Evaluation of tendering as a tool for the functioning the labour market, 2009

In line with an international trend where public and private employment officers work together, the Flemish government decided to introduce in 2004 the workings of the market into the coaching of job-seekers. After launching the pilot with the curative tender in 2005, various other tenders followed, each with their own features and geared to the policy requirements of that moment.

Aside from the increase in the number of tenders, questions were posed by the various parties involved as to the tendering policy implemented so far. On the other hand, the policy-makers were also eager to find out how to manage the market better according to the applicable policy and management objectives. A need therefore arose for a global evaluation of the current tendering policy to find out about the learning effects and arrive at an optimised tendering policy from 2010.

Together with its partners, DLA Piper and Arthur Van de Meerendonck, IDEA Consult carried out a strategic consultancy assignment concerning future tendering policy. The central issue was the way in which the market can be better managed where job creation is concerned, accommodating the interests of the policy, VDAB (Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Agency) and those offering job-finding services for job-seekers. The advice for an optimised tendering policy was built around four modules, namely long-term programming of tendering policy, formulating individual tenders, the impact on the VDAB and employment service providers and the most appropriate legal concepts.