BlueInvest Platform

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has issued a call for tenders, identified as CINEA/2025/OP/0016, for the BlueInvest Platform. This project aims to support small enterprises within the sustainable blue economy by facilitating their ability to bring innovative products and services to market as well as to increase investment in this sector. The total estimated value of the contract is 6,600,000 EUR and it will be conducted over a maximum duration of 48 months, with an initial term of 24 months that can be renewed once.

Eligible applicants can include any economic operators that demonstrate the capability to provide the specified services, which may encompass entities of various sizes including consultancies and research institutes. Although the tender indicates that it is not specifically targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs), there are no explicit restrictions mentioned, thus allowing a diverse range of bidders. The nature of this procurement is classified as a service contract rather than a grant, with the CINEA overseeing the award process based on a best price-quality ratio.

Prospective bidders will need to submit their applications electronically, adhering to a deadline of September 25, 2025, at 15:00 Europe/Brussels. The application involves a single-stage process where both technical and financial proposals are to be submitted simultaneously. There is no co-funding requirement, and contractors will receive full payment for their services.

The project focal point is the sustainable blue economy, involving sectors such as marine technology, ocean energy, aquaculture, and coastal resilience. The tender outlines specific activities including matchmaking between investors and small enterprises, enhancing investment readiness through coaching and mentoring, and supporting regional acceleration efforts for sustainable innovation.

Submissions must comply with guidelines such as file size limits and required document formats, while a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is necessary for participation. The project not only seeks to build on existing frameworks but also aims to significantly enhance market opportunities for innovative ventures in the blue economy, thus contributing to its overall growth and sustainability within the EU context. The contract will not be part of a framework agreement and will be assessed under EU public procurement rules which permit participation from EU member states, EEA countries, and candidate EU countries, without outlining specific geographical restrictions.

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has published a call for tenders CINEA/2025/OP/0016 for the BlueInvest Platform. The TED reference for this call is 139/2025 481230-2025. The estimated total value of the tender is 6,600,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 23/07/2025. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 25/09/2025 at 15:00 Europe/Brussels. The date and time of the public opening is 26/09/2025 12:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 17/09/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels.

The purpose of this call for tender is to continue and further develop the BlueInvest Platform to assist in helping small enterprises to put innovative products and services from the blue economy on the market and increase investment in the sustainable blue economy in the EU. This will build on the existing work and will include:

matchmaking and community-building between investors and companies through events, pitching, animation of an on-line community and a project pipeline;
improving investment readiness of companies through activities such as coaching, mentoring and/or fundraising assistance;
supporting financial intermediaries/fund managers seeking to increase their investment in the Blue Economy and/or developing dedicated Blue Economy funds;
supporting regional or national acceleration efforts for the sustainable blue economy innovation;
promotion and outreach to key stakeholders and dissemination of results

The procedure type is an open procedure. The main classification (CPV) is 73100000 - Research and experimental development services. The nature of the contract is services. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is best price-quality ratio. It is not a framework agreement.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

The following documents are available for download:

ENInvitation to tender CINEA2025OP0016Invitation letterPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENTender Specifications CINEA 2025 OP 00016 BlueInvest platform 170725Tender specificationsPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 1 List of documents - May 2023 CINEA2025OP0016Tender specifications - adm. partPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 2 declaration-of-honour-tenders BlueInvest Platform CINEA2025OP0016 (2)Declaration on honour (tender)Published on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 2.1-Technical Professional capacity-May 2023 CINEA2025OP00016 updatedTender specifications - adm. partPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 3 Agreement Power of attorney - May 2023 CINEA2025OP0016Tender specifications - adm. partPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 4 List of subcontractors - May 2023 CINEA2025OP0016Tender specifications - adm. partPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 5.1 Commitment letter Identified subctr CINEA2025OP0016Tender specifications - adm. partPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 5.2 Commitment letter Third party CINEA2025OP0016Tender specifications - adm. partPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENrev Annex 6-Financial tender - Tasks - June 2021 CINEA2025OP0016Financial offer formPublished on 23/07/2025Version 1 No translations available

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This tender is an opportunity to further develop the BlueInvest Platform, which aims to boost the blue economy by connecting investors with small enterprises that have innovative and sustainable products and services. The project involves matchmaking, improving investment readiness, supporting financial intermediaries, and promoting blue economy innovation at regional and national levels. The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) is looking for a contractor to continue and expand the platform's activities, ultimately increasing investment in the sustainable blue economy within the EU. The tender is open for electronic submissions until September 25, 2025, and the contract is expected to last for 48 months.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants could include SMEs, large enterprises, research institutes, consulting firms, and other organizations with relevant expertise in the blue economy, investment readiness, and platform development. The mention of subcontractors suggests that consortia are also possible, with different entities contributing specific expertise.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is explicitly stated as "services". The financial offer form is also mentioned.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the inclusion of "Annex 4 List of subcontractors" and "Annex 5.1 Commitment letter Identified subctr" and "Annex 5.2 Commitment letter Third party" suggests that consortia are permitted and potentially encouraged, as they allow for a broader range of expertise and resources. Therefore, either a single applicant or a consortium could be eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on the EU, as the tender aims to increase investment in the sustainable blue economy in the EU. While not explicitly excluding other regions, the emphasis on the EU suggests that applicants should have a strong connection to and focus on the European Union.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is the blue economy, with a focus on sustainable development and innovation. This includes areas such as: Investment, Small enterprises, Matchmaking and community-building, Investment readiness, Financial intermediaries/fund managers, Regional or national acceleration efforts, Promotion and outreach.

Mentioned Countries: The European Union (EU) is mentioned as the primary geographic focus of the tender.

Project Stage: The project stage is primarily focused on development, validation, and commercialization. The tender aims to "continue and further develop the BlueInvest Platform" and "assist in helping small enterprises to put innovative products and services from the blue economy on the market." This indicates that the platform and the supported businesses are expected to be at a stage where they are ready to scale up and commercialize their offerings. The activities include improving investment readiness, which suggests that the companies are moving towards seeking funding for growth.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 6,600,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive non-monetary services through this opportunity. The tender focuses on developing and operating a platform that provides services such as matchmaking, investment readiness support, and promotion. While the platform aims to facilitate investment in the blue economy, the direct support provided through the tender is in the form of services rather than direct financial grants.

Application Stages: The number of stages is not explicitly mentioned, but based on the documentation, it is likely that there will be at least two stages: an initial submission of the tender and a subsequent evaluation and selection process. The "Selection criteria" milestone suggests that there is a formal evaluation process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders (CINEA/2025/OP/0016) issued by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) to continue and further develop the BlueInvest Platform. The BlueInvest Platform aims to support small enterprises in the blue economy to bring innovative products and services to market and to increase investment in the sustainable blue economy within the EU. The tender is an open procedure with an estimated total value of 6,600,000 EUR and a maximum contract duration of 48 months. The submission method is electronic, with a deadline for receipt of tenders on 25/09/2025 at 15:00 Europe/Brussels. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio.

The project will involve matchmaking and community-building, improving investment readiness of companies, supporting financial intermediaries, supporting regional or national acceleration efforts, and promotion and outreach. The tender specifications and related documents, including the invitation letter, annexes for administrative and technical details, and the financial offer form, are available for download. Tenderers must submit their proposals electronically, and a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The system supports 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information. The maximum number of attachments allowed per submission is 200, with a maximum file size of 50 MB per attachment.