The European Central Bank (the ‘ECB’) is, through this open tender procedure, seeking through this open procedure a supplier for the provision of services for the performance of Surveys on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (‘SAFE’) and intends to award a framework agreement (the ‘Contract’) to the supplier offering the best value for money. The ECB will award the Contract on its own behalf and for the benefit of the European Commission (the ‘EC’) which represents the European Union. The ECB and the EC may issue orders (specific agreements) under the contract for the performance of SAFE and may also request additional services for each order in accordance with the provisions of the contract.

The European Central Bank (the ‘ECB’) is, through this open tender procedure, seeking through this open procedure a supplier for the provision of services for the performance of Surveys on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (‘SAFE’) and intends to award a framework agreement (the ‘Contract’) to the supplier offering the best value for money. The ECB will award the contract on its own behalf and for the benefit of the European Commission (the ‘EC’) which represents the European Union. The ECB and the EC may issue orders (specific agreements) under the contract for the performance of SAFE and may also request additional services for each Order in accordance with the provisions of the contract. It is envisaged that the contract will start in June 2022 and will be concluded for a period of four years. SAFE is a qualitative survey of firms with the purpose of providing regular information on the financing conditions of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as of some larger firms, in a certain number of countries.

The survey (hereinafter referred to as the ‘wave (s)’) shall be performed as detailed below:

(a) the ‘ECB waves’ surveys ordered by the ECB and to be performed up to three times per year;

(b) the ‘Common waves’ surveys ordered by the ECB and the EC and to be performed once a year, usually in September.

In particular, the contractor shall perform the following tasks:

(a) have a coordination center and a network of members in place to perform the surveys;

(b) update the questionnaire, verify the translation of the questionnaire in the EU countries and organise translation of the questionnaire in the required languages for non-EU countries;

(c) ensure the representativity of the sample;

(d) provide design weights;

(e) perform the fieldwork (by successfully conducting the agreed number of interviews in the specific countries);

(f) deliver raw and final data files;

(g) provide technical reports and other written reports;

(h) hold SAFE seminars for members of the network;

(i) archive documentation relating to the performed surveys for audit purposes;

(j) perform quality controls (for the interviewers, network members, during conducting the interviews and some specific verifications for the panel companies and questionnaires completed online);

(k) optional work – provision of additional information originating from the sampling frame or use of a sampling frame specified by the ECB.

The work to be performed under the contract are further detailed in Annex 1 (‘Tender Specifications’) to the invitation to tender.