Betreuung und Ausbau des Netzwerks von Schulen und relevanten Akteuren „EUropa in der Schule“ für die Unterstützung der Europabildung im Rahmen der schulischen Politischen Bildung

This opportunity is a pre-announcement for a negotiated procedure related to the service contract for the management and expansion of the "Europa in der Schule" network, which promotes education about the European Union in Austrian schools. The contract is initiated by the European Commission's Representation in Austria in collaboration with the Austrian Ministry of Education and the European Parliament's Liaison Office. The tasks involved include administering the school network, organizing an annual prize for theses on the EU, conducting webinars for teachers, creating newsletters, and facilitating visits to EU institutions.

The focus is on organizations with expertise in political education and EU policy, specifically targeting entities based in Austria. The application process is not an open call but requires an electronic expression of interest by July 23, 2025, with a subsequent invitation for selected candidates to submit full proposals.

The maximum duration of the contract is set at 48 months, and while the total funding amount is unspecified, it is categorized as a middle/low value contract. The nature of support will involve financial compensation for the services rendered. Only a single applicant is required, and there is no co-funding obligation. The main classification for this procurement opportunity aligns with education and training services.

This is a pre-information notice for a planned negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract. It is not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is EC-COMM/VIE/2025/MVP/0386-EXA. The contracting authority is the European Commission, DG COMM Communication.

The description of the contract is as follows: The Representation is looking for a partner in the field of political education (focus: EU policy) for the care, administration and promotion of the school network "Europa in der Schule", a joint initiative of the Representation in Austria, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education and the Liaison Office of the European Parliament to promote education about the European Union.

Additional tasks include: Organization of an annual prize for final theses on the topic of the European Union, Organization of an annual network meeting, Regular creation of newsletters for the target group, including distribution, Support in the preparation of priority visits to Brussels organized by the Representation, Support in the organization of visits to the EU institutions, Organization of webinars for teachers.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not specified. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. It is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-07-11 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 23/07/2025 04:59 Europe/Vienna. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-07-24 Europe/Vienna.

The method of expression of interest is electronic. Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given. To express interest, use the electronic address provided.

The main classification (CPV) code is 80000000, which corresponds to education and training services.

A frequently asked question is: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer is: References that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure. This answer was published on 03/10/2024 16:32.

In summary, this is a pre-information notice regarding a future procurement opportunity related to political education and the management of a school network focused on the European Union in Austria. The European Commission is planning to launch a negotiated procedure to find a partner to support the "Europa in der Schule" initiative. The selected partner will be responsible for various tasks, including organizing events, creating newsletters, and assisting with visits to EU institutions. This notice is not a call for tenders, but rather an announcement of the contracting authority's intention to publish a negotiated procedure in the future. Parties interested in this opportunity should monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for the official launch of the negotiated procedure, expected around July 24, 2025. The contract will be a framework agreement for a duration of 48 months.

Eligible Applicant Types: The description indicates that the contracting authority is looking for a partner in the field of political education. While the specific eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, it can be inferred that eligible applicants could include organizations, institutions, or companies with expertise in political education, EU policy, and network management, potentially including NGOs, educational institutions, consulting firms, or other entities with relevant experience.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, as indicated by "Nature of the contract: services". The announcement refers to a "planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract," implying a procurement process for services.

Consortium Requirement: The description suggests a single applicant is preferred, as it mentions "Die Vertretung sucht einen Partner," which translates to "The Representation is looking for a partner." This indicates a preference for a single entity to take on the responsibilities outlined.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity is specifically related to the "Europa in der Schule" network, which involves the European Commission Representation in Austria, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, and the Liaison Office of the European Parliament. Therefore, it is highly likely that the geographic eligibility is primarily focused on entities based in Austria or those with a strong connection to the Austrian educational system.

Target Sector: The target sector is education, specifically political education with a focus on EU policy. The call aims to support the "Europa in der Schule" network, which promotes education about the European Union in schools. The main classification (CPV) code provided, 80000000, also confirms that the target sector is education and training services.

Mentioned Countries: Austria and Belgium (Brussels is mentioned as a location for priority visits).

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the management, maintenance, and expansion of an existing network ("Europa in der Schule"). This includes activities such as organizing events, creating newsletters, and providing support for visits to EU institutions. Therefore, the project stage is best described as implementation and maintenance of an established initiative.

Funding Amount: The opportunity is described as a "planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract." This suggests that the funding amount is likely in the range of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of euros, but without specific figures, it is difficult to provide a more precise estimate. It is a "middle/low value contract".

Application Type: The application type is a "planned negotiated procedure." This means that the contracting authority will likely select a limited number of candidates to invite to submit a full proposal, rather than an open call where anyone can apply. The first step is to express interest electronically.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services. The "Nature of the contract" is explicitly stated as "services".

Application Stages: Based on the information provided, the application process appears to involve at least two stages: 1) Expression of interest (electronic submission), and 2) Participation in a negotiated procedure (likely involving a full proposal submission if selected after the expression of interest).

Success Rates: Since this is a planned negotiated procedure, the success rates are difficult to estimate. Negotiated procedures typically involve a smaller pool of pre-selected candidates, which could imply a higher success rate compared to open calls, but this is speculative. The success rate is other.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. Without further details, it is impossible to determine whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure by the European Commission, DG COMM, specifically its representation in Austria. The aim is to find a partner to manage, maintain, and expand the "Europa in der Schule" network, which is a joint initiative focused on promoting education about the European Union in Austrian schools. The selected partner will be responsible for various tasks, including organizing an annual award for theses on the European Union, hosting a yearly network meeting, creating and distributing newsletters, assisting with priority visits to Brussels, supporting visits to EU institutions, and organizing webinars for teachers. This is not an open call for tenders; instead, it is a notification that a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value service contract will be launched in the future. The first step for interested parties is to express their interest electronically by a deadline in July 2025. The contracting authority will then likely select a limited number of candidates to invite to participate in the negotiated procedure. The maximum duration of the contract is 48 months. The opportunity targets organizations with expertise in political education and EU policy, particularly those with experience in the Austrian educational system.