Invitation to tender 2012 Travel Agency
European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)
Bd du Roi Albert II, 5
1210 Brussels
Belgium
(AISBL 0418.812.841)
Subject: Travel Agency Services
1. Date of launching: 13/08/2012
The ETUI is pleased to invite you to submit an offer in response to the present call for tender for travel services.
2. Purpose of the content
The purpose of this call for tenders is to conclude a framework contract with a travel agency capable of providing the services and handling the number of travel arrangements - mainly flight and train tickets - for both ETUI staff and external persons.
More particularly, provision of the following services is required:
1. Handling of ticketing requests to the Travel Agency sent by e-mail, concerning and respecting the following:
a) Air, train tickets, etc.,
b) Reservations shall be made in Economy class, always at the lowest fare available.
c) Itineraries shall be presented in English and with a price quotation including fare + taxes and the deadline for issuing the ticket.
g) Airport tax on unused flight coupons shall be refunded.
h) Upon request, the Travel Agency shall provide the lowest price quotations, but also the most convenient connections for destinations worldwide.
i) The use of E-tickets shall be standard whenever feasible.
2. Tenderers shall quote a total (all-inclusive) price (fee per issued ticket). The price tendered must be all-inclusive and expressed in euros, including for countries that are not part of the euro zone, the price quoted may not be revised in line with exchange rate movements. It is for the tenderer to select an exchange rate and assume the risks or the benefits deriving from any variation.
3. Reservation & ticketing services are to be provided during ETUI working hours 9.00h to 17.00h Monday to Friday (response time: below 2 hours). Travel Agency staff shall have a good working knowledge of English.
4. The future contractor is expected to respond to reporting requests from the ETUI relating to the financial management of the framework contract.
5. The Travel Agency shall on a monthly basis provide the ETUI with information on the monthly figures on travel expenses; breakdowns provided in alignment with the needs of ETUI.
6. The Travel Agency shall appoint (a) contact person(s)/account manager.
3. Selection criteria
a. Legal capacity
Company’s profile should include copies of relevant business registrations, applicable licenses and insurance policies.
b. Economic and financial capacity (see Annex – Declaration of Honour)
The ETUI will select a preferred supplier on the basis of ETUI’s evaluation of the extent to which their tender documents demonstrate that they offer the best value for money, and that they satisfy the following criteria:
- Technical capability and relevant travel service experiences including references.
- Qualified personnel to undertake the travel service requirements.
- Demonstrate ability to conduct the customised travel service in a competent and professional manner.
- Provide with information on changes to Travel Company Airline policies, flight schedules, airfare basis and visa requirements.
- Provide integrated end-to-end account management.
4. Content and presentation of tender
The tender, to be submitted in French or English, shall consist of the following components:
· An official application of tender;
· Information concerning price in euros;
· Information concerning the experience of the company;
· A declaration on honour testifying that the supplier is not in any situation that, under the relevant European legislation, would signify exclusion from the submission of tenders (see Annex).
5. Inspection
The Agency agrees to accept any inspections and/or audits that the European Commission, in the framework of any project, might wish to carry out pursuant to the financial regulations in force in the Commission, under the same conditions as are applicable to the direct beneficiary of the aforementioned financial agreement with the Commission.
6. Contract/Invoicing
The framework contract signed with the agency chosen by the selection committee will be concluded for 1 year.
The ETUI is in no way bound to make use of the framework contract which will exclusively be implemented through Purchase Order (=Reservation and Ticketing request by email) which become binding with receipt by the ETUI of electronic invoices per issued ticket.
The future contractor shall submit a separate electronic invoice per issued ticket to email address at the ETUI.
The supplier accepts responsibility for all legal obligations entailed by the contract and is/are required to submit, in their country of origin, the requisite tax statements in respect of their supply of services.
7. Publication and conditions of the call for tender
If you are interested in providing these services, you are requested to submit your offer, no later than:
Wednesday, 3rd of October 2012You must submit your offer by email to: or by post. The offer must be sent to the following postal address:
European Trade Union Institute(Attn. Olga Barth, Administrative and Finance Manager)
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5
1210 Brussels
Belgium
In order to ensure confidentiality, the supplier should submit the tender in a double envelope. Both envelopes should be sealed and the inside one must include, as well as the address of the recipient as given above, the following words ‘Tender – not to be opened by the Mail Department’. If self-adhesive envelopes are used, they must be double-sealed with adhesive tape crossed with the signature of the sender.
A committee of three persons, representing, without any order of hierarchy, the ETUI’s organisational departments, will be set up. Documents will be initialled by one or more members of the committee as proof of the time and date at which each tender was handed in. The members of the committee will sign the record of tenders received, thereby identifying valid tenders and justifying any rejections on grounds of non-compliance with the rules of submission.
A selection committee will then be set up, composed of three equal representatives of the ETUI bodies. This committee will assess the tenders accepted as valid. A tender assessment and classification report will be drawn up, dated and signed by all members of the selection committee and retained for purposes of future reference.
This report will contain:
1. The name and address of the contracting authority, the nature and value of the contract or framework contract;
2. The names of excluded applicants with reasons for their rejection;
3. The names of short-listed applicants with reasons for their selection;
4. The names of applicants whose tenders are proposed to be accepted with reasons for the decision to award them a contract.
It will then be up to the contracting authority to take this decision.
8. Competent jurisdiction
Sole jurisdiction for any litigation relating to this contract shall lie with the Brussels courts. The contract in question shall be governed by Belgian law.
ANNEXES TO NOTICE
REF.:
Annex - Declaration on Honour
I HEREBY CERTIFY, AS CANDIDATE/LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CANDIDATE,
THAT THE CANDIDATE:
- is not bankrupt or being wound up, is not having his/her affairs administered by the courts, has not entered into an arrangement with creditors, has not suspended business activities, is not the subject of proceedings concerning those matters or is not in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations;
- has not been convicted of an offence concerning his/her professional conduct by a judgment which has the force of res judicata;
- is not guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contracting authority can justify;
- has fulfilled his/her obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he/she is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority or those of the country where the contract is to be performed;
- has not been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation or any other illegal activity detrimental to the Communities’ financial interests;
- is not currently subject to an administrative penalty referred to in Article 96(1) of the Financial Regulation;
Signature ...... Date:
______
THAT THE CANDIDATE /legal representative of the candidate:
- is not subject to any conflict of interest;
- that the candidate will inform the contracting authority, without delay, of any situation constituting a conflict of interest or which could give rise to a conflict of interest;
Signature ...... Date:
______
To the best of my knowledge, all information provided is true and accurate.
Signature ...... Date:
______
The ETUI reserves the right to check the information provided. Together with this form, duly signed, the candidate undertakes to send any additional document which the ETUI considers necessary to perform its checks.
By signing this form, the undersigned acknowledges that he/she accepts controls/audits from the European Commission under the same conditions as the ETUI.
Signature ...... Date: