3.
Programme
Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF)
4.
Financing
Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF)
CONTRACT SPECIFICATION
6.Nature of contract
Fee-based.
7.Contract description
The overall objective of the present project is to contribute significantly to the reduction of fatalities and serious injuries caused by road accidents in Ukraine, starting with providing for safer conditions for travelling on the road sections supported by the EIB, EU and other the International Financial Institutions.
The Technical Assistance will also contribute to the overall objectives of investment projects to which it is related. These are as follows: Improving safety of road infrastructure and operations on the core network of Ukraine; Improving connectivity between the EU and Eastern neighbouring countries; Promoting socio-economic development in Ukraine; the ongoing strengthening of national road safety management headed by the EU and the World Bank, with EIB focusing on road infrastructure improvements.
The TA includes two components:
Component I: Safer roads
• Updated Ukrainian road design standards and approval processes to reflect international best practice on road safety and increased focus on vulnerable road users;
• Development of Ukrainian Road Safety Audit capacity and better integration of Road Safety Audit on all IFI/EU supported road projects in line with EU Directive 2008/96/EC;
• Better road accident analysis tools and know-how enabling Ukrainian planning and design agencies to target road safety problems and prepare Road Safety Impact Assessments in line with EU Directive 2012/96/EC;
• Stronger capacity and processes within Ukravtodor to manage planning, design and operation of safer roads;
• Interim arrangements to ensure road safety aspects are included in on current EIB/EU funded road projects and those under preparation by using these as pilot projects and case studies, even under existing design standards and approval procedures until these can be updated.
Component II: Safer road users
• In communities along main roads subject to rehabilitation and upgrading supported by the EIB: Safety awareness and education campaigns, combined with physical measures to protect vulnerable road users and manage speeds, and coordinated with traffic police enforcement as and when needed to maximise impact on general public;
• Increased awareness and understanding of the main accident risk factors in Ukraine, which ultimately can lead to changed attitudes and behaviour, targeting both decision makers and road users.
8.Number and titles of lots
1
9.Maximum budget
EUR 1,600,000
10.Scope for additional services
The Contracting Authority may, at its own discretion and subject to the availability of funding, extend the scope and duration of the project to cover complementary and/or additional services.
In case of complementary services, the extension shall be up to a maximum not exceeding 50% of the initial contract value. In case of additional services, such extension shall be up to a maximum not exceeding the length and value of the initial contract.
Any extension of the contract would be subject to satisfactory performance by the Contractor.
CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
11.Eligibility
Participation is open to all legal or natural persons participating either individually or in a grouping (consortium) of candidates. Participation is also open to international organisations. There are no nationality restrictions.
12.Candidature
All eligible natural and legal persons (as per item 11 above) or groupings of such persons (consortia) may apply.
A consortium may be a permanent, legally-established grouping, or a grouping which has been constituted informally for a specific tender procedure. All members of a consortium (i.e., the leader and all other members) are jointly and severally liable to the Contracting Authority.
The participation of an ineligible natural or legal person (as per item 11) will result in the automatic exclusion of that person. In particular, if that ineligible person belongs to a consortium, the whole consortium will be excluded.
13.Number of applications
No more than one application can be submitted by a natural or legal person whatever the form of participation (as an individual legal entity or as leader or member of a consortium submitting an application). In the event that a natural or legal person submits more than one application, all applications in which that person has participated will be excluded.
14.Shortlist alliances prohibited
Any tenders received from tenderers comprising firms other than those mentioned in the short-listed application forms will be excluded from this restricted tender procedure. Short-listed candidates may not form alliances or subcontract to each other for the contract in question.
15.Grounds for exclusion
As part of the application form, candidates must submit a signed declaration, included in the standard application form, to the effect that they are not in any of the exclusion situations listed in Section 2.3.3 of the Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EU External Actions (PRAG).
16.Sub-contracting
Sub-contracting is allowed, up to a maximum of 30% of the initial contract value.
17.Number of candidates to be short-listed
On the basis of the applications received, between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to submit detailed tenders for this contract. If the number of eligible candidates meeting the selection criteria is less than the minimum of 4, the Contracting Authority may invite the candidates who satisfy the criteria to submit a tender.
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE
18.Provisional date of invitation to tender
30 June 2015
19.Provisional commencement date of the contract
November 2015
20.Initial period of implementation of tasks and possible extension of the contract
The initial period of execution of the contract shall be of 36 months. This period may be extended, with the prior approval of the Contracting Authority. See also item 10 above.
SELECTION AND AWARD CRITERIA
21.Selection criteria
The following selection criteria will be applied to candidates. In the case of applications submitted by a consortium, these selection criteria will be applied to the consortium as a whole:
1) Economic and financial capacity of candidate (based on item 3 of the application form). In case of applicant being a public body, equivalent information should be provided.
(a) The average annual turnover of the candidate (individual company or consortium overall) must be of at least EUR 500,000 for the last two years for which accounts have been closed. Note to candidates: In the application form, please make sure to include the actual year for which the data is provided
2) Professional capacity of candidate (based on items 4 and 5 of the application form)
(a) The number of the permanent staff of the candidate (individual company or consortium overall) currently working in fields related to this contract (as they are described in item 7 – “Contract Description” above), must be at least 5 for each of the last three years (2012, 2013,2014). Note to candidates: In the application form, please make sure to include the actual year for which the data is provided
3) Technical capacity of candidate (based on items 5 and 6 of the application form)
(a) The candidate (individual company or consortium altogether) has implemented, during the last three years (starting on April 2012) up to the deadline for the receipt of applications indicated under item 23 below), at least 3 project(s) of a minimum value of EUR 400,000 equivalent in the field of road safety with activities similar to those described under item 7 – “Contract description” above, and should demonstrate that it had a participation of minimum 30% in each of the project(s) brought as reference.
Note to candidates: the projects referenced must have been completed before the deadline for the submission of applications. The candidate may refer to a part of an assignment which has not yet been completed, but only in so far as that part is successfully completed and its date of completion and the candidate’s contribution may be clearly identified and proven through adequate documentary evidence (such as certificates from the client). Where the projects referenced have been implemented by consortia comprising two or more of the members now associated as a consortium for this tender procedure, their respective percentages shall be added together, in order for the application to be assessed on the basis of the consortium as a whole.
An economic operator may, where appropriate and for a particular contract, rely on the capacities of other entities, regardless of the legal nature of the links which it has with them. It must in that case prove to the Contracting Authority that it will have at its disposal the resources necessary for performance of the contract, for example by producing an undertaking on the part of those entities to place those resources at its disposal. Such entities, for instance the parent company of the economic operator, must respect the same rules of eligibility and notably that of nationality, as the economic operator.
If more than 8 eligible candidates meet the above selection criteria, the relative strengths and weaknesses of the applications of these candidates must be reexamined to identify the eight best applications for the tender procedure. The only factors which will be taken into consideration during this re-examination are, in order of precedence:
1) The number of projects brought as reference which comply with the requirements of any of criterion 3(a) above;
2) The cumulative budget of projects brought as reference which comply with the requirements of any of criterion 3(a) above.
22.Award criteria
Best value for money.
APPLICATION
23.Deadline for receipt of applications
The applications must be received by the Contracting Authority no later than 17:00 hrs. CET on 28/05/2015.
Any application received after this deadline will not be considered.
24.Application format and details to be provided 25.How applications may be submitted
Applications must be submitted in English exclusively to the Contracting Authority:
• EITHER by recorded delivery (official postal service) to:
European Investment Bank (EIB), Mr Stefan Kerpen, Head of Consultant Procurement & Contract Management, SG / AS / Consultant Procurement & Contract Management, 100 boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950 Luxembourg
• OR hand delivered (including courier services) to:
European Investment Bank (EIB), Mr Stefan Kerpen, Head of Consultant Procurement & Contract Management, SG / AS / Consultant Procurement & Contract Management, 100 boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950 Luxembourg
The Contract title and the Reference code (see item 1 above) must be clearly marked on the envelope containing the application and must always be mentioned in all subsequent correspondence with the Contracting Authority.
Applications submitted by any other means will not be considered.
26.Alteration or withdrawal of applications
Candidates may alter or withdraw their applications by written notification prior to the deadline for submission of applications. No application may be altered after this deadline.
Any such notification of alteration or withdrawal shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with Item 25. The outer envelope (and the relevant inner envelope if used) must be marked 'Alteration' or 'Withdrawal' as appropriate.
27.Operational language
All written communications for this tender procedure and contract must be in English.
28.Additional information
This tender procedure is launched with “suspension clause”. This entails that the award of the contract is subject to the conclusion of the cooperation agreement with the Promoter(s).
The candidates interested in participating in this tender procedure must be fully aware that in no event shall the Contracting Authority be liable for any damages whatsoever including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits / costs incurred by applicant in preparing and submitting his application, in any way connected with the cancellation of the tender procedure on the ground of the “suspension clause” even if the Contracting Authority has been advised of the possibility of damages.
As such, by submitting their application, the candidate accepts in full the use of the “suspension clause” in this tender procedure as well as its possible consequences.
29.Date of publication of contract forecast
10 March 2015
30.Legal basis
The European Investment Bank Board of Directors decision of 14 July 2010 on the establishment of a multi-purpose and multi-sectoral fund, the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund.