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Call for tender – EURO MEI Researcher on Analysis of EU Audiovisual Sector Labour Market and of changing forms of employment and work arrangements

1. Background

The labour market of the EU audiovisual sector has always been characterised by a wide spectrum of employment relationships and work arrangements. However, since the past decade the sector has gone through major changes which had a profound impact on the audiovisual labour market. These include, amongst others, substantial reduced public funding and a rapid technological progress. In particular, digitalisation and convergence between traditional media and the Internet has led to the emergence of new type jobs and working patterns which often fall in a grey zone and outside the perimeter of traditional industrial relations systems.

Against this background, European social partners in the EU Audiovisual Sector Social Dialogue Committee (AV SSDC), namely EBU, CEPI, FIAPF, AER for the employers and EURO MEI, EFJ, FIA and FIM for the unions, agreed to carry out a joint project. The purpose of this project is to map in a comprehensive, fact-based and objective manner the status quo of the audiovisual sector labour market across several EU countries and of the changing forms of employment and work arrangements in the sector. This analysis, in the form of a study, will be a substantial contribution to inform future discussions of the members of the AV SSDC on future added-value actions of social partners at EU level to meet the challenges of the labour markets in the EU audiovisual sector. The study will support the AV SSDC in developing strategies and future actions for an economically and socially sustainable growth and quality jobs in the EU audiovisual sector, in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy.

In the framework of this project, the project partners (the European social partners in the audiovisual sector), will designate a research expert to carry out a study analysing the EU labour market in the audiovisual sector and new forms of employment and work arrangements. The research expert will work under the guidance of the Project Steering Committee (composed of the project partners) and the Project Secretariat (UNI Europa, EURO MEI). 

2. Purpose of the Contract
The purpose of the contract is the realisation of a study analysing the EU labour market in the audiovisual sector and new forms of employment and work arrangements. The research expert in charge of the study will be collecting and analysing data on the labour market in the audiovisual sector to give an overview across the EU and look in detail at 10 EU countries, including changing forms of employment and work arrangements. The study will be descriptive and data driven and provide members of AV SSDC with an in-depth insight into the features, characteristics and challenges of the labour market in audiovisual services across Europe and changing forms of employment and work arrangements. During the final project seminar, the research expert will present the outcomes of this study to the members of the audiovisual employers’ and union federations. This will enable European social partners to decide about possible future joint strategies and actions at national and European level.  

3. Tasks to be performed by the Contractor

3.1 Description of tasks
The research expert will be in charge of the following tasks: 

(1) To carry out desk research to identify data and information permitting to describe and analyse the labour market and changing forms of employment and work arrangements in the audiovisual sector in the EU and 10 pre-selected EU Member States (target countries) in particular (Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom) ;

(2) To undertake face-to-face and phone interviews with representatives of unions and employers’ organisations in the 10 pre-selected target countries to collect complementary and additional data and information on the labour market and changing forms of employment and working arrangements in the audiovisual sector.

(3) To draft a study on the labour market and changing forms of employment and working arrangements in the audiovisual sector in the ten target countries. The study will be expected to be around 150 pages in total (excluding annexes), and include the following issues: 
- description of the structure and major trends in the EU audiovisual sector;
- analysis of the labour market in the audiovisual sector in the ten target countries and the changing forms of employment and work arrangements, including figures and statistics according to age, gender, and different professional categories;
- description and analysis of how the different types of employment and work arrangements enable or limit access to professional training and life-long learning schemes;
- description and analysis of the impact of the different conditions and terms of different employment and work arrangements on the role played by social partners.

(4) To participate in the final project seminar to present the main findings of the study to the representatives of European social partners;

(5) To finalise the study based on the discussions and feedback received during the final project seminar. 

3.2 Guidance and indications on tasks execution and methodology
The research expert will start his/her work on 1 March 2015. The Project Steering Committee composed of the project partners will advise the research expert on execution and methodology throughout the contract period. The secretariats of the project partners will be facilitating this process and assist the research expert in his/her work where necessary. The research expert will report to the Project Steering Committee and the Project Secretariat (UNI Europa, EURO-MEI) on a regularly basis. 

From 1 March to 31 August 2015, the research expert will carry out face-to-face interviews with national employers’ and union representatives in the 10 selected EU countries. He/she will be assisted by the Project Secretariat and the Project Steering Committee members in identifying and contacting relevant stakeholders at national level. 

4. Expertise required
The research expert should be familiar with the specificities of the EU audiovisual industry, the employment and work arrangements, and the industrial relations within this sector. He or she should have undertaken research or equivalent work on employment and industrial relations and labour market analysis in the audiovisual sector, or have proven experience in running a similar project in another sector of comparable complexity, or have in-depth knowledge of labour legislation in respect of employment relationships in the EU plus project experience.

5. Time schedule and reporting
The contract starts on 1 March 2015 and ends on 28 February 2016.
• The researcher will start data collection through desk research and face-to-face interviews with union and employers’ representatives in the ten selected EU countries during the period 1st March till 31st August 2015.  
• She/he will present preliminary findings of the data collection and interviews to the Project Steering in June 2015.
• She/he will submit a draft version of the study to the Steering Committee in October 2015.
• She/he will submit the final version of the study to the Steering Committee in November 2015. 
• She/he will present the study at the project seminar in February 2016 and then amend the final study following the feedback received during the seminar before the end of February 2016. 

6. Payments and standard contract
The research expert will be carrying out the study under the framework of a standard honorary agreement with the project coordinator, UNI Europa (EURO-MEI). 
Payments will be made after receipt of invoice. The expert will send an invoice covering 30% of the price immediately after the signing of the contract (March 2015). He/she will send an intermediate invoice covering 30% of the price after presenting the draft version of the study to the Steering Committee (October 2015). The final invoice of the remaining price is due after the sending of the finalised amended version of the study (end of February 2016). 

7. Price
The maximum price is EUR 126 000, - including overheads and VAT included.

8. Selection Criteria
The Project Steering Committee will jointly appoint the research expert on the basis of the following selection criteria: level of expertise (expertise requirements mentioned under point 4), coherence of methodology and the price.

9. Award criteria
The contract will be awarded to the tenderer whose offer represents the best value for money taking into account the following criteria:

• Level of expertise
• Coherence of methodology

It should be noted that the contract will not be awarded to a tenderer who receives less than 70% on the Award Criteria. 

10. Content and presentation of the bids

10.1 Content of the bids
Tenderers are required to submit a CV and references with respect to earlier studies carried out. The tender will contain a study outline including a detailed draft work schedule on the basis of the attached project work programme.

10.2 Presentation of the bids
The bids are to be presented on A4 format and to be submitted to UNI Europa (EURO MEI) by post or email at latest on 27 February 2015 (extended deadline!) to the attention of Mr. Johannes Studinger, Head of UNI MEI, 40, rue Joseph II, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; email: johannes.studinger@uniglobalunion.org 
Interviews with short listed candidates will be carried out in Brussels in March 2015.