BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES
TRIAL International is a non-governmental organization that fights impunity for international crimes
and supports victims in their pursuit of justice.
To support its activities, the organization is seeking a consultant to collect information, analyze and
draft, in English, a briefing paper on the law and practice of universal jurisdiction in South Africa.
This briefing paper will be part of the Universal Jurisdiction Law and Practice Briefing Papers series,
comprising 12 reports comparing the legal systems of Germany, England and Wales, Argentina,
Belgium, Canada, the United States, Finland, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Senegal, Sweden
and Switzerland.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
– Collect information through desk research and interviews on the legal framework and practice
relevant to extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction in South Africa;
– Analyze and compile the information collected;
– Draft a report on “Universal Jurisdiction Law and Practice in South Africa”.
How to apply
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A natural or legal person may submit only one tender. If a natural or legal person submits more
than one tender, all tenders in which that person has participated will be excluded. Subcontracting
is not permitted.
Please submit your proposal electronically to procurement@trialinternational.org, with the subject
line “Call for Tenders No. UE4T_OT_008: Briefing Paper on the Law and Practice of
Universal Jurisdiction in South Africa”.
Tenderers may submit questions to procurement@trialinternational.org until 8 November 2026,
00h00, CET. Please indicate “Question – Call for Tenders No. UE4T_OT_008”as the email
subject. TRIAL International is under no obligation to provide clarifications for requests received
after this deadline. Responses will generally be sent by email. However, if a question is considered
relevant to all tenderers, the response will be published on the website.
The submission must comprise a technical offer, a financial offer and the required administrative
documents, sent as three separate files:
1. Technical offer
a. Profile and experience
– List of names and CVs of the proposed consultant(s);
– Description of the five most relevant projects related to this contract carried out over
the past ten years;
– Supporting documents of technical and professional capacity, including two writing
samples in English;
b. Methodology
– A brief description, maximum 2 pages, of the proposed work schedule and methodology
for achieving the results set out in the Terms of Reference.
c. References
– Names of at least two referees.
2. Financial offer
a. A quotation detailing prices based on the expected results set out in the Terms of
Reference;
b. The financial offer must not exceed EUR 10,000. –
3. Administrative documents
q Company registration or proof of registration as an independent consultant under the
applicable legislation in the country of residence;
q Signed Tender Declaration Form.
All correspondence and documents relating to the tender must be written in English. Supporting
documents may be in another language. Prices must be expressed in euros (€) and include all
applicable taxes.
ELIGIBILITY
Participation in this call for tenders is open to all qualified candidates, whether natural or legal
persons, regardless of nationality or place of residence. However, all candidates must meet the
following criteria:
– Be able to provide the required services effectively (knowledge of the legal framework and
practice relevant to extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction in South Africa;
– At least five years of relevant legal and/or research experience, including at least two years in
international criminal law;
– Experience in researching substantive and procedural aspects of international and South
African criminal law, and experience in report writing with prior publication experience;
– An established network of legal practitioners and relevant stakeholders in South Africa, with a
demonstrated ability to engage and mobilize this network for research purposes;
– Proximity to the country under study, preferably through residence in South Africa and/or the
ability and availability to travel to South Africa to conduct in-person meetings and interviews
during the research and drafting phases of the assignment (if applicable, travel expenses must
be included in the financial offer);
– Proficiency in English and ability to work in English;
– Provide proof of registration as a legal entity or independent consultant ;
– Submit a signed declaration confirming that they are not in any of the situations listed in Article
136(1) of the EU Financial Regulation (such as bankruptcy, grave professional misconduct,
fraud or corruption).
SELECTION CRITERIA
TRIAL International is committed to ensuring a transparent and fair procurement procedure. All
candidates will be treated equally, and the evaluation process will be conducted in accordance with
European Union procurement principles.
The following selection criteria will apply to submitted tenders:
Technical offers will be assessed against the following criteria (80% of the final score):
• Understanding of project requirements and suitability of proposed services (25%);
• Relevant qualifications and experience (20%);
• Proposed methodology and work schedule (25%);
• Quality and relevance of supporting documents (10%).
Financial offers will be assessed against the following criteria (20% of the final score):
• Cost-effectiveness and value for money (15%);
• Clarity, detail and justification of costs (5%).
Please note that a score of zero in either of these two criteria of the financial offer will result in the
tender being rejected.
TRIAL International shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by candidates in preparing
and submitting their tenders. Missing information or documentation may result in rejection of the
tender. Tenders submitted by other means will not be considered. Late tenders will automatically
be rejected.