CONCEPT NOTE

FOR THE REFURBISHMENT AND SUPPLY OF THE OIK LIBRARY

1.       Background

An EU-funded project “EU Support to the Ombudsperson Institution” managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo (hereinafter the Contracting Authority) and implemented by a Consortium led by DAI Global Austria Gmbh & Co. KG, (hereinafter the Consultant) will support the Ombudsperson Institution (OIK) to strengthen its capacity to increase and impact effectiveness in promoting and protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms. The direct beneficiary of this Project is the Ombudsperson Institution.

The purposes of this contract are as follows:

• To support the Ombudsperson Institution to effectively protect and promote the human rights, and fundamental freedoms of citizens by enforcement of institutional capacities and introduction of new tools and methods;
• To support the OIK for awareness raising among general population, public authorities and civil society on the role of the Ombudsperson Institution in promotion and protection of human rights

2.       Description of the assignment

This activity falls under Result 4 - The contractor will provide assessments and documentation to assist the procurement of all required technical supplies (mainly IT, security, furniture, literature) to make the OiK more efficient, Activities A.4.1, A.4.2 and A.4.3. This activity will provide support to OIK to establish its own library physically through refurbishment of the designed room at OIK and supply with equipment. Through this Concept will solely intend to cover the refurbishment of the designed library room at the premises of the OIK.   

Besides the Administration, OIK is organized into 7 professional departments who are mandated to perform respective tasks within the mandate of the Ombudsperson. They are as following: Department for Complaints Investigations; Department for Protection from Discrimination; Department for Torture Prevention, Department for Legal Matters; Department for Cooperation, Reporting and Promotion of Human Rights; Department for Admission and Administration of Complaints and the Department for the Protection of Children’s Rights. In addition, there are 7 regional offices who operate as part of the Department for Admission and Administration of Complaints. Besides the Heads of these Departments, there are in total 28 Legal Advisors in these department, 13 out 28 in regional offices.

Under Article 22 of the Constitution, European Convention on Human Rights is directly applicable in Kosovo, besides the fact that Kosovo is not a Member State of the Council of Europe, therefore, the knowledge about this Convention and in particular about the case law of the European Court of Human Rights is must for every single officer at OIK working on cases submitted through complaints by citizens. The need for proper up to date literature is imminent to keep track with developments with new cases at the European Court of Human Rights. Furthermore, the institution does not have a library, neither physical nor electronic. The refurbishment of a designed room for the library is expected to contain physical books and will serve as proper venue for online events such as conferences, trainings, bilateral and multilateral meetings and so on. In addition, it will serve as a reading and consultation room for different legal and other issues between employees of OIK and parties/partners. 

Our project is providing the funds for the whole or for a significant part of the refurbishment and equipment of the library. Our support will be provided to buy a significant number of books that will be useful learning tools for the legal advisors at OIK and physical support in refurbishing and equipping the library. Around fifty book titles have been selected by an international librarian expert, subject to approval by the institution.

Through this call, we intend to contract a company or consortium to buy 2 book shelves, covering of the wall, 1 table/desk, 10 chairs, blinds (for the windows) and 1 carpet.  Technical specifications for each item are provided under the design of the library (Annex 1). Please, note that only the items provided under this document (See table below) will be procured pursuant to Annex 1.

3.       Timelines

Deadlines listed in the table below assume that contracting is completed by end of the end of October 2022 or mid-November at the latest.

Duration of the whole assignment is approximately 2 months. The expected commencement date for implementation of the assignment is between the dates 19 September 2022 and the completion date 18 of November, 2022.

Company or consortium should coordinate closely throughout in covering the walls and providing the items under the table below:

Note: the dates are provisional and they can be adjusted according to the start of the assignment

4.       Scope and contents of the work

The selected company or consortium is expected to cover the walls with MDF material and provide the items as provided under the table above.

The evaluation of the offers will be based on unit costs provided for the type of the output as provided the table above, under section 3.

5.       Technical Specifications

The technical specifications for each item (including quantity) as provided under the table in section 3 are provided under the Annex 1, which is part of this Concept.  

6.       Qualifications and requirements to the service provider/contractor

• Experience in construction works;
• Experience in selection and setting of the items in building and specific rooms;
• Advantage will be given to companies/organisations with experience with similar works;
• Existence of the staff with excellent skills in performing and delivering works as required under this document;

The successful bids will be selected based upon the following criteria:

• Capacity to implement the project as laid out under this document/list of similar assignments completed /List of similar assignments/;
• Applications should provide background information about the company or consortium and its suitability, by providing the short resumes of key staff involved in implementing the tasks as provided under this document/List of Staff/;
• Budget detailed per unit cost outlining each proposed activity.

7.       Offer and payment Terms

Annex 1 – Design of the OIK Library with details about the items/services required under this document is part of this Concept and it provides details for the items and services required by the potential contractor/consortium.

The assignment shall be implemented by a company or consortium.

Each applicant will be required to submit the following documents:

Annex 2 – Proposed methodology - max 5 pages /incl. list of similar assignments and list of staff/ - 20 points

Annex 3 – Timeline of implementation – 20 points

Annex 4 – Budget breakdown for both the development of the anticipated activities as provided under this document – 60 points

Notes: Both budgets should include a breakdown of costs by activity.

One applicant/company can provide max 2 budgets.

The activity will be closely coordinated, assisted and monitored by the Project Team members and will be reviewed by a designated Focal Point on behalf of the OIK.

The project team will also provide day-to-day project guidance and coordination. The draft deliverables reviewed by the project Team members and final approval of deliverables will be given by the OIK and EUOK.

Payments shall be made on approval of deliverables and divided into two (2) tranches given below:

Tranche 1: Upon signature of the contract (up to 40 % of the budget).

Tranche 2: Delivery of the items as required under this document and Annex 1 and signing the respective Act of Acceptance (balance up to 60 % of the budget).

8.       Application Details

Interested companies/consortiums should provide their offers incl. Annex 2 to 4 mentioned under section 7 and a signed Annex 1, confirming its acceptance.

An email with your offer with a proposed budget should be sent to the Project “EU Support to the Ombudsperson Institution” to [email protected] not later than 09 September, 2022, 3 pm local time.