Background
Meaningful engagement at various multilateral fora is important for strengthening the UK-India relationship and for progressing a global agenda based on shared interests. The UK-India 2030 roadmap highlights the importance of working together to strengthen global economic governance, including at the G20. The G20 becomes all the more important as India takes over its presidency in 2023.
UK and India co-chair the G20 Framework Working Group in the Finance Track. “The Framework Working Group (FWG) monitors the evolution of the global economic outlook, while coordinating policies aimed at underpinning a strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth. In the wake of the crisis caused by the pandemic, the primary goal of the FWG is to advance economic policy proposals to sustain the global recovery. To this end, the FWG contributes to updating the G20 Action Plan and monitoring progress in implementation.”
For 2021/22, the UK intends to deliver a think-tank and policy experts’ exchange program with the objective of exploring new policy engagement ideas and supporting the process of policy consensus for win-win economic reforms at a multinational level. Given new policy priorities that have emerged in the wake of Covid-19, the emphasis will be on identifying emerging themes that cater to UK and India interests at a global level. The program will ultimately deepen links between leading policy thinkers, practitioners and industry leaders to have a multiplier effect on UK-India economic collaboration.
Scope of Work
The scope of work will involve planning and executing the G20 Collaboration Program between UK and India. The delivery will be in close coordination with a partner think-tank (a UK partner if the service provider is based in India and vice versa) and other UK experts to analyse present and future G20 policy topics relevant to India and UK. While specific policy areas will be decided at the inception stage with a scope for future changes, indicative areas include, a) Digital Taxation, b) Collaboration on a global green recovery, c) G20 Finance track subjects, d) Sustainability of Supply Chains, and e) Health cooperation and preparedness.
Curated research products that inform stakeholders in Indian Government on future multilateral engagement themes will be important. At the same time, assessing policy topics through demand based research deliverables that support India’s preparation for its G20 presidency in 2023 will be required.
(i) Identify and on-board the principal partner think tank
- The service provider will identify and partner with one principal think-tank partner to execute the program. The think tank partner will be a UK based think tank if the service provider is based in India, or an Indian think tank if the service provider is based outside India.
(ii) Analysis and knowledge exchange on G20 issues of UK-India relevance
- Identify and analyse specific policy issues and ideas in the UK-India G20 context. Deliver a minimum of 6-8 policy dialogues engaging Indian, UK and international policy thinkers, global experts, and academics to develop an equal number of actionable knowledge products (such as policy memos, briefs) that inform the G20 agenda on economic governance and reforms. Topics that particularly focus on UK and India interests and aligned to India’s G20 presidency in 2023 will be given priority.
(iii) Generate engagement with external stakeholders including Government of India on knowledge products created in point (ii)
- Define a time table of presenting the research products in point (i) to Indian stakeholders, especially Government of India’s senior officials working on G20. Articulate major findings and recommendations through actionable policy memos and reports. Formulate ways of disseminating research and driving impact through continuous engagement with the Indian establishment.
(iv) Demand based deliverables to support India’s G20 Presidency
- Deliver approximately 4 policy papers/briefs with contributions from Indian and international experts with the objective of shaping and supporting India’s G20 presidency in 2023.
Timelines:
The supplier is required to deliver phased outputs against set timelines (subject to confirmation). The duration of this project is likely to be around eight months (September 2021 – March 2022)
| No | Deliverable | Anticipated Activities (not limited to) | Milestone Date |
| 1 | Accountable Grant to signed with chosen supplier and start the implementation | Proposed work plan for the whole programme | 2nd week of October 2021 |
| 2 | Programme design report | Detailed list of finalised activities for the programme | 3rd week of October 2021 |
| 3 | Delivery of Policy Dialogues | Finalise list of participants; Deliver the policy dialogue | November 2021 onwards |
| 4 | Disseminate Research deliverables and present them through actionable policy memos and reports | Identify and analyse research deliverables and formulate ways of dissemination through continuous engagement with the Indian establishment | November 2021 onwards |
| 5 | UK India Policy engagement | Deepening the UK-India economic policy cooperation through regular seminars and conferences that bring together UK and Indian policymakers, academics and experts | October 2021 onwards |
| 6 | Quarterly reports | Progress and Impact Assessment of the projects | Last working day of every Quarter |
| 7 | Mid-term assessment Report | Mid-term assessment of the Project | 1st December 2021 |
| 8 | Draft Project Report | Progress and impact of the whole progress | 25 January 2021 |
| 9 | FCDO feedback on Project Report | BHC to provide feedback | 31 January 2022 |
| 10 | Final Project Report and Project closure report (in FCDO format) | Presentation for UK India Stakeholders Submission of final report and a summary presentation for UK and Indian stakeholders | 20 March 2022 |
Budget:
The budget available for the service is in the range of £ 80,000 to £ 100,000. The service provider should provide quotation for each component separately. Value for Money will be one of the key evaluation criteria.
The service provider will propose the overall budget for this work which must be inclusive of all applicable taxes (detailed separately), overheads and travel costs for any field visits. Bidders are expected to show value for money.
In line with FCDO’s policy, all journeys by rail or air will be budgeted by a class of travel that is no more than “standard economy” unless higher travel classes are representative of improved value for money or are required to adhere to specific legislation, for example the Equality Act 2010. Your FCO representative will confirm if this is appropriate and no travel should be booked in a class higher than “standard economy” without express written permission. First class travel will not be permitted under any circumstances. Alcohol and tobacco are not allowable subsistence items. Travel and living expenses will be paid at a rate consistent with the FCDO’s schedule of rates.
Actual expenses (Travel and accommodation of international speakers needs to be budgeted) that may occur for the delivery of the stakeholder engagement workshop, will be reimbursed based on actual expense. Service Delivery Partner should include the indicative costs of such expenses in the bid.
Evaluation Criteria:
Please use the following headers for your proposal as the supplier responses will be assessed using the following criteria and weightings. A score will be given for each part of the information submitted that is to be assessed. The qualitative aspects of your response will be evaluated entirely on your response submitted.
| Evaluation Criteria – Quality/Technical (Questions 1.8.1 – 1.8.4) | Criteria Weighting |
|---|---|
| Conceptual clarity – Please provide a document (no more than 2 side of A4 size pages) explaining your understanding as the vision of the work involved | 15 |
| Prior knowledge of G20 issues – Clear evidence of knowledge of G20 issues, especially those related to the Finance track. Please provide past reports, references to research that highlight this aspect. | 10 |
| Research and Policy Engagement experience with Government of India – Please provide details of past consultancy experience where you have conducted research, organised events and visits and the associated programme and stakeholder management. | 20 |
| Please provide detailed CVs highlighting, skills experience, qualifications of key personnel. Educational qualification – 20%, Overall experience – 30%, Experience in relevant projects – 50% | 15 |
| Please provide your approach and methodology including work plan outlining the detailed scope that will be covered under this project. Please outline how you will deliver this in the specified timeframe i.e. 7 months. | 20 |
| TOTAL – Quality/Technical | 80 |
| Evaluation Criteria – Pricing & Commercial (Question 1.9.1) | Criteria Weighting |
|---|---|
| Competitiveness and sustainability for the fee rates, reimbursable expenses and overall cost of the project/assignment | 20 |
| TOTAL – Pricing & Commercial | 20 |
| GRAND TOTAL EVALUATION CRITERIA | 100 |
Requirements
Working independently: Whilst it is expected that the Supplier checks-in with the FCDO at identified key milestones and that visits and meetings may offer the opportunity for representatives FCDO to join the Supplier if appropriate; the Supplier is nevertheless required to complete this project with minimal draw of the FCDO resources (time and personnel).
The successful tenderer should be in a position to commence the implementation by 7th October 2021 and commit to front-loading project activity to ensure a 100% spend of budget by March 2022.
Tenderers should have a clear understanding of India and International including UK in the requested field, and have good contacts with government agencies, research institutions and business.
Tenderers must submit a fully-costed proposal with specific timelines and if the service provider is FCRA compliant.
FCDO requires supplier to have the necessary legal licenses to operate in time for the start of the grant award. For Indian organisations: only apply if you have a valid FCRA.
Supplier should have sufficient financial resilience and a proven track record of transparently and effectively managing donor funded projects of similar scale.
FCDO will conduct a due diligence assessment on the successful potential partner including reviewing safeguarding measures.
The project will be delivered through a Grant Agreement and therefore the organisation cannot profit from the received grant funding. See further information/guidance on what that agreement might look like.
Additional project documentation will be completed by the successful bidder/s, following the award.
Bidding Process
Complete the project bid in the and in English.
Proposals that do not meet the criteria and are not completed using the required forms will not be accepted.
Completed forms should be sent in standard format with the subject title “Planning and Executing the UK-India G20 Collaboration Program: [XXX – name of the implementer]”, to garima.verma@fcdo.gov.uk.
Please also familiarise yourself at an early stage with the standard ‘’.
See .
Please contact garima.verma@fcdo.gov.uk with any questions or queries.
Initiative timeline
| Dates | Activity |
|---|---|
| 15/09/2021 | Announce request for submission of Bids |
| 30/09/2021 | Deadline for bidders to submit Bids |
| 08/10/2021 | Post announcement on outcome of Bids |
| 15/10/2021 | Due Diligence Assessment, Grant Agreement and financial arrangements completed |
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