EEA/RNC/03/016 - Outlooks on selected agriculture variables for the 2005 State of the Environment and Outlook Report

Call For Tender Published 26 Sep 2003

EEA/RNC/03/016

DK-Copenhagen: outlooks on selected agriculture variables for the 2005 State of the Environment and Outlook Report

2003/S 184-165730

Contract notice

Services

Is this contract covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)? Yes

Section I: Contracting authority

1) Official name and address of the contracting authority: European Environment Agency, Att: Stephane Isoard, reference No EEA/RNC/03/016, Kongens Nytorv 6, DK-1050 Copenhagen K. Tel.: +45 33 36 72 84. Fax: +45 33 36 72 93. E-mail: Stephane.Isoard@eea.eu.int. URL: http://org.eea.eu.int.

2) Address from which further information can be obtained: As in I.1.

3) Address from which documentation may be obtained: As in I.1.

The tender documents include all relevant information (e.g. how to submit tenders, terms of reference, forms, etc.). The tender documents can also be obtained from the European Environment Agency in three ways:

1. by downloading all documents from the EEA web-site (http://org.eea.eu.int/tenders)
2. by sending a request by e-mail to Stephane.Isoard@eea.eu.int
3. by writing a letter to the address above in I.1.

4) Address to which tenders/requests to participate must be sent: As in I.1.

5) Type of contracting authority: EU institution.

Section II: Object of the contract

1) Description

1.3) Type of service contract (in case of service contract): Service category 27.

1.4) Is it a framework agreement? No.

1.5) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority: Outlooks on selected agriculture variables for the 2005 State of the Environment and Outlook Report.

1.6) Description/object of the contract: Undertake quantitative outlooks for selected agriculture variables, including a baseline projection, sensitivity runs on key driving forces and two alternative scenarios. The outlook activities will have to supplement the existing projections used in the RAINS model within the framework of the CAFE (Clean Air For Europe, DG Environment) programme and, to do so, make use as much as possible of the existing European Commission projections developed up to 2009/2012 (DG Agriculture). The projections developed by the contractor will be used in the RAINS model, both within the CAFE framework and EEA's air and climate change scenarios developed by the European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change, in order to make projections of emissions of pollutants (e.g. nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3)).

Scope of the study: as many as possible of EEA 31 member countries + Switzerland. Results should be reported at national level. Timeframe: projections up to 2020 for all the parameters and variables given in Appendix A of the Terms of Reference, and as many as possible of these up to 2030.

The following tasks are foreseen:

Task 1: Provide an overview of the most recent and important outlooks at European and national levels for the selected agriculture variables

Provide an overview of the most recent and important outlooks at European and national levels for the selected agriculture variables. This implies providing a summary or synthesis, a comparison and an analysis of the main results. Due attention will have to be paid to the modelling tools used to undertake the projections.

Task 2: Detailed description and discussion of the driving forces for the selected agriculture variables

Provide a detailed description and discussion of the (economic, sectoral, political and social) driving forces for the selected agriculture variables and how the key driving forces affect (presently and in the future) farmers' and consumers' behaviours (e.g. risk attitude, technology adoption, etc.). Provide a detailed description and discussion of how the key driving forces and their impact on farmers' and consumers' behaviours are reflected/modelled within the quantitative tool to be used for the projections. Both demand and supply side (sectoral and technical) driving forces will have to be analysed. A sub-set of key driving forces should be defined in light of their importance for the selected agriculture variables in the future and the policy options. Undertake a discussion of the key assumptions, modelling approach and tools to be used to undertake the projections. In that perspective, the contractor will be provided with the relevant statistical data on agriculture by the EEA. EEA indicator fact sheets related to agriculture can be found at the following address: http://ims.eionet.eu.int/Topics/AGRI/indicators.

Task 3: Analysis of the future development of the key driving forces and running the baseline scenario for the selected agriculture variables

The baseline scenario for the selected agriculture variables will be based on an analysis of the future development of the key driving forces. The main uncertainties will be identified and discussed. The baseline scenario should include as much as possible all the agreed EU policies up to the end of 2003 (i.e. including 2003 CAP reform negotiations). For the development of the projections, due attention will also be paid to global issues (e.g. World Trade Organisation (WTO) arrangements, etc.). In order to ensure consistency and coherence between EEA's outlooks activities across sectors and themes, the assumptions on the future development of the driving forces will have to build on existing driving forces used by the EEA for the SoEOR2005 report, in particular for population trends, economic growth or water availability. A comparative assessment of the baseline scenario with the most recent and important outlooks for the selected agriculture variables will also be done. The sensitivity runs on key driving forces will be reported and the baseline projection will be re-interpreted in light of these.

Task 4: Development of two alternative scenarios to the baseline projection for the selected agriculture variables

The contractor will develop two alternative scenarios to the baseline projection based on an alternative analysis of the future development of the key driving forces. Storylines will be developed, including possible policies and measures, and options affecting the future development of the agriculture sector, e.g. contrasting a liberalized versus a protected EU agriculture market. Alternative assumptions for technological change/shift or social trends could also be the focus for such scenarios. The alternative scenarios will be discussed and agreed between the contractor and the EEA, taking into account the advice/comments from an Advisory Group. The EEA intends to set up an Advisory Group, consisting of representatives from the Commission (DG ENV, DG AGRI, DG TREN, DG RTD) and additional experts, for the air and climate change scenarios in the SoEOR2005 report. A sub-group could focus on the agriculture outlooks. A comparative assessment of the alternative scenarios with the most recent and important outlooks for the selected agriculture variables will also be done.

Task 5: Final report to the EEA

The results of the study shall be reported to the EEA in an interim report summarizing the results of tasks 5.2 and 5.3 and providing proposals for task 5.4 and 5.5 (no later than four months after signing the contract), a final draft report (no later than eight months after the signing of the contract) and a final report (no later than nine months after the signing of the contract). The database of the results, which should be delivered to the EEA in Microsoft Access or Excel formats, will have to include the entire outlook data used for the final report.

1.7) Site or location of works, place of delivery or performance: The work shall be executed from the contractor's offices, with regular contacts with Stephane Isoard, the EEA Project Manager at the EEA, see the address above in I.1.

NUTS code: DK001.

1.9) Division into lots: No.

1.10) Will variants be accepted: No.

3) Duration of the contract or time-limit for completion: Period in months: 9 (from the award of the contract).

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

1) Conditions relating to the contract

1.1) Deposits and guarantees required (if applicable): Not applicable.

1.2) Main terms of financing and payment and/or reference to the relevant provisions: Not applicable.

1.3) Legal form to be taken by the grouping of suppliers, contractors or service providers to whom the contract is awarded (if applicable): Not applicable.

2) Conditions for participation

2.1) Information concerning the personal situation of the contractor, supplier or service provider and information and formalities necessary for the evaluation of the minimum economic, financial and technical capacity required

2.1.1) Legal position - means of proof required: Proof of the legal status may be furnished by the following documents:

an identification sheet (name or business name, legal status, contact person, bank account, etc.).
Where applicable, references of inscription in the VAT-register.
Where applicable, references of inscription in the trade register.

2.1.2) Economic and financial capacity - means of proof required: Proof of economic and financial capacity may be furnished by one or more of the following documents:

appropriate statements from banks or evidence of professional risk indemnity insurance;
the presentation of balance sheets or extracts from balance sheets for at least the last two years for which accounts have been closed, where publication of the balance sheets is required under the company law of the country in which the economic operator is established.

2.1.3) Technical capacity - means of proof required: Evidence of the technical and professional capacity may be furnished by the following documents:

the educational or professional qualifications of the service provider or contractor and/or those of the firm's managerial staff and, in particular, those of the person or persons responsible for providing the services (indicate knowledge of and experience with information sources as well as a company profile showing good and proven knowledge of agriculture and environment issues at national and European levels and modelling activities in these areas);
a description of the measures employed to ensure the quality of services;
a list of the principal services provided in the last three years with the sums, dates and recipients, public or private;
an indication of the proportion of the contract, which the tenderer may intend to subcontract.

3) Conditions specific to services contracts

3.1) Is provision of the service reserved to a specific profession? No.

3.2) Will legal entities be required to state the names and professional qualifications of the personnel responsible for execution of the contract? Yes.

Section IV: Procedure

1) Type of procedure: Open.

2) Award criteria: The most economically advantageous tender in terms of:

1. soundness of the methodological and modelling approach (30).
2. Proven experience in modelling activities in the agriculture area as a tool to publish high quality outlook studies on agriculture issues for EEA's member countries. The contractor will provide a proven track record accordingly (20).
3. Competence of working team, as appearing from CVs (20).
4. Very good knowledge and understanding of agriculture issues at national and European levels, i.e. the driving forces, the institutional frameworks within which the policies are implemented (20).
5. Price (10) (in the awarding criteria the price will be valued as follows: 10 points for the cheapest offer, 0 points for the most expensive offer, whereas offers with prices in between will be valued pro rata).

The contract will be awarded to the tender offering the best value for money, considering the above criteria with the weighting in points given in brackets. For each criterion, the number of points to the awarded contractor shall be at least 50% of the maximum points.

3) Administrative information

3.1) Reference number attributed to the file by the contracting authority: EEA/RNC/03/016.

3.3) Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate (depending whether it is an open, restricted or negotiated procedure): 6.11.2003.

Time: 16.00.

3.5) Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up: Spanish, Danish, German, Greek, English, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish.

Other(s) - third country: Bulgarian; Czech; Estonian; Hungarian; Icelandic; Latvian; Lithuanian; Norwegian; Polish; Romanian; Slovak; Slovenian; Turkish.

3.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain its tender (in case of an open procedure): 6 months from the deadline stated for receipt of tenders.

3.7) Conditions for opening tenders

3.7.1) Persons authorized to be present at the opening of tenders (where applicable): European Environment Agency's representatives and one representative of each tenderer. Please inform Stephane Isoard by separate mail if you wish to attend the opening.

3.7.2) Date, time and place: Date: 14.11.2003. Time: 10.00.

Place: European Environment Agency, Kongens Nytorv 6, DK-1050 Copenhagen K.

Section VI: Other information

1) Is this notice a non-mandatory one? No.

3) Does the contract relate to a project/programme financed by EU funds? No.

4) Additional information (if applicable): Financing and payment:

prices must be quoted in euro;
prices must be fixed amounts;
estimated travel and subsistence expenses must be indicated separately in the breakdown of costs.

The consultant is expected to offer their services showing a budget for their activities, and stating daily rates according to the expertise offered and level of experience.

The maximum budget foreseen for this task is 90 000 EUR (including all costs). Thus, the tender proposal shall cover a budget maximum of 90 000 EUR including travel.

Submission of a tender implies acceptance of the terms specified in the Agency's 'General terms and conditions applicable to contracts' in all matters not governed by this invitation to tender and waiver your company's own terms of business.

Grounds for exclusion:

the tenderer shall provide an auto-declaration, preferably made on oath before a judicial or administrative authority, a notary or a competent professional or trade body by a person competent to do so on behalf of the tenderer, which states that none of the grounds for exclusion (please see General Terms and Conditions applicable to contracts, Art 2 (2)) applies to the tenderer.

5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 15.9.2003.

Download:

Annex I: Procedure for submitting an offer for Tender EEA/RNC/03/016

Annex II: Terms of reference

Annex III: Identification sheet

Annex IV: Draft service contract

Annex V: General terms and conditions

Annex VI: Reimbursement of travel expenses

Annex VII: Checklist for submitting an offer

Annex I-VII: All 7 annexes