Tender specifications. Call for tenders n VT/2013/073

Transcription

1 Tender specifications 1

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents Title of the contract Background Subject of the contract Tasks to be carried out by the contractor Time schedule and reporting Time schedule Management reporting (see also article II.4.3 of the contract) Prices Protocol and taxes applicable Details for prices Payments and contract Participation Groupings of economic operators or consortia Exclusion criteria and supporting documents Selection criteria Award criteria Content and presentation of bids Content of bids Presentation of bids General information New services consisting in the repetition of similar services

3 Tender specifications Technical part 1. Title of the contract Framework contract on services related to the coordination and provision of horizontal support to the EURES network. The contract is divided in 2 lots: Lot 1. Development of intra-eu labour mobility strategies and reinforcing the role of EURES Lot 2. Development of common strategies for and provision of co-ordination and support to EURES communication activities carried out by the members of the EURES network Tenders may be submitted for one or several lots. Tenderers should submit their bids separately for each lot as each lot will be evaluated independently. The Contract will be signed for a period of 24 months, renewable once. 2. Background 2.1 The objectives of EURES If properly supported, intra-eu labour mobility can contribute to employment by ensuring an effective matching between labour supply and demand across Europe, hence supporting job creation where labour markets are confronted with unfilled demand on the one hand and pockets of massive unemployment on the other hand. EURES is a co-operation network between the European Commission, Public Employment Services (PES) of the Member States, and their partners. It consists of more than 850 EURES advisers working on transnational and cross-border mobility issues in cooperation with other EURES staff (EURES Managers, EURES Assistants, Line Managers and other staff involved in delivery of EURES services). The human network is complemented by the EURES Job Mobility Portal providing access to job vacancies, a CV online database and user-friendly means of accessing comprehensive information needed for employers, jobseekers and job changers willing to recruit/be recruited from abroad. EURES was launched in 1993 in order to contribute to the good functioning of the European labour market by facilitating freedom of movement for the workers within the Union (one of the rights of the EU citizen as set out in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) and by reducing bottlenecks on the European labour market. 1

4 EURES aims to improve labour market transparency by making sure that job vacancies and applications, and any related information are transparent for the potential applicants and the employers through their exchange and dissemination at transnational, interregional and cross-border level. To that end EURES also provides information, advice and guidance services to these target groups and other stakeholders such as Chambers of Commerce, Education Institutions etc. EURES co-operation has been fully extended to EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). Switzerland also co-operates within the EURES framework. The European Commission s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) is responsible for co-ordinating and supporting the EURES network, acting as the European Co-ordination Office (EURESco). Besides EURESco, a key role in the network is played by the EURES members, the designated specialist services in the Member States that, acting as National Coordination Offices (NCO's), are responsible for the organisation of the work on clearing of vacancies and the cooperation on the transnational matching, placement and recruitment activities in their respective country. The legal basis of EURES is provided for in Chapter II of Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on freedom of movement for workers within the Union (OJEU, , L.141, p.1). The Regulation establishes the cooperation between the Member States and with the Commission on the clearing of vacancies and applications for employment within the Union and the resulting placement of workers in employment. On 26 November 2012 the Commission adopted a new decision on EURES 1, replacing Commission Decision 2003/8/EC (OJ L5, , p.16) as from 1 January Implementing the Regulation, it describes the operational objectives of the European network of employment services designated as EURES, its governance structure and the services to be provided by the network. EURES will be reformed in the coming years in order to bring it up to speed with the challenges posed by the current and future labour market situation. EURES will become a demand-driven and result-oriented recruitment tool satisfying economic needs and contributing to fulfil the employment objective of the Europe 2020 strategy. While keeping its original function as transparency tool, serving the right to free movement of workers and the needs of employers experiencing recruitment difficulties, the delivery capacity of EURES and its result-orientation will be strengthened. A strengthened EURES will better facilitate mobility. Moreover it will proactively direct Europeans to where the jobs are, and also give employers better access to a pool of candidates where they can find the skills they need to develop and run their business. Accordingly, the new Commission Decision on EURES has made changes in the functioning of the network, the organisation of the work between the different actors, and the definition of the service offer, mirroring the evolution in labour markets and employment service provision in the Member States. The rationale for these changes is outlined in the Employment 1 Commission Implementing Decision implementing Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the clearance of vacancies and applications for employment and the re-establishment of EURES, (2012/733/EU), OJ EU L328, , p.21 2

5 Package. 2 They should improve the capacity of EURES to flexibly adapt its services according to the needs of all clients and the economic realities of the European labour market. The shift towards more job placement and recruitment activities will be accompanied by (a) a revamped EURES portal to achieve a real time online matching of skills with vacancies and (b) the use of targeted labour mobility schemes which combine financial incentives for customised matching services and support to individuals from specific target groups, sectors and occupations under tensions or countries (such as Your First EURES Job); the reformed EURES will also particularly address young people, through targeted mobility schemes. Activities carried out for and by the EURES network in the coming years, such as support, training or communication activities are expected to support and accompany in particular the implementation of the reform of EURES. More information on the reform of EURES can be found below in section 2.4 and at: The operational aspects of EURES One important role of EURESco is to provide horizontal support for the benefit of the EURES network. These horizontal support activities include: The operation and development of a European job mobility web portal ( the EURES Portal ), and related IT services, including systems and procedures for the exchange of vacancies, applications for employment in the form of application letters, CVs, skills passports and the like, and other information, in cooperation with other relevant European services or networks; Information and communication activities regarding EURES; Training of staff involved in EURES; Facilitation of networking, exchange of best practice and mutual learning among EURES Members and Partners; Participation of EURES in targeted mobility activities at EU level; The analysis of geographic and occupational mobility, in the light of the achievement of a balance between supply and demand, and the development of a general approach to mobility in accordance with the European Employment Strategy; The overall monitoring and evaluation of EURES activity. The main services of EURES consist of information, and assistance for placement and recruitment along with matching CVs and vacancies. The tasks related to recruitment, placement and matching will get more emphasis in order to address real needs of the EURES clients and provide measurable outcomes. 2 Reforming EURES to meet the goals of Europe 2020, SWD(2012) 100 final 3

6 Information on EURES required by jobseekers and employers is provided on line and through the personal contacts of EURES staff in EURES member and partner organisations. EURES advisers are trained specialists who provide the three basic EURES services of information, guidance and placement, to both jobseekers and employers interested in the European job market. EURES advisers also contribute to the integration of EURES services within their organisations, mainly the Member States (MS)' PES, and provide training and support for other staff. In many MS EURES advisers are supported by EURES assistants. The EURES Job Mobility Portal ( aims to provide a user-friendly means of accessing the information needed for those considering a move for career or for learning purposes. The portal is available in all official EU/EEA languages and attracts more than 2, unique visitors per month. Two types of databases are available on the Portal. To match the needs of jobseekers and employers, EURES has developed a jobs database that contains all job vacancies advertised through Member States' PES. The portal connects job vacancies databases in 31 countries and a user can therefore access, in real time, more than a million job vacancies. In addition to the jobs database there also is a CV online database, where jobseekers can post their CVs to be viewed by registered employers. As well as providing information on available jobs throughout the EEA and the possibility for jobseekers to post their CVs online, the Portal has information on living and working conditions, labour market developments (tracking shortages and surpluses of labour), and on education and training opportunities (via the PLOTEUS site run by the Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture). The Extranet section of the Portal, available for EURES advisers and other staff involved in the EURES network (in total more than 2,500 users), contains document repositories, directories, forums and a number of other practical tools and utilities to facilitate internal communication within the EURES network. In providing help and assistance to users of the EURES Portal, including the EURES members a EURES Helpdesk service has been created. The EURES Helpdesk provides quick and accurate answers to information requests from jobseekers, employers and others on job mobility issues in general and on the European Job Mobility portal in particular, accessible via a European free phone number, content form on the Portal, , chat and VOIP. A EURES Training Programme provides the EURES staff with initial (obligatory) and advanced (optional) training equipping them with the right tools and the right skills enabling them to perform a high quality service to their customers. Training is designed to provide participants with necessary factual mobility-related information and soft skills. The EURES network also aims to enhance synergies and co-operation with other European resources for job mobility. For recent information on the overall performance of the EURES network and its activities, please look at the EURES section on the single market scoreboard at _en.htm 4

7 2.3 Promotion of intra EU labour mobility and the EURES network Communication is one of the European Commission's strategic objectives and it has adopted action plans and strategies to improve the communication and to promote a coherent image of the European Union's policies, geographical labour mobility tools and instruments. Communication on the advantages and opportunities of mobility in general and on EURES activities which benefit citizens in a way that people can easily understand and relate to will contribute to a better understanding of the role of the European Union in this area. The EURES Charter of 2010 provides (section 2.5) the following guidelines on the promotion of the EURES network: "It is crucial for the success of the EURES network that potential clients as well as persons active within the EURES members' and partners' organisations are fully aware of what the network can offer. Communication strategy and plans The EURES Co-ordination Office shall, together with the EURES members and partners, engage in an overall communication strategy, designed to ensure the consistency and cohesion of the network vis-à-vis its users. The EURES member organisations shall, in accordance with the overall strategy, develop their own promotion plans and include them in the respective national EURES activity plan. The EURES partners will take part in information and promotion activities devised by the relevant EURES member organisations and by the EURES Co-ordination Office. EURES members and partners shall ensure that the information and promotional material they provide are coherent with the overall communication strategy and with the information coming from the EURES Co-ordination Office. The EURES logo The EURES service mark, as well as the logo characterising it, is the property of the Commission. EURES members and partners shall use the EURES logo in all their activities related to EURES. Information presented under the EURES logo shall be in compliance with the policies and interests of the European Union and with the objectives of EURES. Only the EURES Co-ordination Office may grant third parties a permission to use the EURES logo, and inform EURES members and partners concerned accordingly. EURES members and partners shall inform the EURES Coordination Office without delay of any abuse of the logo by third parties." 2.4 Reinforcing the role of EURES as an employment tool In the context of the reform referred to in section 2.1 above, the EURES Charter of has been updated. The new Charter was endorsed by the public employment services in December The new Charter will in particular define the approach to the extension of the network to other actors than public employment services ("selection and appointment of EURES partners"), the obligatory services to be carried out at national level ("service catalogue"), the information exchange system between the Member States on their EURES activities ("the 3 OJ C311 of , p.6 5

8 programming and reporting cycle") and the tasks of the different actors in the network, the profile of staff and the approach to training ("profiles and training"). While the basic principles in relation to the promotion of mobility and the EURES network as outlined above will remain valid, the National Coordination Offices (the specialist services in the EURES members) will be reinforced and get an increased responsibility for, among other things, the drive towards more matching, placement and recruitment activities and the implementation of improved outreach and communication with the client groups of EURES (jobseekers, employers and stakeholders). They will therefore need strong support and tools to empower them to become independent in this role. The new Decision provides that each individual EURES Member (EEA countries, Switzerland) 4 needs to designate a special service as provided for in Article 11(2) of Regulation to organise the work of the EURES network in the respective country. This entity would be the "National Co-ordination Office" (NCO) within the meaning of the Decision. The term "specialist services" has in practice been interpreted as the Public Employment Services (PES) at national level. After all, this entity should have the necessary experience with implementing the principle of free movement for workers and supporting intra-eu labour mobility policies. Designating the PES at national level as the NCO could reinforce the conductor role of the PES and its ability to mainstream mobility activities into its services as key implementers of activation policies that contribute to smooth labour market transitions. However, the decision on the designation ultimately depends on the national institutional setup and the distribution of competences. Article 5(7) of the Decision provides that the NCO will need to have the staff and other resources necessary to carry out its task. The entity should ensure that all contributions of the actors in its national network are coherent, reliable, adequate and timely delivered. For that purpose, the Member State should ensure that this entity can fulfil at least the following functions, thereby being able to take full responsibility for the compliance by the Member State concerned with the provisions of Regulation No (EU) 492/2011 and the new Decision: Management function: the entity should animate, organise and coordinate all national efforts of the actors to ensure a result-oriented and demand driven service delivery on intra-eu mobility in accordance with the operational objectives set out in Article 2 of the Decision (Articles 5(1), (2) and (3) of the Decision). It must be able to impose its supervisory and steering authority on the other actors of the national network, in application of any agreements or arrangements made between the National Coordination Office and EURES partners acting on the ground in the country concerned. These should ensure inter alia that the EURES Partners will contribute to the provision, collection and analysis of data on vacancies. It should also coordinate and have the overview of the situation in the Member State as regards other activities related to intra-eu labour mobility, such as the participation of staff and objectives in relation to training and communication activities at EU level, the possible participation of actors in its national network in targeted mobility schemes, the organisation and participation in European Job Days etc. 4 For the purpose of this document reference is henceforth to "Member State" 6

9 Appointment function: the entity will need to appoint the actors in the national network, monitor their activities within the national network in accordance with the criteria set for adequate implementation, and in case an actor in the network doesn't comply with national or EU requirements or shows weaknesses, examine the situation, and, where necessary, take the appropriate measures or reorganise the national network (Article 5(3) of the Decision).. Infrastructure management function: the entity is responsible for ensuring the existence of all technical and functional infrastructure and systems necessary to allow EURES partners and any other interested employment service to participate in the exchange system (Article 5(2)(a) of the Decision). This means that it is either responsible itself for the management of the infrastructure and systems or that it has delegated this role to another entity and supervises the implementation by that entity. Reporting function: the entity will be responsible for the overall planning, programming and reporting on the delivery of the EURES objectives by its national network both at national level and towards the EURES European Co-ordination Office (Article 5(3)(b) of the Decision). Article 5(5) of the Decision provides that the National Co-ordination Office shall draw up programmes for the national network which shall in particular specify ( ) the main activities ( ) and include an assessment of the activities and results achieved. It will spearhead the efforts by the Member State concerned to realise the transition from EURES activity essentially based on running a transparency mechanism (provide information and facilitate free movement of workers), towards a more result-oriented activity, based on the labour market needs. This means that it may use indicators to measure the performance of the different actors in the network and impose on these actors certain reporting obligations, including regarding the indicators, in accordance with the templates established for reporting in the Charter. Representation function: the entity will represent its country in the EURES Coordination Group in order to adequately assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of EURES activities overall (Article 9 of the Decision). This means that it must be able to require the other actors of the national network to provide contributions to this task. The Decision indicates that EURES Members must appoint EURES partners, the actual service providers in the network. In the context of the preparation for the reform, it was agreed that EURES members, and in particular the NCO's, will work towards extending the network to other (non-pes) entities on the basis of a strategic / labour market analysis of national mobility needs. Each EURES Member will identify the most appropriate ways and means to achieve the extension in light of the national situation. It could be done for instance by making existing service level agreements between the public employment services and national partners such as private labour market brokers also applicable to the clearing of vacancies for EURES. To support this process, EURESco will facilitate information exchange on best practices and bring together MS to share experiences on partnerships with non-pes actors. EURES Members may also choose to develop or extend national licensing systems to the appointment of such partners, as a means to achieve the appointment of partners. By encouraging new employment services and labour market actors to participate in the network as EURES partner, Member States will have the possibility to increase the number of outputs in the network: a larger vacancy pool for the network, a higher number of client contacts, more (bilateral) cooperation projects for mediation between job seekers, workers and 7

10 employers across borders and more matching opportunities to the benefit of all the client groups. To reinforce the transparency on the activities and services between the members of the network and to enhance cooperation between the actors within the network, a programming, monitoring and reporting cycle will be set up between the National Coordination Offices and EURESco. This will not only facilitate the reporting exercise towards the EU institutions about the balance of the labour market in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation 492/2011 but it will also make information of national EURES activities and services easier to compare and more conducive to mutual learning. It will reinforce exchanges and synergies, and knowledge management, which will make possible continuous improvement in performance. It will be an annual cycle, on the basis of common templates, to describe the work programmes (Activity Plan), to report about the results and outcomes (Activity Report) and to present the organisation of EURES at national level (country fiche). The templates will include sections on internal organisation, resources and operational objectives/activities. Reporting on the activities the year after, the section on results/ performance would provide information on contacts (information and guidance); number of CV's and vacancies handled (placements made) and customer satisfaction (based on national data sources, awareness campaigns, specific surveys etc.) The information will be shared within a common data base and consultation with social partners will be part of the process. The first cycle will be for the calendar year The reform of EURES: funding arrangements For the period , EURES activities will be funded essentially through two EU financial instruments: the EU Programme "Employment and Social Innovation" (EaSI) and the European Social Fund (ESF). EaSI aims to contribute to the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy, its headline targets, integrated Guidelines and flagship initiatives by providing financial support for the EU's objectives in terms of promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions. One of the general objectives of the Programme is to promote geographical mobility and boost employment opportunities by developing an open labour market, and in particular to support the functioning of EURES. The overall budget of the Programme is EUR million. The funds allocated to the EURES-axis of the Programme amount to about 20 million each year. The EURES axis shall support three categories of thematic actions: a) transparency of job vacancies, applications and any related information for applicants and employers; b) development of services for the recruitment and placement of workers in employment through the clearance of vacancies and applications at Union level, in particular targeted mobility schemes; and c) cross border partnerships. Firstly, EaSI will support the horizontal activities for the network, to be carried out by the European Commission (EURESco) such as the development and maintenance of the EURES Job Mobility Portal, its helpdesk, the common training programme, communication and information activities, the organisation of network activities and 8

11 meetings. This will be covered essentially under the first two categories of thematic actions. Secondly, the Commission will also use EaSI to lead by example in the development of "targeted labour mobility schemes" so as to 1) fill bottleneck vacancies and 'niche' vacancies for which recruitment difficulties or market failures have been identified, 2) help specific groups of workers and 3) countries which are or will become recipients of European workers. Small-scale initiatives will be developed to deal with vacancies in certain occupations, sectors or Member States through tailor-made recruitment campaigns, facilitating intra-eu job matching. Youth employment will remain a priority. As from 2014, the overall annual budget planned for those initiatives may be between EUR 5 and 10 million. To encourage the development of this kind of more result-oriented mobility services in Member States, the Commission is currently testing, in the form of a preparatory action under the budget, the concept of a targeted mobility scheme to help young people (aged 18-30) to find a job (remunerated, minimum for six months, in accordance with labour law) in another Member State and thus to help fill bottleneck vacancies. The action is called "Your First EURES Job" and it combines customised job placement services with EU financial incentives (contributions to travel expenses for job interviews, pre-job training and, integration programmes in SME's). The continuation of Your EURES Job (YfEj) and other such targeted labour mobility schemes will be supported under the second category of thematic action. Thirdly, cross border partnerships will be funded under EaSI, on the basis of calls for proposals, for the development of such partnerships where requested by services territorially responsible for the border regions. On the other hand, under the ESF, from 2014 onwards, EURES national activities will be eligible for funding, in particular for the functioning of the EURES network at the national level (staff and IT cost etc. in PES) and the development of mobility schemes and strategies at local, regional, national and cross-border level. This includes the following activities: the support of the improvement of national databases providing the data required for the clearance of vacancies machinery at EU level, including the development of state of the art self-service tools for supporting the activity of PES and its EURES departments, allowing a wider access and use of vacancy material; the support, in accordance with the request of the European Council of June 2012 and the EURES reform, of the extension of EURES to the exchange of information on traineeships and apprenticeships as well as the clearance of traineeships and apprenticeships, as far as these are supported by a working contract, through the development of (new or extended) national data bases, better co-operation mechanisms between stakeholders and the setting up of an support structure for the target population to have access to information and advice from stakeholders. the setting up of networks or support structures for intermediaries which can facilitate mobility by giving information on opportunities in other Member States and providing assistance to (categories of) jobseekers or employers, complementing and supporting EURES network activities. 9

12 the development of co-operation between public and private job search organisations, with a view to cover a higher share of the European vacancy market (beyond the PES share which currently covers between 30-40% of the total vacancies available), in line with the logic of the EURES reform. the institutional capacity building of EURES within the PES and in particular data collection and the development of on line self- service systems, in order to increase access to information and improve the transparency on the European labour market. The Commission proposal for the ESF Regulation refers to transnational labour mobility. The Commission Staff Working Document on the Common Strategic Framework (CSF) indicates that transnational labour mobility activities are EURES activities in the areas of matching, recruitment and placement, together with the related information, advice and guidance services at national and cross-border level. EURES activities have to be programmed under the thematic objective promoting employment and supporting labour mobility under the investment priority (IP) "Modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions, including actions to enhance transnational labour mobility". In the Communication "Working together for Europe's young people"5, the Commission calls on Member States to make use of ESF funding opportunities and national funding sources to promote intra-eu mobility. YfEj should first and foremost serve as a source of inspiration for Member States for rolling out such schemes at national level. As an example, Germany has taken over the idea and created a national programme6 to attract workers and young professionals (for the apprenticeship system) with the same logic (EUR 140 million over four years, ). 3. Subject of the contract The purpose of this Framework Contract is to assist EURESco in its task to provide horizontal support to the EURES network and thereby to improve the quality and quantity of EURES services on the ground throughout the Union in line with the EURES reform process. The EURES network is built on a decentralised approach where the provision of services to end users is carried out at the national and regional/local level by the EURES partners. The services included in this Framework Contract are therefore to a large extent focused on providing support and assistance for the benefit of the national and regional/local members of the network, while ensuring that the overall strategies of the European Union on intra-labour mobility, employment policy and communication are fully taken into account. The aim is also to achieve mutual learning within the network and enhance its capacity to measure and report on activities and the progress made by the different members of the network. 1. The overall aim of the network support activities envisaged under lot 1 is to provide assistance to EURES members and partners in initiating, developing and implementing intra-eu labour mobility actions and plans, to improve cooperation and mutual learning in connection with the objectives of the EURES reform and to 5 COM(2013)447 final 6 "The job of my life", 10

13 reinforce the role of EURES as part of such mobility actions and strategies. For these activities, the main target groups include the National Coordination Offices, EURES staff delivering services within the public employment services and other organisations, such as non-public labour market brokers involved in EURES. 2. The overall aim of the information and communication activities envisaged under lot 2 is to raise awareness of the EU's role in promoting growth and jobs in the EU and to improve matching and anticipation of skills needs on the European labour market. The audience should be informed of: (a) the possibilities and benefits of job mobility in general; (b) the EURES network and its services and c) the rights of citizens linked to the free movement of workers in the EU (EEA). For these activities, the main target groups include jobseekers, workers, job changers, unemployed and their families as well as employers. Communication activities may be directed towards specific target groups, such as youth, graduates, Small and Medium sized Enterprises etc. An improved internal communication within the EURES network as well as activities aiming at promoting and raising awareness about EURES within Public Employment Services and other participating organisations are also important objectives. As the exact scope, quantities and timing of the tasks described below in section 4, may vary over time, DG EMPL intends to conclude a Framework Contract. Within this Framework Contract, the supply of specialised services and products will be subject to the Specific Contracts or Service Orders in accordance with the Framework Contract. Evaluation at EU level and reporting on the results of evaluations should be an integral part of individual tasks, in accordance with the terms of the individual service orders. Throughout the assignment, the Contractor should use a clear evaluation methodology to measure the quality, results and impact of these activities (before and after) at European, national and regional/local level (performance measurement system). The performance measurement system should be based on a set of indicators (KPIs), which measure outputs and results as well as inputs and impacts of the activities undertaken. The contractor should develop these indicators in close co-operation with EURESco and other relevant stakeholders. The reporting on the performance in the network should be included in the reports as described under chapter 5 (notably section 5.2). Volume, value and frequency of the Contract No assurance is given as to the volume, value and frequency of assignments under this Contract. All assignments, including those tasks, will be defined in an annual rolling work programme, to be defined by EURESco in cooperation with National Coordination Offices. The maximum amount that can be ordered during each term (24 months) of the Framework Contract is 4,000,000 for lot 1 and 6,000,000 for lot 2. By way of an indication, the total amount of orders for all EURES communications activities (comparable to a part of lot 2) was in the year Subject to priorities and available funding it is however intended to step up horizontal support activities in the coming years. 11

14 The Framework Contract is chiefly intended for the use of DG EMPL. The Contract can however also be used by other DG's and services of the European Commission with the prior permission of DG EMPL. 4. Tasks to be carried out by the contractor The tasks described below will be implemented in coherence with and respecting all strategies and guidelines that are or will be adopted by the European Union, the European Commission and DG EMPL. The provision of services that may be ordered under this contract may involve travel. Reimbursement of travel costs is covered by this Framework Contract. All products and services that may be ordered under this Contract shall be under the full ownership of the European Commission, including intellectual property rights. 4.1 Lot 1 Development of intra-eu labour mobility actions and plans and reinforcing the role of EURES as an employment tool The Contractor should in cooperation with EURESco and representatives of the EURES network contribute to the development and implementation of plans and tools that will serve as a common strategic umbrella for the entire network ("horizontal support"). These strategies, plans and tools will then guide all activities at both European, national and regional/local level aimed at reinforcing EURES as an employment tool when promoting intra EU labour mobility and at improving EURES capacities to deliver services and interact with EURES client groups ("national activities"). To support the implementation of these national activities, the Contractor should provide advice and help to initiate and co-ordinate various activities that will be carried out nationally as part of national work programmes of the EURES member and partner organisations. The Contractor should participate in coordination meetings as described under point 4.4 below. The Contractor shall carry out the assignments specified in this lot accordance with service orders or specific contracts and under instructions from EURESco. Task 1: Network support The contractor will set up resources consisting of a project manager and a core team of at least three persons composed in such a way that it covers all the necessary expertise for the day-today management of the Contract and covers at least the implementation of tasks 1 and 2. The overall objective is to assist EURESco with the development of an enhanced coordination and cooperation between the actors of the network. Without prejudice to other assignments under this lot and in close cooperation with EURESco, the contractor will have the following core tasks: To contribute to the design by EURESco of a coherent long term strategy ( ) for the development of EURES (the network and the Portal) as an instrument fostering intra- 12

15 EU labour mobility at the service of the European employment Strategy, Europe 2020 Strategy, industrial and single market policies, and the objective of a European labour market open and accessible to all, assuring complementarity to other EU instruments, funding programmes activities and networks. The strategy should consist of operational objectives, key actions and head line indicators; As part of the above long term strategy, to contribute to the design by EURESco of an approach on how to expand the network to include labour market brokers other than the public employment services, building up non-public/private partnerships, based on research on national experiences and methods on the co-operation between different employment services and bearing in mind the objectives of the regulatory framework; As part of the above long-term strategy, to contribute to the design by EURESco of an approach to the development of cross border partnerships and their cooperation with and/or integration into the EURES network, to be implemented inter alia through the monitoring of projects selected under the calls for proposals on cross border partnerships under EaSI; To follow up the long term strategy with the EURES network and support implementation at national level, bearing in mind national divergences in service levels and organisational models in the Member States; To set up and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base on the development and implementation of EURES activities and services in Member States, the organisation of the EURES network at national and cross border level throughout the EU/EEA, the funding sources, institutional set-up and responsibilities of the different organisations, such as national Coordination Offices, EURES Member and partner organisations, cross border partnerships and the contents and results of the programmes and projects supported under the ESF and EASI. The Commission will provide the necessary software and infrastructure to make this knowledge base available online. To set up and implement a performance measurement system (PMS) for EURES, as well as other EU activities to foster intra-eu labour mobility, notably by collecting and analysing systematically inputs, outputs and outcomes of EURES activities available at national and cross border level and by gathering additional information through monitoring missions to Member States and (online) surveys of end users' satisfaction; To set up and implement a coherent monitoring and evaluation framework for targeted labour mobility schemes; To participate in meetings with EURES members in accordance with the regulatory framework envisaged as from 2014 (the Decision refers to governance at operational level, the coordination group, and at strategic level, the management board) and prepare working documents and the minutes of these meetings, to be approved by EURESco (at least 4 Coordination group meetings and two Management Board meetings each year). Task 2: Ex-ante evaluation and synergies in annual national EURES work programmes 13

16 In close cooperation with EURESco, the contractor will devise an ex-ante evaluation methodology of annual national EURES work programmes. The methodology will have two aspects: 1. Identifying possible synergies and complementarities between annual national EURES work programmes, in order to identify opportunities for joint actions, topics of common interest and other possibilities for cooperation between EURES Member organisations. 2. Ex-ante evaluation of individual annual EURES work programmes, based on the Contractors' assessment of the potential of mobility in different sectors and regions of each country, using labour market intelligence available at national and European level. On the basis of the developed methodology, the contractor will perform each year for EURESco an ex-ante evaluation of the draft annual work programmes ("activity plans") submitted to EURESco by the EURES members. The short evaluation report should outline the opportunities available which should be better exploited, the gaps in the annual work programmes, the effectiveness of the allocation of resources and their matching priorities. Moreover, the contractor will perform each year for EURESco an analysis of the outcomes related to the annual work programmes, as delivered by the EURES Members in the form of "activity reports", and prepare a summary report for the network as a whole. Task 3: Systematic follow up of the implementation of the strategies at national level In accordance with an annual rolling work programme agreed beforehand with EURESco, the contractor will carry out monitoring missions to and/or surveys on Member States. The aim of the missions will be to gather information from National Coordination Offices and selected other actors about the application of the principles in the EURES regulatory framework (Decision, Charter) left to the discretion of the EURES Members, such as the development of a national approach on the extension of the network, the delivery of the service catalogue, the organisation and performance of the national network, training, the development and maintenance of the related IT infrastructure, performance management systems and the national contribution to the programming, monitoring and reporting cycle for EURES. In accordance with the mandate provided by EURESco, the contractor will examine together with the National Coordination Office concerned the possible measures taken so far to make improvements and, where appropriate, discuss possible other measures to improve the application of the principles, based on the contractor's experiences and best practices in other Member States. This may include projects or practices related to for instance the exchange of staff, the detachment of liaison officers, the creation of centralised call centres or joint common service points etc. The contractor can also discuss options for tailor-made assistance within the framework of this contract or the development of general activities (trainings / seminars). On the basis of the meeting report prepared by the contractor, EURESco will then take decisions as to the possible next steps, in consultation with the EURES Member concerned. 14

17 During such missions, the Contractor may also include visits to projects financed by EU programmes (such as targeted mobility scheme projects under EaSI and ESF) and report on the activities carried out. Some of these missions may also be led by EURESco, in which case the contractor will provide the necessary assistance, including with the preparation of the mission. The team will be agreed beforehand with EURESco and the EURES member concerned. The contractor will arrange in cooperation with the EURES member concerned the practical organisation of the mission. The aim of the surveys will be to supplement national data and strengthen the overall performance measurement system of EURES. Task 4: Drafting mobility handbooks and practitioners' guides At the initiative of EURESco, and in close collaboration with the contractor responsible for Lot 2, the contractor will collect information on national experiences on operational activities and services, compile and analyse this information and present it in the form of mobility handbooks and practitioners' guides, with a view to promoting best practices at national and cross border level. The mobility handbooks should be provided as written reports including the main resources and conditions for developing a mobility action, the main elements of the design (main actions, role of types of actors, management structures, organisation and timeline, goalposts), critical questions/issues for implementation, methods for quantifying objectives and outcomes, the design of evaluation of the actions. Practitioners' guides should present in a synthetic manner checklists, step-by-step guides for key actors involved in different roles in the EURES network. The mobility handbooks and the practitioners' guides should be disseminated as written reports, using an appropriate graphical design. They should also be disseminated as webinars hosted on the EURES extranet, translated/ dubbed/ subtitled to key target languages. Mobility handbooks and practitioners' guides should be based on the results of assistance and counselling provided by the contractor to EURES Member organisations, on best practice in the public and private sector, the examination of EURES activity plans and reports for the period and any new plans and reports under the programming cycle, as available with EURESco, and on independent research of the contractor. They should be evidence based, incorporating and operationalizing main research results in the area. For each mobility handbook and practitioners' guide, a concise review of evidence and of the methodology used for the production of the guide should be presented as a separate report. The themes of the mobility handbooks and of the practitioners' guides are selected by the Commission and included in the annual rolling work programme. They can involve key issues for EURES reform (e.g. defining and monitoring a national partnership or developing an accreditation system, partnerships with non-public / private organisations for EURES, implementing an outcome based evaluation and reporting system, extended vacancy pools, etc.. ) or practical issues for EURES advisors (e.g. customised matching to key employers, integrating mobility in profiling procedures, identification of a target group for targeted 15

18 mobility actions, integrating the EURES offer in career guidance and counselling etc.). They may also extend to operational aspects of certain EURES activities funded under EU programmes, such as targeted mobility schemes or the cross border partnerships. Task 5: Organising and supporting peer reviews among EURES members At the initiative of EURESco, the contractor will organise peer reviews facilitating the cooperation, exchanges of information and experiences between EURES Members on a given theme. Peer reviews will be hosted by a EURES member presenting its particular experience in the given theme. Representatives from several EURES members will participate, presenting their experience on the chose theme. The peer reviews aim at identifying good practice, the main conditions and elements of success or failure of the initiatives and transferring key lessons learned to other participating EURES members. As part of the organisation of peer reviews, the contractor is expected to: define the programme and identify relevant experts in collaboration with the host EURES member and the EURESco; coordinate and disseminate the input of all experts and participants prior to the meetings; assist with the facilitation and moderation of the meetings; prepare a short background document covering the main available results from research and policy reports in the area and the identification of key questions for discussion; draft shortly after the peer reviews a concise report outlining the main policy and implementation lessons from the peer review, the main transferrable elements. The report should include an executive summary, as well as a reflection on the methodology of the peer review, possible improvements and a section on the lessons which could be transferred in the training of EURES advisors or to the other tasks included in this contract. For each peer review, the contractor's staff will be assisted by a thematic expert selected from the pool of experts presented by the contractor as part of the tender. At the request of EURESco, the contractor will synthetize the outcomes of the peer reviews in thematic papers summarising the main operational and implementation lessons learned, presenting in detail the good practice identified, the barriers to its implementation and transferability. By way of example the contractor could present, following peer reviews, the main elements of a European strategy to increase the mobility in a specific sector such as ICT or the Automotive sector or for a given target group (e.g. young graduates, older workers, etc.). Task 6: Tailored consultancy and counselling for EURES members The contractor may be requested to perform specific assignments for individual or groups of EURES members and/or partners to improve their matching capabilities, the organisational 16