Request for Proposal Reference No.: RFP-ROAP

Transcription

1 Request for Proposal Reference No.: RFP-ROAP Provision of Translation and Interpretation Services under Long Term Agreement (LTA) Modality 1 P a g e

2 31 October 2016 Dear Sir/Madam, Subject: Request for Proposal (RFP) for Provision of Translation and Interpretation Services under Long Term Agreement (LTA) Modality 1. The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) plans to procure Translation and Interpretation Services under Long Term Agreement (LTA) Modality as described in this Request for Proposal and its related annexes. UN Women now invites sealed proposals from qualified proposers for providing the requirements as defined in these documents. 2. In order to prepare a responsive proposal, you must carefully review, and understand the contents of the following documents: a. This letter (and the included Proposal Instruction Sheet (PIS)) b. Instructions to Proposers (Annex 1) available from this link: c. Terms of Reference (TOR) (Annex 2) d. Evaluation Methodology and Criteria (Annex 3) e. Format of Technical Proposal (Annex 4) f. Format of Financial Proposal (Annex 5) g. Proposal Submission Form (Annex 6) h. Voluntary Agreement for to Promote Gender Equality and Women s Empowerment (Annex 7) i. Proposed Model Form of Contract (Annex 8) j. General Conditions of Contract (Annex 9) k. Joint Venture/Consortium/Association Information Form (Annex 10) l. Submission Checklist (Annex 11) m. Written Translation Examination (Annex 12) 3. The Proposal Instruction Sheet (PIS) -below- provides the requisite information (with cross reference numbers) which is further detailed in the Instructions to Proposers (Annex-I see above link). 0

3 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTION SHEET (PIS) Detailed Instruction governing below listed summary of the instructions to proposers are available in the Annex I ( Instruction to Proposers ) accessible from this link: Cross Ref. to Annex I Instruction to Proposers Specific Requirements as referenced in Annex I 4.2 Deadline for Submission of Proposals Date and Time: Friday 04 November :00 PM Bangkok Time (Extended Deadline) [for local time reference, see City and Country: Bangkok, Thailand This is an absolute deadline. Any proposal received after this date and time will be disqualified. 4.1 Manner of Submission Personal Delivery/ Courier mail/ Registered Mail Electronic submission of Proposal 4.1 Address for Proposal Submission Electronic submission of Proposal: Technical Proposal: technical.bid.bangkok@unwomen.org Financial Proposal: financial.bid.bangkok@unwomen.org Proposals should be submitted to the designated address by the date and time of the deadline given. 3.1 Language of the Proposal: English French Spanish Other (pls. specify) Proposal Currencies Preferred Currency: USD (1 st preference) Local currency If no, please indicate Currency: If Quoted in USD, official UN exchange rate applicable on the last day of bid submission shall apply. Payment will be made in local currency to the local suppliers 3.5 Proposal Validity Period commencing after the deadline for submission of proposals (see 4.2 above) 120 days 1 P a g e

4 2.4 Clarifications of solicitation documents Requests for clarification shall be submitted before the deadline for submission of proposal. 7 days Contact address for requesting clarifications on the solicitation documents Requests for clarification should be addressed to the address: procurement.bangkok@unwomen.org Clarification s should include a subject header in the following format: UNW RFP Reference # RFP-ROAP Request for Clarification, Company/Contractor Name Proposers must not communicate with any other personnel of UN Women regarding this RFP. The address above is for clarifications ONLY. IMPORTANT: Do not send or copy the address above while submitting a proposal. Doing so will disqualify your proposal. 2.5 Pre-Proposal/Bid Meeting Not applicable Mandatory: Optional: 3.9 Proposal Security Not Required 7.4 Performance Security Not Required Proposal Security is not foreseen to be required by UN Women at this stage; however UN Women reserve the rights to request a Performance Security from the successful bidder at any stage. Performance Security is not foreseen to be required by UN Women at this stage; however UN Women reserve the rights to request a Performance Security from the successful proposer at any stage. 2 P a g e

5 3.2 Waiver & Release of Indemnity (If there is a site visit/inspection) Not Required No site inspections/visits are necessary and therefore a waiver/release of indemnity is not required. 4. The proposer will be selected based on the Evaluation Methodology and Criteria indicated in Annex III. 5. This letter is not to be construed in any way as an offer to contract with your organization. Yours sincerely, Welder Mtisi Regional Operations Manager Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific 3 P a g e

6 ANNEX 2 TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) BACKGROUND: In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organization s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women s empowerment: Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) The main roles of UN Women are: To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women, in their formulation of policies, global standards and norms. To help Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to provide suitable technical and financial support to those countries that request it, and to forge effective partnerships with civil society. To lead and coordinate the UN system s work on gender equality as well as promote accountability, including through regular monitoring of system-wide progress. To support UN Women mandate implementation, a major priority is being able to communicate in the local languages. To fulfill this goal UN Women is looking for the most suitable and qualified company/firm to enter into the Long Term Agreement and be able to promptly respond to all translation/interpretation needs that might occur. The selected company/firm might be required to translate written documents or to have simultaneous/consecutive translations for international staff interacting with the local community or for official occasion such as press conferences, public events and celebration, and institutional meetings. OBJECTIVES OF THE RFP: To provide quality, timely and professional Translation and Interpretation Services to UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, UN Women offices in Asia and the Pacific region and other UN Agencies in Thailand. UN Women envisages entering into a non-exclusive long-term agreement(s) (LTA) for Provision of Interpretation and Translation Services. In the event of UN Women signing long-term agreements, the following shall apply: a) The agreements shall be valid for 3 years from the date where both parties have signed the LTA with an option for a further extension of 24 months at UN Women s discretion. The successful proposer(s) 4 P a g e

7 shall have the right to review their prices every 24 months from commencement of the LTA, and shall notify UN Women in writing 90 days prior to the 24-month period of a proposed price decrease or increase. The successful proposer(s) shall provide proper justification for any price increase. UN Women shall be entitled to either accept the price decrease / increase or to cancel the LTA, and shall notify the successful proposer(s) in writing of its decision. b) The long term agreement template as specified in Annex 8 shall be used for the establishment of the final agreement. c) UN Women will not be committed to purchase any minimum quantity of the Services, and purchases will be made only if and when there is an actual requirement. UN Women shall not be liable for any cost in the event that no purchases are made under any resulting LTA. d) UN Women may award LTA for all the services requested under this RFP or for specific service depending on the technical strengths and expertise of the prospective proposers following a comprehensive evaluation indicated under Annexes 3, 4 and 5. e) Prospective proposers can bid for either Translation and Interpretation services or both for all languages or partial languages mentioned in the TOR f) UN Women intends to award more than one LTA to the responsive Proposers. During the validity of the LTAs, the LTA holders will be invited to quote for each specific requirement based on secondary bidding in order to ensure best value for money through effective competition based on the specific requirements. g) The confirmation of orders for specific requirements will be placed by issuing Purchase Orders. The General Conditions of LTA will be in force. h) The LTA will be available for use by other UN Agencies upon request and approval by both UN Women and the LTA holder(s). DELIVERABLES: 1. Translation services including but not limited to translating documents, manuals, publications, studies, report and presentations from local languages to English or vice versa. 2. Simultaneous and/or consecutive Interpretation services from local languages to English or vice versa during workshops, trainings, meetings, conferences, official mission. SCOPE OF WORK/RESPONSIBILITIES: Translation Services Provide translation services including but not limited to translating documents, manuals, publications, studies, report and presentations from local languages to English or vice versa. Produce 100% accurate translation of English text to local languages and vice versa. Quality check and proofread of translation ensuing that the documents are free of any errors in relation to grammar, typographical, structure, over all clarity and style. Ensure timely delivery of translated and edited materials. Make necessary corrections or changes required by the organization and re-submit corrected text within an agreed timeframe. Interpretation Services Provide simultaneous and/or consecutive Interpretation services from local languages to English or vice versa during workshops, trainings, meetings, conferences, official mission including note-taking. 5 P a g e

8 Provide interpretation communication system/equipment including soundproof booth, wireless devices (headsets) and technical support staff at the events. LOCAL LANGUAGES REQUIRED: Thai, Indonesian (Malay, Indonesia Bahasa), Chinese Mandarin, Burmese, Lao, Filipino (Tagalog), Vietnamese, Khmer TIMEFRAMES AND CONTRACT DETAILS: The LTA will be signed for a minimum of a maximum of three (3) years subject to satisfactory performance evaluation, continuing needs and budget availability. Award of contract does not guarantee a minimum of services that will be requested by UN Women to the company. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE COMPANY/FIRM 1 : A registered company with valid company registration certificate Company located (or with authorized office) in Asia Pacific Region Minimum 5 years of experience in providing translation and/or interpretation services Must have proven internal capacities in local languages and English; Must have proved experience in technical translations with gender and political sensitivity and human rights Prior working experience in an international organization, particularly with UN or UN Women will be an asset Flexible to accommodate the urgent requests for translation QUALIFICAITONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL TRANSLATORS/INTERPRETATORS 2 : The translators/ interpretators who will be involved in translation/ interpretation for UN Women should have: University degree in foreign languages, social sciences, international relations, business administration or any relevant fields; Degree in Linguistics/ Languages desirable; Fluency in local languages and English language is essential Excellent written skill and style; Minimum 5 years of professional working experience in translation/ interpretation Professional accreditation as translator in the designated local language and in English, Ability to produce a high volume of quality content Familiar with women human s rights issue and must be gender-sensitive and be able to translate sensitive issues in appropriate manner. 1 Individuals without any organizational affiliation will not be considered 2 The selected contractor shall perform the Services using the personnel listed as key personnel in the Contract. Substitution of key personnel shall only be permitted in accordance with section 2.4 of the General Conditions of Contract. 6 P a g e

9 The evaluation of the bids will be conducted for translation and interpretation separately. For Translation work, Prospective proposers are required to submit a sample work for the scenario mentioned in Annex 12 which will be part of the technical and financial evaluation. For Interpretation work, Prospective proposers are required to a short skype interview to assess the language skills of the interpreters. The interviews will be conducted as a second phase of the technical evaluation and each bidder will be contacted individually to schedule the interview. 7 P a g e

10 ANNEX 3 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY AND CRITERIA 1. Preliminary Evaluation The preliminary evaluation is done to determine whether the offers meet the administrative requirements of the RFP. The proposals are checked for compliance of the following requirements. Submitting companies are not included among United Nations suspended companies; Individuals without any organizational affiliation will not be considered Offers are signed by an authorized party, including Power of Attorney if stipulated; Offers are valid for 120 days; Offers are complete and eligible Offers received prior to deadline Offers submitted according to RFP requirements (technical and financial proposals sealed separately) 2. Cumulative Analysis Methodology: A proposal is selected on the basis of cumulative analysis; the total score is obtained by combining technical and financial attributes. A two-stage procedure will be utilized in evaluating the proposals; the technical proposal will be evaluated with a minimum pass requirement of 70% of the obtainable 700 points assigned for technical proposal. A proposal shall be rejected at this stage if it fails to achieve the minimum technical threshold of 70% of the obtainable score of 700 points prior to any price proposal being opened and compared. The financial proposal will be opened only for those entities whose technical proposal achieved the minimum technical threshold of 70% of the obtainable score of 700 points and are determined to be compliant. Noncompliant proposals will not be eligible for further consideration. The total number of points ( maximum number of points ) which a firm/institution may obtain for its proposal is as follows: Technical proposal: 700 points Financial proposal: 300 points Total number of points: 1000 points Evaluation of financial proposal: In this methodology, the maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. A formula is as follows: p = y (μ/z) Where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal μ = price of the lowest priced proposal 8 P a g e

11 z = price of the proposal being evaluated The contract shall be awarded to the proposal obtaining the overall highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal. Evaluation of technical proposal: The technical proposal is evaluated and examined to determine its responsiveness and compliancy with the requirements specified in this solicitation documents. The quality of each technical proposal will be evaluated in accordance with the following technical evaluation criteria and the associated weighting (total possible value of 700 points): The Technical evaluation of the bids will be conducted for translation and interpretation separately. Technical evaluation of Translation The technical evaluation of written translation services will include the translation of the scenario mentioned in Annex Expertise and Capability of Proposer Points Expertise of organization submitting proposal obtainable 1.1 Organizational Architecture General Organizational Capability which is likely to affect performance (i.e. size of the organization, strength of management support) Quality assurance procedures, warranty Relevance of: Specialized Knowledge Experience on Similar Programme / Projects Experience on Projects in the Region Work for other UN agencies/ major multilateral/ or bilateral programmes 2.0 Written Translation Examination Test will be graded overall according to their faithfulness to the source text, adherence to subject matter terminology, grammatical accuracy, syntax and punctuation Points obtainable 2.1 Translation of Press Release into their respective target language (s) Translation of Op-Ed into their respective target language (s) Resource Plan, Key Personnel Points Qualification and competencies of proposed personnel obtainable 3.1 Composition of the team proposed to provide, and the work tasks (including supervisory) P a g e

12 Curriculum vitae of the proposed team that will be involved either full or part time 70% of 700 pts = 490 pts needed to pass technical Technical evaluation of Interpretation The technical evaluation of interpretations services will include, a short skype to assess the language skills of the interpreters. The interviews will be conducted as a second phase of the technical evaluation and each bidder will be contacted individually to schedule the interview. 1.0 Expertise and Capability of Proposer Points Expertise of organization submitting proposal obtainable 1.1 Organizational Architecture General Organizational Capability which is likely to affect performance (i.e. size of the organization, strength of management support) Quality assurance procedures, warranty Relevance of: Specialized Knowledge Experience on Similar Programme / Projects Experience on Projects in the Region Work for other UN agencies/ major multilateral/ or bilateral programmes 2.0 Interview on Skype Points obtainable 2.1 Interview on Skype to assess the language skills of the interpreters Resource Plan, Key Personnel Points Qualification and competencies of proposed personnel obtainable Composition of the team proposed to provide, and the work tasks (including supervisory) Curriculum vitae of the proposed team that will be involved either full or part time % of 700 pts = 490 pts needed to pass technical 700 A proposal shall be rejected at this stage if it fails to achieve the minimum technical threshold of 70% of the obtainable score of 700 points for the technical proposal. 10 P a g e

13 ANNEX 4 FORMAT OF TECHNICAL PROPOSAL Technical Proposals not submitted in this format may be rejected. Financial Proposals must be submitted in a separate envelope or attached in a separate e- mail to a different address where electronic submission is required. Prospective proposers can bid for either Translation and Interpretation services or both for all languages or partial languages mentioned in the TOR Proposer is requested to include a one-page value statement indicating why they are most suitable to carry out the assignment. Name of Proposing Organization: Country of Registration: Type of Legal entity: Name of Contact Person for this Proposal: Address: Phone: Section 1.0: Expertise and Capability of Proposer 1.1 Organizational Architecture Background: Provide a brief description of the organization submitting the proposal, including if relevant the year and country of incorporation, types of activities undertaken, and approximate annual revenue. Financial capacity: The Proposer shall demonstrate its financial capacity and reliability with regard to the requirements of the Terms of Reference, which can be established by supporting documentation including for example the most recent Audited Financial Statements duly certified by a public accountant. 1.2 General Organizational Capability Outline General Organizational Capability which is likely to affect performance (i.e. size of the organization, strength of project management support e.g. project management controls, global networking, financial stability). Include a description of past and present experience and relationships that have a direct relationship to the performance of the TOR. Include relevant collaborative efforts the organization may have participated in. 11 P a g e

14 Explain any partnerships with local or other organizations relevant to the performance of the TOR. Special attention should be given to providing a clear picture of roles, responsibilities, reporting lines and accountability. Letters of commitment from partners and an indication of whether some or all have worked together previously. 1.3 Quality assurance procedures, risk and mitigation measures Describe the potential risks for the performance of the TOR that may impact achievement and timely completion of expected results as well as their quality. Describe measures that will be put in place to mitigate these risks. Provide certificate (s) for accreditation of processes, policy e.g. ISO etc. 1.4 Relevance of Specialized Knowledge and Experience on Similar Projects Detail any specialized knowledge that may be applied to performance of the TOR. Include experiences in the region. Describe the experience of the organization performing similar goods/services/works. Experience with other UN organizations/ major multilateral / or bilateral programmes is highly desirable. Provide at least 3 references Project Client Contract Value Period of performa nce (from/to) Role in relation to the undertaken to goods/services/works Section 2.0: Written Translation Examination / Interview on Skype Translation (Written Translation Examination): Reference Contact Details (Name, Phone, ) Test will be graded overall according to their faithfulness to the source text, adherence to subject matter terminology, grammatical accuracy, syntax and punctuation 2.1 Translation of Press Release into their respective target language (s) 2.2 Translation of Op-Ed into their respective target language (s) Simultaneous Interpretation (Interview on Skype): The technical evaluation of interpretations services will include, a short skype to assess the language skills of the interpreters. The interviews will be conducted as a second phase of the technical evaluation and each bidder will be contacted individually to schedule the interview. Section 3.0: Resource Plan, Key Personnel 3.1 Composition of the team proposed to perform TOR, and the work tasks (including supervisory) 12 P a g e

15 Describe the availability of resources in terms of personnel and facilities required for the TOR. Describe the structure of the proposed team/personnel, and the work tasks (including supervisory) which would be assigned to each. An organigram illustrating the office location (city and country), reporting lines, together with a description of such organization of the team structure, should be submitted. 3.2 Profile on Gender Equality Proposer is strongly encouraged to include information regarding the percentage of women: (1) employed in the Proposer s organization, (2) in executive and senior positions, and (3) shareholders. While this will not be a factor of evaluation, UN Women is collecting this data for statistical purposes in support of its mandate to promote gender equality and women s empowerment. Proposers are also invited to: (1) become a signatory to the Women Empowerment Principles (if more than 10 employees) ; or (2) sign the Voluntary Agreement to Promote Gender Equality and Women s Empowerment (if less than 10 employees). Good practices of gender-responsive companies can be found here: Provide Curriculum vitae of the proposed personnel that will be involved either full time or part time. Highlight the relevant academic qualifications, specialized trainings and pertinent work experience. Substitution of key personnel shall only be permitted in accordance with section 2.4 of the General Conditions of Contract. Please use the format below, with each CV no more than THREE pages in length. Sample CV template: Name: Position for this Assignment: Nationality: Language Skills: Educational and other Qualifications Employment Record: [Insert details of as many other appropriate records as necessary] From [Year]: To [Year]: Employer: Positions held: 13 P a g e

16 Relevant Experience (From most recent; Among the assignments in which the staff has been involved, indicate the following information for those assignments that best illustrate staff capability to handle the tasks listed under the TOR) [Insert details of as many other appropriate assignments as necessary] Period: From - To Name of project/organization: Job Title, main project features, and Activities undertaken References (minimum 3) (Name/Title/Organization/Contact Information Phone; ) 14 P a g e

17 ANNEX 5 FORMAT OF FINANCIAL PROPOSAL The financial proposal must be prepared as a separate PDF file from the rest of the RFP response as indicated in Clause of the Instruction to Proposers. The components comprising the total price must provide sufficient detail to allow UN Women to determine compliance of proposal with requirements as per TOR of this RFP. The proposer shall include a complete breakdown of the cost elements associated with each line item and those costs associated with any proposed subcontract/sub-awards (separate breakdown) for the duration of the contract. Provide separate figures for each functional grouping or category. Estimates for cost-reimbursable items, if any, such as travel, and out-of-pocket expenses should be listed separately. In case of an equipment component to the service provided, the financial proposal should include figures for both purchase and lease/rent options. UN Women reserves the option to either lease/rent or purchase outright the equipment through the contractor. Prospective proposers can bid for either Translation and Interpretation services or both for all languages or partial languages mentioned in the TOR In addition, the financial proposal must include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following documents: 1. A summary of the price in words and figures i. Price breakdown: The price must cover all the services to be provided and must itemize the following: a. An all-inclusive fee rate per working day for each expert to be assigned to the team. The fee rate must include remuneration of each expert, all administrative costs of employing the expert and the margin covering the proposer s overhead and backstopping facilities. b. An all-inclusive daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rate (otherwise known as a per diem rate ) for every day in which the experts shall be in the field for purposes of the assignment. c. An all-inclusive amount for necessary international travel and related expenses by the most appropriate means of transport and the most direct economy class practicable route. The breakdown shall indicate the number of round trips per team member. d. An all-inclusive amount for local travel, if applicable. 15 P a g e

18 e. If applicable, other costs required for purposes of the assignment not covered in the foregoing or beneath paragraphs such as communication, printing and dispatching of reports to be produced during the assignment, rental and freight of any instruments or equipment required to be provided by the proposer for the purposes of the services, office accommodation, investigations, surveys, etc. f. Summary of total cost for the services proposed. ii. Schedule of payments: Proposed schedule of payment might be expressed by the proposer, and payment will be made by UN Women in the currency of the proposal. The payment schedule must be linked to the delivery of the outputs specified in your technical component. All prices/rates quoted must be exclusive of all taxes, since the United Nations, including its subsidiary organs, is exempt from taxes. In case two (2) proposals are evaluated and found to be equal in terms of technical competency and price, UN Women will award contract to the company that is either women-owned or has women in the majority in support of UN Women s core mandate. In the case that both companies are women-owned or have women in the majority, UN Women will request best and final offer from both proposers and shall make a final comparison of the competing proposers. Cost Breakdown for TRANSLATION SERVICES The proposers are requested to submit two financial items: UN Women shall use the cost breakdown in order to assess value for money as well as the calculation of price in the event that both parties agreed to add new deliverables to the scope of services. 1) Fully costed financial proposal for the scenario described in Annex 12, inclusive of all costs and options. The proposal should include a breakdown of costs, indicating unit rates; and 2) A rate sheet (as below table) for word document, word document, word document, 5000 words and above Item Description Unit Unit Price (USD or local currency) 1 Translation from English to Thai and vice versa 2 Translation from English to Indonesian and vice versa 3 Translation from English to Mandarin and vice versa 4 Translation from English to Burmese and vice versa 5 Translation from English to Lao and vice versa 6 Translation from English to Filipino and vice versa 7 Translation from English to Vietnamese and vice versa 8 Translation from English to Khmer and vice versa 16 P a g e

19 Cost Breakdown for CONSECUTIVE/SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION SERVICES Item Description Unit Unit Price (USD or local currency) 1 English to Thai and vice versa Per day Per half day 2 English to Indonesian and vice versa Per day Per half day 3 English to Mandarin and vice versa Per day Per half day 4 English to Burmese and vice versa Per day Per half day 5 English to Lao and vice versa Per day Per half day 6 English to Filipino and vice versa Per day Per half day 7 English to Vietnamese and vice versa Per day Per half day 8 English to Khmer and vice versa Per day Per half day 9 Equipment (e.g. Transmitter system and booth, technical services, etc.) 10 Other, if any Signature of Financial Proposal The Financial Proposal should be authorized and signed as follows: "Duly authorized to sign the Proposal for and on behalf of (Name of Organization) Signature/Stamp of Entity/Date Name of representative: Address: Telephone: 17 P a g e

20 ANNEX 6 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM [The proposer shall fill in this form in accordance with the instructions indicated. No alterations to its format shall be permitted and no substitutions shall be accepted.] To: [insert UN Women Address, City, Country] Date: [insert date of Proposal Submission] We, the undersigned, declare that: (a) We have examined and have no reservations to the Proposal Solicitation Documents; (b) We offer to supply in conformity with the Proposal Solicitation Documents the following [Title of goods/services/works] and undertake, if our proposal is accepted, to commence and complete delivery of all services specified in the contract within the time frame stipulated. (c) We ensure any due diligence regarding the legal review and ability to be compliant to all contract terms and conditions has been undertaken prior to the submission of our offer. Submission of this offer is confirmation of accepting a UN WOMEN contract included herein. (d) We offer to supply for the sum as may be ascertained in accordance with the Financial Proposal submitted in accordance with the instructions under the Proposal Instruction Sheet; (e) Our proposal shall be valid for a period of [ ] days from the date fixed for opening of proposals in the Request for Proposal, and it shall remain binding upon us and may be accepted at any time before the expiration of that period; (f) If our proposal is accepted, we commit to obtain a performance security with the instructions under the Proposal Instruction Sheet; (g) We, including any subcontractors or suppliers for any part of the contract, have nationality from countries [insert the nationality of the proposer, including that of all parties that comprise the proposer] (h) We have no conflict of interest in accordance with Clause 1.2 (Eligible Proposers) of the RFP Instructions to Proposers; (i) Our firm, its affiliates or subsidiaries including any subcontractors or suppliers for any part of the contract has not been declared ineligible by UN Women, in accordance with Clause 1.2 (Eligible Proposers) of the RFP Instructions to Proposers; (j) We understand that you are not bound to accept the lowest evaluated proposal or any other proposal that you may receive. Signed: [insert signature of person whose name and capacity are shown] In the capacity of [insert legal capacity of person signing this form] Name: [insert complete name of person signing the Proposal Submission Form] Duly authorized to sign the proposal for and on behalf of: [insert complete name of proposer] Dated on day of, [insert date of signing] 18 P a g e

21 ANNEX 7 VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT Voluntary Agreement to Promote Gender Equality and Women s Empowerment Between (Name of the Contractor) And The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, a composite entity of the United Nations established by the United Nations General Assembly by its resolution 64/289 of 2 July 2010 (hereinafter referred to as UN Women ) strongly encourages (Name of the Contractor) (hereinafter referred to as the Contractor ) to partake in achieving the following objectives: Acknowledge values & principles of gender equality and women s empowerment; Provide information and statistical data (that relates to policies and initiatives that promote gender equality and women empowerment), upon request; Participate in dialogue with UN Women to promote gender equality and women s empowerment in their location, industry and organization; Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality; Treat women and men fairly at work and respect and support human rights and nondiscrimination; Ensure health, safety and wellbeing of all women and men workers; Promote education, training and professional development for women; Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women; Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy; Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality. On behalf of the contractor: Name :, Title : Address : Signature : Date: 19 P a g e

22 ANNEX 8 PROPOSED MODEL FORM OF CONTRACT LONG TERM AGREEMENT LTA No: YEAR/No. DD/MM/YY Date: As stipulated in the attached document UNITED NATIONS ENTITY FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN (UN Women) 220 East 42 nd Street New York, NY 10017, USA Ph: (212) Wishes to enter into a Long Term Agreement With SUPPLIER (Supplier) SUPPLIER S ADDRESS PHONE FAX NUMBER ADDRESS for the direct ordering of INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES UN WOMEN GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT: CONTRACTS FOR THE PROVISION OF GOODS AND SERVICES (ANNEX 1) & TERMS OF REFERENCE (ANNEX 2) ATTACHED APPLY. Supplier (Vendor) Number: No. QUERIES TO: NAME FOCAL POINT UN Women ADDRESS Signature NAME, POSITION, UN Women Signature NAME, POSITION, SUPPLIER 20 P a g e

23 Validity : DD/MM/YYYY Payment Currency : CURRENCY Payment Terms : Net 30 days Long Term Agreement No. YY/NO. SUPPLIER S NAME Translation Services/ Interpretation Services Unit Unit Price (Currency) Lead Time (Weeks) 1. OBJECTIVE 1.1 This non-exclusive Long Term Agreement (hereinafter called the Agreement ) is established to allow UN Women to purchase Interpretation and Translation Services as and when required for all its regular programmes as well as for programmes that may be funded by other institutions. 1.2 The Supplier is NOT authorized to deliver any services other than those specified under this Agreement. Requests for different services shall come either through another Long Term Agreement or through formal methods of solicitation. 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS 2.1 This Agreement represents an offer on the part of the Supplier to provide UN Women with the services, prices and delivery time agreed and under the terms and conditions detailed herein for the duration of the Agreement. It does not represent a contract in itself, nor obliges UN Women to any financial commitment whatsoever. Only Purchase Orders made pursuant to this Agreement and only for the services stipulated herein will constitute a commitment on UN Women s part. 2.2 The Supplier shall accord the same terms and conditions to any other organization within the United Nations system that wishes to avail of such terms, after written consent from the Chief of Procurement, UN Women. 2.2 UN Women s liability shall be limited to the Purchase Order only for the services stipulated therein and no increase in the total liability of UN Women or in the price of the products will be authorized or paid to the Supplier unless such increases have been approved by UN Women prior to the delivery of the products or services. 2.3 Purchase Orders will incorporate by reference all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement including UN Women s General Conditions of Contract hereto attached and forming a part of this Agreement. 2.4 UN Women is not obligated to purchase any minimum service quantity under this Agreement. 21 P a g e

24 2.5 Any change to the terms and conditions detailed herein or any increase in the estimated value of this Agreement shall receive prior authorization from UN Women and changes shall be documented in a written amendment to this Agreement. 3. VALIDITY OF THE AGREEMENT 3.1 This Agreement shall be valid for a period of [NUMBER OF YEARS] effective from [DD/MM/YYYY], and may be extended for up to one additional year subject to the Supplier s satisfactory performance and competitiveness of prices. This shall be agreed upon both parties in writing at least 30 days before the expiration of the Agreement. 3.2 UN Women reserves the right to discontinue this Agreement if the Supplier s performance is not satisfactory to UN Women. 4. DELIVERABLES OF THIS CONTRACT Translation services including but not limited to translating documents, manuals, publications, studies, report and presentations from local languages to English or vice versa. Simultaneous and/or consecutive Interpretration services from local languages to English or vice versa during workshops, trainings, meetings, conferences, official mission. 5. REPORTING The supplier will report semi-annually summarizing each contract they have been issued by any UN Women division (HQ, regional, multi-country, country offices) and any other UN agency that have issued purchase orders under the LTA. 6. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS 6.1 This Agreement is subject to the UN Women General Conditions of Contract, attached hereto as Annex One (1). The provisions of such Annex shall control the interpretation of this Agreement and in no way shall be deemed to have been derogated by the contents of this Agreement and any other Annexes. 6.2 The Supplier and UN Women also agree to be bound by the provisions contained in the following documents, which shall take precedence over one another in case of conflict in the following order: This Agreement The UN Women solicitation documents including the Terms of Reference [ref. RFP- ROAP ], incorporated herein by this reference The Supplier s bid dated [DD/MM/YYYY], incorporated herein by this reference. 6.3 All the above shall form the Agreement between the Supplier and UN Women, superseding the contents of any other negotiations and/or agreements, whether oral or in writing, pertaining to the subject of this Agreement. 7. PRICES AND DISCOUNTS 7.1 All prices shall be in [CURRENCY] only. The Supplier shall hold the prices fixed and not subject to change throughout the validity of this Agreement. The Supplier shall be responsible to apply to the 22 P a g e

25 Purchase Orders raised under this Agreement any special offer or discounts (if applicable) which may become effective at the time of delivery of services. Such discounts will be reflected in the corresponding invoices. Failure to do so may result in the termination of the Agreement. 7.2 The Supplier undertakes not to provide the same products/services under the same market conditions to other customers at a price lower than that offered to UN Women and stated in this Agreement. Should the Supplier do so then UN Women will be offered the new lower price. 8. QUALITY OF SERVICES AND WARRANTY 8.1 The Supplier is restricted to providing Interpretation and Translation Services as contained in this Agreement and to the highest international quality standards. 8.2 The Supplier shall notify UN Women of any change to its service provision lines or services at least six (6) months prior to the effective date of change. The Supplier shall also inform UN Women of all services to be discontinued at least 6 months prior effective date of discontinuation. 9. DELIVERY 9.1 The delivery time shall apply for this Agreement from receipt of Purchase Order as listed on page two. 9.2 No partial deliveries shall take place unless expressly confirmed by UN Women. Individual delivery instructions shall be contained in the Purchase Orders. 10. NOTICE OF DELAY 10.1 In the event of a delay in the delivery time of a Purchase Order, the Supplier shall immediately and not later than the lead time stipulated in page two of this Agreement from the acknowledgement of such delay, notify the UN Women buyer in writing, requesting an extension of the delivery time, clearly stating the nature of the delay (including supporting documentation) and the proposed new delivery time The corresponding UN Women buyer will ascertain the facts and extent of delay, and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension. The buyer findings thereon shall be final and conclusive subject only the Supplier s right of appeal under the arbitration clause of the contract. 11. RECEIPT AND CONFIRMATION OF PURCHASE ORDERS 11.1 The Supplier shall acknowledge receipt and acceptance of the UN Women Purchase Order within three business days from the receipt of the UN Women Purchase Order by acknowledgement of receipt of Purchase Order to the UN Women contact specified in Article 18 below (via , fax or letter). 12. INVOICES 12.1 The invoices must clearly indicate the relevant Purchase Order Number 23 P a g e

26 13. PAYMENT 13.1 Payment for all Purchase Orders under this Agreement will be made by UN Women within thirty (30) days after presentation of relevant original document mentioned below: An invoice. 14. CONTACT DETAILS 14.1 All correspondence, invoices and the required shipping documentation shall be sent to following contacts as per above guidelines: Consignee: corresponding address will be specified in each Purchase Order UN Women: 14.2 Please note the following must be mentioned in ALL correspondences and invoices sent to UN Women: PO number; and Name of Buyer. ANNEX 1: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT: CONTRACTS FOR THE PROVISION OF GOODS AND SERVICES ANNEX 2: TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) P a g e

27 ANNEX 9 GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT The General Conditions of Contracts can be accessed by the proposer by clicking or copying-and-pasting the below link. For Services, available from this link: GeneralConditionsOfContract-Services-en.pdf 25 P a g e

28 ANNEX 10 JOINT VENTURE/CONSORTIUM/ASSOCIATION INFORMATION FORM JV / Consortium/ Association Information (to be completed and returned with your technical proposal) Name of leading partner (with authority to bind the JV, Consortium/Association during the Bidding process and, in the event a Contract is awarded, during contract execution) JV s Party Legal Name: JV s Party Country of Registration: JV s Party Year of Registration: JV s Party Legal Address in Country of Registration: [insert name, address, telephone/fax or cell number, and the address] [insert JV s Party legal name] {Attach original copy of document of incorporation/registration of the JV, in accordance with Clause 3 (Eligible Bidders) [insert JV s Party country of registration] [insert JV s Part year of registration] [insert JV s Party legal address in country of registration] Consortium/Association s names of each partner/authorized representative and contact information Name of partner: Address : Phone Number(s) : Address(es) : Name of partner: Address : Phone Number(s) : Address(es) : Name of partner: Address : Phone Number(s) : Address(es) : Name of partner: Address : Phone Number(s) : Address(es) : 26 P a g e

29 Attached are copies of original documents of: [check the box(es) of the attached original documents] Consortium/Association Agreement Articles of Incorporation or Registration of firm named in 2, above, in accordance with Clause 3 (Eligible Bidders). JV Agreement, or letter of intent to enter into such an Agreement, signed by the legally authorized signatories of all the parties Signatures of all partners/authorized representatives: We hereby confirm that if the contract is awarded, all parties of the Joint Venture, or Consortium/Association shall be jointly and severally liable to UN Women for the fulfillment of the provisions of the Contract. Name of partner: Name of partner: Signature: Date: Signature: Date: Name of partner: Name of partner: Signature: Date: Signature: Date: 27 P a g e

30 ANNEX 11 SUBMISSION CHECKLIST For submissions: Technical Proposal PDF sent to the technical address specified in the Invitation Letter includes: Technical Proposal incl. the Written Translation Examination, if applicable Proposal Submission form Joint Venture Form (if a joint venture) Voluntary Agreement to Promote GE & WE (Voluntary) Proposal Security Form (if required) Performance Security Form (if required) Financial Proposal PDF sent to the financial address specified in the Invitation Letter includes: Financial Proposal Financial Excel Spreadsheet (if required) Please check-off to confirm the below: MODEL FORM OF CONTRACT HAS BEEN READ AND UNDERSTOOD THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT HAVE BEEN READ, UNDERSTOOD, DULY REVIEWED BY AN LEGAL ENTITY FOR MY ORGANIZATION S ABILITY TO COMPLY AND ACCEPT ALL TERMS. 28 P a g e

31 ANNEX 12 WRITTEN TRANSLATION EXAMINATION Please translate the documents listed below into your respective target language (s): a) Translation of Press Release into their respective target language (s) b) Translation of Op-Ed into their respective target language (s) 29 P a g e

32 For Immediate Release 29 July 2016 Press Release ASEAN women are a potential boost to the region s labour force and economy (Bangkok, Thailand) The women of ASEAN already contribute significantly to the ASEAN economies. Yet many obstacles remain which must be removed to ensure their equal participation in and benefit from ASEAN economic growth and development. This was one of the main findings of the research report on the Projected Gender Impact of the ASEAN Economic Community, undertaken by the ASEAN Secretariat, UN Women and the German political foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) with the support of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Economic growth across the 10 Member States has averaged 5 per cent a year, and the job market for the population of 622 million is estimated to be worth USD 2.6 trillion dollars annually. But women s lack of equal opportunities costed the region s economies an estimated 18 per cent of GDP, or almost half a billion dollars in ASEAN economies have potentially vast numbers of skilled and unskilled female workers that are not being fully included, said Adrienne Woltersdorf, Director of the FES Office for Regional Cooperation in Asia. Economies pay a price for keeping women out. Despite legislation on equal opportunities in every ASEAN country, women spend fewer years in school and have fewer jobs in high-value roles or sectors. They also do much more unpaid work, and have limited access to formal credit. In many ASEAN countries, traditions and customs further limit opportunities. Women workers play a critical role in ASEAN, making significant economic contributions to their families, communities and societies, said Roberta Clarke, Regional Director of UN Women Asia and the Pacific and Representative in Thailand. However, our study shows that women also suffer from specific and deeply gendered inequalities. Each barrier to women s empowerment is a missed opportunity for development and economic growth, said Simon Merrifield, Australian Ambassador to ASEAN. Much more needs to be done if women are to enjoy equality and participate in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Progress on girls participation in school must continue, but it is also important to ensure the enabling environment for women in the labour force, for example through the provision of better childcare and parental leave, the study found. Role models and mentorship programmes can also help shift gender norms. Without targeted measures, such as access to credit, technology and non-traditional vocational training and education, the potential of the AEC for women's empowerment may not be realized. The changes required are not only in the market and the economy but also the private sphere. "It is our hope that this study will encourage ASEAN Member States to adopt strategies that will address inequalities that inhibit women's full participation in the economy, said Emmeline L. Verzosa, Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Women and Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Women. One way is through the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care and domestic work." The study makes a number of recommendations aimed at increasing women's share in the regional and national trade and national income. This, Clarke said, is a win-win strategy for women s rights, the society, economy, private businesses and individuals. //END// 30 P a g e

33 Op-Ed: Asean women are a potential boost to the region s labour force and economy Roberta Clarke, Regional Director of UN Women Asia and the Pacific and Representative in Thailand By most measures, the Asean region is an economic powerhouse. It is the seventh largest economy in the world. Labour force expansion and productivity improvements drive GDP growth and the 10 Member States are making impressive strides in both areas. Almost 60 per cent of total growth since 1990 has come from sectors such as manufacturing, retail, telecommunications and transportation. But the evidence shows that the gains are not distributed fairly and to redress this, governments need to plan and implement policies that better promote inclusive, sustainable and fair growth. Given the commitment by Asean member states to gender equality, girls and women have made considerable gains in access to education, representation in the work force and equality before the law. Still too many women are limited to under-paid, low skilled, under-valued occupations and work under insecure conditions without labour rights and social protection. Women in Southeast Asia are currently overrepresented in the informal economy, in low-income positions and lower-value sectors such as agriculture and the garment sector. Although the Asean Economic Community (AEC) promises expanded opportunities for decent work, entrepreneurship, trade and labour mobility, practical and institutional challenges will impede women s empowerment according to the study on Projected Gender Impact of the Asean Economic Community, undertaken by the Asean Secretariat, UN Women and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia. The study argues that empowering women so that they can equally participate in and benefit from Asean economic integration is essential for ensuring inclusive development. It highlights the need for positive and targeted measures. Higher educational attainment, for example, does not always translate to increased presence on senior management in the private sector or corporate boardrooms. The study also found that women had limited access to credit, technology and non-traditional vocational training which hindered their participation as entrepreneurs across a diversity of sectors. If women had more opportunities to contribute, not only would women s economic empowerment and wellbeing be advanced, but trade within Asean and to the rest of the world would grow considerably. For this to happen, a range of steps are necessary. Women-owned Small and Medium Enterprises, already an economic force in some countries, can be further encouraged by tax breaks or mentorship programmes. Cultural change is also needed in the private sphere and in the home. More men are accepting equal responsibility in caring for children, the sick and the elderly. But women in the region still do an estimated three and a half hours more household-related and unpaid work than men. Culture and customary laws also hold women back from accessing opportunities, sometimes despite legislation meant to end discrimination, Traditional codes of conduct, cultural stigmatisation of women executives, or restrictions on women's claims to household property and finances, all seriously curtail women's ability to participate in the economy. Policymakers, corporations and individuals all have responsibility to make sure women are empowered with the right opportunities and labour market interventions. This will contribute both to ensuring women s economic rights and also influence the growth of trade and economic progress in the AEC starting this year. //END// 31 P a g e