after the kick-off meeting, the Contractor will present a draft inception report, developing the methodology proposed and outlining the approach for the study. 3. The draft inception report will be discussed during the inception meeting with the Commission to be held in Brussels within one (1) week following the receipt of the inception report by the Commission's services. The Contractor will take into account the suggestions and recommendations made by the Commission. He will subsequently adapt the inception report, and present a final version within one week after the meeting. The inception report will contain the methodology to be used, the detailed work plan, and the draft structure of the interim and final reports, and will be accompanied by the invoice for the first interim payment of up to a maximum of 20% of the total price referred to in the contract. 4. No later than four (4) months after the signature of the contract, a progress meeting will take place with the Commission in Brussels. The Contractor will present the status of activities undertaken following the inception report and bring to the attention of the Commission any major issue that could have emerged in the first investigation and analysis phase. The Contractor will take into account the suggestions and recommendations made by the Commission in continuing the work. 5. No later than six (6) months after the signature of the contract, the Contractor must submit a draft interim report. This report should not exceed 80 pages (excluding annexes). 6. No later than four (4) weeks after the receipt of the draft interim report, an interim meeting with the Commission will take place in Brussels. The Contractor will take into account the suggestions and recommendations made by the Commission. He will subsequently adapt the interim report if needed, and present a revised version within two (2) weeks following the meeting. The results presented in the interim report may be used by the services of the European Commission in presenting the initiative to the Member States. The final version of the interim report will contain the mapping of existing tools and services (point A.1 of Heading 4.2), potential technical options for the Portal (point B.6 of Heading 4.2), and a preliminary indication of June

15 administrative and financial impact (point D.11 of Heading 4.2), and will be accompanied by an invoice for the second interim payment of up to a maximum of 30% of the total price referred to in the contract. 7. The Contractor will present a draft final report no later than thirteen (13) months after the start of activities. This report should not exceed 350 pages (excluding annexes). The draft final report shall be accompanied by an Executive Summary of no more than 30 pages in 3 language versions: English, French and German. 8. Within one (1) month following receipt of the draft final report, a meeting will take place in Brussels with the Commission to discuss the draft final report. The Contractor will take into account the suggestions and recommendations made by the Commission, and will subsequently adapt the final report if needed. 9. The final version of the final report will be presented no later than sixteen (16) months after the start of activities, it will contain all matters requested under the heading 4.2 "Contents of the feasibility study", and it will be accompanied by the invoice for the payment of the remaining balance of 50% of the total price referred to in the contract. The detailed methods and plan of work and the various reports mentioned in this section must be submitted to the Commission in proof-read English both in hard copy (in triplicate) and in a widely used electronic format enabling word processing. The Contactor must also provide a copy of the information collected and used in preparing the final report. At the Contractor s request, this information will be treated confidentially. The Contractor will carry out his/her work in close collaboration with the European Commission and take due account of all their suggestions, contributions and proposed arrangements. The Commission shall be informed and consulted on all the steps of the stakeholders consultation and data collection. The Contractor will take part in five (5) meetings with the Commission as detailed above under 'Reporting'. Further to these meetings, the Contractor shall be ready to participate in at least five (5) additional ad hoc meetings with the Commission. The meetings will be organised by the Commission and held at the Commission's premises in Brussels. The Contractor should be available to present the outcome of the study at meetings of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems at least on two (2) occasions: following the results of the interim report and following the results of the final report are made available. Furthermore, the Contractor should be available for four (4) more ad-hoc meetings to present the findings of the study at conferences or other events. June

16 6. Price 6.1. Protocol and taxes applicable The price for the tender must be quoted in euro. Tenderers from countries outside the euro zone have to quote their prices in euro. The price quoted may not be revised in line with exchange rate movements. It is for the tenderer to assume the risks or the benefits deriving from any variation. Prices must be quoted free of all duties, taxes and other charges, including VAT, as the European Union is exempt from such charges under Articles 3 and 4 of the Protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Union. The amount of VAT may be shown separately Details for prices The maximum amount of the contract is The quoted price must be a fixed amount which includes all charges (including travel and subsistence). Travel and subsistence expenses are not refundable separately. Professional fees and other costs expressed as the number of person-days multiplied by the unit price per working day for each expert proposed. The unit price should cover the experts' fees and administrative expenditure. The Contractor's costs for participation in meetings must be included in fees. Other costs are not authorised Presentation of the financial offer It is recommended that the detailed financial offer follows this model: Breakdown of prices Description Experts' fees (to be specified for each specific task) Unit price in EUR Max. no of units Unit type Subtotal per item EUR in Total amounts in EUR Details working. day. Total amount (art. I.3.1.) of the contract June

17 7. Payments and contract In drawing up the bid, the tenderer should take into account the provisions of the standard contract comprising the "General terms and conditions applicable to service contracts" Source of funding The feasibility study on a "European Mobility Portal on Social Security" is funded from two sources: the Pilot Project proposed by the European Parliament (EP) with the title "Social security card", and the European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" The Pilot Project proposed by the EP aimed at investigating the benefits and options for introducing a European electronic document containing individuals' social security details. The services of the Commission widened the scope of the investigation to allow the assessment of the latest technological advances: the study will explore the feasibility of creating a means to facilitate interaction between national administrations and mobile citizens. EaSI is a European-level financing instrument managed directly by the European Commission to contribute to the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy, by providing financial support for the Union's objectives in terms of promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions. The Contractor must acknowledge in writing that the project has been supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation ("EaSI") In practice, all products (publications, brochures, press releases, videos, CDs, posters and banners, and especially those associated with conferences, seminars and information campaigns) must state the following: This (publication, conference, video, etc.) has received financial support from the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" ( ). For further information please consult: The European emblem must appear on every publication or other material produced. Please see: Every publication must include the following: The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Commission. The payment will be made in three (3) installments First payment The Contractor shall submit an invoice for a first interim payment of up to a maximum of 20% of the total price referred to in the relevant contract. The invoice for the first interim payment shall be accompanied by the inception report mentioned in section 5.2. The contracting authority shall make the payment within 60 days from receipt of the invoice. The Contractor shall have 30 days in which to submit additional information or corrections, a new inception report or other documents if it is required by the contracting authority. June

18 7.3. Second payment The Contractor shall submit an invoice for the second interim payment of up to a maximum of 30% of the total price referred to in the relevant contract. The invoice for second interim payment shall be accompanied by the interim report mentioned in section 5.2. The contracting authority shall make the payment within 60 days from receipt of the invoice. The Contractor shall have 30 days in which to submit additional information or corrections, a new interim report or other documents if it is required by the contracting authority Payment of the balance The Contractor shall submit an invoice for payment of the balance of 50%. The invoice shall be accompanied by the final report. The contracting authority shall make the payment within 60 days from receipt of the invoice. The Contractor shall have 30 days in which to submit additional information or corrections, a new final report or other documents if it is required by the contracting authority. 8. Participation Administrative Part 8.1 Participation to the procedure Participation in this tender procedure is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons coming within the scope of the Treaties and to all natural and legal persons in a third country which has a special agreement with the Union in the field of public procurement on the conditions laid down in that agreement. Where the Multilateral Agreement on Government Procurement 16 concluded within the WTO applies, the participation to the call for tender is also open to nationals of the countries that have ratified this Agreement, on the conditions it lays down. 8.2 Contractual conditions The tenderer should bear in mind the provisions of the draft contract which specifies the rights and obligations of the Contractor, particularly those on payments, performance of the contract, confidentiality, and checks and audits. 8.3 Sub-contracting Subcontracting is permitted in the tender but the Contractor will retain full liability towards the Contracting Authority for performance of the contract as a whole. Tenderers must give an indication of the proportion of the contract that they intend to subcontract. Tenderers are required to identify subcontractors whose share of the contract is above 10%. During contract execution, the change of any subcontractor identified in the tender will be subject to prior written approval of the Contracting Authority. 16 See June

19 9. Joint tenders A joint tender is a situation where a tender is submitted by a group of economic operators (consortium). Joint tenders may include subcontractors in addition to the joint tenderers. In case of joint tender, all economic operators in a joint tender assume joint and several liability towards the Contracting Authority for the performance of the contract as a whole. Nevertheless, tenderers must designate a single point of contact for the Contracting Authority. After the award, the Contracting Authority will sign the contract either with all members of the group, or with the member duly authorised by the other members via a power of attorney. The documents required and listed in the following points (10 and 11) must be supplied by every member of the grouping. 10. Exclusion criteria and supporting documents 1) All tenderers shall provide a declaration on their honour (see Annex 5 of the invitation letter), duly signed and dated by an authorised representative, stating that they are not in one of the situations of exclusion listed in Articles 106 and 107 (1) of Financial Regulation. The declaration on honour is also required for identified subcontractors whose intended share of the contract is above 10%. 2) The successful tenderer shall provide the documents mentioned as supporting evidence in the Annex mentioned beforehand, before signature of the contract and within a deadline given by the contracting authority. This requirement applies to all members of the consortium in case of joint tender and to identified subcontractors whose intended share of the contract is above 10%. Article 143 of the Rules of Application Evidence (3) The contracting authority shall accept as satisfactory evidence that the candidate or tenderer to whom the contract is to be awarded is not in one of the situations described in points (a), (b) or (e) of Article 106(1) of the Financial Regulation, a recent extract from the judicial record or, failing that, an equivalent document recently issued by a judicial or administrative authority in the country of origin or provenance showing that those requirements are satisfied. The contracting authority shall accept, as satisfactory evidence that the candidate or tenderer is not in the situation described in point (a) or (d) of Article 106(1) of the Financial Regulation, a recent certificate issued by the competent authority of the State concerned. Where the document or certificate referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article is not issued in the country concerned and for the other cases of exclusion referred to in Article 106 of the Financial Regulation, it may be replaced by a sworn or, failing that, a solemn statement made by the interested party before a judicial or administrative authority, a notary or a qualified professional body in his country of origin or provenance. (4) Depending on the national legislation of the country in which the candidate or tenderer is established, the documents referred to in paragraphs 1 and 3 shall relate to legal persons and/or natural persons including, where considered necessary by the contracting authority, company directors or any person with June