Verfahrensangaben

The EU Multi-Donor Action "Switch to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa (SWITCH-2-CE in ESA)" is jointly co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Expertise France (EF). The duration of this Action is scheduled from 1 April 2025 to 31 July 2029. The GIZ-implemented part of the Action is integrated into the BMZ-financed Global Programme Go Circular, which aims at disseminating circular economy approaches globally.

The EU SWITCH-2-CE Programme in East and Southern Africa aims to foster an inclusive transition to a circular economy in the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region through policy frameworks, workers and SMEs participation, and improved financing mechanisms for CE businesses. The activities will contribute to mitigation of climate change by promoting green and circular business models.

The program is structured around three main outcomes, with the two priority value chains: "packaging/plastics waste" and "electronics/e-waste".
The program aims to achieve the following outcomes:
- Outcome 1: To establish an enabling policy framework for circular economy across the ESA region;
- Outcome 2: To enhance the participation of formal and informal workers and SMEs, including women and youth, in circular economy models;
- Outcome 3: To improve access to and use of financing by circular economy businesses

The activity related to a regional EPR community of practice establishes an inclusive regional community of practice (CoP) for key stakeholder groups to foster knowledge sharing and exchange on best practices for EPR schemes for the two target value chains. This will be done in close coordination with existing initiatives on EPR like the SADC EPR/ CE stakeholder platform and with national governments. This includes the organisation of workshops, the assessment of options to establish and host a community of practice on EPR in the longer term and will include the setup of an EPR helpdesk to support countries in ESA, including stakeholders from government, the private sector and other stakeholders involved in the EPR system, e.g. informal workers, on specific questions related to EPR systems. The activities will draw on the experience of and link to existing international communities (e.g., the Global Action Partnership for EPR) and will leverage and involve existing international support mechanisms (e.g., the Global Action Partnership for EPR helpdesk).

The GIZ Global Programme "Go Circular" holds the secretarial function of the multi-stakeholder-partnership PREVENT Waste Alliance on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). GIZ, UNEP, OECD, WWF, with support of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation have established the Global Action Partnership for Extended Producer Responsibility (GAP for EPR), that is hosted by the PREVENT Waste Alliance. The GAP for EPR is working on three pillars:

Library: The GAP for EPR provides an extensive library of EPR-related documents, from case studies to explanatory videos and practical guides.
Helpdesk: The EPR Helpdesk provides tailored technical support for EPR design and EPR scheme implementation to governments, producer responsibility organisations (PROs) and other relevant stakeholders from the public and private sector.
Community: The GAP for EPR provides a space to connect with the global EPR community. With both a public and closed member section, sharing of best practices is fostered.
The GAP for EPR strives to provide flexible support services to the requests of interested parties.

To be able to respond to specific requests in a comprehensive and flexible way, an expert pool shall support GIZ. The contractor will form a pool of experts with a diverse set of skills in the field of EPR to respond to varying needs and requirements of stakeholders in ESA/LMIC on EPR.

This assignment comprises three work packages, two work packages (1, 2) relate to the SWITCH-2-CE in ESA programme, while one work package (3) relate to the Go Circular Programme/GAP for EPR.

Work package 1: SWITCH-2-CE in ESA Community of Practice
The implementation of the CoP includes the organisation of local and/or regional workshops and either the establishment of a new regional CoP on EPR, or the support of suitable existing exchange formats in the region on EPR. This task includes both the content preparation of the workshops, as well as the logistical organisation of the workshops (including identification and booking of suitable workshop premises, catering, facilitating travel logistics of participants etc.).

For the establishment of a CoP, the Contractor shall
- Develop a concept for a community of practice
- Establish contacts and networks to local stakeholders through online formats (if required, in person meetings) to evaluate the potential, needs and challenges for national or regional CoP on EPR.
- Compile a database of relevant stakeholders in the ESA region on EPR, including specific points of contact within each organisation that are relevant for a CoP.
- Identify and map suitable partner organisations to set-up national or regional CoPs on EPR and identify and map existing networks similar or equal to CoPs on EPR.
- Evaluate the cooperation with suitable regional or national partners to jointly coordinate and organise national and regional workshops for stakeholder exchange on EPR in the ESA region.
- Based on the results from above tasks - establish a new regional CoP on EPR under the umbrella of the GAP for EPR ("ESA SWITCH-2-CE chapter"), and support suitable existing exchange formats in the region on EPR (Conduct awareness raising and onboarding workshops for relevant stakeholders in the ESA region, at least one per partner country, highlighting the concept and benefits of the CoP on EPR, and maximize participation of relevant stakeholders.
- The contractor is responsible for logistical organisation of the workshops (including identification and booking of suitable workshop premises, catering, facilitating travel logistics of participants etc.).

For the implementation of a CoP, the Contractor shall
- Implement regular exchange formats (e.g., matchmaking series) and workshops on specific topics related to EPR, hosted online (at least one event per month), and if required by participants, hosted in person (at least two per year), based on best practices from previous GAP for EPR activities.
- Develop demand-driven content for exchange formats based on the identified thematic needs of national and regional stakeholders.
- Prepare promotional material (invitations etc.) for all the meetings.
- Record all meetings and document the outcomes; share list of participants for each meeting.

Work package 2: SWITCH-2-CE in ESA EPR Helpdesk:
The Contractor shall deliver technical and expert support on EPR to diverse stakeholders in the ESA region. To this end, the Contractor will maintain a roster of experts with complementary skills, ready to address the specific needs of:
- National and local governments
- Public and private organisations
- Civil society, including informal workers, women and youth

Within the budget for this assignment, GIZ will commission tasks from the Contractor in response to incoming requests from ESA stakeholders. Assistance may be provided remotely or, where justified, through in-person meetings; any travel or face-to-face sessions will require prior approval from GIZ.
The complexity level of individual tasks varies widely, depending on the specific needs of each request.

The following list of potential consulting services is therefore non-exhaustive and intended primarily for illustrative purposes. Both the content and the level of complexity of these services may vary significantly depending on the context and requirements of each individual case.
Policy Support and Research
- Conducting baseline research and defining data requirements for EPR systems
- Drafting roadmaps, policy documents and regulations for EPR implementation
- Assessing existing EPR frameworks and recommending improvements

Knowledge Sharing
- Producing knowledge-sharing materials on EPR
- Organising, facilitating and moderating stakeholder workshops

Implementation Support
- Piloting producer-financed solid waste management projects
- Establishing and structuring Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs)
- Calculating appropriate EPR fees
- Designing monitoring systems for material flows and obligation compliance

Work package 3: Global GAP for EPR Helpdesk:
Potential partner countries of this assignment are all LMICs, excluding the ESA region. Activities will be commissioned by GIZ to the Contractor based on incoming request for support by LMIC stakeholders.
The Contractor shall deliver technical and expert support on EPR to diverse stakeholders in the LMICs. To this end, the Contractor will maintain a roster of experts with complementary skills, ready to address the specific needs of:
- National and local governments
- Public and private organisations
- Civil society, including informal workers, women and youth
Within the budget for this assignment, GIZ will commission tasks from the Contractor in response to incoming requests from LMIC stakeholders. Assistance may be provided remotely or, where justified, through in-person meetings; any travel or face-to-face sessions will require prior approval from GIZ.

The expected services for this Global Support EPR helpdesk are identical to SWITCH-2-CE Helpdesk. An indicative list of potential consulting services of the helpdesk are listed under Work package 2. Support will concentrate on the material streams packaging, with the option to include additional streams upon request.

According to Article 160, Section 3 of the German Act Against Restraint of Competition (GWB), application for review is not permissible insofar as
1. the applicant has identified the claimed infringement of the procurement rules before submitting the application for review and has not submitted a complaint to the contracting authority within a period of 10 calendar days; the expiry of the period pursuant to Article 134, Section 2 remains unaffected,
2. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that are evident in the tender notice are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for the application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, specified in the tender notice.
3. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that first become evident in the tender documents are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for application or by the deadline for the submission of bids,
4. more than 15 calendar days have expired since receipt of notification from the contracting authority that it is unwilling to redress the complaint.
Sentence 1 does not apply in the case of an application to determine the invalidity of the contract in accordance with Article 135, Section 1 (2). Article 134, Section 1, Sentence 2 remains unaffected.

All communication takes place in English via communication tool in the project area of the procurement portal.

GIZ asks the applicant or bidder to submit, complete or correct documents, within the framework laid down by law.

The execution conditions result from the information given in the contract notice and the tender documents.