Breaking barriers, building resilience in the EU: gender equality for a future-ready workforce

The opportunity presented is a public procurement tender issued by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) aimed at conducting a research study titled "Breaking barriers, building resilience in the EU: gender equality for a future-ready workforce." The tender is identified as EIGE/VNO/2025/MVP/0015-EXA and is focused on monitoring the EU's commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action, specifically regarding "Education and training of women" and "Women and the Economy."

The type of service required is research and experimental development, as indicated by the CPV Code 73200000. The contract will last for thirteen months, starting from the planned date of November 4, 2025. Interested applicants must register by November 3, 2025, and submissions must be made electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. It is emphasized that this is not a grant but a procurement contract where the successful bidder will be compensated for the services rendered.

Eligible applicants are likely to include research institutes, universities, consulting firms, and NGOs with expertise in gender equality research. However, the tender indicates that it is "not suitable for SMEs,” suggesting that organizations will need substantial capacity to execute the project. The contract's aim is to assess how EU Member States and institutions are advancing gender equality in the specified domains mentioned.

The study seeks to compile data, evaluate policies, identify gaps, and propose recommendations for enhancing EU policies in gender equality. Though the funding amount has not been disclosed, the project is categorized as low to middle value, with expectations that the final contract value will be competitive. This procurement is part of a broader EU initiative aimed at improving gender equality and will allow successful bidders to significantly contribute to shaping policies in this critical area.

The application process is expected to involve at least two stages, with potential preliminary expressions of interest followed by full proposal submissions. Success rates for such tenders are moderate and generally depend on the expertise of the bidders and their previous experience in related projects. Overall, this opportunity represents a significant contract in the field of gender equality research, with a planned call for tenders in the near future.

This is a publication announcing the European Institute for Gender Equality's (EIGE) intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. This is not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is EIGE/VNO/2025/MVP/0015-EXA.

The main objective of this contract will be to carry out a study, which aims at monitoring the EU commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) in areas B ’Education and training of women’ and F ‘Women and the Economy’. The study is shaped by EU priorities and will guide the Council in making EU policies more effective in achieving gender equality objectives.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not provided. The lead contracting authority is the European Institute for Gender Equality. The main classification (CPV) code is 73200000, which refers to Research and development consultancy services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 13 months. There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-10-22 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 04/11/2025 05:59 Europe/Vilnius. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-11-04 Europe/Vilnius.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below. The method of expression of interest is electronic. The address for expression of interest is available via the "Express interest" link.

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 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement for a future opportunity to bid on a study contract related to gender equality in the EU, specifically focusing on monitoring the EU's commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action in the areas of education/training of women and women in the economy. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is planning to launch a negotiated procedure for a contract of middle or low value. The study aims to inform EU policies and enhance their effectiveness in achieving gender equality objectives. Interested parties can express their interest electronically, with a deadline in early November 2025, ahead of the anticipated launch of the negotiated procedure. This is not a call for tenders, but a heads-up that a call for tenders is coming.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given the nature of the contract as research and development consultancy services, eligible applicants could include research institutes, universities, consulting firms, and other organizations with expertise in gender equality, education, economics, and EU policy.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, specifically for research and development consultancy services. This is a procurement action, not a grant.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. This will likely be detailed in the future call for tenders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that the contracting authority is the European Institute for Gender Equality and the study is shaped by EU priorities, it is highly likely that the geographic eligibility includes the EU.

Target Sector: The target sector is gender equality, specifically focusing on the areas of education and training of women, and women in the economy. It also involves research and development consultancy services.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The relevant region is the EU.

Project Stage: The project stage is research, as the contract involves carrying out a study to monitor the EU commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is described as a middle/low value contract, but the exact amount is not specified.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. The first step is to express interest electronically.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, specifically research and development consultancy services.

Application Stages: There are at least two stages: expressing interest and then participating in the negotiated procedure.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not mentioned.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). The project, identified by procedure identifier EIGE/VNO/2025/MVP/0015-EXA, aims to commission a study to monitor the EU's commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) in the areas of education and training of women and women in the economy. The study will inform EU policies to achieve gender equality objectives. The nature of the contract is for research and development consultancy services, with a maximum duration of 13 months. The start date for expressing interest is planned for October 22, 2025, with a deadline of November 4, 2025. The indicative date for launching the negotiated procedure is November 4, 2025. Interested parties must express their interest electronically. This announcement is not a call for tenders, but rather a notification of the contracting authority's intention to publish a future negotiated procedure. The contracting authority is the European Institute for Gender Equality. The CPV code is 73200000, which refers to research and development consultancy services. The title of the opportunity is "Breaking barriers, building resilience in the EU: gender equality for a future-ready workforce".