Council of Europe, Avenue de l'Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France - Tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 20 00
FOR THE PROVISION OF NATIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES IN THE AREAS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND GENDER EQUALITY IN ARMENIA
IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT
“PREVENTING AND COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA: CONTINUING THE PATH TOWARDS RATIFICATION OF THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION”
2019AO43
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Object of the procurement procedure ► |
Provision of national consultancy services in the areas of violence against women, domestic violence and gender equality in Armenia |
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Project ► |
“Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Armenia: Continuing the Path towards Ratification of the Istanbul Convention” |
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Organisation and buying entity ► |
Council of Europe Council of Europe Office in Yerevan Office of Directorate General of Programming |
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Type of contract ► |
Framework Contract |
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Duration ► |
Until 31 August 2021 renewable until 31 December 2022 |
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Expected starting date ► |
17 September 2019 |
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Tender Notice Issuance date ► |
17 July 2019 |
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Deadline for tendering ► |
25 August 2019 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Tender File contains:
The TERMS OF REFERENCE describe what will be expected from the selected Providers.
The TENDER RULES explain the procedure through which the tenders will be submitted by the tenderers and assessed by the Council of Europe.
· The ACT OF ENGAGEMENT (See Document attached) is the document formalising the consent of the Parties to be bound by the LEGAL CONDITIONS, which are the legal provisions which will be applicable between the Council of Europe and the selected Providers. It also contains the TABLE OF FEES, which indicates the applicable fees, throughout the duration of the contract.
PART I –TERMS OF REFERENCE
CALL FOR TENDERS
FOR THE PROVISION OF NATIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES
IN THE AREAS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
AND GENDER EQUALITY IN ARMENIA
2019AO43
A. BACKGROUND
The Council of Europe Project “Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Armenia: Continuing the Path towards Ratification of the Istanbul Convention” aims at strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders involved in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, protecting the victims and prosecuting the perpetrators of violence as well as advancing gender equality. The Council of Europe focuses on providing the latest information and knowledge about the relevant European standards, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (hereinafter Istanbul Convention) and its implications for national policy and legal frameworks. The Project gives timely support for the implementation of the recently adopted law on domestic violence in Armenia and paves the way for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in Armenia.
The project will contribute to the following specific outcomes outlined in the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Armenia for 2019–2022:
· Armenia is better prepared for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention;
· The Armenian legal and policy framework on preventing and combating domestic violence is in line with Council of Europe standards;
· Women victims of gender-based violence and domestic violence, including the most disadvantaged, have better access to justice and support services.
The expected impact of the project is that women in Armenia benefit from gender equality and protection against all forms of violence against women. The project aims to:
· Enhance the knowledge of law enforcement and legal professionals, as well as journalists and other stakeholders on the national law on the Prevention of Violence within the Family, Protections of Victims of Violence within the Family and Restoration of Peace within the Family (hereafter Domestic Violence Law) and European standards, notably the Istanbul Convention as they deal with cases of domestic violence and violence against women;
· Strengthen the capacity of Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, public officials and social workers to apply European standards (notably the Istanbul Convention) as they implement the Domestic Violence Law and provide support for women the victims of violence against women;
· Support gender sensitivity in education by assisting in the development of curricula, courses and materials for primary and secondary schools.
In the context of its activities, the Council of Europe provides targeted support to its member states based on international promising practices and Council of Europe standards and Conventions, in particular, the Istanbul Convention. The Project activities serve therefore as a tool for paving the way towards the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and to enhance compliance with its standards.
The Council of Europe is looking to establish a pool of up to 30 Providers (provided enough tenders meet the criteria indicated below) in order to support the implementation of the project with a particular expertise in the areas defined in 6 lots below.
The tenderer must be either a natural person, or a legal person except consortia. Legal persons will be required to assign individual employees to perform tasks under the contract and may not subcontract or replace any employees without the explicit written acceptance of the Council of Europe. Should the requested deliverables be performed by a person other than the pre-approved employees or consultants, the Council of Europe reserves the right to terminate the contract.
The present tendering procedure aims to select Providers to support Project implementation and is divided into the following 6 lots:
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LOT 1 |
Provision of technical advice to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, including on how to provide support for women victims of violence by using victim-centred approach (e.g. data collection, models of compensation for victims of violence, inter-agency cooperation, etc.) |
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LOT 2 |
Provision of technical advice to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport in mainstreaming gender into school curricula and materials for primary and secondary schools |
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LOT 3 |
Capacity-building for different professional groups (including law enforcement and legal professionals, social workers, media and journalists, etc.) on issues related to violence against women, domestic violence and gender equality to ensure better prevention of violence against women and to strengthen institutional structures |
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LOT 4 |
Conducting research on violence against women and domestic violence in Armenia |
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LOT 5 |
Tutoring a developed online HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) course for legal professionals on violence against women and domestic violence |
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LOT 6 |
Proof-reading and editing legal and gender terminology of the translated Armenian publications on the Istanbul Convention, the documents and handbooks developed by the Project on the topic of combating violence against women and domestic violence |
This Contract is currently estimated to cover up to 50 assignments, to be held by 31 December 2022. This estimate is for information only and shall not constitute any sort of contractual commitment on the part of the Council of Europe. The Contract may potentially represent a higher or lower number of activities, depending on the evolving needs of the Organisation.
For information purposes only, the total amount of the object of present tender should in principle not exceed 60 000 Euros for the whole duration of the Framework Contract. This information does not constitute any sort of contractual commitment or obligation on the part of the Council of Europe.
B. SCOPE OF THE FRAMEWORK CONTRACT
Throughout the duration of the Framework Contract, pre-selected Providers may be asked to provide the deliverables listed in the Act of Engagement (See Section A – Terms of reference).
· Draft reports on gaps and challenges of the areas covered by the Istanbul Convention.
· Provide expertise to support legal and policy frameworks.
· Draft research papers, guidelines, protocols, handbooks, training manuals, methodologies, educational and mentoring programmes.
· Prepare background and other documents such as reports for events (conferences, round tables, seminars, trainings, etc.) and serve as speaker, panellist/moderator/rapporteur.
· Provide technical trainings or training of trainers for different professional groups (police, legal professionals, health and social workers, etc.).
· Conduct fact-finding missions.
Under Lot 1 – Provision of technical advice to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, including on how to provide support for women victims of violence by using victim-centred approach (e.g. data collection, models of compensation for victims of violence, inter-agency cooperation, etc.)
Where appropriate, in cooperation with international experts and under the guidance of Project staff, the Provider shall:
- conduct fact-finding missions;
- prepare legal and policy advice, in line with European standards and promising practices, to improve the legislative and institutional frameworks in Armenia. Legal and policy advice will cover topics, including but not limited to violence against women and domestic violence as well as the empowerment of women and inclusion of vulnerable groups in decision-making processes;
- undertake specific research, carry out analysis of legal and policy texts and data, provide recommendations to support the implementation of the national Domestic Violence Law, and paving the way for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in Armenia and to enhance compliance with its standards;
- participate in expert working groups, workshops, seminars, round tables and conferences, deliver presentations, etc.;
- prepare draft reports, policy advice, guidelines and other relevant documents.
Under Lot 2 – Provision of technical advice to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport in mainstreaming gender into school curricula and materials for primary and secondary schools.
Where appropriate, in cooperation with international experts and under the guidance of Project staff, the Provider shall:
- conduct fact-finding missions;
- develop training materials and provide technical trainings (training of trainers) for school subject matter experts on gender equality, gender mainstreaming principles and how to mainstream gender in syllabus, textbooks and other school materials;
- following the training, review sample textbooks and materials developed by the subject matter experts and provide feedback;
- provide final recommendations on the overall process of ensuring gender mainstreaming in school curricula and materials;
- prepare draft reports and other relevant documents.
Under Lot 3 – Capacity-building for different professional groups (including law enforcement and legal professionals, social workers, media and journalists, etc.) on issues related to violence against women, domestic violence and gender equality to ensure better prevention of violence against women and to strengthen institutional structures
Where appropriate, in cooperation with international experts and under the guidance of Project staff, the Provider shall:
- conduct fact-finding missions;
- develop and/or adapt capacity-building and training modules (guidelines, protocols, handbooks, training manuals, methodologies, educational programmes) and awareness-raising materials in the fields of preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence based on the standards of the Istanbul Convention and relevant ECtHR case law, national legal framework and others. These include but are not limited to the development of a training course on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence for the RA Police and to the development of a training course on gender equality for the RA Academy of Justice.
- conduct technical trainings or training of trainers for different professional groups (including police officers, prosecutors, investigators, judges, advocates, health and social workers, media and journalists, etc.) at decision makers’ and implementers’ levels, related to the preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, supporting victims, prosecuting perpetrators, etc.
- prepare and deliver presentations, participate in conferences, workshops and other relevant events;
- provide guiding and mentoring towards the application of knowledge and skills acquired during the above-mentioned capacity-development activities.
Under Lot 4 – Conducting research on violence against women and domestic violence in Armenia
Where appropriate, in cooperation with international experts and under the guidance of Project staff, the Provider shall:
- conduct fact-finding missions;
- undertake specific research on violence against women and domestic violence in Armenia that covers law enforcement and legal aspects but may also include prevention of violence against women, support services or other areas of the Istanbul Convention;
- carry out analysis of legal and policy texts and data and other revelant documents, conduct interviews, contribute to the writing of a research study and provide recommendations.
Under Lot 5 – Tutoring a developed online HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) course for legal professionals on violence against women and domestic violence
Where appropriate, under the guidance of Project staff, the Provider shall:
- adjust the course materials in line with the HELP Training Methodology and adjust necessary assignments and training materials in Armenian on the implementation of the European standards (mainly ECtHR case law and key conventions, notably the Istanbul Convention);
- participate in the Training of Trainers for national tutors of HELP courses provided by the Council of Europe
- moderate/tutor the online course and evaluate the overall implementation of the course
Under Lot 6 – Proof-read and edit legal and gender terminology of the translated Armenian publications on the Istanbul Convention, the related documents, handbooks and trainig materials, developed by the Project on the topic of combating violence against women and domestic violence, gender equality, etc.
The above list is not considered exhaustive. The Council of Europe reserves the right to request deliverables not explicitly mentioned in the above list of expected services, but related to the field of expertise object of the present Framework Contract.
In terms of quality requirements, the pre-selected Service Providers must ensure, inter alia, that:
· The services are provided to the highest professional/academic standard;
· Any specific instructions given by the Council – whenever this is the case – are followed.
In addition to the orders requested on an as needed basis, the Provider shall keep regular communication with the Council to ensure continuing exchange of information relevant to the project implementation. This involves, among others, to inform the Council as soon as it becomes aware, during the execution of the Contract, of any initiatives and/or adopted laws and regulations, policies, strategies or action plans or any other development related to the object of the Contract (see more on general obligations of the Provider in Article 3.1.2 of the Legal Conditions in the Act of Engagement).
Unless otherwise agreed with the Council, written documents produced by the Provider shall be in English (see more on requirements for written documents in Articles 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 of the Legal Conditions in the Act of Engagement).]
C. FEES
Tenderers are invited to indicate their unit fees, by completing the table of fees, as attached in Section A of the Act of Engagement. These fees are final and not subject to review.
Tenders proposing fees above the exclusion level indicated in the Table of fees will be entirely and automatically excluded from the tender procedure.
The Council will indicate on each Order Form (see Section D below below) the global fee corresponding to each deliverable, calculated on the basis of the daily fees (for Lot 6 fee per standard page), as agreed by this Contract
D. HOW WILL THIS FRAMEWORK CONTRACT WORK? (ORDERING PROCEDURE)
Once this consultation and the subsequent selection are completed, you will be informed accordingly. Deliverables will then be carried out on the basis of Order Forms submitted by the Council to the selected Service Provider(s), by post or electronically, on an as needed basis (there is therefore no obligation to order on the part of the Council).
Each time an Order Form is sent, the selected Provider undertakes to take all the necessary measures to send it signed to the Council within 2 (two) working days after its reception.
Pooling
For each Order, the Council will choose from the pool of pre-selected tenderers the Provider who demonstrably offers best value for money for its requirement when assessed – for the Order concerned – against the criteria of:
- quality (including as appropriate: capability, expertise, past performance, availability of resources and proposed methods of undertaking the work);
- availability (including, without limitation, capacity to meet required deadlines and, where relevant, geographical location); and
- price.
If a Provider is unable to take an Order or if no reply is given on his behalf within that deadline, the Council may call on another Service Provider using the same criteria, and so on until a suitable Provider is contracted.
Where the provider is a legal person (e.g. think tanks, associations, etc.) they shall provide details/CVs of the individual proposed to complete each Order. The Council reserves the right to refuse assignment of work to a particular individual, to request that work be completed by a specific individual and to cancel an order if these requirements are not met.
Providers subject to VAT
The Provider, if subject to VAT, shall also send, together with each signed Form, a quote[1] (Pro Forma invoice) in line with the indications specified on each Order Form, and including:
- the Service Provider’s name and address;
- its VAT number;
- the full list of services;
- the fee per type of deliverables (in the currency indicated on the Act of Engagement, tax exclusive);
- the total amount per type of deliverables (in the currency indicated on the Act of Engagement, tax exclusive);
- the total amount (in the currency indicated on the Act of Engagement), tax exclusive, the applicable VAT rate, the amount of VAT and the amount VAT inclusive.
Signature of orders
An Order Form is considered to be legally binding when the Order, signed by the Service Provider, is approved by the Council, by displaying a Council’s Purchase Order number on the Order, as well as by signing and stamping the Order concerned. Copy of each approved Order Form shall be sent to the Provider, to the extent possible on the day of its signature.
E. ASSESSMENT
Exclusion criteria (by signing the Act of Engagement, you declare on your honour not being in any of the below situations) [2]
Tenderers shall be excluded from participating in the tender procedure if they:
· are or are likely to be in a situation of conflict of interests.
Eligibility criteria
Tenderers shall demonstrate that they fulfil the following criteria (to be assessed on the basis of all supporting documents listed in Section F). These minimum criteria apply to each person(s) whose CV is provided:
· University degree in Law, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Social Work, Gender Studies, Political Sciences, Psychology, Media and Communications, Statistics or in other relevant field.
· Fluency in Armenian
· Knowledge of English (at least B1 or B2 level CEFR)
Award criteria
- Thematic expertise (related to gender equality and/or violence against women and domestic violence) gained from experience in drafting knowledge products such as books, articles, research and policy papers, baseline and comparative studies, desk reviews, legal advice/opinions, recommendations, handbooks, etc. and/or thematic expertise gained from experience in developing or applying methodologies, protocols, guidelines, toolkits, courses, teaching/learning materials or from carrying out trainings, etc.
- Drafting skills in Armenian and in English;
- Previous experience in the relevant type of activity and/or conducting work in international context / within international organisations;
The Council reserves the right to hold interviews with eligible tenderers.
Multiple tendering is not authorised.
F. DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED
Ø Two completed and signed copies of the Act of Engagement.[3]
Ø Registration documents, for legal persons only;
Ø A detailed CV in English, preferably in Europass Format, demonstrating clearly that the tenderer fulfils the eligibility criteria; Where the tenderer is a legal person, this shall include the CV of the person(s) who will be assigned to carry out the work;
Ø A motivation letter in English (1 page maximum) highlighting the most relevant expertise regarding the lot(s) tendered for.
Ø At least 1 sample of previous work relevant to the lot(s) for which they apply (articles, handbooks, research analysis, policy opinions, presentations, training materials, etc.) in English or Armenian;
Ø Two references (contacts including phone number and e-mail address)
All documents shall be submitted in English. Failure to do so will result in the exclusion of the tender. If any of the documents listed above are missing, the Council reserves the right to reject the tender.
The Council reserves the right to reject a tender if the scanned documents are of such a quality that the documents cannot be read once printed.
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PART II – TENDER RULES
CALL FOR TENDERS
FOR THE PROVISION OF NATIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES IN THE AREAS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND GENDER EQUALITY IN ARMENIA
2019AO43
ARTICLE 1 – IDENTIFICATION OF THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
1.1 Name and address
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Office in Yerevan
26/1 V. Sargsyan str.
Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Background
The activities of the Organisation are governed by its Statute. These activities concern the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Organisation has its seat in Strasbourg and has set up external offices in about 20 member and non-member states (in Ankara, Baku, Belgrade, Brussels, Bucharest, Chisinau, Erevan, Geneva, Kyiv, Lisbon, Moscow, Paris, Podgorica, Pristina, Rabat, Sarajevo, Skopje, Tbilisi, Tirana, Tunis, Warsaw, Venice and Vienna).
Council of Europe procurements are governed by the Financial Regulations of the Organisation and by Rule 1395 of 20 June 2019 on the procurement procedures of the Council of Europe.
The Organisation enjoys privileges and immunities provided for in the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe, and its Protocols, and the Special Agreement relating to the Seat of the Council of Europe.[4]
Further details on the project are provided in the Terms of Reference.
ARTICLE 2 – VALIDITY OF THE TENDERS
Tenders are valid for 120 calendar days as from the closing date for their submission.
ARTICLE 3 – DURATION OF THE CONTRACT
The duration of the framework contract is set out in Article 2 of the Legal Conditions in the Act of Engagement.
ARTICLE 4 – CHANGE, ALTERATION AND MODIFICATION OF THE TENDER FILE
Any change in the format, or any alteration or modification of the original tender will cause the immediate rejection of the tender concerned.
ARTICLE 5 – CONTENT OF THE TENDER FILE
The tender file is composed of:
- Technical specifications/Terms of reference;
- Tender rules;
- An Act of Engagement, including the Legal Conditions of the contract.
ARTICLE 6 – LEGAL FORM OF TENDERERS
The tenderer must be either a natural person, or a legal person except consortia.
ARTICLE 7 – SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
General information can be found on the website of the Council of Europe: http://www.coe.int
Other questions regarding this specific tendering procedure shall be sent at the latest by ten days before the deadline for submissions of tenders, in English and shall be exclusively sent to the following address: tender.armenia-BH8644@coe.int
ARTICLE 8 – MODALITIES OF THE TENDERING
Tenders must be sent to the Council of Europe both electronically and in paper hardcopy.
Electronic copiesshall be sent only to cdm@coe.int. Tenders submitted to another e-mail account will be excluded from the procedure;
Paper hardcopiesshall be sent in A4 format (21x29.7 cm) by post, as specified below:
- Tenders shall be submitted in a sealed envelope. The first sealed envelope shall be placed inside a second envelope addressed to the Tenders Board, showing the file reference number and object, as follows:
- Tenderers are requested to indicate their names and address on the outside envelope for identification purposes.
ARTICLE 9 – DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF TENDERS
The deadline for the submission of tenders is 25 August 2019 as evidenced by the postmark, or by the receipt of delivery provided by the dispatching company.
ARTICLE 10 – ASSESSMENT OF TENDERS
Tenders shall be assessed in accordance with Rule 1395 of 20 June 2019 on the procurement procedures of the Council of Europe. Assessment shall be based upon the criteria as detailed in the Terms of Reference.
ARTICLE 11 – NEGOTIATIONS
The Council reserves the right to hold negotiations with the bidders in accordance with Article 20 of Rule 1395.
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FINAL CHECK LIST
1) BEFORE SENDING YOUR TENDER, CHECK THAT IT INCLUDES:
Ø Two completed and signed copies of the Act of Engagement.[5]
Ø Registration documents, for legal persons only;
Ø A detailed CV in English, preferably in Europass Format, demonstrating clearly that the tenderer fulfils the eligibility criteria; Where the tenderer is a legal person, this shall include the CV of the person(s) who will be assigned to carry out the work;
Ø A motivation letter in English (1 page maximum) highlighting the most relevant expertise regarding the lot(s) tendered for.
Ø At least 1 sample of previous work relevant to the lot(s) for which they apply (articles, handbooks, research analysis, policy opinions, presentations, training materials, etc.) in English or Armenian;
Ø Two references (contacts including phone number and e-mail address)
2) HOW TO SEND TENDERS?
Tenders must be sent to the Council of Europe both electronically and in paper hardcopy.
Electronic copies shall be sent only to cdm@coe.int. Tenders submitted to another e-mail account will be excluded from the procedure;
Paper hardcopies shall be sent in A4 format (21x29.7 cm) by post, as specified below:
- Tenders shall be submitted in a sealed envelope. The first sealed envelope shall be placed inside a second envelope addressed to the Tenders Board, showing the file reference number and object, as follows:
- Tenderers are requested to indicate their names and address on the outside envelope for identification purposes.
The deadline for the submission of tenders is 25 August 2019 as evidenced by the postmark, or by the receipt of delivery provided by the dispatching company.
TENDER SOURCE : https://rm.coe.int/call-for-tender-vaw-national-consultant-armenia-july-2019-rev/168096734a