European Asylum Support Office (EASO), MTC Block A, Winemakers Wharf, Grand Harbour Valletta, MRS 1917, MALTA, Email: proc-external-experts@easo.europa.eu

The objective of this call for expressions of interest is to set up a list of external experts.
Expressions of interest and the documents mentioned under point 3 below, should be submitted by email to proc-external-experts@easo.europa.eu
Inclusion on the list entails no obligation on the part of the contracting authority to offer a contract.

Interested parties shall provide the following documents:
— a duly filled in, dated and signed Application Form by using the model annexed to this call,
— a complete CV must be sent, preferably in English.
The CV must clearly show the expertise acquired in the areas applied for and the time frame in which the expertise was performed. Applicants can use the model CV Europass provided in the link contained in the Application Form or another format.

Applicants shall be natural persons, not legal persons. They will submit an expression of interest in accordance with the rules set out in this notice. Without prejudice to point 10, once experts submit their application and the required supporting documents, they become eligible for selection for an EASO assignment, unless they are employed by an institution represented at the EASO Management Board or by any EU Institution, body or agency.
However, registration as an expert in the database does not guarantee automatic selection. EASO selects experts according to its needs of expertise.
EASO will only contact candidates in case they are selected to perform one of the tasks described under point 7.
The contracting authority will draw up a list of experts who meet the criteria set out at point 11. This list will comprise sub areas for each specific field, corresponding to each of the areas described in Annex I to this call.
In particular, where a specific task relating to the field described at point 7 is to be performed by an external expert, the contracting authority will assign experts to the task on the basis of the skills, experience and knowledge necessary and in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and absence of conflict of interests. The experts will be requested to sign a contract with EASO, a model of which is annexed to this call.

If processing your expression of interest involves the recording and processing of personal data (such as name, address and CV), such data will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725(1) of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC. Unless indicated otherwise, any personal data will be processed solely for evaluation purposes under the call for tenders by EASO. Details concerning the processing of your personal data are available in the privacy statement at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/data-protection-public-procurement-procedures_en
The expert’s personal data may be registered in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) if they are in one of the situations mentioned in Article 136 FR. For more information, see the privacy statement on: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/explained/management/protecting/protect_en.cfm
(1) OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.

The list resulting from this notice will be used exclusively for the execution of the tasks within the fields described at point 7. The total payments (including both remunerations and reimbursements) per expert for the whole period of validity of the list must be below EUR 139 000.00.

The experts will assist EASO in the following areas:
I. International protection (Fundamental rights, EU and international law, access to the Asylum Procedure (including registration of asylum applications for international protection), examination of asylum applications including the Dublin Regulation, reception of applicants of international protection, vulnerable groups [children, victims of trafficking in human beings, gender related persecution (SOGI, FGM), health, mental health, victims of torture or violence, elderly people and other vulnerabilities], Third Country Cooperation, institutional, organisational and/or legal frameworks (including process management, change management, operational management, etc.), resettlement, graphic design, visuals, video development;
II. Country of origin information (COI): thematic, specialised information regarding the socioeconomic, legal, political, human rights, conflict or humanitarian situation in one or more countries of origin or transit of applicants for international protection or topical specialised knowledge regarding a topic relevant for International protection or COI research (COI);
III. Programming, monitoring and evaluation;
IV. Adult learning, pedagogy, eLearning design and coaching; and
V. Knowledge management.
The description of all subareas and relevant requirements is contained in Annex I to this call.
The experts will assist EASO by performing one or more of the tasks described under Annex I to this call.

The tasks may be carried out at EASO’s premises, at any other premises where an event is organised by EASO or remotely, using electronic communication tools.

The list resulting from this notice is valid for 5 years from the day of publication of this notice on the EASO website (https://easo.europa.eu/about-us/procurement). Interested parties may submit an application at any time prior to the last 3 months of validity of the list.

An expert shall be excluded from participation if he/she is in any of the exclusion situations indicated under the point 8 of the Application Form.
As evidence of non-exclusion each expert needs to submit a Declaration on Honour (point 8 of the Application Form) duly filled in and signed, stating that he/she is not in any of the exclusion situations.

General qualification and skills:
— the minimum of at least 6 years of relevant experience required in the area for which they applied for which are better described in Annex 1 ‘Profile requirements’,
— proficiency in English (minimum C1 level according to CEFR(2)), which is the vehicular language of EASO,
— excellent drafting, reporting and communication skills,
— good computer literacy.
Particular qualifications and skills: as required for a given profile in Annex I.
All the above-requested experience and abilities will be assessed based on the information applicants provide in their curriculum vitae which is part of their online application.
EASO reserves the right to request evidence or proof of statements included in the Application Form.
EASO aims to select experts included in the list in a balanced manner, ensuring an adequate rotation of experts and taking into consideration the experts’ geographical origin, professional experience and other capacities and language skills. EASO promotes equality between men and women in all its activities, including the selection of external experts.
(2) CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment is a framework of reference. It was designed to provide a transparent, coherent and comprehensive basis for the elaboration of language syllabuses and curriculum guidelines, the design of teaching and learning materials and the assessment of foreign language proficiency.

Experts with an experience from 6 to 12 years in the field covered by the specific assignment shall be remunerated at a fixed price of EUR 450 per day on which the expertise was delivered. Experts with experience in the domain covered by the specific assignment of more than 12 years shall be remunerated at a fixed price of EUR 800 per day on which the expertise was delivered.
For the calculation of the experience mentioned in the previous paragraph a combination of remunerated and non remunerated experience relevant to the tasks can be taken into account.
Please see Annex I ‘profile requirements’ for detailed description.
The travel and subsistence expenses will be paid according to the general rules on the costs incurred by persons invited to meetings organised by EASO.
As a general rule, the cumulative length of the contracts shall not exceed 50 days per year per expert, subject to the overall maximum total amount of payments under this call for expression of interest stipulated under the point 6 above.
The experts are requested to commit themselves to respect applicable national legislation (including taxation, social security and labour laws) with regard to any payment received from EASO.

A list of experts (name and subject of the tasks executed) who have concluded a contract following the procedure set out at point 4 shall be published on the EASO website.
If an expert has concluded a contract of more than EUR 15 000, the name, the locality (region of origin), amount and subject of the contract shall be published on the website of the contracting authority no later than 30 June of the year following the contract award. The information shall be removed 2 years after the year of the contract award.

6 March 2020

9 March 2020