Call for selection of an external expert (researcher)
Call for selection of an external expert (researcher)
Terms and conditions. Research on Improving work-life balance: opportunities and risks coming from digitalization.
Terms and conditions
In order to ensure a large visibility to these terms and conditions, the Dipartimento Funzione Pubblica (DFP) will publish them on its web site. DFP will keep these terms and conditions on line for 45 days.
1. Background
The research is part of a work-life balance and digitalization project selected by the European Commission under budget line 04.03.01.08, and introduced by the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri – Dipartimento della Funzione Pubblica (PCM-DFP) – EUPAE Italy, in cooperation with the Trade Union side coordinating entity EPSU, on behalf of the European Social Dialogue Committee in Central Government Administrations - SDC CGA.
The project aims at identifying opportunities/challenges/risks and find innovative solutions for work-life balance stemming from digitalization.
2. Purpose of the Contract
The main aim of this contract is to provide social partners with two products as follows:
- First, a European comparative study (Field Study) based on good or interesting policies, practices, national regulations, EU provisions including Commission’s latest proposal to reconcile work and private life, across a sample member states relating to work-life balance and digitalization in central government administrations, looking at issues such as flexitime, reduced working hours, part-time, distance working, forms of leave etc., with particular reference to gender equality.
- Second, user friendly Policy Guidelines with DOs and DON’Ts based on the study and inputs from the members of the SDC CGA.
The research will examine the national legal framework on work-life balance and digitalization with a special attention to the evaluation of existing rules and the role of social dialogue.
The researcher can also consider relevant good or interesting practices, policies and experiences developed outside the European Union.
In addition the researcher will contribute to the preparation of the content of the first Focus Group planned in 2018 in Spain, the second Focus Group planned in 2019 in France, and of the final project Conference planned in 2019 in Italy.
The target audience/readership of the study will primarily be the members of the SDC CGA.
The Policy Guidelines will be addressed to managers, employees, and trade union lay members.
The research will be the basis for the development of the serious game: a tool for the follow up and dissemination of project results.
The Field Study will have three objectives:
First, it will identify new challenges in terms of work-life balance and digitalization in a context of organisational changes and intensification of work.
Second, it will assess across at least 12 EU countries the use, effectiveness and efficiency of work-life balance and digitalization procedures, taking into account gender equality objectives, and the role of stakeholders involved to try to find innovative and pragmatic work-life balance and digitalization solutions also preventing and tackling possible challenges, practices, opportunities and risks.
Third, the study will identify good practices or policies and national regulations in central government, which will feed into Policy Guidelines, establishing common principles that can potentially be transposable from one country to another.
The criteria for defining good practices/policies/national regulations will be established in cooperation with the project Steering Group taking into account a broad range of central government ministries, agencies and services across at least 12 EU countries, and the role of social dialogue.
The researcher will work very closely with the Steering Group (6 meetings are planned) that will consist of representatives of EUPAE and TUNED (EPSU and CESI). Moreover, regular contacts will be maintained with the project partners via email (PCM DFP and EPSU). In addition, the national members of the SDC CGA will be invited to provide the project steering group with possible good practices and policies and national regulations on the basis of the agreed criteria.
The project foresees sufficient time for the research to ensure that enough material and findings will be presented, discussed and tested at the two planned Focus Groups. The final study should be the outcome of the study and discussions with Focus Group participants to ensure a bottom-up approach.
The Policy Guidelines
The key project deliverable will be user-friendly Policy Guidelines.
It will aim at providing common guidelines for work-life balance and digitalization procedures.
It should be practical and simple enough to ensure it can be transposed in different national contexts.
The Policy Guidelines will be drafted by the Steering Group with the support of the researcher on the basis of the Field Study and inputs from members of the SDC CGA as well as from participants at the two Focus Groups.
The Policy Guidelines will be ready in time for the final project conference on 2019.
3. Tasks to be performed by the appointed Researcher
The appointed researcher will be expected to:
- Produce the Field Study
- lay the ground for user friendly Policy Guidelines (based on the study, amongst other sources)
- Help prepare the content of the two Focus groups and final conference (suggestions for agenda, questions to participants, selection of speakers, documents preparation).
4. Timetable
Duration of the project: May 2018 to October 2019 (18 Months)
May 2018- July 2018: First steering group meeting and start of the procedures for the selection of the researcher.
September 2018: start drafting the Field Study, collection of good policies, practices and national regulations. Together with the Steering Group and social partners of host countries, the researcher will also prepare the agenda and organization of the Focus groups.
October 2018 – March 2019 : The Steering Group, with the support of the researcher, will organize the two Focus Groups.
April 2019 – June 2019: The Steering Group will draft the Policy Guidelines with the support of the researcher.
July 2019 - October 2019: The Steering Group, with the support of the researcher, will organize the final Conference.
REASONS FOR CONTRACTING OUT IMPLEMENTATION WORK:
There are two main reasons for contracting out: first impartiality of the research taking into account the social dialogue perspective of the project and second the high degree of specialisation in work-life balance and digitalization required which none of the project partners can provide in-house.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
- Expertise required
The researcher will be expected to demonstrate that (s)he has:
- Experience of European comparative research on public administrations/sector, maximum score 20
- Good command of English (oral and in writing), maximum score 20
- Experience of writing accessible reports and presenting research to national or international meetings, maximum score 20
- Knowledge of industrial relations in the public sector, maximum score 15
- Knowledge of one or two additional EU languages desirable, maximum score 10
- Specific knowledge of the key themes of the project will be positively considered, maximum score 15
2. Selection criteria
The researcher will be selected on the basis of the documents and elements provided on how the 6 criteria listed above under expertise required are met.
3. Award criteria
The contract will be awarded (€ 59.000,00 all inclusive as VAT, travel, meals and accommodation expenses for the researcher, taxes, duties or charges established by the Italian law) to the researcher whose application represents the best value for money, taking into account the 6 selection criteria. The researcher will be selected by a committee whose members are identified within the project steering group, excluding the project coordinator. The committee for the selection of the researcher will make the designation even if only one application will be received.
For the meeting/s of the committee for the selection of the researcher the project will not cover any travel and accommodation expenses.
4. Content of the application
The applicant researchers will ensure that their application clearly identifies how they meet the selection criteria, by indicating their knowledge and expertise under each of the relevant headings, using the pertinent application form to be completed only in English. The applicant researchers must be available for a telephone interview when requested by the committee for the selection of the researcher. As a consequence, the applicant researchers have to clearly indicate in their application the phone number and e-mail to be contacted to this end.
5. Presentation of the application
The application must be written in English.
The deadline will be on 14 September 2018.
The application have to be sent by express courier, putting on the envelope “Call for selection of an external expert (researcher) for the project on Improving work-life balance: opportunities and risks coming from digitalization” , at:
Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri
Dipartimento della Funzione Pubblica
Ufficio Relazioni Sindacali
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II n.116
00186 Roma - Italy
6. Fees
The contract will be drawn up between PCM-DFP and the researcher. The payment will be in several phases (initial payment of 20% within 90 days after signing of the contract; 30% on presentation of the draft report; and 50% on completion and presentation of the final report with the approval of the project products by PCM-DFP). Payments will be made upon completion of the administrative and accounting regularity procedures envisaged by the current Italian law.
The European Commission will be entitled of all intellectual property rights on the project products.
The relevant travel, meals and accommodation expenses to attend the project events or meet with the PCM-DFP, will be covered by the researcher.
7. Other rules
The PCM-DFP will process personal data related to this selection procedure in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 ("GDPR") and the Italian legislative decree N° 196/2003. In the application the researcher authorizes PCM-DFP to use his / her data for the sole purpose of this selection procedure.
The Italian legislative provisions concerning transparency, anti-corruption, access to documents, tax and social security obligations, and the absence of relations with criminal organizations, apply to this selection procedure.
Rome, 31 July 2018
Valerio Talamo
Director General