Call for expression of interest for the establishment of a database of external remunerated experts to support public health risk assessments

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has issued a call for expressions of interest to create a database of external remunerated scientific experts who will assist in public health risk assessments following chemical incidents. This initiative aligns with the Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health Regulation and operates under Article 242 of the EU Financial Regulation. Eligible applicants are individual scientific experts without the need for a consortium; applications can be submitted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2027, with selected candidates retained until December 31, 2027. The framework agreement allows for remuneration based on specific assignments that arise, but no fixed funding amount is provided as it varies with task complexity. The voluntary nature of support involves experts receiving monetary compensation for their services, with submissions required through ECHA's online portal. Experts are encouraged to apply early, as assignments can emerge at any time. The process does not stipulate specific countries but is understood to be open to experts from all EU member states, consistent with typical EU procurement rules. The call does not provide information on success rates or any co-funding obligations. Interested candidates must utilize a web form for their applications and are required to have a Personal Identification Code (PIC), which is essential for participation. The call emphasizes the necessity of expert capabilities in addressing public health and chemical safety issues in the European context.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published a call for expression of interest, ECHA-2025-CEI-0008, to establish a database of external remunerated experts. These experts will support public health risk assessments following chemical incidents, in accordance with the Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health (SCBTH) Regulation. This call for expression of interest was published on 07/07/2025. The procedure is based on Article 242 of the EU Financial Regulation. ECHA will create a list of individuals meeting the specified criteria. Applications can be submitted anytime until 30/09/2027, but early application is advised, as assignments may arise at any time until 31/12/2027.

Interested candidates should submit their application via the webform available on ECHA's website: https://comments.echa.europa.eu/comments_cms/ExpressionsOfInterestSCBTH.aspx. The procedure type is a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) for the preselection of candidates. The main classification (CPV) code is 90711100, which refers to risk or hazard assessment other than for construction. The nature of the contract is for services, and the award method is a framework agreement.

The TED reference for this call is 127/2025 440444-2025. The submission method is non-electronic. The address for submission should be consulted in the procurement documents.

The available documents include:
1. Notice of the Call for Expression of Interest ECHA-2025-CEI-0008: Information for candidates and tenderers (Version 1, published on 07/07/2025, no translations available).
2. Annex II: Declaration on honour on exclusion criteria (tender) (Version 1, published on 07/07/2025, no translations available).
3. Annex I: Contract for External Remunerated Experts (Draft contract) (Version 1, published on 07/07/2025, no translations available).

Regarding the eSubmission system, several FAQs are addressed:
1. How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If issues persist, clear the cache and cookies. (Published on 13/02/2025 20:52)
2. Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Refer to the System Requirements link for technical recommendations. (Published on 13/02/2025 20:52)
3. Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline: No, the content is encrypted upon upload and cannot be decrypted after the deadline. (Published on 13/02/2025 20:50)
4. Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal: Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’ for open calls for tenders or requests to participate. (Published on 17/10/2024 20:40)
5. Which size should attachments have: Files must be less than 50 MB. (Published on 17/10/2024 20:36)
6. How should I name attachments in eSubmission: Follow the System Requirements for attachment names. (Published on 03/10/2024 16:39)
7. Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported: Check the System Requirements. (Published on 03/10/2024 16:37)
8. I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents: Select an organisation in the F&T Portal under “My Invitations”. (Published on 03/10/2024 16:37)
9. Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission: A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation as a sole candidate/tenderer or as part of a consortium. (Published on 03/10/2024 16:36)
10. I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error: Ensure the file follows the technical requirements of the system. (Published on 03/10/2024 16:36)
11. How many attachments can I upload per submission: The system allows a maximum of 200 files per tender. (Published on 03/10/2024 16:35)
12. Why do tenderers need a PIC: It is mandatory to register for a PIC to submit a tender or a request to participate. (Published on 23/04/2024 17:14)
13. How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC): Check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register. (Published on 23/04/2024 16:07)
14. What is the validity period of a PIC: A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time. (Published on 22/04/2024 22:55)
15. How many languages does the system support: The system supports all 24 official EU languages. (Published on 01/04/2024 19:56)
16. Which is the character set encoding in the system: The character set encoding is UTF-8. (Published on 22/02/2024 23:58)
17. Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information: Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents using an asymmetric key. (Published on 22/02/2024 23:57)
18. Which file types does the system support: The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements. (Published on 21/02/2024 23:55)
19. Can I view and edit my draft submission: Until the submission deadline, drafts can be edited, viewed, and deleted. (Published on 24/03/2023 21:32)
20. In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission: No, it is just a display issue and not blocking for submission. (Published on 03/08/2021 22:07)
21. I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent: No, this is an auto-generated notification. You had the possibility of withdrawing until the deadline. (Published on 03/08/2021 22:05)

In summary, this call for expression of interest by ECHA aims to create a roster of qualified scientific experts who can be called upon to assist in public health risk assessments related to chemical incidents. This initiative is in line with the EU's commitment to addressing serious cross-border health threats. Interested individuals with expertise in relevant scientific fields are encouraged to apply through the provided webform. The selection process will establish a framework agreement, allowing ECHA to quickly engage experts as needed until the end of 2027. The call emphasizes the importance of early application and provides detailed technical guidance for using the eSubmission system, ensuring a smooth and secure application process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are scientific experts. The call is for individuals to be included on a list of experts.

Funding Type: This is a service contract. External experts will be remunerated for their services. The award method is a framework agreement.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity is for single applicants.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU funding opportunity related to the Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health Regulation, it is likely open to experts from the EU and possibly EEA countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is health, specifically public health risk assessment related to chemical incidents. The CPV code provided (90711100) also indicates risk or hazard assessment.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the context implies EU member states due to the reference to the EU Financial Regulation and the Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health (SCBTH) Regulation.

Project Stage: This opportunity is for experts to provide services, so project stage is not directly applicable. However, the experts would be involved in the risk assessment stage following chemical incidents.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not provided. The funding amount would be variable depending on the assignments given to the selected experts.

Application Type: The application type is a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI). It is an open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of remuneration for their services as external experts.

Application Stages: The application process involves preselection of candidates. The exact number of stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it involves at least one stage of evaluation to determine if the applicant meets the criteria.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not mentioned, so it is likely not required.

Summary:

This is a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to establish a database of external, remunerated scientific experts. These experts will support public health risk assessments following chemical incidents, in accordance with the Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health (SCBTH) Regulation. The legal basis for this procedure is Article 242 of the EU Financial Regulation. Interested individuals with expertise in public health risk assessment related to chemical incidents are invited to apply. Applications can be submitted at any time until September 30, 2027, via a webform on ECHA's website. ECHA advises applying early, as assignments can arise at any time until December 31, 2027. The selected experts will be included in a list and contracted on a framework agreement basis to provide services as needed. The submission method is non-electronic, and applicants should consult the procurement documents for the address for submission. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate. The maximum number of attachments that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files, and the maximum file size is 50 MB. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.