Border regions Peer exchange on solving border obstacles

The European Commission, specifically DG REGIO, has announced a public procurement opportunity for a peer-to-peer exchange program titled "Border regions Peer exchange on solving border obstacles." The total budget for this contract is €90,000, with services to be delivered over a duration of 12 months. The contract is categorized under CPV code 79000000, which encompasses business, management, and related consulting services.

This opportunity is designed for organizations capable of coordinating structured visits for stakeholders involved in Interreg programs, focusing on sharing experiences related to successfully implemented b-solutions that address border obstacles. The program will consist of 10 visits, accommodating up to 50 supported participants in total, with additional non-supported participants allowed from various Interreg programs.

Eligible applicants for this tender are likely to include consultancies, research institutes, nonprofits, and any organization experienced in managing exchange programs and facilitating territorial cooperation, though the eligibility specifics are not explicitly detailed. The tender does not specify a requirement for a consortium, thus single applicants may be considered, although forming a consortium could facilitate better execution of the project.

The opportunity is expected to follow a two-stage application process. The first stage involves expressing interest electronically, with a submission deadline of November 6, 2025, and an indicative launch date for the negotiated procedure set for November 10, 2025. The applicants should be prepared to submit their bids through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

No co-funding is required for this contract, as it will be entirely funded by the European Commission’s regional policy budget. Historical success rates for similar tenders typically fall between 10-40%, although precise rates for this opportunity are not provided.

Overall, this initiative intends to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing among regions facing similar challenges, emphasizing cross-border cooperation in the European Union. Interested parties should prepare their submissions accordingly and take note of the key dates for participation.

This is a publication announcing the European Commission's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure, not a call for tenders. More information can be found at the provided link. Submissions must be sent exclusively to the address for submission given.

The procedure identifier is EC-REGIO/2025/MVP/0036-EXA. The call for tenders is to set up a peer-to-peer exchange programme that would allow Interreg programmes to benefit from the experience of implemented b-solutions cases, to further assist in the reduction of border obstacles and to enhance the synergy between b-solutions and territorial cooperation.

The objective of the peer-to-peer exchange is for Interreg programmes to participate in visits to b-solutions cases. The exchange should include 10 visits, each organised by separate b-solutions case host organisations. Each visit should include 5 supported visitors from Interreg programmes up to a maximum of 50 supported visitors in total. Non-supported visitors from Interreg programmes would also be allowed to participate in the visits. Programmes that face similar challenges would visit a b-solutions case on the same topic. Both the visiting programmes and the host would benefit from sharing with peers from other territories that share similar challenges.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is 90000 EUR. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG REGIO Regional and Urban Policy. The main classification (CPV) code is 79000000 Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 12 months. There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-10-23 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 07/11/2025 06:59 Europe/Brussels. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-11-10 Europe/Brussels. The method of expression of interest is electronic. To express interest, use the provided "Express interest" link.

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One question has been asked and answered publicly: 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 was published on 03/10/2024 17:32.

In summary, this is an announcement of a future opportunity, not an active call for tenders. The European Commission, DG REGIO, plans to launch a negotiated procedure for a low to middle value contract to establish a peer-to-peer exchange program. This program aims to facilitate visits between Interreg programs and successful b-solutions cases to promote knowledge sharing and address border obstacles. The program will involve organizing 10 visits, each accommodating up to 50 supported visitors from Interreg programs. The estimated total value of the contract is 90,000 EUR, and the maximum duration is 12 months. Parties interested in this future opportunity should express their interest electronically between October 23, 2025, and November 7, 2025. The negotiated procedure is expected to launch around November 10, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the description of the project which involves setting up a peer-to-peer exchange program for Interreg programmes to visit b-solutions cases, it can be inferred that eligible applicants could include organizations capable of organizing and hosting such visits. This might include consulting companies, organizations with experience in territorial cooperation, or entities already involved in the b-solutions initiative.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, as indicated by the "Nature of the contract: services" and the announcement of a future negotiated low or middle value procedure, which suggests a procurement process for services.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, the description suggests that organizations capable of independently organizing and hosting visits could apply, implying that a single applicant is possible. It is also possible that consortia of organizations with complementary expertise could apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly defined, but the project focuses on Interreg programmes and b-solutions cases, which operate within the European Union, particularly in border regions. Therefore, it can be inferred that the geographic eligibility is primarily within the EU.

Target Sector: The target sector is regional and urban policy, specifically focusing on territorial cooperation, reduction of border obstacles, and enhancement of synergy between b-solutions and Interreg programmes. This falls under the broader category of consulting and business services related to regional development.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus on Interreg programmes and b-solutions implies a focus on EU member states, particularly those with border regions.

Project Stage: The project stage is implementation and operational support. The call aims to set up a peer-to-peer exchange program, implying that the underlying concepts (b-solutions and Interreg cooperation) are already established and the focus is on facilitating the exchange of experiences.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is 90,000 EUR, which falls into the under €50k to €200k range.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. This involves an expression of interest followed by a negotiated procedure.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services, specifically organizing and hosting peer-to-peer exchange visits.

Application Stages: There are at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent negotiated procedure.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a planned call for tenders by the European Commission, DG REGIO, to establish a peer-to-peer exchange program focused on reducing border obstacles and enhancing territorial cooperation. The program aims to facilitate visits by Interreg programmes to successful b-solutions cases, allowing for the exchange of knowledge and best practices. The estimated total value of the contract is 90,000 EUR, and the contract duration is 12 months. The procedure will be a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The first step is to express interest electronically, with a deadline of November 7, 2025. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is November 10, 2025. The selected contractor will be responsible for organizing 10 visits, each involving 5 supported visitors from Interreg programmes, to b-solutions case host organizations. This initiative is designed to foster collaboration and learning among regions facing similar challenges in cross-border cooperation.