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)

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.

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 Project proposal form (ODT, 73.4KB) and Activity Based Budget (ODS, 10.2KB) 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 ‘Grant Agreement Template (ODT, 86.3KB)’.

See Complete Statement of Requirements (ODT, 58.9KB).

Please contact garima.verma@fcdo.gov.uk with any questions or queries.

Initiative timeline

Background

India’s economic growth is critical to strengthening the UK-India bilateral partnership. The UK-India 2030 roadmap highlights the importance of collaboration on new priority economic reform areas.

UK and India conceived the Economic Policy and Prosperity Partnership (EPPP) program in 2016 for a period of five years, with the idea of deepening economic policy cooperation between the two countries. As envisaged during its inception, the partnership has been a comprehensive, demand driven, multi-year relationship whose priorities and outputs have spanned the range of economic policymaking with the objective of a long-term positive impact on India’s growth prospects.

For 2021/22, the UK intends to deliver a program in India that will examine shared economic challenges and provide evidence-based policy inputs on India’s key economic reform areas, to ultimately strengthen UK-India economic cooperation. The programme will focus on economic issues that directly impact UK interests in India. Given new policy priorities that have emerged in the wake of Covid-19, the emphasis will be on evidence based policy advice and engagement with Indian government and key stakeholders in India and the UK.

Scope of work

Set against this background, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in India, invites proposals from think tanks/not for profits to undertake a programme of activities through an accountable grant. The program’s scope of work will involve planning and executing the Economic Policy Collaboration Program between the UK and India. While specific policy areas will be decided at the inception stage with a scope for future changes, indicative areas include, a) Privatization, b) Digital technologies for social and business goods, c) Private Sector Investments, d) New age manufacturing, e) Emerging Technologies.

The delivery will be through policy papers, policy memos, and engagement with various stakeholders to inform and contribute to India’s economic policymaking processes. The Chief Economic Adviser’s office in the Ministry of Finance will be the nodal point for engagement with Government of India. However, involving other economic agents such as Niti Aayog, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister and subject-specific ministries will be essential. In the broad realm of policy support through evidence, innovative ideas that drive engagement and collaboration with Government of India will determine the success of this program. The following objectives will be essential to achieve:

Informing policymakers of global best practices

Deliver a minimum of /3 to 5 policy dialogues engaging Indian policymakers, UK experts, and globally renowned academics to identify and share best practices on pre-identified economic policy themes. The method of delivery needs to be flexible, in consultation with stakeholders involved and through ways that deliver maximum impact.

Delivering impact through research and training support

Development and publication of 4-8 novel research reports/ policy memos and briefs. The themes of the policy products along with the timetable for publishing them will be identified at the inception phase. The research products will identify and analyse specific policy issues and ideas in the Indian context. This will also include formulating ways of disseminating research and driving impact through continuous engagement with the Indian establishment.

Advancing UK-India Economic Policy Engagement

Contribute to deepening the UK-India economic policy cooperation through a minimum of 4 closed door roundtables/ seminars/ conferences that bring together UK and Indian policymakers, academics and experts. These platforms should be used to present evidence that can shape the economic reforms agenda in India that discuss common shared UK-India economic challenges further deepen economic cooperation between the two countries.

Timelines

The bidder is required to deliver phased outputs against set timelines (subject to confirmation).

The duration of this project is likely to be around six months (September 2021 to 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 FCDO 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.

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 institutions 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 Project proposal (ODT, 73.5KB) and Activity Based Budget format (ODS, 10.2KB) 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 “UK-India Economic Policy Collaboration Program 2021-22: [XXX – name of the implementer]”, to garima.verma@fcdo.gov.uk

Please also familiarise yourself at an early stage with the standard ‘Grant Agreement Template (ODT, 86.3KB)’.

See Complete Statement of Requirements (ODT, 56.1KB).

Please contact garima.verma@fcdo.gov.uk with any questions or queries.

Initiative timeline

Today, Minister for the Constitution and Devolution Chloe Smith has announced measures to apply the tried and tested system of First Past the Post to the election of council and ‘metro’ mayors across England, and to Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales.

In this May’s London Mayoral elections, the Supplementary Vote system saw hundreds of thousands void, wasted or blank votes cast, reflecting voter confusion and the complex system. Supplementary Vote also means that a ‘loser’ candidate can win on second preferences. In 1931, Winston Churchill described transferable voting as “the decision is to be determined by the most worthless votes given for the most worthless candidates.”

First Past the Post is the world’s most widely used electoral system. The change to First Past the Post will further strengthen the accountability of elected mayors and PCCs to their electorate, making it easier for voters to express a clear choice. The person chosen to represent a local area should be the one who directly receives the most votes.

Chloe Smith, Minister for the Constitution, said:

Britain’s long-standing national electoral system of First Past the Post ensures clearer accountability, and allows voters to kick out the politicians who don’t deliver. First Past the Post is fair and simple – the person with the most votes wins.

Kit Malthouse, Minister for Policing, said:

We are strengthening the accountability and role of Police and Crime Commissioners, to help cut crime and deliver on the people’s priorities.

Luke Hall, Minister for Local Government, said:

Elected mayors can provide strong leadership, and must be held to account at the ballot box. The supplementary vote is an anomaly which confuses the public and is out of step with other elections in England, both local and national. Moving to First Past the Post will make it easier for voters to express a clear choice.

The government will be bringing forward amendments to the Elections Bill to deliver these changes.

The changes will be implemented for the election of combined authority ‘metro’ mayors, the Greater London Authority mayor, elected council mayors, across England; and Police and Crime Commissioners across England & Wales.