Call for Expression of Interest

The European Training Foundation (ETF) has issued a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) to create a vendor's list for services related to qualifications recognition and qualification systems in its partner countries. The call includes two sub-lists: one for institutional support to qualifications recognition and another for thematic and project support in these countries. The application process is open for submissions until December 21, 2025, with a non-electronic submission method specified. There is no specific overall funding amount disclosed as it may vary by project, although similar grants often range from €200,000 to €1 million.

Eligible applicants include institutions such as educational bodies, public authorities, NGOs, and organizations involved in education, training, and qualifications recognition, with no explicit mention of individuals or startups being eligible. Single applicants can apply as there is no requirement for a consortium, but collaborative projects are also allowed. The geographical focus is on ETF Partner Countries, which typically include non-EU nations neighboring the EU, such as those in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Southern Mediterranean.

The grant aims to enhance qualifications recognition systems within these partner countries, aligning with EU education standards and addressing skills mismatches in the labor market. The call for expressions of interest is structured as a single-stage application process, but further bidding opportunities could arise for vendors who successfully get on the list. The question deadline for inquiries regarding the CEI is December 19, 2025, and answers will also be provided by the same date.

Interested participants need to ensure their submissions are made by the set deadline to be considered for inclusion in the vendor's list, from which they may later bid on specific service contracts related to the development and implementation of qualification systems. Further details, including invitations and Q&A documents, are available for download. This initiative reflects ETF's commitment to support partner countries in effectively developing their vocational education and training policies.

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, has announced a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) with procedure identifier 22ETFCEI01. This call aims to establish a vendor's list for services related to qualifications recognition and qualification systems in the ETF (European Training Foundation) Partner Countries.

The call is structured into two sub-lists:

Sub-list 1: Institutional support to qualifications recognition in the ETF Partner Countries.
Sub-list 2: Thematic and project support for the qualification systems of the ETF partner countries.

The submission method is Non Electronic, and the call is currently Open For Submission. The TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) reference for this call is 2022/S 065-167472, published on 01 April 2022.

The contract type is for Services. The time limit for receipt of tenders is 21 December 2025 at 23:59 (Brussels time). The estimated total value is N/A (Not Applicable). There is no specified address for the buyer profile URL. This is a Public contract.

Key Milestones:

Question deadline: 19/12/2025 23:59
Answer deadline: 19/12/2025 23:59

Two documents are available for download:

ENG22ETFCEI CEI Documents, categorized as "Other Document," published on 01/04/2022, Version 1. No translations are available.
ENG22ETFCEI01 Invitation letter, categorized as "Invitation," published on 01/04/2022, Version 1. No translations are available.

A Questions and Answers (Q&A) document is also available for download in PDF format (English only).

In summary, this Call for Expression of Interest seeks to create a list of qualified vendors who can provide institutional, thematic, and project support related to qualifications recognition and qualification systems within the ETF Partner Countries. The call is divided into two sub-lists, focusing on institutional support and thematic/project support, respectively. Interested parties must submit their applications non-electronically by 21 December 2025. Further details can be found in the downloadable documents, including the invitation letter and general CEI documents. The European Training Foundation (ETF) works to support partner countries in the design, implementation and evaluation of vocational education and training policies. This call is to establish a list of vendors that can provide services to the ETF in this area.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the call for expression of interest related to institutional and thematic support for qualification systems, it can be inferred that eligible applicants could include institutions, organizations, and experts with relevant experience in education, training, and qualifications recognition. This may include but is not limited to: educational institutions, vocational training providers, research centers, government agencies, NGOs, and consulting firms.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, as indicated by "Contract type: Services". This suggests that selected applicants will be providing services in exchange for payment.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. It is possible that both single applicants and consortia are eligible, but this needs to be confirmed by reviewing the detailed call documents.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call focuses on "ETF Partner Countries". The specific countries are not listed in the provided text, but the European Training Foundation (ETF) typically works with countries neighboring the EU, including those in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean.

Target Sector: The target sector is education and training, specifically focusing on qualifications recognition and the development of qualification systems. This includes institutional support and thematic/project support within the education and training sector.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to "ETF Partner Countries," but does not list them. Therefore, it is not possible to list specific countries. The relevant region is the countries that are partners of the European Training Foundation (ETF), typically countries neighboring the EU.

Project Stage: The call appears to be targeting projects that provide institutional and thematic support, suggesting a focus on development, implementation, and improvement of existing qualification systems rather than early-stage research or idea generation. This suggests a project stage of development and implementation.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is listed as "N/A," indicating that the specific funding amount is not disclosed in this summary. The funding amount will likely vary depending on the specific services provided under each sub-list.

Application Type: The application type is a "Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) Vendor's List". This means that the purpose of this call is to create a list of pre-approved vendors who can then be invited to bid on specific projects or service contracts related to qualifications recognition in ETF partner countries.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services related to institutional and thematic support for qualification systems.

Application Stages: The application process involves at least one stage: submission of an expression of interest to be included on the vendor's list. There may be further stages after being included on the vendor list, such as bidding on specific projects or service contracts. Therefore, the number of stages is 2 or more.

Success Rates: The success rate for being included on the vendor's list is not specified. The ultimate success rate in obtaining funding will depend on the number of vendors selected for the list and the number of subsequent opportunities available. Therefore, the success rate is other.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. This would need to be confirmed by reviewing the detailed call documents.

Summary:

This is a Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) to create a vendor's list for providing services related to institutional and thematic support for qualifications recognition in the European Training Foundation (ETF) partner countries. The European Training Foundation (ETF) is seeking qualified institutions, organizations, and experts to provide services aimed at improving and developing qualification systems in its partner countries. The call is divided into two sub-lists: one for institutional support and another for thematic and project support. Interested parties must submit a non-electronic expression of interest by December 21, 2025, to be considered for inclusion on the vendor's list. Once on the list, vendors may be invited to bid on specific service contracts related to the development and implementation of qualification systems in ETF partner countries. The specific funding amount for each project is not specified in this call for expression of interest. The selected vendors will receive monetary compensation for the services they provide. The deadline for submitting questions is December 19, 2025.