The contract aims at providing the Commission and other EU institutions/agencies with Eurobarometer services. These services will provide the contracting authorities with a better understanding of public opinion through research using opinion polls among the general public as well as specific target groups.

The subject of lot 1 covers Flash Eurobarometer surveys and ad-hoc services.

The subject of lot 2 is the execution and coordination of qualitative surveys and other services in connection with public opinion involving the general public or selected social groups.

Lot 1 of this call for tenders will allow contracting authorities to order opinion polls, referred to as ‘Flash Eurobarometer surveys’ (hereafter ‘Flash EB’), to be conducted primarily by telephone or online.

The aim of Flash Eurobarometer surveys is to provide a rapid assessment of the state of public opinion and to contribute to the evaluation, validation and formulation of EU policies.

Flash Eurobarometer surveys are ad-hoc thematic surveys on matters relating to European affairs, carried out within a short timespan and conducted at the request of any service of the European Commission and other contracting authorities. Flash EB surveys enable the contracting authorities to rapidly obtain results from surveys conducted with the general public or to focus on specific target groups, such as young people, businesses, etc.

Lot 2 of this call for tenders will allow contracting authorities to order qualitative studies and/or other research services to analyse public opinion.

The Eurobarometer Studies should help the contracting authorities to fulfil the following objectives:

• to assess in detail the attitudes, opinions, expectations, concerns, etc. of the public and/or of selected social groups in the countries or territories covered by the contract with regard to the different policies and initiatives taken by the various players involved in European integration;

• to understand the reasons why attitudes, opinions, expectations or concerns are voiced;

• to carry out tests on various groups regarding the comprehension and adoption of messages or documents (written documents, videos, logos, promotional material, websites, etc.) prepared by the participating institutions and bodies to be used for information and communication campaigns of the European Union;

• to evaluate, both during the preparation or after dissemination, the understanding and impact of such messages or documents in the national cultures and the different age, sex and socio-professional groups, according to the vectors and styles of communication corresponding to the different target groups;

• to identify the most suitable types of information and media for each of the target groups in the countries or territories covered by the contract;

• to evaluate the impact of policies and decisions already implemented at European Union level;

• to help in the preparation of questionnaires for quantitative surveys;

• to analyse and interpret the results of quantitative surveys and qualitative studies from Eurobarometer Studies or other sources;

• to identify significant national and socio-demographic differences between the countries or territories covered and within them;

• to help developing knowledge of and ability to analyse phenomena connected with public opinion in the European Union, regionally, nationally and globally, as well as in other countries or territories covered in the contract.