Transparency in Media and Communications Contracts Awarded Through Direct Awards
Silicon Austria Labs GmbH (SAL) is committed to the transparent, objective, and non-discriminatory use of public funds. On this page, we provide information about the general criteria and procedures that SAL applies when directly awarding contracts in the areas of advertising, media, and communications in accordance with Article 25 of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The criteria for public tenders pursuant to the Federal Public Procurement Act are published separately in the respective procurement procedure.
Purpose and Scope
The following principles apply to contracts and collaborations within the scope of Article 25 of the EMFA. These may include, in particular:
- Advertisements and promotional placements in print, online, radio, or television media
- Advertising and informational campaigns on online and social media platforms
- Employer branding initiatives and the promotion of job openings
- Media collaborations and editorial partnerships
- Production and provision of media content, such as video, audio, or editorial pieces
- Other goods and services provided by media service providers or online platform providers
SAL will assess on a case-by-case basis whether a specific contract falls within the scope of the EMFA. The applicable public procurement regulations, SAL’s general terms and conditions of purchase, and SAL’s internal procurement guidelines remain unaffected by this.
Principles of Contract Award
A key principle at SAL is the comparability of bids. This is achieved through predetermined, transparent, objective, proportionate, and non-discriminatory criteria. The specific procedure is determined based on the nature, scope, complexity, and value of the contract.
In the course of a direct award, SAL may invite suitable companies directly to submit non-binding bids, conduct market research, or give interested companies the opportunity to express their interest in collaborating.
The publication of these general criteria and procedures for direct awards does not constitute a call for bids or a request for proposals.
Eligibility Criteria
Depending on the specific scope of services, the following requirements, in particular, may be taken into account:
- Professional and technical expertise
- Relevant experience and suitable reference projects
- Sufficient personnel and organizational capacity
- Demonstrable experience with comparable services
- Professional and reliable service delivery
- Compliance with legal, data protection, and technical requirements
- Where applicable, status as a media service provider or online platform provider as defined by the EMFA
SAL may request appropriate supporting documentation, such as company information, references, reach or target audience data, work samples, technical documentation, or details regarding the proposed project teams.
Reasons for Selecting the Company - Evaluation of Proposals
The evaluation is conducted based on the relevant criteria for each specific contract. In particular, the following aspects may be taken into account:
1. Price and Cost-Effectiveness
- Total price or total costs
- Reasonableness and transparency of pricing
- Balance between costs, quality, reach, and expected impact
- Long-term cost-effectiveness and follow-up costs
2. Quality
a) Quality and Professional Competence
- Quality and coherence of the proposed concept
- Understanding of the project scope and communication objectives
- Professional, editorial, creative, or technical quality
- Qualifications and experience of the proposed team
- Quality of comparable reference projects
b) Target Audience and Media Affinity
- Suitability of the medium, channel, or format for the defined target audience
- Thematic and regional relevance
- Context and positioning of the offering
- Alignment with SAL’s communication goals and values
c) Reach and Expected Effectiveness
- Relevant reach within the intended target audience
- Expected visibility and communication impact
- Quality and transparency of the proposed performance metrics
- Opportunities for measuring success and reporting
d) Implementation and Collaboration
- Appropriate, realistic time and project planning
- Availability and responsiveness
- Quality of the proposed project organization
- Flexibility and reliability in service delivery
Sonstige auftragsbezogene Qualitätsaspekte können als weitere übergeordnete Kriterien zusätzlich berücksichtigt werden, soweit diese für die Erreichung der Kommunikationsziele sachlich erforderlich sind.
Weighting of Criteria
The criteria relevant to the respective contract and their weighting are determined and documented prior to soliciting bids or conducting the selection process, depending on the procurement project.
Evaluation is generally based on the following weighting:
Price and Cost-Effectiveness
at least 40%, at most 60%
Quality
at least 40%, at most 60%
The individual quality criteria are ranked within the range of 40–60% according to their importance. The first criterion listed is the most important, and the subsequent criteria are ranked in descending order of importance.
Expression of Interest
Companies that are generally interested in collaborating with SAL in the fields of media, advertising, or communications may submit a non-binding expression of interest.
Please send the following information to communications@silicon-austria.com:
- Company name and contact information
- Brief description of the services offered
- Relevant references and work samples
- Information on target audiences, reach, or media channels offered, if applicable
- Designated contact person
Submitting an expression of interest does not guarantee future collaboration. Furthermore, SAL may also reach out directly to companies it deems generally suitable for providing the relevant services.
Contact
If you have any questions about the information published on this page, please contact:
Silicon Austria Labs GmbH
Procurement & Operations Support
E-Mail: purchase@silicon-austria.com
