Request for information / market dialogue: Fund Investment Data, Analysis and Research Platform

This notice is not a contract notice nor a request for proposal but a request for information / invitation to market dialogue. This notice does not oblige the contracting authority to make the procurement or issue a contract notice. A decision to initiate a public procurement process will be made and a possible contract notice will be published later. With this notice Valtion Eläkerahasto (VER) invites interested suppliers to participate in the market dialogue. Participating in the dialogue does not affect supplier’s position in a possible forthcoming public procurement process. It is possible that VER later publishes a contract notice. The market dialogue will be executed in English and Finnish language may also be used. All material and information presented during the market dialogue and discussions are preliminary and do not bind VER or suppliers. Participants in the market dialogue will not be remunerated for their participation. VER seeks to acquire a fully outsourced, high-quality and user-friendly Fund Investment Data, Analysis and Research Platform Service from an independent, professional and experienced Service Provider with transparent fee structure to be used by VER’s portfolio managers in connection with their activities in monitoring and screening fund investments. The Service shall be provided by granting VER access to the Service Provider’s web-based global data, analytics and research platform with access to a comprehensive global database of an extensive amount of funds within the universe of open-end and closed-end mutual funds, exchange traded funds, market indices, money market funds, hedge funds, and equities, whereby certain widely used fund data points shall be available. The Service shall also offer analysis tools and resources for monitoring, analysing, selecting and screening fund investments as well as include an additional research and insights component. A more detailed service description and service provider questionnaire is available upon request for interested suppliers.

The State Pension Fund of Finland (VER) was established in 1990 to balance state pension expenditure. VER invests pension assets and helps the state to prepare for financing future pensions. VER’s investments fall into four categories: fixed-income, equities, position management and illiquid investments. With this notice VER aims to find out services and their functionalities available in the market and how they correspond to the needs of VER. Further VER is interested views on matters which should be taken into account in possible request for proposal. VER seeks to acquire a fully outsourced, high-quality and user-friendly Fund Investment Data, Analysis and Research Platform Service from an independent, professional and experienced Service Provider with transparent fee structure to be used by VER’s portfolio managers in connection with their activities in monitoring and screening fund investments. The Service shall be provided by granting VER access to the Service Provider’s web-based global data, analytics and research platform with access to a comprehensive global database of an extensive amount of funds within the universe of open-end and closed-end mutual funds, exchange traded funds, market indices, money market funds, hedge funds, and equities, whereby certain widely used fund data points shall be available. The Service shall also offer analysis tools and resources for monitoring, analysing, selecting and screening fund investments as well as include an additional research and insights component. VER invites interested suppliers to participate in the market dialogue. Participating in the dialogue does not affect supplier’s position in a possible forthcoming public procurement process. It is possible that VER later publishes a contract notice. The market dialogue will be executed in English and Finnish language may also be used. All material and information presented during the market dialogue and discussions are preliminary and do not bind VER or suppliers. Participants in the market dialogue will not be remunerated for their participation. VER provides the interested suppliers with a more detailed service description and service provider questionnaire by e-mail. Interested suppliers are invited to take part in the market dialogue by expressing their interest to participate. The answers to the service provider questionnaire (which is sent to the interested parties by their request) are to be submitted via e-mail to VER-kilpailutus@ver.fi by 10th February 2025 at the latest. The contracting authority reserves the right to continue the market dialogue with the suppliers which have expressed their interest by the due date by e-mail exchange, by phone and e.g., through Teams meetings. This notice is not a contract notice nor a request for proposal but a request for information / invitation to market dialogue. This notice does not oblige the contracting authority to make the procurement or issue a contract notice. A decision to initiate a public procurement process will be made and a possible contract notice will be published later. Participation in the market dialogue does not bind the supplier to participate in the procurement procedure. Additional information Interested suppliers are invited to take part in the market dialogue by expressing their interest to participate by providing their contact details to VER (as described later in this request for information) or by sending an e-mail to VER at VER-kilpailutus@ver.fi. The service description and service provider questionnaire will be sent to the interested service providers after their expression of interest. Answers to the questionnaire are to be submitted via e-mail to VER-kilpailutus@ver.fi by 10th February 2025 at the latest.