View Vacancy -- CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LIST OF INDIVIDUAL EXTERNAL EXPERTS TO ASSIST CEPOL, Ref: CEPOL/CEI/EE/2024

Notice of call for expressions of interest for the establishment of a list of individual external experts to assist CEPOL
1. European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL), Ó utca 27, 1066 Budapest, HUNGARY
E-mail: procurement@cepol.europa.eu

2. Registration procedure

The objective of this call for expressions of interest is to set up a list of external experts.

Expressions of interest should be submitted by electronic means at the link provided at https://www.cepol.europa.eu/work/experts-trainers.  

Inclusion on the list entails no obligation on the part of the contracting authority concerning the conclusion of contracts.

3. Information and documents to be provided

Interested parties should provide, together with their application:

  • a declaration on honour to be found at https://www.cepol.europa.eu/work-us/procurement/calls-individual-experts stating that they are not in one of the situations of exclusion listed at point 10 and that they fulfil the selection criteria listed at point 11. In case of doubt, they may be requested to provide supporting evidence of non-exclusion and/or selection.

Submission of an application implies the acceptance of the terms and conditions laid down in this CEI and all the relevant annexes.

4. General description of the procedure

4.1 Selection

Natural persons are invited to submit an expression of interest in accordance with the rules set out in this notice.

Applicants may apply for one or several thematic areas indicated at point 7 by selecting the relevant fields in their application.

The Contracting Authority will draw up a list of experts who meet the criteria set out at point 11. This list corresponds to each of the fields described at point 7.

The selection procedure will be carried out at least on a quarterly basis by a panel appointed by the Executive Director of CEPOL. Applications shall be considered valid only if sent before the deadline indicated in point 9 below.

The result of the selection procedure is, in case of a positive outcome, the inclusion of the applicant in the list of prospective individual external experts, for the duration specified in point 9 below.

All applicants will be informed of the results of the procedure (i.e. whether or not they have been placed on the list).

4.2 Assignment of the expert and signature of the contract:

Where a particular task relating to any of the thematic areas described at point 7 is to be performed by an external expert, CEPOL will assign experts to the task based on the relevance of the skills, experience and knowledge necessary and in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and absence of conflict of interests. The choice of the expert will be carried out by the same selection panel specified above in point 4.1.

CEPOL will ensure that the choice of expert is made in a balanced manner with an appropriate rotation of experts. Account will also be taken, for example, and depending on the specific tasks to be assigned, of the geographical representations and linguistic abilities of applicants. In addition, whilst maintaining the principle of choosing the most qualified experts, CEPOL will seek to obtain a gender balance.

A contract shall be signed between CEPOL and the selected expert for the performance of allocated task(s). A model contract, including the relevant annexes, is available at the following link ( https://www.cepol.europa.eu/work-us/procurement/calls-individual-experts). In accordance with the model contract provisions, the selected expert shall be entitled to a payment as indicated in point 12. The travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed on the basis of the rules on the reimbursement annexed to the model contract. Before the signature of the contract, the expert shall provide:

 The experts are requested to commit themselves to respect applicable national legislation (including taxation, social security, and labour laws) with regard to any payment received from CEPOL.

5. Protection of personal data

If processing your expression of interest involves the recording and processing of personal data (such as your name, address and CV), such data will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23.10.2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC Text with EEA relevance. Unless indicated otherwise, your reply to this notice and any personal data requested are required for the purposes indicated above in point 4 and will be processed solely for those purposes by the contracting authority indicated in point 1, which is also acting as data controller. Details concerning the processing of your personal data are available on the privacy statement at: 

https://www.cepol.europa.eu/data-protection 

Your personal data may be registered in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES), should you be in one of the situations mentioned in Article 136 and 141 of the Financial Regulation[1]. For more information, see the privacy statement:  http://ec.europa.eu/budget/explained/management/protecting/protect_en.cfm


[1] Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 (OJ L 193 of 30.07.2018, p.1).

6. Use of the list resulting from this notice

The list resulting from this notice will be used exclusively for execution of the tasks within the fields described at point 7 below the applicable threshold of the Directive on public procurement (2014/24/EU). This ceiling applies to the total of all payments (including both remunerations and reimbursement) to be made to each expert throughout the duration set for the list. Furthermore, the cumulative length of the contracts shall not exceed 50 days per calendar year per expert.

The external experts shall perform the following tasks:

  • provide expert advice / content expertise to CEPOL in the context of the CEPOL implemented activities (e.g. courses, seminars, conferences and e-learning), including capacity building projects,
  • provide expert advice on specific items such as the identification of training needs and content advice on specific sub-sectors,
  • provide expert advice to CEPOL in relation to specific questions in the context of programme formulation, methodologies and/or implementation,
  • assist CEPOL in the peer review, feasibility studies and in the drafting of technical specifications, in the evaluation of procurement tenders, project follow-up and ex-post evaluation.

The selected experts shall assist CEPOL in the performance of the tasks mentioned above and shall conduct their work in compliance with CEPOL processes and procedures taking into account the agency’s objectives as well as the specific rules and any relevant CEPOL guide and/or manual. All relevant information/documentation will be made available to the experts by CEPOL prior to the start-up of the activities/tasks.

Disclaimer

Inclusion of an expert on the list does not imply any obligation for CEPOL to provide them a contract. The experts on the list are not specifically endorsed by CEPOL and cannot be considered CEPOL staff. The opinions and thoughts expressed by the experts cannot be considered representative of the views of CEPOL. CEPOL is entitled to terminate the list at any time without any type of compensation for the experts.

Full description of the fields covered by the call for expressions of interest
7. Full description of the fields covered by the call for expressions of interest. (Sub-categories that are considered relevant in the context of specific assignments but that are not defined as individual thematic areas in the Application Form are indicated in Annex 1 with an asterisk (*). When an applicant has specific expertise on sub-categories, he/she must select the box corresponding to the main category and provide further details in the text box next to the selected category.
Thematic Areas

1. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/EMPACT cycle, in general

2. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/High-Risk Criminal Networks

3. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Migration and Migrant Smuggling

4. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Trafficking in Human Beings, including but not limited to sexual and labour exploitation

5. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Environmental Crime

6. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Document and Identity Fraud

7. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Drugs trafficking, drugs crimes (also including intra and extra-EU routes)

8. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Organised Property Crime, including trafficking of cultural goods

9. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Missing trader intracommunity fraud

10. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Corruption

11. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Excise fraud

12. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Intellectual Property Crime

13. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Trafficking and illicit use of Firearms and Explosives (also including intra and extra-EU routes)

14. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Cybercrime - Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation

15. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Cybercrime - Non-Cash Means of Payment

16. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Cybercrime – Attacks, including attacks against information systems

17. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Criminal Finances, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery

18. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Crime as a Service

19. Counter-terrorism/Radicalisation and Extremism

20. Counter-terrorism/Foreign Terrorist Fighters and High-Risk Individuals

21. Counter-terrorism/Open-Source Intelligence in CT

22. Counter-terrorism/Security and Protection of Public Spaces, Critical Infrastructure

23. Counter-terrorism/Combating the Financing of Terrorism

24. Counter-terrorism/The Use of SIS and other Information Systems for CT

25. Counter-terrorism/CBRN-E

26. Counter-terrorism/Other CT-related Issues (Including but not limited to: New emerging technologies used by Terrorists / Extremists (Darknet, Meta-verse, Decentralised Platforms, and Use of Virtual Agents, Online Undercover Operations in CT.)

27. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Fundamental Rights - Conventions and Declarations

28. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Police Ethics and Management of Diversity

29. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Victim Protection and Rights

30. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Hate Crime, Racism, and Discrimination

31. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Gender Issues

32. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Domestic Violence

33. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Data Protection

34. Fundamental Rights and Management of Diversity/Other Fundamental Rights Issues

35. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Law enforcement cooperation, in general

36. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Schengen Information System (SIS)

37. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Entry-Exit system (EES)

38. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Passenger Name Record (PNR) (Including but not limited to: PNR Analysis.)

39. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

40. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Interoperability

41. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Joint Investigation Teams (JITs)

42. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Customs Cooperation

43. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability/Intelligence / Operational / Strategic Analysis

44. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Leadership Development, in general

45. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Strategy / Organisational Development

46. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Language development (English and French)

47. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Hostage Negotiations

48. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Special Investigative Techniques (including but not limited to: Undercover Operations and Informant Handling.)

49. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Judicial Investigations

50. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Strategic and tactical intelligence analysis tools, and methodologies

51. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Interview, and Interrogation Techniques

52. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Mentoring, and coaching

53. Higher Education and Research/Research and Science Applied to Law Enforcement

54. Higher Education and Research/Artificial Intelligence Research Applied to Law Enforcement

55. Higher Education and Research/Research and Analysis Methodology, survey

56. Higher Education and Research/Innovations in Research and Higher Education

57. Higher Education and Research/Networking maintenance

58. Higher Education and Research/Influencer on Research and on research networks

59. Higher Education and Research/Designing research projects

60. Higher Education and Research/High-level Edition of high ranks impact factor publications

61. Higher Education and Research/Financial assistance to research projects

62. Higher Education and Research/Funding possibilities for research

63. Higher Education and Research/Accreditation, EQF / SQF NQF expertise, Bologna and Copenhagen Processes

64. Higher Education and Research/Higher Education

65. Public order and crime prevention

66. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/Forensics

67. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

68. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/High-performance computing (HPC)

69. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/Development of ICT networks and encryption

70. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/Hybrid threats and War crime investigation

71. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/Witness protection

72. LE Technologies, Forensics and Other Specific Areas/Applied psychology / behavioural sciences

73. Learning Development/Train-the-trainers, including online learning (e-learning)

74. Learning and Training Design and Delivery, including online learning (e-learning)

75. Learning Development/Training Quality Assurance

76. Learning Development/ISO 29993 expertise

77. Learning Development/Online learning

78. Learning Development/Academic Curriculum Advisers

79. Learning Development/Academic Accreditation Experts, training quality assurance and evaluation of training systems

80. Learning Development/Training Peer Review

81. Learning Development/Mock Trials and Criminal Case Simulation (Including but not limited to case studies, role play and simulation development/performance.)

82. Union Missions ((CSDP), Management, Planning, Command, Threat Assessment)

External expert
8. Place of delivery The services of the external experts are to be provided mainly: ­ at the expert’s premises for preparatory or reporting tasks. ­ in EU Member States for activities performed in the context of CEPOL core business. ­ in third countries for activities performed in the context of CEPOL externally funded projects. However, work may also be carried out at another location, if required by business needs.
29 February 2028
10. Exclusion criteria Experts shall be excluded from participation if they are in any of the situations listed in Article 136 and 141 of the Financial Regulation. All applicants must provide a declaration on honour (see link at Point 3 above), duly filled in, signed and dated, stating that they are not in one of the situations of exclusion listed therein.
11. Selection criteria Experts to be placed on the list shall be selected on the basis of their professional and technical capacity to perform the tasks described in this call according to the following criteria: a) the applicant shall be a natural person, not a legal entity; b) the applicants shall: ­ have a minimum of 5 years relevant professional experience in the thematic area for which they apply, except for tasks falling under the following thematic areas, where the minimum relevant professional required is of 3 year: 15. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Cybercrime - Non-Cash Means of Payment 16. EU Crime Priorities – Serious and Organised Crime/Cybercrime – Attacks, including attacks against information systems 35-43. Law enforcement EU / regional / international cooperation, information exchange & analysis and interoperability 52. Leadership and other skills, competencies/Mentoring, and coaching 77. Learning Development/Online learning including ­ have knowledge of the development, delivery, organization and monitoring/evaluation of learning and training activities study and/or their preparatory steps, ­ have a very good command of written and spoken English (minimum B2 level) ­ have a working knowledge of different languages as relevant for the specific tasks (advantageous). All the selection criteria requested above will be assessed based upon the information applicants provide in their application . CEPOL reserves the right to request any additional documentary evidence if deemed necessary in order to verify applicants' skills and knowledge. The applicants have the possibility to list in the application form any relevant studies, papers, articles they have authored, co-authored or contributed to. Please note that it is the responsibility of the applicant to inform CEPOL immediately of any changes to their administrative and technical details which would result in a change to their original application.
12. Conditions of remuneration and reimbursement of experts Due to the nature of the activities performed in the context of CEPOL-externally funded projects, experts engaged in such activities shall be remunerated at a fixed price of 450 EUR per day worked. Due to the nature of the activities performed in the context of CEPOL core business, experts engaged in such activities shall be remunerated at a fixed price of 75 EUR per hour worked, up to a maximum of 450 EUR per day. Travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed under the conditions set out in the contract.
13. Ex-post transparency A list of experts (name and subject of the tasks executed) who have concluded a contract following the procedure set out at point 4 shall be published on the website of the contracting authority. If an expert has concluded a contract of more than €15 000, the name, amount, and subject of the contract shall be published on the website of the contracting authority no later than 30 June of the year following contract award. The information shall be removed two years after the year of contract award.
1 March 2024
1 March 2024
15. Contact
Any requests for additional information must only be made in writing, via e-mail to:
cepol-cei-ee-2024@cepol.europa.eu

16. Specific environmental requirements during the execution of the expert’s assignment(s)
­* Deliverables of the expert(s): all reports, annexes, presentations are delivered in e-format. Paper deliverables are not allowed.
­* All meetings for the coordination of the assignment are organised by video-conference to limit (air) travel, unless otherwise specified by CEPOL. CEPOL will provide the technical infrastructure/support for the meeting (add description of the system used and its compatibility with other video conferencing systems).
­*When a meeting needs to take place on CEPOL premises, the expert(s) shall follow the waste sorting measure in place at CEPOL and try to avoid single used plastic usage.
­*If travelling is necessary, the expert(s) shall give priority to train travel or air travel proposing offsetting.