Capacity-building for the Implementation of Interreg and Cohesion Policy (BiH-MNE)

The European Commission DG REGIO invites tenders (Procedure EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021) for a service contract to provide capacity-building for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro on implementation of Interreg and EU cohesion policy, covering needs assessment, tailored training, applied peer exchanges and a final training handbook. The estimated contract value is €200,000, the maximum duration is 12 months, and submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 24 April 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time. Eligibility is open to economic operators and consortia meeting financial and technical selection criteria, including turnover and demonstrated experience in cohesion policy training and project management. Award will be on the best price-quality ratio with weighting Price 40% and Quality 60% and minimum quality thresholds per criterion.

Tender EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021 — Summary

What is funded

Service contract to deliver capacity-building for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro:needs assessment, hands-on training for public authorities involved in Interreg and cohesion policy, and thematic peer exchanges/technical clinics to transfer Member State practice and support preparedness for shared-management implementation upon accession.

Who can apply:Open to economic operators (sole tenderers or consortia), including consultancies and expert teams with relevant experience in EU cohesion policy, training delivery and peer exchanges. Joint tenders and subcontracting permitted; PIC registration required for eSubmission ¹.

1. 1Service type: consultancy and capacity-building services (CPV 79300000).
2. 2Target beneficiaries: public administrations and programme authorities in BiH and Montenegro (Interreg participants, monitoring committees, audit bodies, joint secretariats).
3. 3Consortium rules: joint tenderers assume joint and several liability; identified subcontractors above 10% must be declared.

Key technical requirements include:proven experience with cohesion policy and Interreg, delivery of hands-on training and peer exchanges, english language quality control (min. C1), project management experience and financial capacity (average turnover threshold). See tender specifications for full eligibility, exclusion and selection evidence.

How to apply

Submit a complete technical and financial offer via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system before the stated deadline. Prepare required annexes: Declaration on Honour, legal and financial documentation, project references and CVs, list of identified subcontractors and commitment letters where applicable.

Useful reference:Full procurement documents, templates and submission link are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (tender EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021) F&T Portal opportunity page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documentation, tender specifications and draft contract are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page linked above.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) is procuring specialised services to strengthen the administrative capacity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to participate in, and prepare for the implementation of, EU Cohesion Policy and Interreg programmes. The action combines targeted training, applied peer exchanges, and technical clinics, closely coordinated with ongoing capacity-building instruments such as IPA, Interact, TAIEX and Twinning.

Procedure snapshot:Procedure type: Open procedure; Nature of contract: Services; CPV: 79300000 (Market and economic research; polling and statistics); Contracting authority: European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy; Procedure identifier: EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021; TED reference: 52/2026 179057-2026; Estimated total value: €200,000; Maximum contract duration: 12 months; Award method: Best price-quality ratio (price 40%, quality 60%).

Submission and key dates:Submission method: Electronic via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Funding & Tenders Portal — Call page. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 24/04/2026 16:00 (Europe/Brussels). Public opening: 24/04/2026 16:30 (Europe/Brussels). Latest time for the contracting authority to be bound to reply to questions: 15/04/2026 23:59 (Europe/Brussels). TED publication date: 16/03/2026.

Objectives and Scope of Work

Overall objective:Prepare candidate countries for implementing EU Cohesion Policy in the lead up to and upon accession, by leveraging and enhancing their participation in Interreg programmes and aligning with future delivery models of Cohesion Policy.

Specific objectives:1) Train staff of central, regional and local administrations engaged in Interreg programmes (and IPA III, if staff overlaps) and involved in accession negotiations, to strengthen capacities for participation in and subsequent implementation of Cohesion Policy programmes. 2) Organise thematic peer exchanges and hands-on technical clinics with experienced EU Member State administrations to reinforce learning and facilitate transfer of concrete practices.

Tasks to be delivered:Task 1: Confirm and, where needed, fine-tune previously identified learning needs of programme authorities and map ongoing capacity-building support (e.g., IPA, Interact, TAIEX, Twinning) to avoid duplication. Propose training design (target groups, timing, locations) and initial ideas for peer exchanges/clinics. Task 2: Deliver country-tailored training sessions (primarily in situ, with possibility of targeted online follow-ups) covering both cross-cutting Cohesion Policy tenets and Interreg implementation topics. Task 3: Organise targeted applied learning exchanges and/or hybrid technical clinics with Member State managing/certifying/audit authorities on advanced implementation topics (e.g., management and control systems, audit trail, separation of functions, monitoring committees, programme closure, transition from IPA to shared management). Task 4: Produce a final report consolidating results of all tasks and a Training Handbook summarising core topics and learning materials used.

Indicative training and exchange content:Cross-cutting: Cohesion Policy principles and shared management; Interreg orientation; effective use of Technical Assistance and Interreg Specific Objective 1; negotiation skills; building sustainable public administration structures and coordination mechanisms; institutional memory and knowledge retention in environments with frequent staff turnover. Interreg implementation: roles and responsibilities of monitoring committees; preparation of positions and intervention strategies; inter-ministerial and multi-level coordination; data collection and statistics for programming and monitoring; preparing TAIEX/Twinning requests tailored to Cohesion Policy; setting up management, control and supervision systems with clear separation of functions and duties.

Deliverables, Timeline and Payments

Place of performance:Contractor’s premises and in-country delivery in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro for Tasks 2 and 3.

Who Can Apply and How

Eligible Applicant Types:Economic operators able to provide the required services, including but not limited to consulting firms, training providers, research and policy institutes, universities, public or semi-public agencies, and consortia of such entities. Subcontracting is permitted. Joint tenders are allowed; all group members are jointly and severally liable.

Funding Type:Procurement — direct service contract financed by the EU budget. Payments are linked to deliverables. No grants or co-financing to beneficiaries are foreseen.

Consortium Requirement:Single tenderers and joint tenders are both acceptable. No mandatory consortium composition is imposed.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons within the scope of the EU Treaties and international organisations. It is also open to economic operators established in third countries covered by special agreements with the EU in public procurement or under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement. All involved entities and subcontractors must not be subject to EU restrictive measures.

Target Sector:Public administration capacity-building, regional and cohesion policy implementation, Interreg cooperation, education and training, consulting and technical assistance, governance and institutional strengthening.

Mentioned Countries:Bosnia and Herzegovina; Montenegro. Additional countries and regions cited in programme context or peer exchange landscape: Italy, Croatia, Hungary, France, Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Türkiye. Interreg programme areas include South Adriatic (Italy–Albania–Montenegro), Croatia–Bosnia and Herzegovina–Montenegro, Interreg IPA ADRION, Interreg Danube, Interreg EURO-MED, URBACT, Interreg Europe.

Project Stage:Service delivery and implementation. Activities cover needs assessment, curriculum and session design, delivery of training and peer exchanges, and final reporting with a Training Handbook.

Funding Amount:Estimated total contract value: €200,000. Payments are staged at 20% (Inception Report), 20% (Second Interim Report), 40% (Draft Final Report + Training Handbook), and 20% (Final Report), subject to approval.

Application Type:Open call for tenders with single-stage submission via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal. A valid Participant Identification Code (PIC) is required for each participating entity.

Nature of Support:Monetary remuneration for contracted services. No non-financial services to applicants are provided beyond standard procurement communications.

Application Stages:Single stage evaluation. Award to the most economically advantageous tender based on price (40%) and quality (60%) with minimum quality thresholds per criterion.

Success Rates:No success rate statistics are provided for this procedure.

Co-funding Requirement:Not applicable. This is a fee-for-service procurement contract; the contractor bears its proposal preparation costs and implements the contract in return for staged payments upon deliverable approval.

Eligibility, Selection and Award — Detailed Requirements

Exclusion and restrictive measures:All involved entities must not be in exclusion situations under Article 138(1) of the Financial Regulation and must not be subject to EU restrictive measures. A signed Declaration on Honour is required with the tender. Evidence may be requested from the presumed successful tenderer prior to award.

Legal and regulatory capacity:Provide proof of enrolment in a relevant trade or professional register, authorisation to perform the contract in the country of establishment, and where applicable, membership of a specific professional organisation.

Economic and financial capacity:Minimum average yearly turnover over the last two closed financial years above €200,000. Evidence: profit and loss accounts and balance sheets for the last two closed financial years (most recent year closed within the last 18 months), or appropriate bank statements.

Technical and professional capacity:T1 — Cohesion Policy expertise and training delivery: at least two similar projects in the past five years, each with minimum value €200,000. T2 — Hands-on training and capacity building in candidate/partner countries and EU Member States, plus applied learning exchanges: at least three similar projects in the past five years, each with minimum value €200,000. T3 — English language capacity: at least C1 level; at least one team member with native-level English; at least five projects with published English-language deliverables in the past five years. Evidence includes relevant certificates, CVs and lists of projects. T4 — Project management capacity: at least seven years of project management experience, including quality control, client orientation, conflict resolution, and management of teams of at least five people. Evidence: CVs.

Award criteria and scoring:Price: 40%. Quality: 60% across three criteria with minimum 50% threshold per criterion and 60% overall minimum. Quality criteria: 1) Quality of methodology (50 points): needs identification and fine-tuning approach (Task 1); design and practicality of training and peer-exchange formats (Tasks 2–3); tailoring to BiH and MNE institutional contexts; measures to ensure institutional learning and knowledge retention. 2) Organisation of work (25 points): clarity of roles and responsibilities, resource allocation and rationale across tasks and deliverables, including consortium and subcontractor roles if relevant. 3) Quality control measures (25 points): risk management; communication and reporting with Commission and beneficiary authorities; complaint handling and corrective actions; language quality checks; service continuity measures.

How to Apply — Forms, Templates and Structure

Submission platform and prerequisites:Submit tenders exclusively via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Each participating entity must have a PIC. Sign documents preferably with a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) compliant with eIDAS. Tenders must be in an official EU language (the procurement documents are published in English). Late submissions are rejected automatically.

Documents to upload with the tender:1) Technical tender: Comprehensive response covering all minimum requirements in the Technical Specifications (Part 2) and addressing award criteria; include methodology, work plan, roles and responsibilities, resource allocation, risk and quality management, and draft outlines of training and exchange formats and the Training Handbook structure. 2) Financial tender: Total price and price breakdown, expressed in EUR, exclusive of all taxes and charges. 3) Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (per involved entity). 4) Evidence authorising signatories to sign on behalf of entities. 5) For joint tenders: Agreement/Power of Attorney designating the group leader and confirming joint and several liability. 6) List of identified subcontractors (if any) and proportion of subcontracting (Annex 4). 7) Commitment letters: from identified subcontractors (Annex 5.1) and from any entities on whose capacity the tenderer relies (Annex 5.2). 8) Economic and financial capacity evidence (turnover documents). 9) Technical and professional capacity evidence (project reference lists and CVs; language evidence).

Templates and structure to support applicants:Administrative models provided include: Declaration on Honour; Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders; List of identified subcontractors; Commitment letter templates for subcontractors and capacity-providing entities. Annex 1 to the Administrative Specifications provides an upload checklist indicating where each document must be placed in eSubmission per entity and per section.

• Technical tender structure suggestion: Executive summary; Understanding of context and policy framework; Methodology for Task 1 (needs assessment, mapping of existing support, training design); Methodology and curricula for Task 2 (session plans, pedagogical approach, in situ/online mix, knowledge-retention measures); Design framework for Task 3 (peer exchange/technical clinic formats, host authority selection criteria, duration, added-value logic); Work plan and Gantt; Team composition and roles (including language QA roles); Quality assurance plan (deliverables QC, language checks, service continuity); Risk register and mitigation; Data protection and security compliance; Environmental and equal opportunities considerations; Communication and reporting plan; Draft Table of Contents for the Training Handbook and Final Report.
• Financial tender: Total price; breakdown by tasks/deliverables, work packages, roles, travel/subsistence if applicable (noting that reimbursements as a separate mechanism are not applicable; all costs should be embedded in the price).

Opening session attendance (optional):Maximum two representatives per tender may attend the opening by videoconference or physically (upon prior request by email with required details and eSubmission receipt). Names of tenderers received are announced. No technical or financial content is disclosed.

Contractual, Legal and Compliance Notes

Contract form:Direct service contract; prices fixed (no price revision), with no separate reimbursement of expenses; no pre-financing; staged interim payments and balance as per deliverables schedule. The Commission may within three years procure similar services from the contractor up to 50% of the initial value via negotiated procedure if within scope.

Security and data protection:The contractor and its personnel must comply with the Commission’s security requirements and EU data protection rules. Any security incidents must be notified within 48 hours. No EU classified information access foreseen. Sensitive non-classified information hosting within EU Member States if applicable. Personnel may be required to sign the Ethics Reminder for Service Providers.

Intellectual property:The Union acquires ownership of results (newly created materials) with broad exploitation rights; pre-existing rights must be licensed royalty-free to the Union for contract purposes; the contractor provides a list and evidence of pre-existing rights with invoices.

Conflicts of interest:The contractor, all involved entities and subcontractors must avoid and declare any conflicts. Professional conflicting interests may lead to rejection.

Checks and audits:The Commission, Court of Auditors, OLAF and EPPO may conduct checks/audits up to five years after balance payment. The contractor must retain original records for the same period.

Communications and Q&A:All requests for clarification must be submitted through the Funding & Tenders Portal Q&A. The Commission is not obliged to respond to questions submitted less than six working days before the submission deadline. Updates and clarifications are published on the call page; interested operators should subscribe for notifications.

Evaluation and Ranking

Tenders are evaluated for access to procurement, administrative compliance, exclusion, selection, compliance with requirements, quality and price. Ranking is calculated as: (cheapest price / price of tender x 100 x 40) + (total quality score out of 100 x 60). Ties are resolved by higher quality scores, applying criteria in order.

Downloads and Official Links

• Call page and eSubmission access Funding & Tenders Portal — EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021
• Invitation to tender (PDF) Invitation letter
• Tender Specifications — Part 1: Administrative (PDF) Specifications Part 1
• Tender Specifications — Part 2: Technical (PDF) Specifications Part 2
• Draft Contract (PDF) Draft service contract
• Declaration on Honour (DOCX) Declaration on honour template
• Security requirements (PDF) Security appendix

Comprehensive Categorisation Answers

Eligible Applicant Types:Consultancies and service providers in public sector capacity-building; universities and research institutes; nonprofits and international organisations with relevant expertise; public agencies; SMEs and large enterprises; consortia of the foregoing. Individuals as sole economic operators are legally possible if meeting all selection criteria, but the scope and thresholds typically imply institutional applicants.

Funding Type:Procurement — direct service contract paid against deliverables and milestones.

Consortium Requirement:Not required. Joint tenders are allowed, with joint and several liability and a designated group leader.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU and GPA access: Open to economic operators within the EU/EEA and those in countries with applicable agreements (e.g., GPA). International organisations may participate. All involved entities must not be subject to EU restrictive measures throughout performance.

Target Sector:Public administration, regional development, Cohesion Policy and Interreg, education and training, consulting/technical assistance, governance and institutional strengthening.

Mentioned Countries:Bosnia and Herzegovina; Montenegro; Italy; Croatia; Hungary; France; Albania; Serbia; Kosovo; North Macedonia; Moldova; Ukraine; Georgia; Türkiye. Regions: South Adriatic, Danube, EURO-MED, ADRION, Interreg Europe, URBACT.

Project Stage:Implementation of services (needs assessment, training delivery, peer exchanges, reporting and handbook preparation).

Funding Amount:Estimated contract value around €200,000; fixed-price service contract; no price revision; no separate expense reimbursement; staged payments upon deliverable approval.

Application Type:Open call via eSubmission (single-stage), requiring PIC registration. Electronic signatures (QES) recommended for all signed documents.

Nature of Support:Money — payments to the contractor against contractual deliverables and milestones.

Application Stages:One stage: submission, opening, evaluation and award. No prior EOI or multi-stage down-selection.

Success Rates:Not disclosed for this procurement; depends on number and quality of tenders received and adherence to selection and award criteria.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding requirement for the contractor. The contractor bears proposal preparation costs and is remunerated per contract terms.

Templates:Applicants must use or align with the following templates and structures: Declaration on Honour for exclusion and selection criteria; Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders; List of identified subcontractors with roles and shares; Commitment letters for identified subcontractors and capacity-providing entities; Technical tender covering methodology, work organisation, quality control and risk management; Financial tender with price and breakdown. Annex 1 of the Administrative Specifications provides a document checklist and precise eSubmission upload locations per document and per entity.

Contact and Opening Logistics

Opening session attendance by videoconference or on-site is possible upon timely request. Post-opening, tenders become the property of the contracting authority and are treated confidentially. All award notifications and communications follow via the email address specified in eSubmission.

Summary and Explanation

This opportunity is a targeted EU procurement for expert services to help Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro transition from participation in Interreg to full Cohesion Policy implementation readiness. The contractor will diagnose learning needs, design and deliver hands-on training, and organise pragmatic peer exchanges and technical clinics with experienced Member State administrations on advanced programme management and control topics. Outputs include an inception report, interim reports, a Training Handbook, and a final report, all within a 12-month period. The contract is modest in value (circa €200,000), competitive on best price-quality ratio, with clear selection thresholds: demonstrated track record in Cohesion Policy training and capacity building in candidate/EU contexts, strong project management, and high English proficiency with quality assurance. Applicants submit a single-stage tender electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal, including a comprehensive technical offer, a priced financial offer, declarations, and capacity evidence. No co-funding is required; payments are staged against deliverables. The work is coordinated with existing EU instruments (IPA, Interact, TAIEX, Twinning) to ensure complementarity and accelerate institutional learning that persists despite staff turnover. The end goal is practical, durable capability inside beneficiary administrations to operate under shared management rules, deliver programmes effectively, and engage confidently in future Cohesion Policy cycles.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a service contract tender issued by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy to provide capacity-building support for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The contract aims to prepare staff from these two candidate countries for implementing EU cohesion policy through training, peer exchanges, and technical guidance. The opportunity represents a strategic investment in strengthening administrative capacity ahead of these countries' potential accession to the European Union.

Procedure Reference:EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021

Contracting Authority:European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy, Brussels, Belgium

Key Deadline Information

• Tender Submission Deadline: 24 April 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time (Central European Summer Time)
• Public Opening of Tenders: 24 April 2026 at 16:30 Brussels time
• Deadline for Questions: 15 April 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time
• Contract Duration: 12 months maximum from entry into force

Estimated Budget:€200,000 maximum total contract value

About This Opportunity

Overall Objective:To prepare candidate countries for implementing cohesion policy in the lead-up to and upon accession to the European Union. This includes strengthening the capacity of programme authorities, national, regional and local administrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to participate in and later implement EU cohesion policy programmes.

Specific Objectives:Train staff from administrations at central and local/regional level participating in Interreg programmes and responsible for accession negotiations to reinforce their capacities for participating in and later implementing cohesion policy programmes. Organise thematic peer exchanges and technical clinics to reinforce and apply knowledge gained during training sessions, by allowing direct interaction with experienced Member State administrations and promoting transfer of concrete practices.

Scope and Services:The contract will cover four main tasks: (1) Confirming and fine-tuning identified learning needs and areas for improvement in programme authority capacities; (2) Delivering training sessions based on agreed approach addressing both general cohesion policy topics and Interreg-specific implementation; (3) Organising targeted applied learning exchanges between beneficiary institutions and selected Member State authorities; and (4) Producing a final report with a comprehensive training handbook. The contractor will work with staff from monitoring committees, audit authorities, joint secretariats, and management verification units in both countries.

Who Can Apply

Eligibility:This is an open procedure. Any natural or legal person established in an EU Member State, third country with procurement agreement with the EU, or any signatory to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement may apply. Tenderers must not be subject to EU restrictive measures and must have access to procurement as defined in the tender documents. Joint tenders by groups of economic operators are permitted.

Participation Options:Tenderers may submit as sole tenderers or as joint groups. Subcontracting is permitted. All involved entities must comply with exclusion criteria and meet selection criteria. Tenderers relying on subcontractors or other entities to meet capacity requirements must provide commitment letters and supporting documentation.

Selection and Award Criteria

Minimum Selection Criteria - Economic and Financial Capacity (Criterion F1):Average yearly turnover of the last two financial years above €200,000. Evidence required: Copy of profit and loss accounts and balance sheets for the last two years with closed accounts, or appropriate bank statements if accounts unavailable. The most recent year must have been closed within the last 18 months.

Minimum Selection Criteria - Technical and Professional Capacity:Criterion T1: Intimate knowledge of EU cohesion policy including tenets, implementation and delivery mode. Minimum requirement: At least two similar projects completed in the last five years, each with minimum value of €200,000, demonstrating delivery of training sessions or courses on cohesion policy. Evidence required: Detailed list of projects with start/end dates, total amounts, scope, role and amount invoiced, with possible client references and contact verification.

Criterion T2: Proven capacity for delivering hands-on training sessions, implementing capacity building measures in candidate or partner countries and EU Member States, and organising applied learning exchanges and thematic peer exchanges. Minimum requirement: At least three similar projects completed in the last five years, each with minimum value of €200,000. Evidence required: Detailed project list with start/end dates, total amounts, scope, role and amount invoiced, with possible client verification.

Criterion T3: Professional communication capacity in English (both written and oral) with English language quality check capabilities. Minimum requirement: At least C1 level English according to Council of Europe's Common European Framework; at least one team member with native-level English skills; at least five projects with published English-language deliverables completed in the last five years. Evidence required: Language certificate or documentation of past relevant experience, plus project list and CV.

Criterion T4: Project management capacity and successful contract implementation. Minimum requirement: At least seven years experience in project management, including project delivery, quality control, client orientation and conflict resolution, with proven experience managing teams of at least five people. Evidence required: Curriculum vitae of the Project Manager/Team Leader.

Evaluation and Award Information

Award Method:Best price-quality ratio with the following weighting: Price 40 percent, Quality 60 percent. The evaluation formula is: Score for tender X = (cheapest price / price of tender X) x 100 x 40 + Total quality score (out of 100) x 60. In case of tied scores, the tender with highest quality marks prevails.

Quality Evaluation Criteria:

• Quality of Proposed Methodology (50 points, minimum threshold 50%): Assessment of soundness and clarity of methodology for identifying learning needs, quality and practicality of training design and peer-exchange formats, tailoring to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro context, and feasibility of measures to ensure institutional learning retention despite staff turnover.
• Organisation of Work (25 points, minimum threshold 50%): Assessment of role and responsibility distribution among team members and economic operators, global allocation of time and resources to project and tasks, and adequacy of allocation for work completion.
• Quality Control Measures (25 points, minimum threshold 50%): Assessment of quality control system for deliverables, language quality checks, service continuity in case of staff absence, risk management approach, communication and reporting arrangements with Commission and beneficiary authorities, and complaint management procedures.

Minimum Quality Threshold:Tenders must score minimum 50 percent for each criterion and sub-criterion, and minimum 60 percent in total. Tenders that do not reach minimum quality levels will be rejected and not ranked.

Funding and Payment Structure

Funding Rate:The EU provides 100 percent non-refundable grant funding for the contract value. No pre-financing, performance guarantee, or retention money guarantee is required.

Payment Schedule:

The contracting authority must approve submitted documents or deliverables and pay within 60 days from receipt of invoice. The payment time limit may be suspended if the contracting authority has observations on submitted documents.

Submission Requirements

Submission Method:Electronic submission exclusively via the eSubmission system (EU Funding and Tenders Portal). Paper submissions or email submissions will be disregarded. All economic operators must register in the Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) before submission.

Required Documents:

• Declaration on Honour (exclusion and selection criteria) - signed by authorised representative(s)
• Evidence of authorisation to sign documents
• Agreement/Power of attorney (for joint tenders only)
• List of identified subcontractors and proportion of subcontracting
• Commitment letters from subcontractors and/or entities whose capacity is being relied upon
• Evidence of legal capacity to perform the contract
• Profit and loss accounts and balance sheets (for economic and financial capacity)
• Project references demonstrating technical and professional capacity
• Language certificates or evidence of English language proficiency
• Curriculum vitae of Project Manager/Team Leader
• Technical tender (addressing compliance with requirements and award criteria)
• Financial tender (with breakdown, expressed in euros, free of VAT)

Language:Tenders must be submitted in one of the official languages of the European Union. English is strongly recommended as it is the working language of the contracting authority. All documents should comply with technical requirements specified in the eSubmission system (file types, maximum file size of 50MB per attachment, up to 200 files maximum per tender).

Signature Requirements:Documents must be signed either by qualified electronic signature (QES) as defined in Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS Regulation) or by hand-written signature. Hand-signed documents do not need to be submitted originally but must be retained by the tenderer for five years from notification of the procedure outcome.

Key Terms and Conditions

Contract Type:Direct service contract. All terms governing provision of services are defined at the outset and can be implemented directly without further procurement procedures upon signature.

Performance Location:Contractor premises for general work; Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro for Tasks 2 and 3 (on-site training and peer exchanges). Services will be delivered in-situ with possible online sessions for follow-up on specific aspects.

Intellectual Property Rights:The Union acquires irrevocable worldwide ownership of all results and intellectual property rights on newly created materials, including the training handbook and all deliverables. Pre-existing rights are licensed to the Union on a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable basis for all modes of exploitation specified in the contract.

Liability and Insurance:Contractor performs services at its own risk and must hold the contracting authority harmless against third-party claims. Contractor liability is capped at three times the total contract amount, except for gross negligence, wilful misconduct, injury to persons, or breach of intellectual property rights. Contractor is responsible for obtaining any necessary permits or licenses and appropriate insurance.

Conflict of Interest:Contractor must take all necessary measures to prevent conflicts of interest. Contractor must immediately notify the contracting authority of any situation that could constitute a conflict of interest or professional conflicting interest and take action to rectify it.

Confidentiality:Both parties must treat any information or documents disclosed in writing or orally as confidential. Information may not be used for any purpose other than to perform contractual obligations without prior written agreement. Confidentiality obligations bind parties during contract performance and continue after completion unless information becomes public through other means.

Security Requirements:Contractor and its personnel must comply with the contracting authority's applicable security requirements. All security compliance costs (background checks, security clearance, etc.) are borne entirely by the contractor. Sensitive non-classified Commission information must be hosted only in EU Member States.

Data Protection:Processing of personal data is governed by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. Contractor must ensure personal data is only processed within EU and European Economic Area territories, held only in data centres within these territories, and not transferred outside without prior authorisation. Contractor must notify the contracting authority of security incidents within 48 hours of becoming aware.

Subcontracting:Contractor retains full responsibility for performance. Subcontracting beyond what is identified in the tender requires prior written authorisation from the contracting authority. Contractor must ensure subcontractors comply with security, confidentiality, and intellectual property obligations.

Termination:Contracting authority may terminate for: failure to start services within 15 days of scheduled date; inability to obtain required permits/licenses; failure to perform in accordance with specifications; exclusion situations; professional conflicting interests not rectified; changes to legal/financial/technical situation affecting performance; force majeure; data protection breaches; or manifest future failure to perform. Either party may terminate for convenience with three months written notice. Upon termination, contractor must submit all deliverables and invoices for services provided.

Applicable Law and Dispute Resolution:Contract is governed by Union law, supplemented by Belgian law where necessary. Courts of Brussels, Belgium have exclusive jurisdiction over disputes regarding validity, interpretation, performance or termination of the contract.

Relevant Context and Background

This capacity-building initiative is part of the European Commission's broader strategy to prepare candidate countries in the Western Balkans for EU membership. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have been participating in Interreg programmes since 2014-2020, which serve as their introduction to EU cohesion policy. However, participation in Interreg programmes is limited compared to the full cohesion policy implementation responsibilities they will assume upon accession. The candidate countries currently have access to some capacity-building support through IPA country programmes, Interact, TAIEX and Twinning initiatives, but these do not specifically address the requirements for shared management of cohesion policy. This tender specifically targets the gap by focusing on EU cohesion policy implementation capacity for administrative staff at central, regional and local levels.

As of early 2026, Montenegro is reported to be the frontrunner in EU enlargement, with ambitions to complete accession negotiations by end of 2026. Bosnia and Herzegovina is at an earlier stage but has also been making progress in its accession process. Both countries participate in multiple Interreg programmes including: South Adriatic (Italy-Albania-Montenegro), Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro, Interreg ADRION, Danube, EURO-MED, URBACT, and Interreg Europe. This tender will coordinate with existing bilateral IPA programmes between these countries and Member States.

How to Participate

Interested organisations should:(1) Register in the EU Participant Register if not already registered (obtain a Participant Identification Code); (2) Download all tender documents from the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using the procedure reference EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0021; (3) Submit questions through the portal Q&A section before 15 April 2026 if clarification is needed; (4) Prepare tender documents in accordance with specifications including technical and financial proposals; (5) Submit the complete tender via eSubmission before 24 April 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time; (6) Optionally attend the public opening on 24 April 2026 at 16:30 by videoconference or physical presence (with advance registration required); (7) Await notification of results, which will be sent to the contact email address provided in the eSubmission application.

Key Contact:European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy, Directorate European Territorial Cooperation, Macro-regions, Interreg and Programme Implementation I, Unit Macro-regions, Transnational/Interregional/External Cooperation, Enlargement. Email: regio-transnational-and-interregional-cooperation@ec.europa.eu. Portal link: EU Funding and Tenders Portal

Additional Information Sources:eSubmission Technical Support: Contact details available in eSubmission Quick Guide at eSubmission Guide. System requirements and supported file types documented at System Requirements. Data Protection Notice available at Privacy Statement

Strategic Considerations for Applicants

This tender represents a significant opportunity for training and capacity-building organisations with expertise in EU cohesion policy and experience working with candidate countries and EU Member States. The scope requires not only deep technical knowledge of cohesion policy implementation across different governance levels, but also the ability to conduct needs assessments, design contextualised training programmes, and facilitate peer-learning exchanges with EU Member State practitioners. Successful applicants should have demonstrated experience with EU administrative capacity-building in transition contexts and understanding of the specific challenges facing Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in their accession preparation. The 12-month timeline is demanding given the complexity of tasks spanning needs assessment, training delivery across two countries, peer exchange organisation, and handbook production. Applicants should ensure they have sufficient team capacity and appropriate partnerships or subcontracting arrangements to deliver all components to high quality standards.