03 - 10045729 Terms of Reference - ToR.pdf

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Terms of reference (ToR) for the procurement of

services below the EU threshold

CONFIDENTIAL

Project number/ Study on Export Diversification and Structural Transformation of cost centre: Cambodia G-012331-02 Tender number 10045729

0. List of abbreviations ..................................................................................................... 2

1. Context ......................................................................................................................... 3

2. Tasks to be performed by the contractor ...................................................................... 4

3. Concept ........................................................................................................................ 8 Technical-methodological concept ............................................................................... 9 Project management of the contractor (1.6) ................................................................. 9 Further requirements (1.7) ............................................................................................ 9

4. Personnel concept.......................................................................................................10 Team leader ................................................................................................................10 Team leader and export diversification specialist (goods and services) .......................10 Short-term expert pool 1 with minimum 2, maximum 3 members for Trade Diversification Specialists ...................................................................................11 Short-term expert pool 2 with minimum 2, maximum 3 members for national consultants .........................................................................................................12

5. Costing requirements ..................................................................................................13 Assignment of personnel and travel expenses ............................................................13 Sustainability aspects for travel ...................................................................................13 Workshops, events and trainings .................................................................................15

6. Inputs of GIZ or other actors ........................................................................................15

7. Requirements on the format of the tender ...................................................................16

1 Form 41-14-9-en

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0. List of abbreviations

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1. Context

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a German federal enterprise and offers workable, sustainable and effective solutions for political, economic and social change processes. Most of our work is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). GIZ also implements projects on behalf of public and private bodies in Germany and abroad. GIZ operates throughout Germany and in more than 130 countries worldwide with about 17,000 staff members around the globe, some 70% of whom are employed locally as national personnel.

The European Union Global Access and Trade Expertise (EU GATE) is co-financed by the European Union and the BMZ and implemented by GIZ as a contribution to the Multi-Donor Initiative “Global Gateway” led by the European Union. The project works to improve regulations, measures and practices in Cambodia in support of inclusive and sustainable exports to the EU and regional markets. The main direct beneficiaries are the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), especially the General Directorate of Customs and Excise (GDCE) and selected other public and private entities.

The project focuses on five main Output areas:

• Output area 1: Strengthened capacity of target public and private sector stakeholders in formulation and implementation of laws, policies, and strategies on environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive trade development (gender and disability inclusive and resulting in decent work conditions) with a focus on graduation from least developed country (LDC) status • Output area 2: Improved capacity of target private and public sectors’ stakeholders on legal and regulatory framework for digital economy including Consumers’ and data protection rights • Output area 3: Enhanced capacity of General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) and Other Government Agencies (OGA) in risk management application • Output area 4: Strengthened capacity of GDCE and OGAs in trade facilitation • Output area 5: Increased capacity of target SMEs, including women owned, in selected value chains on access to ASEAN, EU and other markets. The planned assignment is part of Output 1: Trade Policy through Cambodia’s capacity to formulate and implement successfully laws, policies, and strategies in support of environmentally and socially (gender and disability inclusive and resulting in decent work conditions) sustainable trade development, is strengthened while preparing for LDC graduation.

Cambodia has achieved strong export growth over the past two decades. Exports remain highly concentrated in a limited number of sectors, mainly garments, footwear, travel goods, bicycles, and a small number of agricultural products. This concentration creates exposure to external demand shocks and limits opportunities for value addition and structural transformation.

Cambodia’s upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status will progressively reduce preferential market access and increase competitive pressures. To sustain growth, Cambodia must strengthen export competitiveness, diversify its export base, support domestic value addition, and identify new realistic export opportunities aligned with national development priorities.

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The Royal Government of Cambodia has identified export diversification and structural transformation as priorities under key national strategies such as the Pentagonal Strategy Output I, the Cambodia Trade Policy Framework 2030, and Vision 2050. In this context, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) seeks to strengthen the analytical basis for identifying priority export sectors and products and defining practical policy responses.

Within this context, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), with support from the EU and Germany under the EU-German GATE program, seeks to strengthen the analytical basis for identifying realistic export diversification opportunities and practical policy responses. As part of this support, a focused analytical study will be commissioned to assess priority products and markets and develop a practical export diversification roadmap for Cambodia.

The assignment will:

• Will conduct an in-depth analysis of the specific opportunities, assess market demand, standards, rules of origin and other elements that might be relevant for the opportunities in the EU and ASEAN markets. • Assess the specific requirements in EU and ASEAN markets for selected products, including demand conditions, regulatory standards, rules of origin, and other market entry requirements relevant to Cambodian exporters; • Provide specific recommendations in terms of trade policies and strategies, as well as concrete actions for the private sector; • draw lessons from regional comparators The study is expected to prioritize depth of analysis over breadth. The analysis will therefore focus on a limited number of priority products (up to 20-25) rather than a large mapping exercise. This approach aims to ensure realistic and implementable policy recommendations as well as specific actions to be implemented to facilitate the access of Cambodian SMEs to selected markets/products.

2. Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The contractor is responsible for conducting a comprehensive analytical study on export diversification potential of Cambodia according to its export structure, in the context of LDC graduation, providing concrete recommendations in terms of policy and support to the private sector.

The contractor shall ensure close coordination with GIZ and the Ministry of Commerce throughout the assignment. The contractor shall also coordinate consultations with relevant ministries, private sector representatives, and development partners where relevant. The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

The export structure assessment and product shortlisting will be carried out under a smooth transition strategy development team and will constitute the analytical point of departure for this study. Please refer to Annex 1 for detailed information of tasks and outputs which will be done under STS development team. That team will provide the following agreed inputs:

• An analysis of Cambodia’s export structure and diversification trends, based on HS 6- digit data and internationally recognized market intelligence tools (ITC Trade Map, ITC Export Potential Map, UN Comtrade, GDCE statistics). • A validated shortlist of approximately 20 priority agricultural commodity and/or light manufacturing products, product selection criteria, scoring methodology, and justification matrix, agreed with MoC and the EU GATE team.

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These inputs will be shared with the contractor at the start of the assignment. The contractor shall review this material during the inception phase and flag any concerns to GIZ and MoC before commencing Output 1.

Output 1. Export potential assessment (to selected markets in EU and ASEAN)

Taking the shortlisted products provided by the parallel expert team as the starting point, the contractor shall conduct a structured analysis of EU and ASEAN market entry conditions and competitiveness requirements for each product. The analysis shall apply the following ten criteria, combining demand-side and supply-side dimensions:

• Demand conditions and market size: current import volumes, growth trends, and key buyer segments in the EU and ASEAN for each priority product. • Regulatory and technical requirements: applicable SPS measures, technical barriers to trade (TBT), food safety regulations, labelling, packaging, and conformity assessment procedures in the target market. • Rules of Origin and preferential access: product-specific origin criteria under applicable trade agreements (EBA, DFTP, ASEAN FTAs), cumulation possibilities, documentation requirements, and the practical implications of LDC graduation on preferential treatment. • Certification and compliance readiness: the extent to which Cambodian producers already hold, or are on a realistic pathway to obtaining, the certifications and quality standards required by the target market. • Sustainability and due diligence obligations: EU regulations on deforestation (EUDR), corporate sustainability due diligence (CSDDD), carbon border adjustments, and equivalent environmental and social standards applicable to Cambodian exporters in ASEAN markets. • Competitive positioning: how Cambodian products compare to competing supplier countries in terms of price, quality, delivery reliability, and buyer sourcing trends in the target market. • Cambodia’s current export performance: existing export volumes, established buyers or trading relationships, and proximity to meeting market requirements. • Domestic production capacity and supply conditions: availability of raw materials, processing capacity, production scale, and ability to supply consistently at required volumes. • Logistics, trade facilitation, and market linkages: logistics constraints affecting timely delivery, key trade facilitation bottlenecks, and access to buyer networks or intermediaries in the target market. • Policy and institutional support: relevance of existing national trade and industrial policies, available export support instruments, and institutional coordination mechanisms that can facilitate market entry.

Expected outputs:

• Product-level market requirements profiles covering all the criteria for each priority product and targeted markets • Market access gap assessment identifying the main requirements Cambodian exporters still need to meet to enter or expand in priority markets • Practical compliance pathways for Cambodian SMEs, identifying key steps, costs, and timelines for each priority product

Output 2. International benchmarking

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The contractor shall:

• Propose and justify a list of 4 benchmark countries, applying the following selection criteria: o (a) comparable level of economic development and export sophistication to Cambodia at time of diversification push; o (b) recent or ongoing LDC graduation process, or comparable structural transformation challenge; o (c) relevant experience diversifying exports toward EU or ASEAN markets in product categories covered by this study; o (d) geographic and institutional diversity to ensure breadth of lessons. Recommended candidate countries to consider include Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, and Senegal, though the final selection shall be justified and agreed with GIZ and MoC at inception stage. • Review these 4 countries export diversification strategies • Analyze relevant policy instruments including: o LDC STS strategy if applicable (if the selected countries selected is/are an LDC), o export structure and export diversification strategies implemented, o export promotion and market development instruments used, o Integration into regional/international value chains of national SMEs, o institutional coordination models. • Identify lessons applicable to Cambodia

Expected outputs:

• Benchmarking report • Identification of good practices and lessons learned relevant and practical to Cambodia

Output 3: Trade in services quick overview

The contractor shall:

• Identify services with relevant export potential (eg. GVC framework in terms of service linkages); • Provide overview of market access opportunities; • Assess relevance of services in export diversification.

Expected outputs:

• Note on integrating trade in services in future export diversification or export promotion strategy Output 4. Report on Cambodia’s Export Diversification Potential with Strategic Recommendations

The contractor shall:

• Recommend policy and strategies’ actions • Propose institutional coordination mechanisms • Define short-, medium-, and long-term targets and actions, identifying institutional roles for MOC and other relevant ministries/agencies.

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• Provide policy recommendations, and actionable actions to promote diversification in selected products/markets with concrete recommendations for the private sector associations and companies. • Provide concrete recommendations on Cambodia’s future market access negotiating positions for priority products, including offensive interests (areas where Cambodia seeks improved access) and defensive interests (areas requiring protection from competitive imports). • Propose a set of priority FTA-related actions for MoC, including capacity building needs in trade negotiation and sequencing of bilateral and multilateral engagement.

Expected outputs:

• Final report on Cambodia’s Export Diversification Potential with Strategic Recommendations Final report, including all deliverables and recommendations

Stakeholder consultations and workshops

The contractor shall support up to three stakeholder consultation workshops in Phnom Penh organized by GIZ. The contractor shall:

• Prepare technical materials and presentations. • Support technical discussions. • Integrate feedback into study outputs.

Field missions

The contractor shall conduct up to four field missions to Cambodia to support market requirement analysis. Each mission is expected to involve approximately three experts, including at least one national expert. The missions shall focus on priority sectors identified during the study.

Deliverables and milestones

Certain milestones, as laid out in the table below, are to be achieved during the contract term:

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Output 3: International Acceptance by GIZ and MoC benchmarking report covering that benchmark country 4 justified benchmark selection is justified, analysis countries, analysis of policy Month 4 Contractor is relevant, and good instruments, export promotion practices are clearly identified strategies, and lessons and applicable to Cambodia applicable to Cambodia

Period of assignment: from mid November, 2026, until May 30, 2027.

Project management responsibilities

The contractor is responsible for:

• Selecting and managing the expert team • Ensuring quality control of deliverables • Managing internal coordination of experts • Managing costs and administrative processes • Reporting regularly to GIZ • Coordinating technical exchanges with the Ministry of Commerce

Reporting

The contractor shall provide:

• An inception report. • Progress updates as requested by GIZ. • Draft and final reports. • Presentations of findings.

3. Concept

In the tender, the tenderer is required to show how the objectives defined in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed) are to be achieved, if applicable under consideration of further method-related requirements (technical-methodological concept). In addition, the tenderer must describe the project management system for service provision.

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Technical-methodological concept

Strategy (1.1): The tenderer is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services put out to tender (see Chapter 1 Context) (1.1.1). Following this, the tenderer presents and justifies the explicit strategy with which it intends to provide the services for which it is responsible (see Chapter 2 Tasks to be performed) (1.1.2).

The tenderer is required to present the actors relevant for the services for which it is responsible and describe the cooperation (1.2) with them.

The tenderer is required to present and explain its approach to steering the measures with the project partners (1.3.1) and its contribution to the results-based monitoring system (1.3.2).

The tenderer is required to describe the key processes for the services for which it is responsible and create an operational plan or schedule (1.4.1) that describes how the services according to Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) are to be provided. In particular, the tenderer is required to describe the necessary work steps and, if applicable, take account of the milestones and contributions of other actors (partner contributions) in accordance with Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed) (1.4.2).

The tenderer is required to describe its contribution to knowledge management for the partner (1.5.1) and GIZ and to promote scaling-up effects (1.5.2) under learning and innovation.

Project management of the contractor (1.6)

The tenderer is required to explain its approach for coordination with the GIZ project. In particular, the project management requirements specified in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) must be explained in detail.

The tenderer is required to draw up a personnel assignment plan with explanatory notes that lists all the experts proposed in the tender; the plan includes information on assignment dates (duration and expert days) and locations of the individual members of the team complete with the allocation of work steps as set out in the schedule.

The tenderer is required to describe its backstopping concept. The following services are part of the standard backstopping package, which (like ancillary personnel costs) must be factored into the fee schedules of the staff listed in the tender in accordance with Section 3.1 of the GIZ AVB:

• Service-delivery control • Managing adaptations to changing conditions • Ensuring the flow of information between the tenderer and GIZ • Assuming personnel responsibility for the contractor’s experts • Process-oriented steering for implementation of the commission • Securing the administrative conclusion of the project

Further requirements (1.7)

The tenderer shall explain how the following cross-cutting considerations will be integrated into the assignment:

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Gender equality and inclusion: The tenderer shall describe how the analysis will consider gender aspects, including opportunities for women led businesses and inclusive participation in export sectors.

SME development: The tenderer shall describe how recommendations will support SME participation in export diversification and integration into value chains.

Environmental sustainability: The tenderer shall explain how environmental sustainability considerations may be reflected in export diversification opportunities, where relevant.

Institutional capacity development: The tenderer shall describe how the assignment will contribute to strengthening the analytical and policy capacity of the Ministry of Commerce.

Practical policy orientation: The tenderer shall demonstrate how the study will remain focused on practical and implementable recommendations rather than purely academic analysis.

4. Personnel concept

The tenderer is required to provide personnel who are suited to filling the positions described, on the basis of their CVs (see Chapter 7), the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

Team leader

Team leader and export diversification specialist (goods and services)

Tasks of the team leader

• Overall responsibility for quality and timely delivery of all outputs. • Coordination of the expert team. • Main technical focal point for GIZ and the Ministry of Commerce. • Analyze export markets and demand trends, review market access conditions. • Conduct potential export analysis, including on services. • Supervising preparation of reports and presentations. • Supporting stakeholder consultations and workshops. • Ensuring quality control of all deliverables. • Reporting to GIZ according to agreed timelines.

Qualifications of the team leader

• Education/training (2.1.1): Master’s degree in economics, international trade, development economics, industrial policy, or related field. • Language (2.1.2): English C1 level required. • General professional experience (2.1.3): 15 years of professional experience in the trade policy and trade development sector • Specific professional experience (2.1.4): 8 years of experience in two of the following areas: export diversification analysis, trade competitiveness analysis, FTA negotiations (trade in goods), export strategy development, value chain analysis

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• Leadership/management experience (2.1.5): 5 years of experience as team leader or project manager in analytical or advisory assignments. • Regional experience (2.1.6): 5 years of experience in projects in Southeast Asia of which 2 years in projects in Least Developed Countries including Cambodia • Development cooperation (DC) experience (2.1.7): 5 years of experience working on donor funded projects • Other (2.1.8): practical experience with export potential assessment tools and methodologies, in a development context.

Soft skills of team members

In addition to their specialist qualifications, the following qualifications are required of team members:

• Team skills • Initiative • Communication skills • Socio-cultural skills • Efficient, partner- and client-focused working methods • Interdisciplinary thinking

Short-term expert pool 1 with minimum 2, maximum 3 members for Trade Diversification Specialists

For the technical assessment, an average of the qualifications of all specified members of the expert pool is calculated. Please send a CV for each pool member (see below Chapter 7 Requirements on the format of the bid) for the assessment.

For the technical assessment, an average of the qualifications of all specified members of the expert pool is calculated. Please send a CV for each pool member (see below Chapter 7 Requirements on the format of the bid) for the assessment.

Tasks of the short-term expert pool 1:

Tasks of key experts

• Lead the EU and ASEAN market requirements analysis for shortlisted products, covering demand conditions, regulatory and technical requirements, rules of origin, and compliance pathways • Analyze market access conditions and competitiveness factors for priority products in EU and ASEAN markets, including SPS, TBT, certification, and sustainability requirements • Assess rules of origin, preferential access conditions, and the implications of LDC graduation for priority products • Develop practical compliance pathways and market entry recommendations for Cambodian exporters • Contribute to benchmarking analysis and policy recommendations, and support the FTA implications output

Qualifications of the short-term expert pool 1

• Education/training (2.6.1): Master’s degree in economics, international trade, development economics, or related field. • Language (2.6.2): English C1 level required

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• General professional experience (2.6.3): 10 years of relevant professional experience in trade policy, market access analysis, export development, or sector development • Specific professional experience (2.6.4): 5 years of experience in trade competitiveness analysis, market access requirements (EU or ASEAN), export diversification, or trade policy advisory work • Regional experience (2.6.5): 5 years’ experience in ASEAN economies, of which 2 years working experience in Cambodia • Development cooperation (DC) experience (2.6.6): 5 years’ experience in donor funded projects

Short-term expert pool 2 with minimum 2, maximum 3 members for national consultants

For the technical assessment, an average of the qualifications of all specified members of the expert pool is calculated. Please send a CV for each pool member (see below Chapter 7 Requirements on the format of the bid) for the assessment.

For the technical assessment, an average of the qualifications of all specified members of the expert pool is calculated. Please send a CV for each pool member (see below Chapter 7 Requirements on the format of the bid) for the assessment.

Tasks of the short-term expert pool 2:

Tasks of key experts

Tasks of the national consultant

• Support stakeholder consultations • Support field missions (if any) • Support data collection • Provide sector insights • Support logistics coordination • Contribute to analysis, study and validation workshops

Qualifications of the short-term expert pool 2

• Education/training (2.7.1): bachelor’s degree in economics, business, trade, agriculture, industry, or related field. • Language (2.7.2): English C1 level • General professional experience (2.7.3): 5 years of relevant professional experience in working in the field of trade, economics, investment and/or regional integration • Specific professional experience (2.7.4): 3 years’ experience in one of the following: trade analysis, sector studies, private sector development, SME development, value chains • Development cooperation (DC) experience (2.7.6): 2 years’ experience in donor funded projects

The tenderer must provide a clear overview of all proposed short-term experts and their individual qualifications.

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5. Costing requirements

Assignment of personnel and travel expenses

Per diem allowances are reimbursed as a lump sum up to the maximum amounts permissible under tax law for each country as set out in the country table in the circular from the German Federal Ministry of Finance on travel expense remuneration (downloadable from the Bundesfinanzministerium - Steuerliche Behandlung von Reisekosten und Reisekostenvergütungen bei betrieblich und beruflich veranlassten Auslandsreisen ab 1. January 2026.

Accommodation allowances are reimbursed as detailed in the specification of inputs below.

With special justification, additional Accommodation costs up to a reasonable amount can be reimbursed against evidence.

All business travel must be agreed in advance by the officer responsible for the project

Sustainability aspects for travel

GIZ has undertaken an obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO emissions) 2 caused by travel. When preparing your tender, please incorporate options for reducing emissions, such as selecting the lowest-emission booking class (economy) and using means of transport, airlines and flight routes with a higher CO efficiency. For short distances, travel 2 by train (second class) or e-mobility should be the preferred option.

CO emissions caused by air travel must be offset. GIZ specifies a budget for this, through 2 which the carbon offsets can be settled against evidence.

There are many different providers in the market for emissions certificates, and they have different climate impact ambitions. The Development and Climate Alliance (German only) has published a list of standards (German only). GIZ recommends using the standards specified there.

Specification of inputs

The following basic calculations for the contract for works are a reference value based on the acceptance criteria for each partial work/milestone specified in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor).

Since the contract to be concluded is a contract for works, we would ask you to offer your services at a lump sum price.

In addition, the assessment of the financial bid is also based on the underlying daily rate. Please also provide the underlying daily rate. A breakdown of days is not required.

Milestones/partial works Estimated expert days for Deadline/place/person orientation responsible

Output 1 (inception report): 15 days 1 month after the contract detailed methodology, work signs, contractor plan, approach to ten-criteria

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product analysis, and stakeholder consultation plan

Output 2: EU and ASEAN 25 days 3 months after the contract market requirements signs, conractor analysis for all shortlisted products, covering the ten criteria, including product- level market requirements profiles, market access gap assessment, and compliance pathways for Cambodian SMEs

Output 3: International 25 days 4 months after the contract benchmarking report signs, contractor covering 4 justified benchmark countries, analysis of policy instruments, export promotion strategies, and lessons applicable to Cambodia

Output 4: Trade in services 15 days 4 months after the contract quick overview, including signs, contractor identification of services with export potential and relevance for export diversification strategy

Output 5: Draft final report 20 days 5 months after the contract on Cambodia's export signs, contractor diversification potential with strategic recommendations, integrating all outputs

Output 6 (final report): 20 days 6 months after the contract revised report incorporating signs, contractor comments, executive summary, policy brief, and presentation to MoC

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Workshops, events and trainings

The contractor shall support three stakeholder workshops organized by GIZ in Phnom Penh:

• Stakeholder consultations and data gathering • Stakeholder consultations on the selection of priority products and target markets Validation workshop

The contractor shall budget for:

• preparation time, • expert participation, • preparation of presentations, • incorporation of feedback.

Logistical costs of workshops will be covered directly by GIZ.

6. Inputs of GIZ or other actors

GIZ and the Ministry of Commerce will provide support necessary to facilitate implementation of the assignment. The contractor remains responsible for the technical delivery of the study.

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GIZ will provide the following inputs:

• Overall contractual supervision of the assignment • Technical guidance where required • Facilitation of coordination with the Ministry of Commerce • Organization and logistical arrangements for three stakeholder workshops in Phnom Penh • Support in facilitating contacts with relevant stakeholders where required • Review of deliverables and provision of comments

7. Requirements on the format of the tender

The structure of the tender must correspond to the structure of the ToR. In particular, the detailed structure of the concept (Chapter 3) should be organized in accordance with the positively weighted criteria in the assessment grid (not with zero). The tender must be legible (font size 11 or larger) and clearly formulated. It must be drawn up in English.

The complete tender must not exceed 10 pages (excluding CVs). If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g. links to websites) will also not be considered.

The CVs of the personnel proposed in accordance with Chapter 4 of the ToRs must be submitted using the format specified in the terms and conditions for application. The CVs shall not exceed 4 pages each. They must clearly show the position and job the proposed person held in the reference project and for how long. The CVs will be submitted in English.

As the contract to be concluded is a contract for works, please offer a fixed lump sum price that covers all relevant costs (fees, travel expenses etc.). The price bid will be evaluated on the basis of the specified lump sum price. In addition, please also provide the underlying daily rate. A breakdown of days is not required.

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