Call for tenders for subcontracting an external evaluator for the  TOB-G EU funded project

Call for tenders for subcontracting an external evaluator for the TOB-G EU funded project

This call is issued by ENSP, which intends to commission a contract for the provision of external evaluation services for the EU funded project with the title “Tobacco Cessation Guidelines for High Risk Groups” / “TOB-G” (acronym).

In order to ensure a large visibility of this call for tenders, ENSP will publish the tender specifications on the TOB.G project website, on 20/6/2017, and keep it online for 10 calendar days (deadline for submission of bids: 30/6/2017).

  1. Summary of the project and description of the objective of the tender

The TOB-G project is a 30 month project, funded by the 3rd EU health program, aiming to develop and implement an innovative and cost effective approach to prevent chronic diseases related to tobacco dependence. The specialized guidelines for high risks groups will be developed according to ENSP’s evidence based and good practices in tobacco cessation. High risk populations are considered those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases, COPD, type 2 diabetes, adolescents & pregnant women. The project is implemented in 4 EU countries by 5 partners.

The project fits perfectly the objectives and priorities of the 3rd Health Programme, as it will assist health professionals to provide guidance and targeted prevention to high risk populations engaged to the unfavourable lifestyle of smoking. Training primary care physicians addresses the lack of specialist doctors in EU and increases access to tobacco cessation specialists. TOB-G project will enhance the overall European capacity in the treatment of tobacco dependence, thus, in the prevention of chronic diseases, through offering smoking cessation tools, appropriately assessed and fitted to the specific needs of high risk groups.

The developed guidelines will contain strategies and quit smoking recommendations designed to assist health professionals in delivering and supporting effective treatment of dependence on tobacco. Recommendations will be made as a result of scientific reviews and evidence of good practices from scientific groups that will consist of health professionals of different expertise.

To monitor the quality of the approach a pilot implementation of the tobacco cessation will be conducting for each group. Since the tobacco cessation guidelines will be addressed to health professionals, the partnership will develop and implement an e-learning training for guidelines use.

As part of its activities, the TOB-G project also encompasses an internal and external evaluation with distinct aims and objectives. According to the Grant Agreement of the TOB-G project, the external evaluation will be subcontracted to provide objectiveness and expertise.

  1. Description of tasks to be performed by the external evaluator and key deliverable

The external evaluator, will be in charge of designing and conducting an integrated evaluation methodology, encompassing the necessary research activities, as well as analysing the findings to produce valuable evaluation results. Moreover, the external evaluator will have to produce 1 external final evaluation report. The aim of the final external evaluation report is to provide to the Project Coordinator, the funding agency (i.e. Chafea) as well as to the TOB-G project partners and any other relevant stakeholders with concluding remarks, in terms of key outcomes and impact of the TOB-G project.

Moreover, the external evaluator is obliged to participate in internal meetings with ENSP members and might be also asked to take part in meetings with the participation of the Project Coordinator or any other TOB-G project partner, if required. The exact timing of the meetings to be held, will be specified at a later stage to the external evaluator.

Based on the above, the following key tasks are going to be performed by the external evaluator:

  • Design the evaluation methodology to be applied, taking into consideration the aims and objectives of the external evaluation and avoiding any duplications with the internal one.
  • Collection of data relevant to the project.
  • Synthetize and process the collected data into a comprehensive report.
  • Liaise closely with the internal evaluator and the Project Coordinator in order to provide feedback.
  • Present the final external evaluation report and its results to conferences and events, if needed. 
  1. Expertise and skills required for the external evaluator

Expertise required:

  • Expert knowledge of tobacco cessation, health strategies and health policies at a European context, with an emphasis on public health issues.
  • Good understanding of best practices to provide integrated healthcare to high risk groups.
  • Sound experience in formulating and carrying out a tailored methodology in order to assess the effectiveness of public health projects.

Skills required:

  • Competences on designing and / or evaluating complex, context dependent public health interventions.
  • Research skills, including conducting interviews, questionnaires surveys and processing collected data into a synthesis report.
  • Ability to work within specified deadlines and to respect budgetary limits.
  • Ability to travel, in case needed for the purpose of the external evaluation activities.
  1. Time schedule and reporting

The contract’s duration shall be from the date of signature of the relevant contract until 30/11/2017. The subcontractor will be asked to finalise its evaluation plan and submit it by 20/11/2017. The plan will be reviewed by ENSP and the Project Coordinator and will be subject to change, based on acquired comments. The final external evaluation report is due to be submitted on 30/11/2017 (M30 of the TOB-G project’s implementation).

  1. Payment

The total maximum budget available for the fees of the subcontractor is eleven thousand euro (11.000€) with all taxes, included in the aforementioned amount. The subcontractor will be remunerated in various instalments (advance and final payment). It should be noted that the subcontractor’s remuneration include the travel and subsistence costs incurred for attending project meetings and conducting the related research activities.

  1. Selection criteria for the participation in the Tender

The competent candidate should have significant experience in the following domains:

  • Experience in EU funded projects.
  • Experience in evaluation of programmes, policies or projects.
  • Experience in the PH domain as well as in the health policy.

The above criteria can be proven by the candidates’ profiles and/or cvs’ of key staff involved in his/her offer.

Moreover, the price should not exceed the amount stated above.

  1. Form, structure and content of the tender

Tenders must be written in English. They must be signed by the tenderer or his duly authorised representative and perfectly legible so that there can be no doubt as to words and figures. Tenders must be clear and concise and assembled in a coherent fashion. Since tenderers will be judged on the content of their written bids, they must make it clear that they are able to meet the requirements of the specifications.

All tenders must include the following information:

  • Description of professional experience;
  • Detailed curriculum vitae of key coordinator and/or possible other team members;
  • Financial proposal with prices quoted in euros;

Prices must be fixed amounts and shall not include travel expenses and daily allowances for research activities and meeting attendance.

  1. Award Criteria

The contract will be awarded to the tender offering the lowest price, taking into account the specific objectives, requirements and selection criteria of the tender. The principles of transparency and equal treatment will be respected with a view to avoiding any conflicts of interest.

  1. Submission of tenders

This call for tenders will be published on the TOBg website of ENSP on 20/6/2017. Offers must be sent within 10 days of the date of publication, by 30/6/2017 to ENSP:

  1. either by post, to be posted no later than 30/6/2017 to the following postal address:

ENSP,

Address

Chaussee d’Ixelles 144, 1050, Brussels  Belgium

 (Call for tenders for subcontracting an external evaluator for the TOB-G EU funded project

For the Attention of the ENSP General-Secretary, Cornel Radu Loghin)

2. Or by email, by 12.00 hrs at 30/6/2017 at the latest, at the following email address:

cornel.radu@ensp.org

3. Or delivered in person at ENSP headquarters, by 12.00 hrs at 30/6/2017 at the latest.

By submitting a tender, tenderers shall accept the terms and conditions of this call for tender.

Belgian Law shall apply to the Contract resulting from this invitation to tender.

 

Cornel Radu Loghin

ENSP General-Secretary

ENSP

 

 

The Content of this Call for Tenders, represents the views of the author only and is his / her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and / or the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may made of the information it contains.

 

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