Assistance and Insurance Coverage for work-related travel

The European Commission (PMO) is running an open procurement to award two single-framework contracts for comprehensive health, medical and travel assistance services with complementary insurance for work-related travel, split into Lot 1 (West Europe) and Lot 2 (Rest of the World). The procedure requires electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal with a deadline of 7 December 2026 at 16:00 Luxembourg time and a public opening on 8 December 2026 at 10:00. Award is based on the best price-quality ratio (quality 60%, price 40%) and each framework may last up to 48 months. Bidders must meet the exclusion and selection requirements, submit a technical offer and the mandatory Financial Tender Form quoting a premium per person per travel day.

What it funds / buys

Scope

Award of two single framework contracts (one per lot) to provide comprehensive health, medical and travel assistance services plus complementary insurance covering risks arising from work-related travel by beneficiaries. Lot 1 covers West Europe, Lot 2 covers the Rest of the world. Contracts implemented by order forms (specific contracts).

Key procurement facts

Price and payment

Tenders must use the provided Financial Tender Form. The financial offer must include the premium price per day of work-related travel per person and be quoted in euros, VAT excluded. Payment arrangements, invoicing and annual adjustments are set out in the draft framework contract and tender specifications.

How to apply

Submit electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system. A valid EU Login account and Participant Register PIC are required. All procurement documents and templates are published on the portal.

Procurement documents, technical specifications, draft FWC and annexes are available on the official portal: EU Funding Portal.

Opportunity summary and purpose

The European Commission (PMO - Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements) published an open call for tenders to award two single framework contracts (one per lot) for comprehensive health, medical and travel assistance services combined with complementary insurance policies covering risks associated with work-related travels undertaken by beneficiaries. The procurement is interinstitutional: the Commission will sign the framework contract on behalf of many EU institutions, agencies and bodies which may each use the framework by issuing specific contracts/order forms. The call is divided into two lots by geographical coverage: Lot 1 West Europe (EU Member States, EFTA countries and a small set of neighbouring European territories) and Lot 2 Rest of the World (all other countries).

Key facts, dates and contract terms

Two framework contracts will be signed (one for each lot). Maximum contract duration per framework contract is 48 months. Framework contract ceiling per lot will be based on the successful tenderer’s financial tender for estimated volumes increased by a 20% reserve. The contracting authority may procure additional services (repeat similar services) up to 50% of the initial framework ceiling in the three years following signature using a negotiated procedure under the Financial Regulation. Award will be to the most economically advantageous tender per lot. An EU Login account and registration in the Participant Register (PIC) are required to participate and to submit electronically via the eSubmission facility on the Funding & Tenders Portal F&T Portal submission 1.

Eligible applicant types and consortium requirement

Funding type, nature of support and financials

Beneficiary scope and target sector

Project stage, required maturity and technical requirements

Award evaluation, weights and minimum quality thresholds

Documentation and templates required (submission checklist)

Selection and exclusion checks, data protection and security

Selection checks include legal/regulatory capacity, economic and financial capacity and technical and professional capacity. Exclusion checks follow Article 138 Financial Regulation; tenderers must submit the Declaration on Honour and, if requested, documentary evidence. Personal data processing and international transfers must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725; contracting authority requires data localization in EU/EEA and contractual safeguards for any transfers (see Technical Specifications Part 2 and Appendix 2 Security Requirements). The contractor must implement robust incident reporting (notify within 48 hours) and security measures and may be required to support security screenings for personnel accessing Commission premises or IT assets.

Application process, stages and success characteristics

Templates and application structure guidance

The contracting authority publishes mandatory templates and annexes that must be used without modification: Invitation to tender, Administrative Specifications (Part 1), Technical Specifications (Part 2), Annex 6 Financial Tender Form, Annex 2 Declaration on Honour, Annex 3 Agreement/Power of attorney, Annex 4 List of subcontractors, Annex 5 commitment letters, Annex 7 Mandate, Annex 8 international data transfers template, Annex 9 list of sub-processors, Draft Framework Contract (Lot 1 and Lot 2) and Draft Order Form templates. Tenders that omit mandatory forms will be rejected. The financial price must be entered in the Annex 6 financial tender form and uploaded in eSubmission; the eSubmission total amount field must match the uploaded form.

KPI, reporting and performance management

How to apply and where to get documents

Tenders must be submitted exclusively electronically using the eSubmission facility on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. All procurement documents (Invitation, Admin Specifications, Technical Specifications, Draft FWCs, Annexes and templates) are available for download from the Portal opportunity page. Questions must be submitted via the Portal Q&A tool before the stated cut-off. Technical system requirements and guidance (browser, file size limits, attachment naming) are available on the Portal and in the eSubmission Quick Guide. See the official opportunity page for documents and submission links Tender opportunity 1.

This summary reproduces the main facts and requirements extracted from the official procurement documents published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Tenderers must study the full administrative and technical specifications, the draft framework contracts and all annexes before preparing their tenders. The contracting authority reserves the right to cancel the procedure before signature and to request clarifications during evaluation. For system help and eSubmission support consult the Portal helpdesk prior to submission F&T Portal help and eSubmission guidance 1.

Footnotes

1. 1Access the official call and all procurement documents, templates and eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page: ec.europa.eu. Consult the eSubmission Quick Guide and System Requirements available on the Portal for technical submission instructions.

Executive summary

This is a European Union public procurement tender, not a grant scheme. The European Commission, through the Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements, intends to award two single framework contracts for comprehensive health, medical and travel assistance services and complementary insurance coverage for work-related travel undertaken by eligible beneficiaries. The procurement is divided into West Europe and Rest of the world lots, with one contractor selected for each lot. 1

The procedure is an open procedure using electronic submission. The final deadline stated in the official tender information is 7 December 2026 at 16:00 Luxembourg time. The public opening is scheduled for 8 December 2026 at 10:00 Luxembourg time. 1

This opportunity is most relevant to insurance companies, insurance intermediaries and specialist assistance providers able to deliver international medical, travel assistance and insurance services at institutional scale. A bidder may apply for one lot or both lots, but each lot must be covered in full and bids cannot be conditional on winning another lot. 2

Opportunity identification

Contracting model

The procurement will establish two separate single framework contracts, one for each lot. Each framework contract will be concluded with one contractor and will support future repetitive purchases through specific contracts or order forms. Signature of a framework contract does not oblige the participating EU entities to place a minimum volume of orders. 2

The framework agreement is described as operating without reopening of competition. Specific contracts will therefore be awarded according to the terms established in the relevant framework contract, subject to the detailed conditions in the draft contract and technical specifications. 1

The participating EU institutions, agencies and bodies may use the resulting framework contracts autonomously by concluding specific contracts with the successful contractor for their own work-related travel requirements. The participating entities include the European Commission, European Parliament, European External Action Service, European Central Bank, Court of Justice of the European Union, European Court of Auditors, European agencies, executive agencies, joint undertakings and other listed EU bodies. The list may be extended to qualifying EU institutions, agencies or bodies created after the procedure is launched. 2

Lots and geographical scope

There are two lots. Each lot will be evaluated independently.

Lot 1 covers West Europe. The tender specifications define this area as the EU Member States, EFTA countries, Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Monaco, the Holy See, San Marino and the Åland Islands. 2

Lot 2 covers the Rest of the world, meaning the entire globe except the West Europe area covered by Lot 1. 1

Bidders may submit for either lot or for both lots. A tender covering only part of a lot, or a tender made conditional upon the award of another lot, is not permitted. Variants are not allowed. 2

Scope of services

The successful contractors will be expected to provide comprehensive health, medical and travel assistance services together with a complementary insurance policy covering risks associated with work-related travel. The exact benefits, exclusions, service standards, geographical requirements, claims procedures, reporting obligations and operational deliverables are defined in the Technical Specifications for Lot 1 and Lot 2. 1

The procurement is designed for work-related travel by beneficiaries connected with the participating EU institutions and bodies. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the operational capacity to support travellers before, during and after travel, including access to assistance services and administration of insured incidents across the geographical area of the selected lot.

The tender documents also address security requirements, international data transfers, the use of subprocessors, accommodation ceilings, insured incident volumes and insurance cost ceilings. These annexes should be treated as binding preparation documents rather than background information only. 1

Financial structure and contract ceiling

No fixed grant amount or reimbursement rate is provided because this is a procurement of services. Tenderers are required to quote a premium per day of work-related travel per person, in euros and to two decimal places, using the prescribed Financial Tender Form. Omission of this financial item may result in exclusion. 3

The official materials do not state a single estimated total contract value for either lot in the available notice data. Instead, the maximum framework ceiling for each lot is calculated from the successful tenderer's price applied to the estimated overall purchase volume for the full maximum duration, increased by a 20 percent reserve for unforeseen needs, including needs arising from newly created EU institutions, agencies and bodies. 2

The indicative volumes and incident statistics for 2022 to 2025 are included in Section 1.6 of the Technical Specifications. They are estimates only and do not create a commitment to order any particular quantity. Actual expenditure will depend on specific contracts and orders placed by participating entities. 2

Within three years after signature, the contracting authority may use a negotiated procedure to procure similar new services from the contractors up to an additional maximum of 50 percent of the initial framework ceiling for each lot. The additional services would use a quality and price ratio weighted at 60 percent quality and 40 percent price. 2

Award methodology

The award method is the best price-quality ratio. Quality carries 60 percent of the award weighting and price carries 40 percent. The detailed quality subcriteria and scoring methodology are contained in the administrative specifications and should be mapped directly against the technical and operational response. 1

A low price alone is unlikely to secure the contract. The tender should demonstrate reliable assistance infrastructure, coverage capability for the relevant geographical lot, claims and incident management, medical support arrangements, data protection and security controls, continuity arrangements, reporting capability and compliance with all mandatory technical requirements.

Contract duration

Each framework contract has a maximum duration of 48 months. The detailed provisions concerning the initial duration, any renewal mechanics and contract implementation are set out in the draft framework contract for the relevant lot. 1

Tender validity is six months according to the procurement data. Tenderers should therefore ensure that quoted premiums and all other commercial conditions remain binding for the required validity period. 1

Who can apply

Eligible applicants are economic operators with the legal and regulatory capacity, economic and financial capacity, and technical and professional capacity required by the tender specifications. The exact evidence and thresholds must be taken from the administrative specifications because the public notice does not reproduce all selection criteria. 4

The structure of the mandate document indicates that an insurance company may appoint an intermediary as the sole administrative point of contact for the tender and, if awarded, for contract administration. The intermediary may submit the tender, coordinate service execution, issue invoices where applicable and act as the contact point, while the insurance company remains responsible for the insured risks. 5

Bids may be submitted by a single operator, a group of operators or an operator relying on the capacities of other entities, subject to the rules and declarations in the administrative specifications. Joint tenderers are jointly and severally liable under the draft contractual arrangements. Subcontractors and entities whose capacities are relied upon must be identified and provide the required commitments and declarations. 4

The procurement is not identified as specifically suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The scale, geographical coverage and insurance responsibilities suggest that smaller providers may need to form a consortium, appoint suitable subcontractors or rely on the capacities of specialist insurance and assistance partners.

Core eligibility and exclusion requirements

Tenderers and relevant group members, subcontractors and capacity-providing entities must address the exclusion and selection requirements through the prescribed Declaration on Honour and supporting evidence when requested. 4

The exclusion framework covers matters including insolvency, unpaid taxes or social security contributions, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal organisations, money laundering, terrorist financing, trafficking in human beings, significant deficiencies in previous EU contracts, irregularities, circumvention of legal obligations and obstruction of audits or investigations. 4

The declaration also addresses conflicts of interest, EU restrictive measures, established debts owed to the Union and the requirement that the tender has been prepared independently from other tenders. Tenderers must notify the contracting authority of changes affecting their declarations. 4

Applicants should be prepared to provide recent judicial, administrative, tax, social security and other documentary evidence where requested. Evidence may not be required if it has already been supplied for another procedure of the same contracting authority and remains valid, or if it can be accessed through a free national database. 4

Required registrations and submission conditions

Every organisation participating as a sole tenderer or member of a group must be registered in the European Commission Participant Register and must use a valid nine-digit Participant Identification Code. 6

An EU Login account is required to access the electronic submission process, submit questions and use relevant Funding and Tenders Portal procurement functionality. Tenders submitted by email, post or another channel will be disregarded. 1

The tender must contain all information and documents required by the procurement documents at the time of submission. The prescribed forms include the tender submission material, Declaration on Honour, financial tender form, information on groups and subcontractors, powers of attorney or mandates, data transfer information, subprocessor information and other documents applicable to the selected lot. 1

The Declaration on Honour may be signed using a qualified electronic signature. Where that is not possible, the document may be completed electronically, printed, signed and dated by the authorised representative in accordance with the invitation instructions. 4

A tenderer may submit no more than one tender per lot unless the tender specifications expressly permit variants. If multiple tenders are submitted for the same lot, the latest tender is considered unless an earlier tender has been formally withdrawn. 1

Key dates and communications

The official procurement information states that questions should be submitted through the Questions and answers section of the Funding and Tenders Portal. The contracting authority is not obliged to answer requests received less than six working days before the tender deadline. The stated question deadline is 27 November 2026 at 23:59 Luxembourg time. 1

The deadline for receipt of tenders is 7 December 2026 at 16:00 Luxembourg time. A tender received after the deadline will be rejected. The electronic submission receipt and its timestamp are the evidence of timely submission. [[FN1]]

The public opening is scheduled for 8 December 2026 at 10:00 Luxembourg time. Up to two representatives per tender may attend the virtual opening if they request access in accordance with the invitation letter. 1

The metadata supplied for this analysis also contains a separate 1 January 2026 date. That date is inconsistent with the detailed official notice, which identifies 7 December 2026 as the tender submission deadline. Applicants should rely on the live Funding and Tenders Portal record and any subsequently published corrigendum or update before submitting. 1

Key documents to review

Applicants should review the documents in the following order:

Applicant preparation checklist

Commercial and delivery risks

The principal commercial risk is the absence of a guaranteed minimum order volume. A successful contractor must be able to maintain the required service infrastructure while actual demand depends on orders issued by participating entities. 2

The contractor will face substantial geographic, medical assistance, insurance, data protection and operational continuity obligations. Pricing should account for claims volatility, emergency assistance, medical evacuation or repatriation requirements where applicable, local regulatory constraints, sanctions screening, subcontractor oversight, currency exposure and the possibility of service demand across multiple institutions.

The 20 percent reserve increases the potential ceiling but does not guarantee additional business. The possible 50 percent procurement of similar new services is also a maximum option rather than a guaranteed extension of scope. 2

Tenderers should examine the draft framework contract carefully for payment terms, liability, service levels, confidentiality, audit rights, data processing, termination, penalties, insurance obligations and the treatment of established debts owed to the Union. 2

Overall assessment

This is a strategically significant institutional insurance and travel assistance procurement with a four-year potential relationship and access to a broad group of EU institutions and bodies. The opportunity is strongest for providers with established international assistance networks, regulated insurance capacity, robust claims management, strong data governance and the ability to coordinate services across a large public-sector customer base.

The decisive preparation priorities are technical compliance, demonstrable service quality, geographical coverage, credible risk pricing and exact completion of the prescribed forms. Since quality represents 60 percent of the award weighting, applicants should provide a detailed, evidence-based operational solution rather than relying on price competitiveness alone. 1

Official source and documents

The official Funding and Tenders Portal record, tender documents and updates are available through the primary opportunity page. 1

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Footnotes

1. 1Official tender record and procurement documents: Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity
2. 2Administrative Specifications for both lots: Administrative Specifications
3. 3Financial Tender Form: Financial Tender Form
4. 4Declaration on Honour and selection requirements: Declaration on Honour
5. 5Mandate for an insurance company and intermediary: Mandate
6. 6Invitation letter concerning electronic submission and Participant Register requirements: Invitation to tender