DIGIT-FUR PROJECT CALL FOR TENDERS This call for tenders aims to select four experts (consultants or consultancies) in: - Industrial Processes Digitalization (Industry 4.0 manufacturing sector) - Health and Safety at Work - EU and international Economic trends - EU VET provision system able to contribute to the implementation of the DIGIT-FUR project of the 2016 European Sectorial Social Dialogue call. In this document, you will find: 1) a short description of the project; 2) a detailed description of the services required (purpose, type of experts, dedication and budget required); and 3) the application rules and selection criteria. In the ANNEX I (pg. 5) there is a complete project summary and in the ANNEX II (pg. 7) a detailed description of the tasks, requirements and activities timing for each expert. 1) THE DIGIT-FUR PROJECT The DIGIT-FUR project (Impacts of the digital transformation in the wood furniture industry), funded by the EC through the call Support for Social Dialogue VP/2016/001, will focus on the changes caused by the industrial digitization on the European wood furniture sector by 2025. The project main deliveries will provide a better understanding of the possible scenarios of the sector due to digitalization by 2025 and the effect of this process on sector jobs in terms of changes in occupations, health and safety risks at work and new skills needed and thus support the social dialogue during next years. The partners are: See ANNEX I for more details. www.cenfim.org // CENFIM - Furnishings Cluster and Innovation Hub; www.efbww.org // EFBWW - European Federation of Building and Woodworkers; www.ueanet.com // UEA - European Furniture Manufacturers Federation; and www.efic.eu // EFIC - European Furniture Industries Confederation. 2) PURPOSE OF THE CALL This is a call for consultants and consultancies to provide expertise as part of the implementation of the DIGIT-FUR project in relation to: Industrial Processes Digitalization (Industry 4.0 manufacturing sector) Health and Safety at Work 1
EU and international Economic trends EU VET provision system The experts will be required to properly contribute to the activities and objectives of the DIGIT- FUR project. They will be subcontracted by CENFIM for contributing to the preparation of the later-on described i) reports and to the ii) Delphi survey, the iii) project workshop and iv) final conference. The key aim of the Experts participation is to increase the knowledge of the digitization processes happening in the European wood furniture sector and understanding their impact on the furniture sector by 2025. On one side, the impact will be analysed in relation to future jobs requirements and skills needed up to 2025 in order to have the human capital of the sector ready for this transformation. On the other side, they will study the impact in relation to changes for health and safety risks at workplaces. This information will allow better matching the skills supplied and labour market demand, and to make the working places and occupations safer. This study will be of interest to workers, employers, trainers and policymakers. The subcontracted Experts, together with two CENFIM furniture experts, will create the project Expert Panel. The Industrial Processes Digitalization expert will be the leader of this Panel and will coordinate the work. CENFIM s experts will support all panel members to properly linking their research activities to the furniture sector. Experts main tasks will be to: - Participate and contribute to the DIGIT-FUR Delphi Survey - July 2017 - Participate and contribute to the Delphi Workshop - 25 th October 2017 - Contribute to the project Experts Panel, according to their expertise - Contribute to define the furniture sector Future scenarios by 2025 - November 2017 - Contribute to the preparation of the project reports according to their expertise - Participate to the project Final dissemination conference For more details, see ANNEX II - Tasks, Requirements and Timing. We expect that their contributions will require the following number of days: Digitalization H&S at Work EU Economic trends VET provision 30 working days 21 working days 5 working days 7 working days Performance of the tasks will have to be carried out within the contract period specified in the contract to be signed and with due regard to the tasks and the schedule of the project activities included in ANNEX II. The total maximum budget available for each of the experts subcontracted is related to the number of days we estimate are needed to implement all their tasks. Digitalization 18.000 H&S at Work 12.600 EU Economic trends 3.000 VET provision 4.200 2
These amounts do not include the costs of travel and subsistence that expert will incur for attending project meetings. These costs will be reimbursed separately, by delivering proves of the costs paid. The limits for the travel costs are the following: 300 flights 150 daily allowance 3) APPLICATION RULES AND SELECTION CRITERIA Experts are required to present their application by sending an email to digit-fur@cenfim.org containing: - The academic and professional CV - Presentation and motivation letter - A different budget proposal considering as maximum the amount earlier presented. Applications need to be sent by the 26 th of May, and feedback will be sent by the 2 nd of June. Through these documents, experts shall present and prove their expertise, past experiences and skills: through their academic and professional CV mentioning their experiences related to the field of investigation confirming participation in other related projects and initiatives giving details of related publications level and reasons of interest for the participation in the project Applications from organisations/companies have to include information on: Entity mission and mandate If applicable, the role that social partners play in the organisation/company Please, refer to ANNEX II (points 1 y 2) to properly understand the call requirements. The common knowledge and skills that will be evaluated for each candidate expert are the following (weight): - Evidence of strong and relevant academic background and past professional experiences (30%). - Proven research skills in the field of expertise (30%). - Previous publications related to the target area/issues (20%). - Capacity of working within a team in a collaborative and constructive way (10%). - Knowledge of EU or nationals Furniture sectors will be a plus (10%). All these values will count for the 70% of the whole weight, while the economic offer will count for the remaining 30%. Each contract will be awarded to the expert that, based on the previous selection criteria, will get the highest number of points. If the call collects only one candidate for the areas of expertise and this is considered appropriate for implementing the foreseen tasks, there is no need to look for additional candidates. In the eventuality that he/she is not consider appropriate, a new call with a wider dissemination will be implemented by the Partners and a special support will be required to the EC officers in charge of dealing with DIGIT-FUR project. 3
The selection process will be based on principles of transparency, non-discrimination and equal treatment. Any possible conflict of interest will be avoid. The members of the selection committee of CENFIM will evaluate the different proposals and prepare a report containing an evaluation report and classification of participation. Based on this document the project partners (CENFIM, EFBWW, UEA and EFIC) will take a decision. Following the applicants selections, CENFIM will sign with them a standard contract taking into consideration the financial regulations of the European Commission. Consultants will have to respect all the obligations laid down in the Grant agreement between the European Commission and CENFIM for the DIGIT-FUR project. The contracts will be signed asap, immediately after the experts selection is done in order to speed-up the starting of their work. Payment shall be made based on the invoice, once the tasks have been performed and the results of the work have been accepted by the steering group. 4
ANNEX I DIGIT-FUR - Impacts of the digital transformation in the wood furniture industry 5
DIGIT-FUR - Impacts of the digital transformation in the wood furniture industry The DIGITAL Revolution (4 th Industrial Revolution) is happening and it will deeply transform the processes along the whole value chain in all sectors -including the Furniture sector- impacting occupations, workers' health & safety risks and skills & knowledge needs. The challenge ahead is for the companies to seize fully and swiftly these digital opportunities. This is essential to ensure industry's mid and long-term competitiveness with implications for workers and safety. There is the need to increase the knowledge in this field to support social dialogue. The DIGIT-FUR project (Impacts of the digital transformation in the wood furniture industry), funded by the EC through the call Support for Social Dialogue, will last 2 years and will increase the understanding of the digitization processes happening and their impact on the furniture sector by 2025. The project will study and forecast the potential impact of digitisation in the EU furniture industry and in particular, how this transformation will affect current wood furniture value chain and processes in the industries - e.g. purchasing, design, manufacturing, marketing, sales and logistics - and their associated jobs in terms of changes in occupations, health and safety at work and new skills needs. The partners are CENFIM - Furnishings Cluster and Innovation Hub from Spain, EFBWW - European Federation of Building and Woodworkers, UEA - European Furniture Manufacturers Federation and EFIC - European Furniture Industries Confederation. The first project step will be to identify the current structural situation of the wood furniture sector, with a special attention on the digitization state of the art along the whole value chain, but also key occupations (skills - health & safety) and market trends & other drivers of change. Then, following the identification of the possible sector scenarios due to digitalization by 2025 through a Delphi method research involving key stakeholders and a multidiscipline team of experts, the project will analyse: New functions and requirements for jobs in each scenario. How the changes in these scenarios will impact (positively or negatively) health and safety risks of workplaces (e.g. more sedentary tasks, more responsibility and stress, eyestrain, etc.). Appropriate digital (and other) skills and knowledge that better match with new jobs requirements and functions. Furthermore, best practices that EU states and regions are implementing for promoting the industrial digitalization will be analysed according its applicability to furniture sector. The goal of the project is to: contribute to the social dialogue at local, national and European level; better match the supply of skills and labour market demand and thus having the human capital of the sector ready for this transformation; prevent any H&S risks for the workers of the sector. The results will be of interest to workers, employers, trainers and policy-makers. The target groups are: 1) Furniture companies and employees, 2) Employers and employees Associations; 3) Vocational education and training providers and higher education institutes, their students and training regulatory entities; 4) Furniture equipment manufacturers and health and safety regulators and 5) Innovation policy makers at regional, national and EC level. Contact: Julio Rodrigo (julio.rodrigo@cenfim.org) // R+D+i & Sustainability CENFIM - Furnishings Cluster and Innovation Hub (Catalonia, Spain) PO BOX 181 // 43560 La Sénia (Tarragona) / Spain - Tel. +34 977570122 / Fax +34 977576179 6
ANNEX II TASKS, REQUIREMENTS and TIMING 7
1. SUBCONTRACTORS TASKS AND REQUIRED DELIVERIES / CONTRIBUTIONS The Expert in Industrial Processes Digitalization will contribute to different project activities: - Lead the project Experts Panel. - Contribute to the preparation of the report on the Furniture sector Status focusing on the part presenting the digitalization state of the art of the sector and identify the main current drivers of change in the sector. He/she will get support from the lead partner CENFIM to link it to the current Furniture occupations profiles. The report will include updated information on the furniture sector digitalization state of the art, structural situation, value chain, occupations in relation to the ESCO profiles and the related risks for H&S at Work, sector employment, market trends and main drivers of change with a special attention to the digitalization impact. - Contribute to the preparation of the Project Delphi Survey. This survey will be filled in by at least 50 different experts that will provide information on their expectations on how the sector will change due to some relevant drivers. A special attention will put on the Industry Digitalization driver. - Participate to the Project Delphi Survey. - Looking at the survey results in collaboration with CENFIM experts, prepare the presentation of the Survey results at the project Workshop with a special attention on main Drivers of change in the sector. - Participate to the Project Delphi Workshop. - Coordinate and contribute to the preparation of the project key report: Definition of sector Future scenarios up to 2025. She/he will act as Panel Leader and together with other Panel members will take into consideration the survey and workshop results in order to prepare the report. - Preparation of the report: Implications on sector "occupations": type and volume with a strong support by CENFIM in relation to the ESCO profiles functions and their specificity in the furniture sector (type). The volume of the occupations refer to the importance of these functions within the sector, it will allow understanding if the number of employees affected by the changes will be low or high. This will cover a special importance when defining the sector priorities. - Contribute to the preparation of the report: New skills and knowledge needs identification and obtainment. - Participation to the project Final dissemination conference. The Expert in H&S at Work will: - Contribute to the project Experts Panel work. - Contribute to the preparation of the report on the Furniture sector Status focusing on the part presenting existing Health & Safety Risks at Work. He/she will get support from the lead partner CENFIM to link it to the current Furniture occupations profiles. The report will include updated information on the furniture sector digitalization state of the art, structural situation, value chain, occupations in relation to the ESCO profiles and the related risks for H&S at Work, sector employment, market trends and main drivers of change. - Contribute to the preparation of the Delphi Survey working document. Looking at the survey results in collaboration with CENFIM experts, she/he will focus on the part related to H&S risks to be taken into consideration in the current sector situation. - Participate to the Project Delphi Survey and to the Workshop. 8
- Contribute to define the future scenarios report for the furniture sector up to 2025 (Delphi method) as member of the Expert Panel. - Identify the implications of occupations changes for workers H&S risks. - Participation to the project Final dissemination conference. The Expert in EU and international economic trends will: - Contribute to the project Experts Panel work. - Participate to the Project Delphi Survey and to the Workshop. - Contribute to define the future scenarios for the furniture sector up to 2025 (Delphi method) as member of the Expert Panel. - Participation to the project Final dissemination conference. The Expert in the EU VET provision system will: - Contribute to the project Experts Panel work. - Participate to the Project Delphi Survey and to the Workshop. - Contribute to define the future scenarios for the furniture sector up to 2025 (Delphi method) as member of the Expert Panel. - Contribute to the delivery of the report on New skills and knowledge needs identification and obtainment. - Participation to the project Final dissemination conference. 2. EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUESTED The prerequisites are: - Proven ability to have English language working proficiency. - Communication capacities that enable to draft documents, make presentations and actively participate in meeting and brainstorming sessions. - Past experiences of joint research activities and report drafting. - Possibility and ability to work respecting deadlines and budget limits. - Any interests that he/she has, which may prejudice his or her independence. - Being nationals of one of the EU 28 Member States, or of one country of the European Economic Area or Switzerland. The common knowledge and skills that will be evaluated for each candidate expert are the following: - Evidence of strong and relevant academic background and/or past professional experiences. - Proven research skills in the field of expertise. - Previous publications related to the target area/issues. - Capacity of working within a team in a collaborative and constructive way. - Capacity of guaranteeing the quality of the written materials produced, in terms of content and format. - Knowledge of EU or national Furniture sectors will be a plus. Specific expertise required to Experts: Knowledge and skills required to the Expert in Industrial Processes Digitization: 9
- Good knowledge of the Industrial Processes Digitization and the related state of art in Europe. - A specific knowledge on the digitization of the furniture industry will be a plus. - Capacity of leading the work of the Experts Panel. Knowledge and skills required to the Expert in H&S at Work: - Knowledge of workers health and safety risks in the manufacturing industry. - Expected changes in the related EU and national legislations. - H&S risks related to emerging changes in production processes. Knowledge and skills required to the Expert in EU and international economic trends: - Good understanding of EU and global market trends. - Good understanding of the possible impacts these trends can have on the EU industry. Knowledge and skills required to the Expert in the EU VET provision system: - State of art and functioning of national VET provision systems. - Systems expected changes and key drivers. Please, remember that experts will be provided with documents and information helping them to link their research field with specific aspects of the furniture sector. 3. TIME SCHEDULE AND REPORTING The subcontractor will liaise closely and report to CENFIM as project Lead Partner. In spite of this, the general supervision and evaluation of the experts contributions will be carried out by the DIGIT-FUR Steering Committee (EFBWW, UEA and EFIC). Subcontractors will be required to participate to the DIGIT-FUR Delphi Workshop (25 th of October 2017) and the final conference foreseen for February 2019 in Brussels. The deadline to deliver the contribution or reports will be: Expert in Industrial Processes Digitalization: - Contribute to the report on the Furniture sector status (digitalization state of the art) - July 2017 - Participation to the Delphi Survey - July 2017 - Participation to the Delphi Workshop - 25th October 2017 - Definition of sector Future scenarios up to 2025 (Workshop Report) - November 2017 - Report: Implications on sector occupations - January 2018 - Contribute to the report: New skills and knowledge needs identification and obtainment - June 2018 Expert in H&S at Work: - Contribute to the report on the Furniture sector status (H&S risks) - July 2017 - Participation to the Delphi Survey - July 2017 - Participation to the Delphi Workshop - 25th October 2017 10
- Definition of sector Future scenarios up to 2025 (Workshop Report) - November 2017 - Preparation of the report: Implications of occupations changes on sector workers Health & Safety Risks - March 2018 Expert in EU and international economic trends: - Participation to the Delphi Survey - July 2017 - Participation to the Delphi Workshop - 25th October 2017 - Definition of sector Future scenarios up to 2025 (Workshop Report) - November 2017 Expert in EU VET provision system: - Participation to the Delphi Survey - July 2017 - Participation to the Delphi Workshop - 25th October 2017 - Definition of sector Future scenarios up to 2025 (Workshop Report) - November 2017 - Contribute to the report New skills and knowledge needs identification and obtainment - June 2018 11