Tender specifications

7.3.Activity reports and methods of payment

Each month, and at latest by the 15th of the following month, the contractor will submit an updated report on all the activities in progress ordered under this contract. In particular, for each contracting authority concerned, the contractor should report on the state of play of current orders (orders submitted, orders signed, work performed, invoices sent, payments made) and the progress made in implementing the training programme with respect to planning. The practical provisions concerning the format and addressees of this report will be specified in due course.

In addition, each order may if necessary be accompanied by a request for a specific activity report by the contractor. In this case, the contracting authorities will specify on a case-by-case basis the content of the reports requested.

Performance of the contract will involve neither prefinancing, nor interim payments, but only final payments, as set out in the detailed rules attached to the contract (see Annex 1). Payments will be made after approval of the invoices and/or, where applicable, of the activity reports, in accordance with the conditions specified in the draft contract attached in Annex 1.

7.4.Penalities

Any failure on the part of the contractor to provide the specified services by the stipulated deadline will result in the penalties specified in the framework service contract (Annex 1 and, in particular, Article I.13). This applies in particular to cancellation of an activity due to the unavailability of a designated trainer (who cannot be replaced by another accredited trainer).

8.Provisions concerning the tenders

8.1.Participation in the tendering procedure

8.1.1.General principles

Participation in this tendering 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 Communities in the field of public procurement subject to the conditions laid down in that agreement.

8.1.2.Consortiums, groups of providers and subcontracting

Joint bids or bids from consortia may be organised at the discretion of the tenderers. In such case, one of the members must be designated as the lead contractor and agent responsible.

NB: If a joint bid is submitted, the documents relating to the exclusion and selection criteria referred to in points 8.4.1. and 8.4.2 below must be provided by each of the economic operators participating in it.

Tenderers submitting joint bids are asked to describe how their cooperation will be organised in order to achieve the desired results. This organisation has to cover the technical as well as the administrative/financial issues. The Commission must be provided with a single access point to all the participants, via a functional mailbox.

If the contract is awarded in response to a joint bid, the Commission may require the constitution of a consortium, all members of which will be jointly and severally liable to the Commission.

In any event, such bids will be treated in the same way as any other type of bid, each being assessed on its own merits in relation to the criteria and the evaluation procedure set out in this specification.

Any intention to subcontract part of the contract must be clearly stated in the tender (see point 8.4.2.(6)). Tenderers must indicate the indicative percentage of the contract they intend to subcontract and the identity of the partners they intend to work with, and clearly state the nature of their links to those partners.

8.2.Information and documentation available

To help tenderers to prepare their bids, summarised information can be found in the annexes on:

• 
  the IT architecture of the Commission's current financial information systems (Annex 6);
  
• 
  current financial training at the Commission (Annex 7).
  

In addition, a DVD with detailed information on the IT architecture of the Commission's financial information systems and a detailed description of each course can be supplied to tenderers who request it by post or email to the mailbox [e-mail]

8.3.Prices

Prices must be quoted in EUR.

Prices should be quoted free of all duties and taxes, as the European Union is exempt from customs duties, indirect taxes and other charges under Articles 3 and 4 of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities. VAT should be indicated separately.

Each tender must cover all the tasks that are the subject of this invitation to tender. Bidding for only some of the tasks is not allowed and will lead to the exclusion of the tender.

Tenderers must provide unit prices per day for each type of service, i.e.:

• 
  delivery of the courses;
  
• 
  updating of course materials or user documentation;
  
• 
  design of new courses / new course materials / new documentation / new training methods, etc.
  

For each of these tasks, the unit prices must be fixed and include all costs (project management, quality control, training of the contractor's staff, support resources, administrative costs, etc.) incurred directly and indirectly by the contractor in performance of the tasks entrusted to him. In particular, unit prices for services provided on the contractor’s premises and in other locations in Brussels and Luxembourg must also include travel and accommodation costs.

In addition, the unit prices must include all the expenses involved in the practical preparation of the supporting materials, in particular printing, reproduction and distribution of these materials to the participants. The contractor may not bill specifically for printing or reproducing course materials.

Price indexation will conform to the provisions of Article I.3.3 of the model framework contract in Annex 1.

NB: Only travel and accommodation costs incurred by the contractor when called by the Commission, an agency or another institution to a site outside Brussels or Luxembourg will be reimbursed, on the basis of Article II.18 of the framework contract.