In order to support the testing phase for the reference framework for sustainable cities, the Commission intends to contract technical assistance to organize the services and procedures in this phase, which will involve between 50 and 70 selected cities. Interested parties may submit their proposals to the Commission until September 15.

To ensure that the reference framework for sustainable cities (RFSC) meets the needs of Europe's cities and the envisaged objectives, European Ministers responsible for urban development decided in Toledo in June 2010 to follow up on the development phase of the RFSC with a testing phase and to have the RFSC prototype tested by a group of 50 to 70 cities. This type of actions were also addressed by the results of the opinion released by the Committee of the Regions, prepared at the request of the Council presidency and also presented in Toledo.

With this objective the European Commission has launched a call for tenders for testing the reference framework for sustainable cities (RFSC). Maximum budget for this contract is 400,000 Euro and interested parties may submit their proposals to the Commission until September 15.

The purpose of the testing phase is to ensure that the overall targets of the RFSC, which are described as follows, are effectively met:

• providing a generally accepted common framework for sustainable urban development and creating and promoting a common understanding about the benefits of integrated urban development policy approaches,
• providing practical instruments for cities that encourage and facilitate skills and capacity building to better manage urban development,
• providing a set of quality material and instruments that allow for communication within and between cities on the basis of a common format, but that can also be adapted to the cities' individual needs and priorities,
• encouraging the dialogue and exchange within and beyond Europe's cities on the implementation of integrated urban development approaches at city-level and facilitating the European dialogue on sustainable urban development policies at all levels.

Elements for the TA to support testing phase of he reference framework for sustainable cities

• assistance and services for the preparation and implementation of the test, e.g. through drafting questionnaires, information material, invitation letters,
• the organisation of a launch event for the 50 to 70 test cities, experts and representatives from Member States,
• standby support for test cities during the main testing period,
• collection and analysis of the test cities' feedback as well as of the feedback from the Member States' national support groups,
• assistance for the organisation of and consultation with the external expert panel on the conclusions of the test,
• recommendations for the amendment and adaptation of the RFSC on the basis of the test results,
• ongoing assistance to the Commission,
• a final report on the testing.