1. SCOPE AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCUREMENT  1.1. Contracting authority: who is the buyer?  1.2. Subject: what is this call for tenders about?  1.3. Lots: is this call for tenders divided into lots?  1.4. Description: what do we want to buy through this call for tenders?  1.4.1. Background and objectives  1.4.2. Detailed characteristics of the purchase  4 This call for tenders is launched and managed by the European Chemicals Agency  (ECHA), referred to as the  Agency  or the  Contracting authority  for the purposes of this  call for tenders.  ECHA is the driving force in implementing the EU’s ground-breaking chemicals legislation  for the benefit of human health and the environment. ECHA was founded in 2007 and is  based in Helsinki, Finland. We are a modern, science-driven organisation which has  grown rapidly to become one of the largest EU agencies.  ECHA has regulatory tasks related to the following pieces of EU legislation: Registration,  Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH); Classification, Labelling  and Packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP); Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR);  and the Prior Informed Consent (PIC), the Chemical Agents Directive (CAD) and the  Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMD), the Waste Framework Directive and the  PoPs Regulation.  The subject of this call for tenders is unlimited and interactive on-line access to the  contractor’s database to acquire detailed business information on companies that have  registered chemicals with the Agency, in order to verify their SME status as a micro, small  and/or medium size enterprise (SME).  This call for tenders is not divided into lots.  The services that are the subject of this call for tenders, including any minimum  requirements of the service, are described in detail below.  Variants (alternatives to the model solution described in the Tender Specifications) are not  allowed. The  Contracting authority  will disregard any variants described in a tender. The Agency is seeking a contractor that can provide access to  an interactive on-line database, containing accurate business data on companies’ ownership structure and  financial accounts and, in addition, headcount of staff and subsidiaries. The related services ensuring  continuous accessibility  to database and its use (i.e. for  user support, online help, backed up with a helpdesk contactable by phone and email,  training and documentation) must be included in the package.  Under this contract the service provider has to supply the Agency with the following: