FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Contract notice: OJEU 2015/S 060-104704
Invitation to tender No. ENER/C1/2015-542 concerning
Framework Contract for Assessment of voluntary schemes and agreements used
for sustainability claims
Time-limit for receipt of tenders: 04/05/2015
Last update 28/04/2015
Question 1.
One of the consortium partners participating in the call for tenders is a
certification company providing services of certification in accordance with
two of the approved voluntary schemes. Is this considered a conflict of
interest?
Answer 1.
In our opinion there is a potential conflict of interest.
Question 2.
The minimum criteria for the profile of the project manager include
"experience in project of a similar coverage (geographical scope at least half of
the one subject to this call for tenders)". Can you specify what is the
geographical scope of this call for tenders, i.e. what are the minimum
requirements for experience of the project manager in relation to this criterion?
Answer 2.
The tender does not set out the geographical scope and therefore no minimum
requirements for experience of the project manager in relation to this criterion
(coverage of geographical scope) apply.
Question 3.
Would owners of already recognized voluntary schemes be excluded due to
general conflict of interests?
Answer 3.
-
If yes, would that be true, if the scheme is only a partial scheme (e.g.
limited to GHG calculation)?
-
If yes, would that be still true, if the scheme owner is one of two partners
jointly participating this tender procedure and the scheme owner will not be
involved in tasks dealing with the assessment of voluntary schemes
including criteria covered by the scheme owner’s partial scheme (e.g. only
GHG calculation) and / or the scheme owner is only subcontractor within
the tender?
In our opinion the involvement of a contractor, partner, or subcontractor in an
existing voluntary scheme is a potential conflict of interest regardless whether
the scope of this scheme is only partial or it has already been recognised. This
in our view holds for all tasks covered by this framework contract.
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Question 4.
Is a joint tender possible (as laid down in the tender specifications point 1.3)
whereas the TED portal explains under II.1.4) Information on framework
agreement: Framework agreement with a single operator.
Answer 4.
A joint tender is possible. The provision referred to above provides that the
framework agreement will be concluded only with one operator who can also
represent a consortium. All specific contracts to be concluded under this
framework agreement can only be concluded with this single operator.
Question 5.
What is the expected weight in time spent on each of the Tasks 1-5?
Answer 5.
The contract to be awarded is a framework contract, to be implemented
through specific requests only. This means that the extent and volume of tasks
will be rather be defined in each specific request, and not in the framework
contract.
Currently, bearing also in mind that the framework contract is to be concluded
for 4 years, the Commission does not have at its disposal the complete
overview of the future needs.
Therefore, it is not possible at this stage to weight the tasks with regard to the
time spent on each of them.
Question 6.
Based on previous experience, could you provide an estimate of the number of
meetings between the contractor and in Brussels during the contract period?
Answer 6.
We expect that the number of meetings in Brussels will be limited.
Question 7.
Does the Commission envision a logical (chronological) order for Tasks 1-5,
and what is that order?
Answer 7.
The Commission cannot at this stage make statements on the chronological
order of future requests. Please refer to answer 5.
Question 8.
Task 2: In relation to task 2, an assessment of relevant data in relation
sustainability as referred to in Art. 18(4) 2nd sub-paragraph, 2nd sentence of
Directive 2009/28/EC is requested. The detailed task description refers to a
methodology that will be provided by the Commissions. Will physical visits
(audits) to voluntary standards’ offices or to other stakeholders, be considered
being part of this methodology?
Answer 8.
The contractors are not expected to conduct audits at voluntary standards’
offices or to other stakeholders.
Question 9.
Task 3: On bilateral agreements. Could you provide an estimate on the number
of requests from third countries (under Task 3) that the Commission may
receive during the contract period?
Answer 9.
It is not possible to indicate the number of requests from third countries.
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Question 10. Task 5: Does the Commission expect that physical meetings will be necessary
as part of the stakeholder consultation in Task 5?
Answer 10.
Physical meetings are not mandatorily required in the tender specifications but
could of course be part of the approach proposed by the contractor in the
tender.
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