Framework Agreement Q and A
Starting date: 21/4/2023 (with a maximum length of 2 years).
1. Framework Agreement
4. Call-off contract
5. Subcontracting
1. Framework Agreement
What is it?
The Framework Agreement is a marketplace with selected Suppliers who participate in mini competitions and will work with the government to make government services more accessible, in a user-friendly, efficient and effective way.
It is an initiative by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy to digitalize government services by collaborating with both the public and private sectors. On 18/8/2022, the Department of Information Technology Services published the Framework Agreement ΤΥΠ2022/044/A/A for the “Digital Transformation of the Government Digital Services’. Interested economic operators submitted their tenders by 6/10/2022, and Contracts with the successful Suppliers were signed on 21/4/2023.
The Framework Agreement consists of two Lots:
- Lot 1 for Service Teams.
- Lot 2 for User research Studios and Participants.
In total, there are 30 Suppliers in Lot 1 and 5 in Lot 2. These Suppliers will be invited to participate in mini competitions throughout the duration of the Framework Agreement.
In the Mini Competitions,
- Lot 1 Suppliers will propose service teams to deliver creative and innovative solutions for the government’s digital Services.
- Lot 2 Suppliers will provide research studios and participants for user research. The actual user research work is not part of the Lot 2 mini competitions.
What is its duration?
The current Framework Agreement Contracts were signed on 21, April 2023 and will remain in effect for 2 years.
What is the number of services to be implemented?
The Framework will deliver up to 150 high-priority user-facing services for the Cyprus government, across a range of ministries and departments.
2. Mini Competition
What is it and who can submit a tender?
A Mini Competition is a competition conducted under the Framework Agreement for Lot 1 and Lot 2.
Only suppliers within the Framework Agreement will be invited to participate in the mini Competitions and will be able to submit tenders.
Lot 1 and Lot 2 Mini Competitions
Lot 1 Mini Competitions
A potential outcome will be defined by the Contracting Authority and the Suppliers will be asked to propose Service Teams that will design, build, iterate or retire digital Services.
It is comprised of two Stages: the Shortlisting Stage and the Proposal Stage.
In the Shortlisting Stage, all 30 Suppliers will be invited to submit a tender.
The top 3-5 suppliers (as stated in the tender documents) in the ranking of the Total Shortlisting Score will be invited to submit a tender in the Proposal Stage.
The “most economically advantageous” tender of the Proposal Stage will be awarded the Call-Off Contract.
Lot 2 Mini Competitions
All 5 Suppliers will be invited to submit tender for user research studios and / or participants. The “most economically advantageous” tender will be awarded the Call-Off Contract.
What is the number of Services to be included in a Lot 1 Mini Competition?
In a Mini Competition a “bucket of Services” may include between 1 and 5 Services.
3. Roles
Which roles are included in the Framework Agreement?
- Performance analyst
- Data analyst
- Data engineer
- Data architect
- Data scientist
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Cybersecurity specialist
- Delivery manager
- Product manager
- Business analyst
- Agile coach
- Software developer
- Technical architect
- Service reliability engineer
- DevOps Engineer
- Penetration tester
- QA tester
- Content designer
- UX designer / service designer
- User researcher / user experience researcher
What are the minimum capability requirements for each role?
The minimum capability requirements for the roles are as specified in Annex V of the Framework Agreement Tender ΤΥΠ2022/044/A/A.
For which Roles can Suppliers participate in mini competitions?
Suppliers can participate in a Mini Competition only for the roles included in their Framework contract with the minimum and maximum day rates stated. Consortium between the onboarded suppliers may apply for satisfying missing roles or role requirements.
Other roles NOT in the Framework Agreement
Suppliers can only include roles specified in the Framework Agreement in their tenders for Mini Competitions. No other roles may be offered.
4. Call-off contract
What is it?
A Call-Off Contract is a contract signed by a successful Framework Agreement Supplier who has been selected as a result of a mini competition conducted under the Framework Agreement.
What does Service Provider mean?
A Service Provider is a Supplier who signs a Call-Off Contract as result of a Mini Competition.
5. Subcontracting
Who can be a subcontractor?
A Subcontractor can be an individual or a legal entity that is not part of the marketplace of suppliers in the Framework Agreement.
Suppliers have the option to use Subcontractors in their tenders as follows:
- Lot 1: Suppliers may engage a Subcontractor to fulfill the requirements of a specific role included in their Framework Contract.
- Lot 2: Suppliers may engage a Subcontractor to fulfill the requirements of a Mini Competition.
