Invitation to tender

Date of publication Simap: 17.04.2024

1. Contracting authority

1.1 Official name and address of the contracting authority

Contracting authority/Authority of assignment: Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, Economic Cooperation and Development/Trade Promotion
Procurement authority/Organizer: Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, Economic Cooperation and Development/Trade Promotion, Holzikofenweg 36,  3003  Berne,  Switzerland,  Telephone:  +41 58 461 13 40,  E-mail:  beschaffung.wto@bbl.admin.ch

1.2 Offers should be sent to the following address

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO
Economic Cooperation and Development/ Trade Promotion,  attn UR_01074-02 for the implementation of the Project Support Partnership for SECO’s Trade Promotion, Holzikofenweg 36,  3003  Berne,  Switzerland,  Telephone:  +41 58 461 13 40,  E-mail:  beschaffung.wto@bbl.admin.ch

1.3 Desired deadline for questions in written form

10.05.2024

Remarks: If any questions arise when compiling the tender, you can submit these in anonymised form to the questions forum at www.simap.ch.
Any questions submitted after this deadline cannot be answered. Tenderers will be notified by email as soon as the answers have been posted on www.simap.ch.

1.4 Deadline for submitting offers

Date: 27.05.2024 Time of day: 23:59, Specific deadlines and formal requirements:  Comment on the submission of tenders: place of submission see 1.2 above. General formal requirements, see specifications item 7.1.4.
a)
When submitting: The tender must be submitted no later than the above-mentioned submission date during the opening hours of the acceptance unit (8am to 12 noon and 1pm to 4pm) in return for the issuance of a confirmation of receipt.
b)
When submitting by post: The date used to determine the timeliness of submission is the postmark date or trackable barcode issued by a Swiss post office or a state-recognised postal operator in another country (corporate postmarks are not accepted as official postmarks). In the case of dispatch using WebStamp franking, the burden of proof for timely submission lies with the tenderer.
c)
When submitting the tender to a Swiss diplomatic or consular mission abroad: tenderers based in another country may submit their tender, by the above deadline and during the opening hours, to a Swiss diplomatic or consular mission in their own country in return for issue of a confirmation receipt. The tenderer must send this confirmation of receipt to the procuring entity by the submission deadline by e-mail (beschaffung.wto@bbl.admin.ch).

In all cases, the tenderer must ensure that it receives proof that the tender was submitted on time. Any tenders submitted after the deadline will not be considered and will be returned to the tenderer.

1.5 Date of the opening of bids:

30.05.2024, Remarks:  The opening of bids is not public.

1.6 Type of contracting authority

Confederation (Central federal administration)

1.7 Type of procedure

Open procedure

1.8 Type of order

Order for services

1.9 Scope of international treaties

No

2. Objects of procurement

2.1 Service category CPC:

[27] Other services

2.2 Project title of the acquisition

UR_01074-02 for the implementation of the Project Support Partnership for SECO’s Trade Pro-motion 2024-2028

2.4 Division into lots?

Yes (without specification)
Offers are possible for  all lots

2.5 Common Procurement Vocabulary

CPV:	75112100 - Administrative development project services,
	71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis,
	71313000 - Environmental engineering consultancy services,
	72224000 - Project management consultancy services,
	73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services,
	79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services,
	79411100 - Business development consultancy services

2.6 Subject and scope of the contract

The objective of project support partnerships (PS-P) is to enhance SECO’s Trade Promotion Section (WEHU) by strengthening its operational capacities and knowledge base, improving trade promotion performance and sustainability. PS-P will bolster WEHU’s project cycle capabilities – identification, preparation, steering, and evaluation – with substantive technical inputs. Additionally, PS-P will refine intervention strategies, providing specific insights on WEHU’s positioning in areas like international value chains and the WTO's impact on developing countries. PS-P aims to amplify the development impact of WEHU’s trade promotion operations.

A description of the four thematic lots as well as specific tasks within the respective lot can be found in the tender document.

2.7 Location where service is to be delivered

Switzerland, SECO priority and complementary countries (changes over the course of the contract duration are possible).

2.8 Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start: 01.09.2024, End: 31.10.2032

This contract is subject to renewal: No

2.9 Options

Yes

Description of options: The contractors will be selected in this open tender. Since SECO expects continuous demand beyond the timeline of the basic contract (four years), this tender does also include an option to extend the collaboration after the end of the basic contract. An assessment on the performance of the selected experts will help to take an informed decision on this option. The implementation of the option is subject to a financing approval of SECO.

2.10 Award criteria

Based on the criteria given in the documentation

2.11 Will variants be accepted?

No

2.12 Are partial offers permitted?

Yes

Remarks: However, partial tenders within a lot are not permitted.

3. Conditions

3.1 General conditions of participation

When submitting the tender, the tenderer must prove that the mandatory participation conditions set out in Appendix 9 are met in full and without restriction or modification. Otherwise, the tender will not be considered.

3.2 Deposits/guarantees

None

3.3 Conditions of payment

Within 30 days of receipt of the invoice, net in CHF, plus VAT, provided that the invoice is correctly submitted via e-billing.
Federal Administration information on e-billing can be found on the following website:
https://www.efv.admin.ch/efv/en/home/efv/erechnung/aktuell.html

3.4 Costs to be included

All prices are to be stated in Swiss francs (CHF) and net of VAT. The price net of VAT includes, in particular, insurance, expenses, social security contributions, etc.

3.5 Consortium of bidders

Permitted. If the tenderer is taking part in the procedure as a bidding consortium, an enterprise must be designated as the lead (substitution, coordination). The tenderer must list all participants, together with their assigned roles.
Multiple tenders by tenderers in the context of bidding consortia are permitted.

3.6 Subcontractor

Subcontractors are permitted. If the bidder engages a subcontractor to provide certain services, the bidder bears full responsibility for the provided services. He/she lists all subcontractors involved with their assigned roles in the offer. Engagement of subcontractors over the project duration is subject to approval by SECO, SECO has the right to ask for subcontracting of experts.
Multiple tenders by subcontractors are permitted.

3.7 Eligibility criteria

based on the criteria given below:
All companies with sufficient economic capacity that can prove their eligibility or meet the eligibility criteria as set out in section 3.8 are invited to submit their tenders in Swiss francs (CHF).

3.8 Evidence required

based on the evidence given below:
The following proof of eligibility must be confirmed or enclosed in full and without restrictions or modifications together with the tender itself; otherwise, the tender will not be considered.

EC01 Economic/financial capacity
The tenderer has sufficient economic/financial capacity to be able to fulfil the contract.
Proof
Extract from the debt collection register no older than three months when requested by the contracting authority. In the case of overseas tenderers, comparable and current official document from the foreign country.
Note: The awarding office electronically checks the extract from the Central Business Name Index (www.zefix.ch).
In the case of overseas tenderers, an extract from the commercial register or a similar official document from the foreign country.
This proof of eligibility is to be submitted only upon request after the tender has been submitted and before the contract has been awarded.
Note for tenderers taking part as a bidding consortium:
If the tenderer is taking part in the procedure as a bidding consortium, all individual members of the bidding consortium must each submit a personal extract from the debt collection register – not older than 3 months at the time of the request – or, if they are domiciled abroad, a comparable current official document from abroad.

EC02 Experience
The tenderer has sufficient experience of projects that are comparable with this contract in terms of scope and complexity. The tenderer demonstrates this experience by means of 3 references of concluded projects in the last 10 years.
References regarding the tenderer for projects carried out for the Confederation are permitted only if the reference people mentioned gave their written consent to the provision of information.
Proof
A corresponding completed reference form (Appendix No. 10) is to be submitted for each reference project. The contracting authority reserves the right to contact the people specified. The contacts specified must be reachable (holiday absences and corresponding deputies are to be indicated).
Tenderers submitting bids as part of a bidding consortium are restricted to the references corresponding to the consortium's specific configuration.
Note regarding references from a group company:
If a tenderer wishes to refer to reference projects from a group company for this EC, it must include this company as a consortium partner or subcontractor in its tender. Otherwise, reference projects from group companies are not permitted.

EC03 Human resources
The tenderer has the necessary human resources to be able to fulfil the contract as described in the specifications.
Proof
Written confirmation with comprehensible documentation on the human resources deployed for the contract.

EC04 Contact
The tenderer has a single point of contact (SPOC) who is responsible for the escalation of problems concerning the contract and can make decisions.
The bidder confirms to ensure the possibility to get in contact (telephone, video-link, meetings in Bern) in reasonable time (in general within 24 hours after being contacted by WEHU) if the mandate requires to. The bidder ensures the possibility to get contacted during business hours (8:00 to 17:00, CET).
Proof
Written confirmation stating the SPOC's full name, contact details, function and deputy.

EC05 Personnel security screening
The tenderer is willing to disclose the names of the persons intended for deployment at the contracting authority's first request and to subject them to personnel security screening in accordance with the Ordinance on Personnel Security Screening (PSSO; SR 128.31) after conclusion of the procurement contract. More detailed information is available here: https://www.sepos.admin.ch/en.
Proof
Written confirmation.

EC06 Replacement of employees
The tenderer is willing to replace deployed employees as follows if there is good cause to do so:
The performance and deployment of the persons made available by the tenderer are assessed by the contracting authority. If, in the process, a discrepancy is found relative to the requirements and criteria according to the specifications and appendices, the tenderer has to make a statement on this. Thereafter, the contracting authority will decide whether the tenderer will be obliged to replace the persons concerned within 14 days with persons who meet the requirements.
Within the context of contract performance, other important grounds for replacing staff could arise, e.g. negative federal personnel security screening, contract termination, prolonged holidays, accident, illness, etc. The tenderer is responsible for replacing such a person with an equally qualified person. Involvement in other projects of the tenderer does not qualify as good cause in this regard.
Proof
Written confirmation.

EC07 Acceptance of the Confederation's general terms and conditions (GTC) for Service contracts (edition of September 2016; status: January 2024)
This transaction is governed by the GTC listed above with the amendments (additions/modifications/derogations) in accordance with Appendix No. 2 to the specifications. Tenderers that make further amendments (additions/modifications) will be excluded from the procedure.
Proof
Written confirmation.

EC08 Acceptance of the draft contract
The tenderer is willing to accept, without reservation, the draft contract in Appendix No. 1.
Proof
Written confirmation.

EC09 Conflict of Interest
The bidder confirms that no conflict of interest between this mandate and other mandates of the bidder exist, including mandates for the private sector, the federal administration or foreign administrations.
Proof
Written confirmation.

EC10 Flexibility
Additional to the provisions in the draft contract, the bidder confirms its intention to provide all services with a high degree of flexibility taking into account variation in demand from WEHU.
Proof
Written confirmation.

3.9 Conditions for obtaining the tendering documentation

Costs: none

3.10 Languages

Languages for offers: English

Language of the procedure: German

3.11 Validity of offers

180 days after deadline for receipt of offers

3.12 Supplying source of the tendering documentation

at www.simap.ch
Documents of the invitation to tender are available from: 17.04.2024
Languages of documents: English
Further information for obtaining the tendering documentation: The tender documentation on this open procedure to tender can be downloaded from the platform www.simap.ch under: running procedures, confederation, invitations to tender. In order to do so, interested bidders first have to register in the mentioned project. Interested bidders will then be able to log in and use the password that they will receive by e-mail to download the tender documentation.

3.13 Conduct of dialogue

No

4. Other information

4.1 Conditions for tenderers from Non-Member States of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement

None

4.2 Terms of business

Processing in accordance with the Confederation's general terms and conditions (GTC) for Service contracts (edition of September 2016; status: January 2024).
Available at https://www.beschaffung.admin.ch/bpl/de/home/auftraege-bund/agb.html

4.4 Essential requirements

See the participation conditions in the tender documentation.

4.6 Additional information

Credit proviso: The annual credit requests and decisions of the Confederation's competent governing bodies concerning the budget and financial plan remain reserved.

4.7 Official organ of publication

www.simap.ch

4.8 Procedures for appeal

In accordance with Article 56 paragraph 1 of the Public Procurement Act (PPA), a written appeal against this decision can be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court, P.O. Box, 9023 St. Gallen, Switzerland, within 20 days of notification. Any appeal is to be submitted in duplicate and must include what is being sought, the grounds for appeal, evidence and the signature of the person lodging the appeal or his or her representative. A copy of this decision and available evidence must be included.
The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) on legal holidays do not apply in accordance with Article 56 paragraph 2 of the PPA. Based on Article 52 paragraph 2 of the PPA, the appeal can be used only to establish that this decision violates federal law, but not to apply for its cancellation. Foreign providers are permitted to appeal only to the extent that the state in which they are domiciled grants reciprocal rights.