1 Subject matter and objective
The subject of the tender is the social budget database in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS).
The social budget is a statistical calculation that covers all social benefits granted in Germany and reports on them and their financing. On an annual basis, up-to-date data on the social protection system are published. The current social budget for 2013 is available on the BMAS website at http://www.bmas.de/DE/Service/Publikationen/a230-13-sozialbudget-2013.html as a PDF document.
The social budget includes annual data (since 1960) of a total of 30 social protection institutions or branches providing social benefits. These benefits are both of a specific nature (e.g. income or benefits in kind) and one of the 10 functions:
1. Sickness,
2. Invalidity,
3. Age;
4. Survivors;
5. Children,
6. Spouses;
7. Maternity,
8. Unemployment,
9. Housing, and
10. General life aids
allocated. Benefits are also financed by type (e.g. social contributions or government grants) and by source (e.g. enterprises or local authorities).
The starting data for the calculation of the social budget are provided in Excel files as amounts and funding items. They are adapted to the interface of the evaluation software used so that they can be read automatically into the access database behind the software. The database classifies all monetary and financing items of the social budget according to certain characteristics. The evaluation part of the database provides the means of producing various presentation tables and reports.
From the social budget data, a significant part of Germany’s contribution to the European System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics (ESSPROS) is produced and delivered annually in the form of a questionnaire to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union. The social protection benefits covered by Eurostat are published at http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/social_protection/introduction. The methodological basis is the 2008 ESSPROS Manual, which is also available at the above-mentioned link.
The objective of the tendered project is to maintain the existing social budget database.
The maintenance of the social budget database must ensure that the social budget database can be used at all times, subject to changing requirements. Maintenance includes, for example, adapting the database in case of data updates, changes to existing IT frameworks or changes in ESSPROS methodology or ESSPROS questionnaire.
The requirement profile from 2015 onwards includes the development of a database of beneficiaries based on already existing data on beneficiaries of pension benefits. In addition, data should be compiled for other guarantee schemes. This data collection will be based on the OECD SOCR database and will also be transmitted to Eurostat in addition to the core social budget data. With regard to data deliveries to Eurostat, it is also necessary to maintain and further develop the module on the collection and compilation of net social benefits (social benefits minus taxes and social contributions). In addition, the source data of the backup systems referred to in section 3.1.1 will be compiled independently by the contractor.
In addition, the contractor must be available at short notice to provide any necessary assistance with regard to the application of the database application and advice on the content of the BMAS staff. Access by telephone to BMAS’s core working hours (Mo to Fr. 9:00 to 15:00) must be ensured.
In order to achieve the objectives, it is necessary to build on the existing access database. This concerns, in particular, the processing of the source data (see 3.1.1), the automatic reading of the source data in the database application with the necessary classification of amounts and financing items (see 3.1.2) and the modules for compiling the analysis tables (see 3.1.3). The application documentation (user manual) is attached as Annex 2a to the procurement documents.
2 Framework conditions.
System environment.
The access data is held centrally on a separate drive on an EMC SAN/NAS server. Users of the database access these data through their Access2003 application (SP3). The source data are recorded in Excel tables and read into the Access database.
Documentation of the database application.
The following documentation is available:
— User manual,
— Technical documentation.
3 bill of quantities.
3.1 Speciality related services.
Source data.
The source data for the calculation of the social budget are provided in 30 Excel files (so-called sum tables). The Excel files contain the time series of a total of around 1900 revenue and expenditure items. They are adapted to the interface of the Access database so that they can be read automatically. The Excel files collect data for Germany from 1960 onwards and are updated annually.
In addition to the social security sector data (pensions, health insurance, long-term care insurance, accident insurance, unemployment insurance), the contractor must also maintain the data of the following systems:
— Special schemes (farmers’ old-age insurance, private health and long-term care insurance);
— Public service schemes (pensions, subsidies);
— Support and welfare systems (basic provision for jobseekers, compensatory levy for severely disabled persons).
Data maintenance includes the provision and implementation of the data in the statements of amounts. The accounting results of the social security sectors or the pension scheme for farmers are available to the relevant departments. The sources for the other data are the Federal Statistical Office, Verband der Privat Krankenversicherung e.V., Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Integrationsämter (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Integrationsämter) and main care centres). If national accounts are revised during the contractual period, these changes to the social budget must be examined and, if necessary, replicated. The social budget is published every year at mid-year.
In addition, the contractor will supervise the Eurostat modules for the delivery of data to Eurostat.
— Core system (the ESSPROS questionnaire produced from national social budget data) as of June of one year;
— Net social benefits (social benefits less taxes and social contributions) as at December of one year, and
— the recipient of the pension as at May of one year and, in addition,
— the compilation of further data on beneficiaries from other schemes, based on the OECD SOCR database.
The processing involves the collection and processing of the data and the production/preparation of the respective quality reports requested by Eurostat. Data deliveries to Eurostat include:
— Core system data (quanti),
— Core system: qualitative information (Quali);
— Modules on pension beneficiaries (BENEF),
— Quality Report for the Core System (QUALREP),
— Quality Report for the module on Pension Beneficiaries (QRPENB),
— Modules on Net social benefits (NET),
— Quality Report for the module on Net social benefits (QRNET).
All necessary information shall be provided by the Contracting Authority.
3.1.2 Database.
At present, all monetary and financing items of the social budget are recorded when reading the data in the database and classified according to three characteristics: the number of their institution or sub-institution, a sequential number and by the classification key (coded for further classification of amounts positions). In addition to the classification key, the structure of the database is based on the following institutional breakdown:
1 social security schemes;
11 Pension insurance;
12 Health insurance;
13 Care insurance;
14 accident insurance;
15 Unemployment insurance;
2 special schemes;
21 Farmers’ old-age pension schemes;
22 utilities;
23 Private pensions;
24 private health insurance;
25 private care insurance;
3 civil service systems;
31 pensions;
32 family allowances;
33 aid;
4 employer schemes;
41 Continuation of remuneration,
42 Occupational pensions;
43 Additional pension;
44 Other employer benefits,
5 compensation schemes;
51 Social compensation;
52 load equalisation,
53 Remedies;
54 Other compensations;
6 Promotion and welfare systems;
61 Child benefit and family benefit allowance;
62 Child-raising allowance/parental allowance,
63 Basic income for jobseekers;
64 Unemployment allowance/other support for employment,
65 Promotion of training and promotion;
66 Social assistance;
67 Child and youth welfare services;
68 Housing Allowance;
7 Tax benefits.
A six-digit functional and source classification key identifies all the characteristics according to which the amount items are classified, except for the institution classification in column A of the tables of amounts. Only one social protection function or source of funding can be attributed to each amount item (other than offsetting, administrative and other expenditure). The classification key is structured as follows:
— The first two digits identify the type of benefit or financing.
— The third and fourth digits characterise the social protection function or source of funding. This is based on the 10 functions distinguished in the social budget and on the 8 sources of funding.
— The fifth and sixth digits give a detailed breakdown of the position considered. Examples are the positions of the ESSPROS questionnaire and other details that may be necessary or desirable for the national social budget.
The list of amounts must be maintained by the contractor in the database outlined above. This includes, for example, the need to adapt the database in case of changes to the existing IT framework or ESSPROS methodology or questionnaire.
3.1.3 Evaluation and presentation of the data.
The methodology for establishing the social budget is based on the European System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics (ESSPROS). Both the national social budget and the German contribution to the European social protection methodology are calculated from the baseline data. A common classification key can therefore be used.
The analysis part of the database generates the following tables in relation to the social budget and ESSPROS:
— the tables on functional and institutional groups used in the 2013 Social Budget, and
— the ESSPROS questionnaire.
The tables are currently being distributed in Excel format. As part of the redesign of a common standard for data exchange and sharing at European level, the evaluation tables will also be made available in the SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange) data format. This format will also be made available by the Federal Statistical Office. It is a new standard launched by the Bank for International Settlements, the European Central Bank, the Commission (Eurostat), the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations and the World Bank. For the exchange of official statistics, SDMX provides statistical and technical standards, including the SDMX Markup Language, using XML syntax (“SDMX-ML format”). The induction process will be supported by Eurostat with a training programme that includes monthly webinars, bilateral written notices and the possibility of expert visits to Member States on request.
The evaluation part of the database also produces the following reports:
— Individual evaluations and year comparisons in relation to the categories and aggregations of categories included in the classification key (e.g. periodic income benefits of the old age function).
— Special evaluations in the context of the consolidation of government contributions which, unlike other transfers, are not assigned to any function and have to be reported separately at institutional level. Although the matrices for consolidation by institution and type numbers can be properly compiled, an additional reconciliation of revenue and expenditure is needed to be carried out in the database. It is the expenditure side of the paying institution.
— Specific evaluations of own contributions from recipients of social benefits. The own contributions may need to be consolidated at a later stage by analogy with the contributions of general government. However, they are currently classified in the same category and function as the benefits from which they are deducted.
— Specific evaluations of the other transfers between the institutions.
The contractor will be responsible for making the presentation tables and reports available on a programme basis so that BMAS staff can produce them in the manner necessary for them. The presentation tables and reports may need to be reprogrammed by the contractor as part of the maintenance process and adapted to the current state of the data.
Programming services.
The programming services to be provided by the contractor include the further development and maintenance of all the components of the Social Budget Database listed under 3.1.
This includes in particular:
— Adaptation of the software to changes in the technical environment (e.g. system software or new software versions) and functional conditions (e.g. legislative developments);
— Elimination of software and implementation errors,
— Optimisation of the software in terms of efficiency and performance;
— Transmission of data in SDMX-ML format.
3.3 Documentation.
The contractor must update and submit the documentation (user manual, technical documentation) listed in point 2.2 with the submission of the final report.
4 Deliverables.
The volume of service to be provided corresponds to approximately 80 man-days per year. With a share of approximately 90 %, the scope of the services is based on the fixed terms of reference in accordance with the above-mentioned specifications. This part of the service shall be paid on a flat-rate basis. A further 10 % of the tasks are variable as a result of necessary changes to the social budget and EU social protection statistics, which are based, for example, on national and international decisions with retroactive effect on the social security system. The remuneration is calculated on the basis of the actual costs, calculated on the basis of standard hours.
5 Calculation of costs.
In addition to the price sheet, the tender must show separately the number of man-days foreseen for both parts (fixed and variable). In addition, a separate cost calculation based on a standard hourly rate must be provided for the variable part of the service provision. The remuneration of variable tasks shall be based exclusively on this standard hour.
6 Other requirements for the tender.
The tender should refer to the list of requirements set out in detail above, in particular:
— Description of how services for the maintenance of the social budget database can be provided. Account should be taken of the need to ensure the regular publication of the social budget and the annual transmission of data to Eurostat.
— Sketch out an approach to the development of a database for beneficiaries of pension benefits and other guarantee schemes.
— Description of the ways in which the social budget data for data deliveries to Eurostat can be converted by means of the access application in SDMX-ML format.
— In the case of tenders from consortia, a breakdown of the total costs of items 1 and 2 of the price sheet (to be sent with the tender documents) among the partners (without split between personnel and material costs).
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