Title: EFCA European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations
1EFCAEuropean Federation of Engineering
Consultancy Associations
- BIMILACI 2005
- Jan Van der Putten
- EFCA Secretary General
- The World Bank, Washington D.C.
- Room I 1-200 (I Building), 1850 I Street, N.W.
- 7 April 2005
2EFCA on Quality Outcomes in the EU
- Former and present European Commission policies
- Elements of a quality debate
3Former and Present European Commission policies
- Reform of EC external assistance
managementessential element deconcentration - Commission 1999 2004 putting rules in place
and horizontal approach - Commission 2004 2009 focus on output and
quality
4Elements of a quality debate
- Dissemination of information to tenderers
- Evaluation criteria too much CV-based
- Adequate project budgets
- Same rules for all?
- Validity of references
- Definition of conflict of interest
5Dissemination of information to tenderers (1)
- Problem description
- EC prohibits contacts between tenderers and
contracting authorities and Delegations. - Consequently
- Consultants locally present are favoured
- Quality of proposals decline
6Dissemination of information to tenderers (2)
- EFCA recommendation
- (Optional) Site visits and clarification meetings
(should be the rule for short-listed firms) - All documents available should be at the disposal
at such clarification meetings - Minutes of clarification meetings should be sent
to all tenderers
7Evaluation criteria too much CV-based (1)
- Problem description
- EC requires a minimum of 5 years experience
- Consequently
- Unbalanced age and experience structure in
consulting firms - In the long run shortage of knowledge and skills
8Evaluation criteria too much CV-based (2)
- EFCA recommendation
- Additional budgets for young professionals to
cover costs on specific projects
9Adequate project budgets (1)
- Problem description
- Project budgets are sometimes too tight
- Consequently
- Firms cannot commit a majority of permanent
staff, including junior staff - Therefore, company development and experience is
hampered
10Adequate project budgets (2)
- EFCA recommendation
- Project budgets should be drawn up to allow
deployment of a majority of permanent staff
11Same rules for all? (1)
- Problem description
- Following deconcentration, differences in
interpretation of rules by Delegations - Consequently
- 120 interpretation centres instead of
implementation centres - Documents in various languages are not identical
- At their discretion Delegations add specific
administrative requirements to tender/award
process
12Same rules for all? (2)
- EFCA recommendations
- Establishment of clear and simple rules and
guidelines - Establishment of a central help desk in Brussels
- Improve training in Delegation
13Validity of references (1)
- Problem description
- In most cases selection criteria specify that
firms must have references in the last 3 years - Consequently
- Many SMEs are excluded from tendering
- Therefore, the potential of capable/qualified
companies is limited
14Validity of references (2)
- EFCA recommendation
- Validity of references should be extended to 5
years for engineering consultancy firms
15Definition of conflict of interest (1)
- Problem description
- Firms excluded from subsequent project phases
based on involvement in earlier stages (except
for ToR) - Consequently
- Disruptive for project itself
- Multiple selection procedures are expensive and
time-consuming for both contracting authority and
consultants
16Definition of conflict of interest (2)
- EFCA recommendation
- Make all preliminary investigation documents
available to all participants