Tender Specifications - ECHA - Europa

1 PRELIMINARY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE INVITATION TO
TENDER
1.1 Nature of the contract
This Call for Tenders is launched by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA or the Agency) for
the award of three single framework service contracts (one contract per lot) related to the provision
of IT services for the implementation and support of specific IT systems of ECHA. Examples of
these systems are the ones related to the existing IT applications REACH-IT, IUCLID, RIPE,
DISSEMINATION, eCHEMPORTAL, ODYSSEY and CHESAR, as well as to the new IT
applications that will be implemented to support processes regarding the biocides and prior
informed consent (PIC) Regulations.
It should be stressed that framework contracts involve no direct commitment and, in particular, do
not constitute orders per se. Instead, they lay down the legal, financial, technical and administrative
provisions governing the relationship between the Agency and the Contractor during their period of
validity. Actual orders will be placed after the framework contracts are signed and in force, through
“specific contracts” or “orders” concluded in performance of the framework contracts. The draft
framework contract specifies the basic conditions applicable to any assignment placed under its
terms. Signature of the framework contract does not place the Agency under any obligation to
place an assignment. The framework contract does not preclude the Agency from assigning tasks
in the areas set out above to other Contractors or from having these tasks carried out by the
Agency staff.
1.2 Background
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), located in Helsinki, Finland, manages the registration,
evaluation, authorization and restriction processes for chemical substances to ensure consistency
across the European Union. These REACH processes are designed to provide additional
information on chemicals, to ensure their safe use, and to ensure competitiveness of the European
industry.
In its decision-making the Agency takes the best available scientific and technical data and socioeconomic
information into account. It also provides information on chemicals and technical and
scientific advice. By assessing and approving testing proposals, the Agency aims at minimizing
animal testing.
More information about the Agency, its structure and activities can be found on the Agency
website 1 , where also the Work Programme 2011 2 and the Multi-Annual Work Programme 3 can be
found.
1 http://echa.europa.eu/
2
At the time of preparation of this document the ECHA Work Programme 2011 was available at the ECHA web site
through this link
http://echa.europa.eu/doc/work_programme/2011/mb_63_2010_echa_work_programme_2011_en.pdf
However, during the period between the publication of this document and the deadline for the submission of offers, it is
possible that the ECHA web site is updated with a new look and structure. On the updated ECHA web site the ECHA
Work Programme 2011 is foreseen to be located in section “Document Library”.
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