The European Commission is launching a call for proposals (ref. ECFIN/A4/2012/008) for carrying out surveys as part of the Joint Harmonised EU Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys (approved by the Commission on 12^th July 2006 COM(2006) 379) in the following EU Member State: Ireland as well as in the candidate countries: Iceland and Serbia. This co-operation shall take the form of a framework partnership agreement between the Commission and the specialised bodies over a period of two years.

The programme is designed to gather information on the state of the economies in the EU Member States and the candidate countries so as to be able to compare their business cycles for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) management purposes. It has become an indispensable tool in the EMU economic surveillance process, as well as for general economic policy purposes.

Instructions and rules for drawing up and submitting proposals, covering all relevant information, formalities and documentation:

OJEC C-171 of 16/06/2012

The proposals must be presented in three sections:

1. Administrative proposal
2. Technical proposal
3. Financial proposal

I. The administrative proposal must include :

• A duly signed standard grant application form [107 KB]
• A duly completed and signed standard legal entity form and the requested supporting documentation proving the legal status of the body or institute. A duly completed and signed standard financial identification form and the requested supporting documentation.
• A duly signed standard declaration of honour [21 KB] (with respect to the exclusion criteria).
• A duly signed standard declaration indicating willingness to sign the framework partnership agreement and the specific agreement [43 KB] , if selected.
• A duly completed and signed declaration concerning the publication, release and use of date [30 KB] in relation to the European Commission's business and consumer surveys.
• The organisation chart of the body or institute, showing the names and positions of the management and of the operational service responsible for conducting the survey(s).
• Proof of sound financial situation: balance sheets and profit and loss accounts, certified by auditors, from the last two financial years for which the accounts have been closed.
• A declaration identifying the member acting as co-ordinator, signed by each participating member, in case of a joint proposal.

II. The technical proposal must include :

• A description of the activities of the body or the institute
• A detailed description of the operational organization for carrying out the surveys.
• A description and appropriate supporting documents regarding the operational capability of the applicant and the award criteria (see points 6 and 7 in the Call for Proposals)
• A sample questionnaire in English as well as in the language in which the survey will be conducted.
• A detailed description of the survey methodology [42 KB] (per survey).
• A duly completed standard form regarding subcontractors [34 KB] involved in the action, including a detailed description of the tasks to be subcontracted.

III. The financial proposal must include :

• A duly completed and detailed standard budget statement [324 KB] (in euro and exclusive of VAT), including subcontracting costs.
• A certificate of non-liability for VAT, if applicable (VAT paid by public bodies is not an eligible cost).
• A signed document certifying the financial contribution(s) from external organisation(s)/sponsor(s) (co-financing), if applicable.

Documentation regarding the financial aspects of the grant:

• aide-memoire [3 MB] for drawing up financial estimates and financial statements
• model of the framework partnership agreement [86 KB] to formalize the two years partnership between the Commission and the partner
  • Annex I [19 KB] to the framework partnership agreement: "Action planned under the partnership"
  • Annex II [24 KB] to the framework partnership agreement: "Model specific grant agreement for an action"
• model of the specific grant agreement to be concluded annually (see Annex II of Framework partnership agreement)
  • Annex I [122 KB] to the specific grant agreement: "Description of the action on the Business and Consumer Surveys"
  • Annex II [324 KB] to the specific grant agreement: "Forward budget statement for grant agreement"
  • Annex III [39 KB] to the specific grant agreement: "Model of detailed list of the eligible costs"
  • Annex IV [12 KB] to the specific grant agreement: "Model of declaration on actual costs"

Please complete and return all documents requested in the Call for proposals (point 8.2) no later than 17 September 2012 to the address specified in point 8.4 of the text of the call for proposals.

The Commission will notify candidates that their proposal has been received by returning the acknowledgement of receipt slip [16 KB] submitted with the proposal.