Framework Contract BENEF Lot 1 - Rural Development

2000 to 2011

£50 million

European Commission

Identifying and sourcing consultants; bid preparation; logistical and financial management; and contract implementation.

Under this EC-managed Global Framework Contract system, each project can have a value of up to Euro 200,000.

Lot 1 Rural Development encompasses a wealth of expertise falling under this broad heading and includes projects in the fields of:

• agricultural primary production, including horticulture;
• forestry;
• land management (land reform, land use planning and farm restructuring);
• rural infrastructure including irrigation and drainage;
• equipment definition (agriculture equipment, laboratories etc.);
• crop protection and disease control;
• animal production and health;
• agricultural production and marketing groups (inclusive co-operatives);
• food safety (safe for consumption); and
• food security.

Website: www.frameworkcontracts.com

The Framework Department is a dedicated unit at HTSPE, established specifically to administer, manage and implement Framework Contracts (FWC). With a track record of successful implementation since 1996, HTSPE has both wide and deep experience, supported by one of the largest in-house databases of consultants across the world.

HTSPE has been leading the consortium for Lot 1 Rural Development since 2000 as well as being active in Lot 6, Environment; Lot 9, Education, Employment & Social; Lot 10, Trade, Standards and Private Sector; and EC Frameworks COM 2007 Lots 2, 4 and 5.

Together with their consortium partners, HTSPE has worked on all main areas within the pre-defined scope of activities.

The expertise provided covers the entire project cycle from programme/project identification, preparation and formulation; programme/project implementation;  preparation of Terms of Reference or technical annexes or evaluation of offers; evaluation of grant proposals and evaluations (ex-ante, interim, and ex-post) and monitoring. The services provided also cover a number of cross-cutting issues, including:

• (cross-) sectoral policies and reforms;
• macro-economics;
• legislation, regulation and law enforcement;
• approximation of legislation (acquis communautaire);
• institution building;
• training and research;
• awareness raising, including information and communication; and
• public financial management.