Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
National Baseline Assessment on the Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 73300000 - Design and execution of research and development
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
A National Baseline Assessment (NBA) on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) would bring together an analysis of the legal and policy measures taken by the UK Government to implement the UNGPs, with an assessment of the extent to which UK businesses respect human rights and implement human rights due diligence in line with the UNGPs. An NBA would help build the evidence base for legal, policy, and institutional options on business and human rights, and might identify further research and data collection needs.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £100,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The UK Government has consistently supported the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), which are widely regarded as the authoritative international framework to steer practical action by Governments and businesses worldwide on this important agenda. Implementation of the UNGPs supports access to justice and effective remedies for victims of business-related human rights abuses, wherever these occur, and encourage businesses to voluntarily adopt due diligence approaches to respecting human rights. In response to the UNGPs, the UK was the first State to produce a National Action Plan (NAP) on business and human rights and we continue to develop our approach, including through implementation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Procurement Act 2023.
An NBA would have the primary objective of assessing the current level of implementation of the UNGPs and other relevant business and human rights frameworks by the UK Government and UK businesses. An NBA would cover the three pillars of the UNGPs:
1. State Duty to Protect
2. Business Responsibility to Respect
3. Access to Remedy
An NBA would clearly identify measures taken by the UK Government that support business compliance with international and regional human rights standards and identify possible gaps in current measures. It would also assess to what extent UK businesses have committed to respecting human rights, including by carrying out voluntary HRDD, and participating in remediation processes. An NBA would help build the evidence base for legal, policy, and institutional options on business and human rights, and might identify further research and data collection needs.
An NBA would be informed by both quantitative and qualitive research using desk-based and participatory research methods including engagement with relevant stakeholders, including but not limited to businesses, government officials, civil society organisations, academics, international organisations and people with lived experience of business-related human rights abuses. The methodology for the delivery of the NBA would be developed in line with guidance and tools developed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
This is not a call for competition or tender at this time. At the EME, suppliers will be given the opportunity to comment on a draft Terms of Reference to inform FCDO’s approach to engaging suppliers and test our design assumptions.
two.2.14) Additional information
This EME is scheduled to take place virtually on Wednesday 24th July @ 11:00 – 12:30 BST. Please register for attendance for the EME via the guidance below.
If you are interested in attending this Early Market Engagement event, then please register via the form at: https://forms.office.com/e/1Sh6gu8rZn
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
10 July 2024
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This EME is scheduled to take place virtually on Wednesday 24th July @ 11:00 – 12:30 BST. Please register for attendance for the EME via the guidance below.
If you are interested in attending this Early Market Engagement event, then please register via the form at: https://forms.office.com/e/1Sh6gu8rZn
We ask that Suppliers register on the Jaggaer Portal and sign up to the PQQ titled pqq_1684. All future communications relating to market engagement and pre-procurement messaging will be sent through the portal. Please note that this is not the PQQ stage of the formal procurement process and non-attendance will not impact any bidder’s opportunity to participate in the tender process. Should you have any technical issues with the Portal, please call eTendering helpdesk: +44 0203 868 2859 or use the “Call me Back!” functionality (recommended, especially if contacting from outside of UK). Any issues with accessing this PQQ should be reported to Mahzabin.ahmed@fcdo.gov.uk.