TENDERE, ACHIZIȚII ȘI CONTRACTĂRI ÎN MOLDOVA

1. Background

The EU-funded Strategic Communication and Support to Mass Media in the Republic of Moldova (StratCom) project implements communication activities aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding of the European Union, its values and EU support to the Republic of Moldova.

As part of its communication and outreach activities, the Project plans to produce and distribute a children’s storybook about the European Union.

For this purpose, the Project intends to contract a qualified service provider for the editorial preparation, design, printing, packaging and delivery of 10,000 copies of the publication.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to contract a qualified service provider to ensure the proofreading, editing, layout, cover design, printing, finishing, packaging and delivery of 10,000 copies of the children’s book.

The selected service provider shall ensure the professional preparation of the publication for printing and the high-quality production and delivery of the final copies in accordance with the technical specifications established by the Project.

3. Scope of Work

The selected service provider shall be responsible for the complete preparation, production and delivery of the publication, including:

3.1 Editorial and design services

The service provider shall:

• Proofread the text provided by the Project;
• Provide editorial review of the publication;
• Prepare the layout and typesetting of the publication;
• Prepare/finalise the cover design;
• Prepare the final print-ready files;
• Submit the final layout and cover to the Project for approval prior to printing.

All substantive changes to the text, illustrations, layout or cover shall be subject to prior approval by the Project.

3.2 Pre-press preparation

The service provider shall:

• Verify the technical suitability of the final files for printing;
• Check resolution, bleed, colour profile, dimensions and other relevant printing parameters;
• Prepare and provide a physical print proof/sample for approval before full production;
• Proceed with full-scale printing only after approval of the final version by the Project.

3.3 Printing and finishing

The service provider shall print 10,000 copies according to the following technical specifications:

4. Quality Requirements

The final publication shall:

• Accurately reproduce the approved text, illustrations, colours and layout;
• Have consistent print and colour quality throughout the entire print run;
• Be properly cut, assembled and bound;
• Be free from visible printing, cutting, binding or finishing defects;
• Comply with the approved physical proof/sample.

The Project reserves the right to inspect the printed books prior to final acceptance.

Any copies that do not comply with the approved specifications or present manufacturing defects shall be replaced by the service provider at no additional cost to the Project.

5. Packaging and Delivery

The books shall be securely packed to prevent damage during storage and transportation.

The service provider shall ensure transportation and delivery of the entire quantity to Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.

The financial offer shall include all costs related to the assignment, including proofreading, editing, layout, cover design, pre-press preparation, proof/sample, printing, materials, finishing, packaging and transportation.

6. Deliverables and Timeline

The selected service provider shall:

• Prepare and submit the final edited and designed version of the publication for approval;
• Provide a print proof/sample for approval before full production;
• Print and finish 10,000 copies in accordance with the approved specifications;
• Package and deliver the full quantity to Chisinau, Republic of Moldova.

The bidder shall indicate in the technical offer the proposed production and delivery timeline.

7. Requirements for the Service Provider

The bidder must:

• Be a legally registered entity authorised to provide printing, publishing and/or related services;
• Have at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in the production of books, publications or similar materials;
• Provide a portfolio or examples of at least 3 similar assignments completed during the last 3 years, preferably including illustrated books, children’s books, educational materials or other full-colour publications;
• Have access to the technical and professional resources necessary to perform the editorial, design and printing services required under this assignment;
• Confirm its ability to produce, package and deliver 10,000 copies to Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, within the proposed timeframe;
• Provide a proposed production and delivery schedule.

The bidder shall remain fully responsible for the quality and timely delivery of the entire assignment, including where certain services or production processes are performed by third parties.

8. Evaluation Criteria

The contract will be awarded based on the best value for money, taking into consideration both the technical quality of the offer and the financial proposal.

Only offers meeting the mandatory technical requirements will be considered for financial evaluation.

The evaluation will be based on an 80/20 ratio between technical quality and price.

Technical evaluation – 80%

Financial evaluation – 20%

Financial score = (lowest eligible financial offer / financial offer being evaluated) × 100

Final score = Technical score × 0.80 + Financial score × 0.20

The contract shall be awarded to the technically compliant bidder obtaining the highest overall weighted score.

9. Submission Instructions

Interested providers are invited to submit:

• Technical proposal describing the proposed approach for the editorial preparation, design and printing of the publication;
• Proposed production and delivery timeline;
• Company profile and portfolio;
• Financial proposal in EUR indicating the total price for the complete assignment.

The financial proposal should clearly indicate the costs for:

Editorial services (proofreading and editing) + layout and cover design + printing and materials + packaging and delivery.

The bid, as well as all correspondence and documents relating to the bid, shall be submitted in English. All financial information shall be provided in EUR.

Deadline for submission: 22 October, COB

Contact Email: anastasia.chistol@eu4moldova.eu

Please mention in the subject line:

“Editing, Design, Printing and Delivery of Children’s Books”