1

Emmanuel Brigot
Federico Argentino

ebrigot@yahoo.fr
federicoargentino@yahoo.com

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

1

What are the objectives and contents of this course?

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

▪ Preparation of a tender to implement a
development cooperation project:
▪ We will prepare together a tender, as if we were a
service provider to the EU.

▪ Tender (technical and financial proposal)?

▪ Document presenting, in the framework of a
procurement procedure, the resources and
methodology that are proposed to implement a
project.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 3

Via this tender preparation exercise:

▪ How EU development cooperation projects are designed,

financed, awarded, implemented and evaluated
▪ How and by whom development cooperation projects are
implemented
▪ EU procurement and management procedures and systems
▪ Linked with others courses
▪ Practical course with case studies > learning by doing

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 4

▪ Session 1: Key information on EU Development Cooperation
projects + preparing an Expression of Interest

▪ Session 2: Preparing and managing a budget

▪ Session 3: Identifying experts and managing a team

▪ Session 4: Drafting a methodology - Preparing a project work

plan

▪ Session 5: Logframe + Contract implementation

▪ Session 6: Presentation and evaluation of proposals

Each session
i) An interactive lecture on the selected topic
ii) At least one hour working in groups on case studies.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 5

Your 3 main tasks:

➢ Participate during the sessions

➢ Prepare a full proposal in groups

➢ Take a short individual test (TBC / Feb-Mar’23?)

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 6

1. Key facts on EU development cooperation projects

2. EU procurement systems and procedures

3. First tender stage: contract notice > preparation of an

expression of interest

4. Setting-up a consortium (identifying partners)

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 7

▪ Let’s try to get to know each other

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 8

▪ Emmanuel BRIGOT Project Manager
▪ Federico ARGENTINO Project Coordinator
EU-COBA Project - Consultant

▪ The entities we work for:

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 9

 1. Business development

2. Management of a portfolio of
projects
▪ Human resources management
▪ Financial management
▪ Supervision/coordination of
activities, deliverables, etc.
▪ Coordination, liaising with the
Client

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 10

▪ Multilateral and
bilateral donors

▪ Morocco, Nepal,
Kenya, Mozambique,
Colombia,

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▪ Could you tell us more about you?

▪ Your visit to the European Commission

▪ The course « Debates about aid effectiveness »

▪ The courses on project monitoring, financial management and MS

project

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 12

 • Have you already being involved in the implementation of a
development cooperation project?

• Do you want to manage development cooperation projects (as

part of your professional plans)?

• Have you already prepared a proposal (request for funding)?

• Have you found an internship?

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 13

2

How the EU finances and implements its strategy and policies?

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

New policy trend
▪ EU versus Global challenges now through International Partnership

▪ Set out the Global Gateway strategy: “for sustainable and trusted
connections that work for people and the planet” - up to €300 Billion in
investments until 2027

In a Nutshell
▪ Same Policy areas
▪ Similar tools but with new names and
▪ Increased holistic strategy approach

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 15

▪ For a reinforced connectivity in partner countries
▪ 6 main principles:
▪ Democratic values and high standards
▪ Good governance and transparency
▪ Equal partnerships
▪ Green and clean
▪ Security focused
▪ Catalyzing private sector investment

▪ Origin: EU action on development is based on the Lisbon treaty –

> Common vision of EU
▪ Main specific strategic docs & links:

▪ European Consensus on Development (new version): ‘OUR WORLD,

OUR DIGNITY, OUR FUTURE’
▪ https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/european-
development-policy_en

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 16

▪ Financial : €79.5 Billion (2021-27 for SDGs)
▪ EU + Member States first donor: more than 60% of Dev Aid (bi-multi)
▪ EuropeAid/INTPA (European Commission): more than 1500
projects/year all over the world
▪ Political : Increase dialogue, reinforce partnerships
▪ Enlargement, Neighbourhood,
▪ ACP/OACPS,
▪ European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD+), EUTF, etc..

▪ Economic:
▪ World growth
▪ International trade
▪ Technological transfer, etc.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 17

▪ EU Programming / priorities:

▪ Geographic Multi-Annual Indicative programmes (MIPs)

▪ Thematic MIPs
▪ EC Annual Action Plans

▪ EU funding instruments :

▪ Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and

International Cooperation Instrument
▪ European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+)
▪ Budget support
▪ Guarantees and blending
▪ Trust funds
▪ EU Forms for funding:

▪ Grants
▪ Tenders
▪ Framework contracts

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 18

▪ “A project is a series of activities aimed at
bringing about clearly specified objectives
within a defined time-period and with a defined
budget” EU PCM Manual

▪ Essentials of a development cooperation

project:
▪ A funding organisation
▪ A budget
▪ An operator
▪ A beneficiary
▪ Objectives
▪ Activities
▪ Results
▪ Timeframe
M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 19
▪ Variety of projects
▪ Variety of intervention sectors
▪ Need for a methodology to :
▪ Create a common frame
▪ Standardize processes of Aid Delivery
▪ Control procedures
▪ Monitor expenditures
▪ Support in monitoring and decision
▪ Improve results
▪ Allow an evaluation of actions

-> Project Cycle Management : A tool for project management

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 20

 Country Strategy Paper
National Indicative Programme

Evaluation reports

Pre-feasibility
study
Project Reports
Identification/
Monitoring reports project fiche

Contract with operators Feasibility study

Annual Action Plan

ToR -> Call for tender Financing agreement Programme
Financing proposal
Action Document
M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 21
 3 main actors
Funding
organisation

Beneficiary Operator

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 22

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 23
3

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

▪ We have selected 7 projects for which we will give you the
whole tender documents
▪ We need 3 or 4 groups of 3 to 4 students. Each group will be
working on their project up to the finalisation of their proposal
▪ The stages are:
▪ Prepare an expression of interest
▪ Prepare a budget
▪ Select a team of experts
▪ Prepare a methodology and work plan

▪ We will go through all the steps with you.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 25

 Increase of
Enterprise
Competitiveness and
Technical assistance Export promotion -
for sustainable Kosovo EU - Viet Nam
tourism Strategic Dialogue
development in EU support to the Facility
Mardin - Turkey Palestinian Ministry
of National Economy
for Trade Policy
Formulation and
Technical assistance WTO accession Technical Assistance
to the standards and to Support Promotion
market access of Social Dialogue -
programme – Kenya building Lebanon
development
capacities of
Jordanian
municipalities

Now, select your project and your team!

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 26
 Congratulations, you were recruited by
NIRAS to become a Project Manager!

Your Director asks you to prepare a full

tender proposal!

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 27

4

How does the EU contract organisations to implement

projects?

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

▪ Public procurement = acquisition by a public
authority of goods, services or works from an
external source.

▪ In order to prevent fraud, corruption, anti-

competitive behaviour, protectionism, etc.,
public procurement is regulated.

▪ Ensure that qualified contractors are chosen

without bias and that the best value for
money or the best price is obtained, with the
full transparency appropriate to the use of
public funds.

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 Aim: best use of public funds (taxpayers money!!)

▪ Widest competition
▪ Sound financial management (best price)
▪ Proportionality
▪ Transparency
▪ Equal treatment

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▪ Widest competition
Open competition to get better prices and
quality

▪ Equal treatment
All parties in the same situation shall be
treated in the same way

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▪ Sound financial management
Economy, efficiency and effectiveness > best price

▪ Proportionality
Fewer requirements for small purchases > different
procurement systems/thresholds

▪ Transparency
Ex-ante and ex-post
▪ Tenders electronic daily (TED)
▪ OJ- Official Journal of the EU
ATTENTION: Domain name ‘EuropeAid’ has been replaced by
International Partnerships.
▪ 1) For Calls for Tenders, published after 1st of August 2020,
please refer to the Funding and Tenders Portal : “Funding and
Tender Opportunities Portal (F&T Portal)” Single Electronic
Data Interchange Area (SEDIA)
▪ 2) Prior Information Notices (PIN) are no longer mandatory
but if required they can be found via TED eNotices, by
selecting the criteria: “External aid programmes”

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 32

 In the case of EU external
actions, ONE GUIDE with all
the regulations, procedures
and templates up to award of
a contract and
implementation:
https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/ExactExternalWiki/ePRAG

but also
https://international-
partnerships.ec.europa.eu/funding/guidelines/financial-
management-toolkit-recipients-eu-funds-external-actions_en
(NB: The toolkit is not a set of rules in addition to the existing legal, contractual and regulatory
M2 -framework)
DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 33
▪ Supplies
▪ Materials, furniture, IT, equipment etc.

▪ Works
▪ Infrastructures: Roads, bridges, buildings

▪ Services
▪ Technical Assistance
▪ Study
▪ Training
▪ Formulation, evaluation, etc.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 34

▪ To implement and manage their development aid projects,
donor agencies select operators among:

➢ NGOs

➢ Institutional Actors

➢ Private consulting firms or para-public agencies

➢ Majority of private firms

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 35

 Complexity of the procedure

Restricted procedure
€

FWC or
negotiated
procedure
900,000 €

Single Tender
20,000 €
Invoice
2,500 €
0
M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 36
Contract prior
Evaluation Publication Submis- Evaluation Award
information
Committee shortlist sion tender Committee contract
notice - forecast

Contract Submission Tender Publication

notice Application documents contract
sent award

Min. 30 Min. 30
days days Min. 50 days
37
M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders
5

Expression of interest

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

 Expression of How does the EU pre-
interest (+/-20 select applicants?
applications)
1st step: pre-selection
of applicants with HR,
financial and
technical resources
Full proposal (< 8
applications) 2nd step: full detailed
proposal
(methodology, team,
budget)

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 39

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-
services/index.cfm?ADSSChck=1420559287565&do=publi.welcome&userlan
guage=en
Note carefully the EuropeAid reference number!

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 40

▪ Must provide "would–be service providers" with the
information they need to determine their capacity to fulfil the
contract in question

▪ Selection criteria to establish a short-list of candidates allowed

to submit a full proposal

▪ Tenderer can apply in this phase by submitting the standard

application form

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 41

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 42
▪ Contract description
▪ Number and titles of lots
▪ Maximum budget

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 43

▪ Selection criteria
▪ Economic and financial capacity of candidate
▪ Professional capacity of candidate
▪ Technical capacity of candidate

Note: The selection criteria differ from one procurement notice to an

other

▪ Award criteria
▪ Best value for Money

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 44

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 45
▪ The candidate has provided services under at least 2 contracts each
related to support of Civil Society Organisations with a budget of at
least 5M EUR at any moment during the last 5 years from the
submission deadline.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 46

REF NO PROJECT TITLE
Civil Society Support Facility – Civica Mobilitas 2019-2022
(MAXIMUM 15)

NAME OF LEGAL COUNTRY OVERALL CONTRACT PROPORTION NO OF STAFF NAME OF CLIENT ORIGIN OF DATES (START/END) NAME OF
ENTITY VALUE CARRIED OUT BY PROVIDED FUNDING CONSORTIUM
LEGAL ENTITY (%) MEMBERS, IF ANY

North 5 209 722 EUR 100 % 7 Swiss Agency for 01.01.2019 /

Macedonia Development 31.03.2023
Cooperation (SDC)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT TYPE OF SERVICES PROVIDED

Civica Mobilitas’ overall objective is Social Change in North Macedonia, including better
collaboration among Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the cooperation between CSOs and
the local and regional authorities/municipalities.
Its specific objectives included achieving improvements in civil society’s values, institutional
development and organisational strengthening, civic engagement, collaboration among CSOs
and cooperation with authorities, and the public’s perception of the impact of civil society.
The latter were achieved in areas such as protection and promotion of human rights and
fundamental freedom, enhancing the involvement and participation of citizens in public policy
and decision-making at both the central and local level, poverty reduction, women’s rights and
gender equality, the rights of children and youth, the situation of people with disabilities,
ethnic minority rights, and LGBTI rights.
• Outcome 1 - Enabling environment for civil society: The focus is on strengthening the
environment for civil society development through the creation of mechanisms for better
cooperation between authorities and CSOs and increased public funding for civil society.
• Outcome 2 - Civic engagement: Emphasis is placed on building the capacity of constituents to
actively participate in civic initiatives, including voluntary activities.
• Outcome 3 - Collaboration: the focus is on creating space and supporting mutual interaction
and networking between CSOs leading to civil society alliances at different levels especially
regarding its institutional development and organizational strengthening and cross-cutting
issues of gender, relations ethnicity and migration.
• Outcome 4 - Civic participation: CSOs actively participate in public policy and decision-
making, leading to better policies and practices.
• Establish and operate a Help Desk for CSOs.
• Organise 4 National, 15 Regional, 5 Thematic and 6 Ad Hoc Forums engaging
national, regional and local communities (CSOs, citizens) in setting common
agenda’s for social change, promoting collaboration between CSO´s and
cooperation with public authorities and other stakeholders.
• Facilitation stimulating CSO alliance building through annual Civica Mobilitas
Networking Meetings (the largest CSO gathering in North-Macedonia), 8 thematic
Platforms of Collaboration (Human Rights, Democracy, Media, Decentralisation,
Social Inclusion, Gender, Youth, Environment) and a workshop programme.
• Mentoring assisting 48 leading CSOs elaborating and implementing fundamental
organizational change programmes.
• Grant Scheme, featuring 48 Institutional Grants funding organisational change
processes, 45 Action Grants funding key national, regional or local social change
actions, 7 Specific Action Grants funding R&D, monitoring, evaluation and
reporting or communication, information and outreach, 56 Small Grants promoting
local initiatives.
• Research and Development, in particular on applying the CIVICUS Civil Society
Index as a civil society development tool, civil society impact, and trust in civil
society.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting, strengthening evidence based programme
management and working from the results-oriented approach to the outcome-
oriented one.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 47

REF NO PROJECT TITLE
Civil Society Support Facility – (Part 1 and 2)
(MAXIMUM 15)

NAME OF LEGAL COUNTRY OVERALL CONTRACT PROPORTION NO OF STAFF NAME OF CLIENT ORIGIN OF DATES (START/END) NAME OF
ENTITY VALUE CARRIED OUT BY PROVIDED FUNDING CONSORTIUM
LEGAL ENTITY (%) MEMBERS, IF ANY

North 6 500 000 EUR 75 % 13 The Swiss SDC 01.04.2013 / MCIC

Macedonia Confederation 31.12.2016

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT TYPE OF SERVICES PROVIDED

Overall Objective: Social change in Macedonia, including better cooperation among Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs) and between CSOs and the authorities, reflects the expectations,
problems, needs and priorities of the citizens.
Project Purpose: Achieve measurable and lasting improvements across four Civil Society Index
(CSI) dimensions of “practice of values”, “civic engagement”, “level of organization” and
“perception of impact” in Macedonia.
Outcome 1: Civil Society is driven by constituencies: CSOs, other CSO actors and their
constituencies better express their ideas, agree on joint causes for social change and on joint
actions promoting these causes.
Outcome 2: Civil Society practices good governance: CSOs, other CSO actors and their
constituencies have and practice values, beliefs and attitudes that are compatible with good
governance, decentralization and social change.
Outcome 3: Civil Society has created alliances: CSOs, other CSO actors and their constituencies
engage in social action and better involve “old” and “new” state and non-state actors in it, but
always with emphasis on citizens in roles such as members, volunteers, donators, participants
and supporters.
Outcome 4: There is a critical mass of civil society for change: there is a critical mass of in total
100 relevant, strong, active, and sustainable CSOs at country level.
Outcome 5: Civil society advances democracy: the critical mass of 100 CSOs, other CS actors,
and their constituencies successfully promote democracy, decentralization and social change
at country level.
NIRAS is providing a TA Team of 8 people to the CSSF i.e. 3 international experts and
10 national programme coordinators and officers
• Establish and operationalise the Project Coordination Office (Fund Secretariat)
• Set-up and manage the fund facility: legal basis, rules and guidelines, governance
structures, procedures for Grant Selection Commitee, funding mechanisms and
fund transfer procedures, communication plan, auditing function and financial
management systems and procedures.
• Manage Calls for proposals, applications (including organisational self-
assessments) and contracts with grantees.
• Organise Forums and promote networking between CSO´s and interaction with
local government. Forums are organized collaboratively between the Project
Coordination Office and the Grantees and with the participation of CSO
constituencies.
• Provide Facilitation stimulating collaboration and participation at the national,
regional or sectoral/thematic levels. Networking among Civica Mobilitas grantees of
all generations, assisted by Civica Mobilitas, contributes to a growing motivation to
work together, for instance through platforms of collaboration at the national,
regional, or thematic level.
• Provide mentoring to stimulate personal (leadership) and organisational
development of the institutional grantees. Workshop on organisational
development for institutional grantees delivered leading to the preparation of
Organisational Development Plans (ODP) addressing priority improvement areas.

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 48

▪ Deadline for receipt of applications:
▪ “Any application received after this deadline will not be
considered”
▪ Even with a delay of 5 minutes
▪ Even if you have a very good reason

▪ Application format and details to be provided

▪ The consulting firm prepares an expression of interest following the
application format : “Standard request to participate form”
https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/ExactExternalWiki/Annexes#A
nnexes-AnnexesB(Ch.3):Servicecontracts
➢ How applications may be submitted
⚫ EITHER by recorded delivery or hand delivered
➢ Alteration or withdrawal of applications

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 49

6

How to maximize your chances of being short-listed?

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders

▪ What is a consortium?
▪ Why?
▪ Associate complementary skills
▪ More chances to be short-listed
▪ Better capacity to implement the project
▪ Leader and members: different roles

➢ But you need to work together to implement the project and

share project benefits

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 51

▪ Types of partners
▪ International company/ies
▪ Local company
▪ NGO
▪ Public organisation
▪ Association
▪ Any legal entity…

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 52

▪ Previous, similar contract?
▪ What expertise is required?
▪ What are our weaknesses?
▪ Who was successfull in this country? On this field?
▪ Etc.

▪ Where ?
▪ EuropeAid former shortlist :
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-
services/index.cfm?ADSSChck=1420559287565&do=publi.welcome&u
serlanguage=en
▪ Devex, Assortis
▪ Others

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 53

▪ Finalise your expression of interest (simplified
version) – a two-page note:
▪ Description of the project (budget, type of contract,
contracting authority, etc)
▪ Description of your consortium (your organisation + 1
organisation of the shortlist + 1 organisation outside
the shortlist): why these partners?
▪ At least 3 references of projects matching the technical
criteria
▪ Mandatory use this link :
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-
services/index.cfm?ADSSChck=1420559287565&do=p
ubli.welcome&userlanguage=en

Short and to the point!

Submit your Expression of Interest by email by
January 10th, 23.59 CET!

M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 54

▪ EU Global Gateway: https://commission.europa.eu/publications/factsheets-global-gateway_en

▪ INTPA Learning Resources: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/intpa-academy/

▪ INTPA Instrument funding: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-instruments/global-

europe-programming_en

▪ Looking for funding: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/funding_en

▪ ePRAG Procedures: https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/ExactExternalWiki/ePRAG

▪ EXACT: EU External Action Wiki : https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/ExactExternalWiki/EXACT+-

+EU+External+Action+Wiki

▪ Intervention Cycle Methodology Guide : https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/ExactExternalWiki/Introduction

FOR INFO : The old domain name ‘EuropeAid’ is replaced by ‘International Partnerships’.DO NOT USE THE NEW FOR
THE COURSES

1) For Calls for Tenders, published after 1st of August 2020, please refer to the Funding and Tenders Portal : “Funding and
Tender Opportunities Portal (F&T Portal)” Single Electronic Data Interchange Area (SEDIA) :
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-
search;callCode=null;freeTextSearchKeyword=;matchWholeText=true;typeCodes=0;statusCodes=31094501,31094502,31
094503;programmePeriod=null;programCcm2Id=111111;programDivisionCode=null;focusAreaCode=null;destinationGr
oup=null;missionGroup=null;geographicalZonesCode=null;programmeDivisionProspect=null;startDateLte=null;startDat
eGte=null;crossCuttingPriorityCode=null;cpvCode=null;performanceOfDelivery=null;sortQuery=sortStatus;orderBy=as
c;onlyTenders=false;topicListKey=topicSearchTablePageState

2) Prior Information Notices (PIN) are no longer mandatory but if required they can be found via TED eNotices, by
selecting the criteria: “External aid programmes”
https://ted.europa.eu/TED/search/search.do
M2 - DEIPM - Project cycle management, international tenders 55