Joint Harmonised European Union Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys : Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Albania and Montenegro - Call for Proposals reference 2015 ECFIN 016/A4

• For Ireland, Montenegro and Albania:
  • Industry survey
  • Investment survey
  • Construction survey
  • Retail trade survey
  • Services survey
  • Consumer survey
• For Luxembourg:
  • Retail trade survey
  • Services survey
  • Consumer survey
• For Malta:
  • Consumer survey
• For all five countries: Ad hoc surveys on topical economic issues.

These ad hoc surveys are by definition more occasional and are carried out in addition to the monthly surveys, using the same established samples as the monthly surveys, to obtain information on specific economic policy issues.

This co-operation between the Commission and future partners shall be in the form of a framework partnership agreement over a period of maximum five years (May 2016 – April 2021), covering the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020.

The BCS programme was set up based on the Commission's institutional prerogatives and constitutes an important source for decision-making of EU economic policy makers. The programme was initiated by a Commission decision in November 1961 and was modified through subsequent Council and Commission decisions. It was last approved through Commission decision C(97) 2241 of 15 July 1997 and presented in Commission communication COM(2006) 379 of 12 July 2006.

The BCS programme is designed to gather information on the state of the economies in the EU Member States and Candidate Countries, in order to be able to compare their business cycles for EMU (Economic and Monetary Union) management purposes. It has become an indispensable tool in the EMU economic surveillance process, as well as for general economic policy purposes. It constitutes an essential tool for the European Commission (Commission) in fulfilling its Treaty-based obligations of surveillance of the EU economies. The surveys target managers in the manufacturing sector (industry and investment surveys), construction, retail trade and services sectors as well as consumers.

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

• Specifications(400 kB)of the call for proposals
• Questions and Answers until 28 September(284 kB)  

The proposals must be presented in three sections:

I.Administrative proposal
II. Technical proposal
III. Financial proposal

I. The administrative proposal must include :

Grant application form(204 kB)containing compulsory standard forms (unless explicitly indicated that documents are to be submitted in free format):

1. Form 1 Application letter
2. Form 2 Administrative information
3. Form 3 Consortium (joint proposal): mandate for co-ordinating applicant (if applicable)
4. Form 4 Affiliated entity's statement (if applicable)
5. Form 5a Declaration on honour (for grants ≤ 60 000 EUR)

or

Form 5b Declaration on honour (for grants > 60 000 EUR)

on exclusion criteria, operational and financial capacity (choose the right form, applicable for grants >60 000 EUR or for grants ≤60 000 EUR)

6. Form 6 Financial capacity - key figures (only for grants > 60 000 EUR) together with balance sheets and profit and loss accounts for the last two financial years for which the accounts have been closed (not applicable for public bodies and grants ≤ 60 000 EUR)
7. Form 7 Operational capacity - details
   together with
   • CVs or description of the profile of the people primarily responsible for managing and implementing the action
   • Description of the technical equipment, tools or facilities
   • Latest activity report (or equivalent information on survey-related activities) and current organisational chart
   • Experience of subcontractor(s), if relevant
8. Standard legal entity formto be downloaded
9. Standard financial identification formto be downloaded

II. The technical proposal must include:

1. Forms 8 (updated) providing a detailed description of the methodology for each survey (Consumer survey(122 kB)  - Business survey(112 kB)  ) an application is submitted and an outline of the (envisaged) questionnaire in original language
2. A detailed description of the action (work flow)
3. A description of the applicant's use of survey results for cyclical and economic analysis and research (if applicable)
4. Worksheet (in excel) on subcontracting (using model financial statement Annex V of FPA – see below 'budget proposal') regarding subcontractors involved in the action, including a justification and a detailed description of the tasks to be subcontracted

III. The financial proposal must include:

1. A duly completed and detailed budget proposal(586 kB)  for year 1 of the action (1 May 2016 - 30 April 2017) which must show a balanced budget (revenue/ expenditure) (using model financial statement Annex V of FPA)

Documentation regarding the financial aspects of the grant:

Model framework partnership agreement(567 kB) (FPA)and its annexes:

• Annex I Action plan(109 kB)
• Annex II General Conditions
• Annex III Model specific grant agreement (SGA)(519 kB) (see below)
• Annex IV Model technical report(204 kB)
• Annex V Model financial statement (see above 'budget proposal')
• Annex IX Declaration on actual costs(184 kB)

Model specific grant agreement (SGA)and its annexes:

• Annex I Description of the action(474 kB)
• Annex II Estimated budget (see Annex V of FPA)

Guidelinesfor the financial management of grant agreements(883 kB)

Please note that all forms must be duly completed and signed; where needed free format documentation must be included.

Deadline for submitting proposals

Applications must be sent no later than 9 October 2015 (date of postmark or date of deposit slip to courier service or date of receipt by Commission when delivery by hand) to the address specified in point 14.1 of the specifications of the Call for proposals. Please read carefully the instructions set out in point 14 of the specifications of the Call for proposals.