Bank guarantee

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) intends to procure bank guarantee services to secure its lease obligations under planned negotiated procedure ESMA/2026/LVP/0005-EXA. This notice is an advance publication and expressions of interest open on 14 April 2026 with a deadline of 22 April 2026 at 00:59 Paris time. The procurement is classified under CPV 66110000 Banking services and is expected to establish a framework agreement with a maximum duration of 108 months. Submissions must be made electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using an EU Login account and are primarily targeted at authorised credit institutions able to issue bank guarantees.

Short summary

What is being procured

Bank guarantee services to cover the European Securities and Markets Authority lease agreement. This is an advance notice (planned negotiated procedure for a low/middle value contract), not a published tender yet.

Who is the contracting authority:European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

Who can express interest:Financial institutions or providers of banking services qualified to issue bank guarantees (classified under CPV 66110000). Suppliers must submit electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with an EU Login account.

1. 1Procedure type: planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract
2. 2Maximum contract duration: 108 months (framework agreement)
3. 3Main CPV: 66110000 - Banking services
4. 4Estimated total value: not stated in the publication

Key dates:Start for expressions of interest: 14/04/2026. Deadline for expressions of interest: 22/04/2026 00:59 (Europe/Paris). Indicative launch of the negotiated procedure: 22/04/2026.

This listing is an intent notice (reference ESMA/2026/LVP/0005-EXA). Full tender documents and award criteria will be published when the negotiated procedure is launched.

Core details

This record is a planned publication announcing the contracting authority intention to launch a negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract to procure bank guarantee services related to the lease agreement of the European Securities and Markets Authority. The procedure identifier is ESMA/2026/LVP/0005-EXA. The procurement is classified under CPV 66110000 Banking services and the nature of the contract is services. The expected maximum contract duration is 108 months and it is intended as a framework agreement.

Lead contracting authority:European Securities and Markets Authority

Procedure type:Planned negotiated procedure for middle or low value contract. This publication is an announcement of intent to launch the future negotiated procedure rather than the final tender notice.

Main classification (CPV):66110000 Banking services

Maximum contract duration:108 MONTH

Framework agreement:Yes, the procurement is intended to be awarded as a framework agreement.

Key dates and milestones

1. 1Start date for expression of interest: 14/04/2026 Europe/Brussels
2. 2Deadline for expression of interest: 22/04/2026 00:59 Europe/Paris
3. 3Indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure: 22/04/2026 Europe/Paris

Expressions of interest must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal and require an EU Login account. From 30 June 2026 two factor authentication will be required for EU Login access; applicants are advised to ensure their accounts comply with the portal authentication requirements ¹.

How to express interest and where to submit

Submissions for the expression of interest stage must be sent exclusively at the address for submission indicated in the portal entry. The method of expression of interest is electronic and an EU Login account is required to submit. The portal entry explicitly states Express interest EU Login account is required for the electronic submission.

Extracted structured information for categorization

Eligible Applicant Types

The opportunity is a public procurement for banking services. Typical eligible applicants for banking and guarantee services are commercial banks, credit institutions and financial service providers legally authorised to issue bank guarantees and operate in the procurement authority jurisdiction. This implies eligibility for: banks, large enterprises, financial institutions, and credit institutions. Depending on ESMA internal rules and procurement legislation, consortia of banks or joint ventures could be allowed, but the procurement classification and the requirement to provide bank guarantees implies applicants must be authorised credit institutions. Public sector bodies, nonprofits or individuals that are not authorised credit institutions will not be appropriate providers.

Funding Type

This is a procurement contract tender for services. The contracting authority will pay for services under a service contract or framework agreement. It is not a grant, loan, equity or subsidy.

Consortium Requirement

The publication does not explicitly mandate a consortium. The procurement is a negotiated procedure for a middle or low value contract, typically allowing single economic operators to bid. However, the notice does not exclude consortium bids or sub-contracting where permitted by procurement rules. The likely default is single economic operator required, unless the negotiated procedure documentation later allows or requests consortium arrangements.

Beneficiary Scope Geographic Eligibility

The contracting authority is an EU agency located in the EU. The opportunity is published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal and therefore typically open to economic operators established in the EU Member States and possibly EEA countries, subject to the procurement rules and any specific conditions in the tender documents. The portal entry does not list explicit country exclusions or extensions to international bidders, so primary geographic eligibility is EU and likely EEA.

Target Sector

Banking and financial services. Specifically provision of bank guarantees to secure the lease agreement of ESMA.

Mentioned Countries

No specific countries are named in the procurement record. References are to regions and EU portal timezones Europe/Brussels and Europe/Paris. The contracting authority is ESMA, an EU authority based in the European Union.

Project Stage

Procurement for operational services. The anticipated stage is operational delivery and contract execution for the duration of the lease support. This is not a research or development project.

Funding Amount

The portal entry does not state an estimated total value. The publication defines the procedure identifier and classification but leaves estimated total value blank in the scraped content. The contract is described as middle or low value which under ESMA and EU procurement nomenclature indicates a below-threshold contract but the precise financial range is not provided.

Application Type

Open planned expression of interest followed by a negotiated procedure. The expression of interest stage is an open electronic submission on the portal. The later negotiated procedure will be launched with an indicative date listed.

Nature of Support

This is a paid services contract. The successful supplier will provide bank guarantee instruments and related banking services and will receive payment for contracted services. Support is financial services delivered as a commercial contract, not grant funding.

Application Stages

At minimum two stages are indicated:1 Expression of interest (electronic submission via portal) 2 Award via negotiated procedure to follow after the expression of interest. The negotiated procedure itself could include further selection and award stages such as invitation to negotiate, final offer and contract award, so total stages may be 2 to 3 depending on the contracting authority process.

Success Rates

No success rate is provided in the publication. For negotiated low or middle value procurement there is typically a small number of invited economic operators and a single winner, resulting in a low probability for any individual bidder. Exact historical success rates are not available in the notice.

Co-funding Requirement

Not applicable. This is a procurement for services; bidders will provide services and be remunerated under contract. There is no co-funding requirement similar to grants.

Application and documentation notes

Applicants must have an EU Login account to submit expressions of interest and to participate in Q&A on the portal. From 30 June 2026 two factor authentication will be required. The publication repeatedly emphasises the expression of interest must be submitted electronically and an EU Login account is mandatory. The portal entry also provides links and guidance on EU Login and how to participate in procurement procedures. No procurement documents were attached in the scraped content because references with ExA are announcements of intent and not the final calls for tender ¹.

Suggested structure for an expression of interest submission

1. 1Cover information: company name, legal status, registered address, contact person, EU Login account identifier if required
2. 2Statement of intent to participate in the upcoming negotiated procedure and brief description of the services the bidder can provide
3. 3Evidence of legal authorisation: banking licence or other authorisation to issue bank guarantees in relevant jurisdiction(s)
4. 4Relevant experience: examples of prior bank guarantee arrangements provided to public sector tenants or for lease agreements, with dates and reference values
5. 5Financial standing: appropriate bank statements, capital adequacy or credit ratings as evidence of solvency and ability to issue guarantees
6. 6Compliance statements: declarations against conflicts of interest, anti corruption, and compliance with procurement rules
7. 7Any required attachments requested by the portal entry or the negotiated procedure documents which will follow

Procuring entities often require formal documentation proving the issuer can provide unconditional bank guarantees on first demand, along with model guarantee wording compliance. Exact documentary requirements will be published with the negotiated procedure launch.

Risks and considerations for bidders

1. 1Ensure full banking authorisations are in place and evidence can be provided promptly
2. 2Confirm ability to provide guarantees denominated in the required currency and valid in the jurisdiction where the lease is enforced
3. 3Prepare to comply with EU procurement transparency and integrity requirements
4. 4Ensure EU Login account is active and, by 30 June 2026, has two factor authentication enabled

Links and source

Primary notice on EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The contracting authority is ESMA and additional contextual information about ESMA and its activities is available on the ESMA website ESMA homepage.

Comprehensive summary

This procurement notice announces ESMA intention to procure bank guarantee services to secure its lease agreement. It is a planned negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract and will result in a service contract or framework agreement with a maximum duration of 108 months. The procurement is classified under banking services CPV 66110000. Expressions of interest must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal between 14 April 2026 and 22 April 2026 and require an EU Login account. Bidders should be authorised credit institutions or banks able to issue bank guarantees and demonstrate relevant legal and financial capacity to provide unconditional bank guarantees on first demand. The notice provides procedural information only and does not include estimated contract value or the full tender documents. Interested operators should monitor the portal for the formal negotiated procedure launch and review the final tender documents when published to confirm eligibility criteria, technical and financial requirements, model guarantee wording and award rules. The procurement is targeted at commercial financial institutions and will be awarded as a paid service contract under EU procurement rules ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1This portal entry is an announcement of intent with reference suffix ExA which denotes planned negotiated procedures for low or middle value contracts. The EU Funding and Tenders Portal provides guidance on EU Login and procurement participation requirements.

Opportunity Overview

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is announcing its intention to procure bank guarantee services for its lease agreement through a planned negotiated procedure for middle or low value contracts. This is not yet an active call for tenders but rather an advance notice of ESMA's procurement intent, allowing interested service providers to express their interest in participating in the future negotiated procedure.

Procedure Identifier:ESMA/2026/LVP/0005-EXA

Contracting Authority:European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), located at 201-203 rue de Bercy, CS 80910, 75589 Paris Cedex 12, France

Service Description and Scope

ESMA seeks to obtain bank guarantee services specifically designed to secure its lease agreement obligations. A bank guarantee in this context is a written undertaking issued by a bank on behalf of ESMA, promising to pay the landlord a specified amount if ESMA defaults on its lease obligations. ¹ The guarantee serves as security for the performance of lease-related financial commitments and protects the lessor against non-payment or breach of lease terms.

Bank guarantees for lease agreements typically operate as tripartite agreements involving the bank as issuer, ESMA as the applicant, and the landlord as the beneficiary. ² The guarantee amount and specific conditions will be determined during lease negotiations and specified in the formal guarantee document.

Procurement Procedure Details

Procedure Type:Planned negotiated procedure for middle or low value contract

Contract Classification:Banking services (CPV code 66110000)

Nature of Contract:Services

Maximum Contract Duration:108 months (9 years)

Framework Agreement:Yes, this procurement will establish a framework agreement

Key Dates and Timeline

Interested parties must submit expressions of interest by the specified deadline. The actual call for tenders will be launched following the expression of interest phase, with the indicative date being 22 April 2026.

Eligibility and Participation Requirements

Participation in ESMA procurement procedures is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons falling within the scope of the EU Treaties. ³ This includes all legal entities registered in the European Union and, in certain circumstances, entities from countries that have ratified the Multilateral Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA).

Prospective bidders must ensure that neither they nor any involved entities (including consortia members and subcontractors) are subject to EU restrictive measures adopted under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union. Bidders should verify their status against the EU Sanctions Map before submitting any expression of interest or tender.

How to Participate

All submissions must be made exclusively through electronic means using the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. ⁴ To participate, interested parties must have an EU Login account, which requires only an email address and password to create. As of 30 June 2026, two-factor authentication will be mandatory for accessing EU Login accounts.

1. 1Create or access your EU Login account at the EU Funding and Tenders Portal
2. 2Navigate to the specific call using the procedure identifier ESMA/2026/LVP/0005-EXA
3. 3Submit your expression of interest electronically before the 22 April 2026 deadline at 00:59 Paris time
4. 4Activate two-factor authentication on your account if not already done
5. 5Monitor the portal for updates regarding the launch of the formal negotiated procedure

Important Information for Applicants

This announcement represents a planned call for tenders and is not yet an active procurement. The reference designation 'ExA' indicates that this is a publication of the contracting authority's intention to launch a future low or middle value negotiated procedure. Formal procurement documents, detailed specifications, and tender requirements will be published when the negotiated procedure is officially launched.

ESMA follows specific procurement guidelines for all contracting activities. ⁵ For procedures with estimated values above €143,000, ESMA typically uses open procedures and publishes notices in the Official Journal of the European Union. For lower value contracts, ESMA may use negotiated procedures with a pre-selected list of potential tenderers based on their field of activity, expertise, and ESMA's specific needs.

Prospective bidders are encouraged to review ESMA's procurement guidelines and to submit any clarifying questions through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal once the formal call is launched. Questions should be submitted using the portal's designated Q&A functionality, and responses will be provided to all participants on equal terms.

Contact and Support

For general inquiries regarding ESMA procurement procedures, interested parties may contact ESMA at procurement@esma.europa.eu. Additional guidance on participation procedures and requirements is available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal helpdesk and the eProcurement wiki accessible to registered users.

ESMA's procurement page at ESMA Procurements provides comprehensive information about ongoing and planned procurement activities, as well as detailed instructions for potential tenderers.

Security and Fraud Prevention

ESMA has issued warnings regarding fraudulent communications using its name, logo, and identity. ⁶ Applicants should verify the authenticity of all communications claiming to originate from ESMA. Legitimate ESMA communications regarding procurement will only be sent through official channels, including the EU Funding and Tenders Portal and official ESMA email addresses. Applicants should never disclose sensitive banking or personal data in response to unsolicited communications.

Footnotes

1. 1A bank guarantee is a written undertaking issued by a bank on behalf of a tenant, promising to pay the landlord a specified amount if the tenant defaults on lease obligations. It operates as a tripartite agreement between the bank (issuer), the tenant or applicant (ESMA in this case), and the landlord (beneficiary).
2. 2Bank guarantees for commercial leases typically include provisions regarding the guarantee amount, covered lease obligations, expiry date, and conditions for payment. The guarantee is usually issued for a period of one year and may need to be renewed or extended to cover the full lease term.
3. 3Participation is open to all natural and legal persons falling within the scope of the EU Treaties. This includes entities registered in EU member states and, subject to reciprocal agreements, entities from countries that have ratified the Multilateral Agreement on Government Procurement.
4. 4The EU Funding and Tenders Portal is the exclusive channel for submitting expressions of interest and tenders to ESMA. Electronic submission is mandatory, and all applicants must have an active EU Login account with two-factor authentication enabled as of 30 June 2026.
5. 5ESMA's procurement procedures follow EU regulations and ESMA-specific guidelines. For contracts above €143,000, open procedures are typically used with publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. For lower value contracts, negotiated procedures may be employed with pre-selected tenderers based on expertise and field of activity.
6. 6ESMA has warned against fraudulent use of its identity and logo in scam emails and communications. Applicants should verify authenticity through official ESMA channels and never respond to unsolicited requests for personal or financial information. Suspected fraud should be reported to scamreport@esma.europa.eu or local authorities.