CEQF 6 Qualification Design, Development and Accreditation Support

Frontex has published an advance notice (Procedure identifier FRONTEX/2026/MVP/0027-EXA) for a planned negotiated procurement to contract specialised services to design, develop and secure accreditation for an EQF Level 6 qualification for supervisory and middle management border and coast guard officers. The procurement is classified under CPV 80521000 Training programme services and aims for recognition by EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries. Interested parties should submit an expression of interest electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login) between 24 March 2026 and 17 April 2026, with an indicative launch of the negotiated procedure on 20 April 2026.

Opportunity at a glance

What it funds

Contract to procure specialised expertise to design, develop and secure accreditation for an EQF level 6 qualification aimed at supervisory to middle management border and coast guard officers, to be recognised by EU Member States and Schengen-associated countries.

Who runs the process:European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

Procedure type and contract nature:Planned negotiated procedure for a low or middle value services contract (ExA reference). Exact contract value is not published in the notice.

Who can apply

Organisations or consortia with demonstrated, highly specialised expertise in qualification design, curriculum development, and formal accreditation processes for vocational/tertiary-level professional qualifications. Applicants must be able to engage with Member States and accreditation bodies.

Key practical details

1. 1Procedure identifier FRONTEX/2026/MVP/0027-EXA
2. 2CPV 80521000 Training programme services
3. 3Submission method: electronic via EU Login (EU Login account required)

Expressions of interest must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using an EU Login account. Further procurement documents and the formal tender launch will follow the ExA publication EU Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1This notice is a publication announcing intent to launch a future negotiated procedure; it is not the call for tenders. Monitor the portal for the official tender documents and contractual value information.

Administrative and procedural summary

Basic details

Opportunity title:CEQF 6 Qualification Design, Development and Accreditation Support. Procedure identifier: FRONTEX/2026/MVP/0027-EXA. Lead contracting authority: European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). This publication is an announcement of intent to launch a future negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract; it is not yet a formal call for tenders. The procurement is classified under CPV 80521000 - Training programme services and the nature of the contract is services.

Objective:The objective is to acquire highly specialised expertise to design, develop and achieve accreditation for an EQF level 6 qualification targeted at supervisory to middle management border and coast guard officers, with recognition by Member States (MS) and Schengen Associated Countries (SAC).

Procedure type and status:Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract (ExA reference indicates publication of intent). Indicative launch date of the negotiated procedure: 20/04/2026 Europe/Warsaw. This is an advance publication; interested parties are asked to submit an expression of interest between 24/03/2026 and 17/04/2026 23:59 Europe/Warsaw using EU Login for electronic submission ¹.

Eligibility, participation and submission details

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicant types are not explicitly listed in the published notice. Based on the subject matter (design, development and accreditation of an EQF level 6 training qualification for border and coast guard supervisory/middle management roles) the expected eligible applicants and likely suitable providers include: academic institutions (universities and higher education providers with expertise in EQF alignment and accreditation), national or private training organisations specialising in law enforcement/border guard training, specialised consultancy firms in vocational qualification design and accreditation, research institutes with subject-matter expertise in border management and policing education, non-governmental organisations with accreditation experience, and consortia combining these profiles. Public authorities (national training academies or ministries) could also be eligible where permitted by procurement rules. The contracting authority is Frontex; formal eligibility rules will be set in the eventual tender documents.

Funding Type and Nature

This is a public procurement tender for a services contract. The financial mechanism is procurement (services contract). Beneficiaries will receive contractual payment for services (monetary), not grants or loans.

Consortium Requirement

The published notice does not mandate either single-entity or consortium submission. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the work (qualification design, pedagogy, accreditation, border/coast guard operational knowledge, legal alignment with Member States and SAC), the contracting authority is likely to accept or encourage consortium bids that combine subject-matter expertise, accreditation specialists and training delivery capacity. The final tender documents will specify whether consortia are required or permitted and whether subcontracting is allowed.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

The contract is published by Frontex and targets recognition by EU Member States (MS) and Schengen Associated Countries (SAC). Therefore the geographic scope for performance and recognition is EU and Schengen-associated countries. Formal eligibility for bidders will follow EU public procurement rules and the contracting authority's rules; bidders from EU Member States and possibly from countries eligible under EU procurement rules will be able to participate. The notice uses EU Login and is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Technical and sectoral scope

Target sector

Primary sector:training and education for border management and coast guard services. Secondary thematic areas: law enforcement, security, public administration, vocational education and training (VET), qualification frameworks (EQF alignment), accreditation processes, curriculum development, assessment and certification systems.

Project Stage and Expected Deliverables

Expected maturity:development and validation stage. The contracting authority seeks expertise to design and develop an EQF level 6 qualification and achieve accreditation and recognition across MS and SAC. Deliverables will likely include: qualification specification aligned to EQF level 6, learning outcomes and competence profiles, curricula and module descriptors, assessment strategies and tools, trainer qualification requirements, quality assurance and validation documentation, legal and regulatory alignment analyses for MS and SAC recognition, accreditation submissions and support, implementation guidance and stakeholder engagement plans.

Administrative milestones, submission method and dates

Expression of interest details:Submissions for the expression of interest must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given in the notice and require an EU Login account. The method of expression of interest is electronic. The notice emphasises that this publication is not a call for tenders but an advance notice of intent to use a negotiated ExA procedure.

Financials, contract form and co-funding

Estimated total value and co-funding

The published notice does not state an estimated total contract value. It is identified as a low or middle value contract under a negotiated procedure. As a procurement contract, co-funding by the contractor is not applicable in the grant sense; pricing will be set in the tender and contractors will propose fees to deliver the services. No co-funding requirement is indicated in the notice.

Framework agreement

The notice states 'Framework agreement' in the header fields but does not provide details. It is unclear from the publication whether the contract will be concluded as a framework agreement or a single contract; final tender documents will clarify the contract form.

Application process and templates

Application Type and Stages

Current application type:expression of interest during the published window (open for all interested parties to register interest electronically). The procurement itself is expected to follow a negotiated procedure which typically includes submission of proposals following invitation. Based on standard negotiated procurement, likely stages are: 1) expression of interest / pre-selection, 2) invitation to tender and submission of detailed proposals, 3) evaluation and negotiation, 4) contract award. The notice itself only covers the expression of interest stage. Expected number of stages: 3 to 4 (pre-selection/expression, invitation/tender submission, evaluation/negotiation, award).

Success rates

No success rate or number of awards is published. As a negotiated low/middle value procedure, success rates depend on the number of qualified respondents and the contracting authority's shortlist. Historically, negotiated tenders have lower applicant pools than open competitive calls, increasing odds for qualified bidders, but no quantitative success rate is provided.

Templates and application structure

The notice does not include tender documents or application templates. It instructs interested parties to use EU Login to express interest. Typical required documents in the later negotiated procurement stage (based on EU procurement practice and Frontex procedures) may include: administrative and legal documents (registration, legal entity form, power of attorney), financial capacity documents, technical proposal including methodology, workplan and team CVs, past performance and references, price/financial offer, and any specific accreditation or certification evidence. Bidders should prepare: detailed methodology for EQF alignment, curriculum development plan, accreditation approach and list of national accreditation contacts, quality assurance procedures, risk register, timeline and milestones, CVs of key experts (subject matter experts in border/coast guard operations, VET and EQF specialists, accreditation experts, pedagogy/training designers), and a clear pricing schedule. The contracting authority will publish the exact templates in the formal tender documentation.

Risks, recommended bidder profile and practical guidance

Key risks:insufficient evidence of accreditation experience across multiple Member States and SAC; inability to demonstrate competence at EQF level 6 for supervisory/middle management roles; lack of operational border/coast guard domain knowledge; weak stakeholder engagement and coordination plan for MS/SAC recognition. Recommended bidder profile: multidisciplinary team or consortium combining vocational education and training specialists with EQF expertise, accreditation consultants with EU/national accreditation experience, subject-matter experts from border and coast guard operations, quality assurance specialists, legal/regulatory analysts for Member State recognition, and project management capacity to coordinate stakeholder engagement across MS and SAC.

1. 1Prepare organizational documentation and ensure EU Login account for lead organisation and key experts.
2. 2Assemble a multidisciplinary team (EQF/VET specialist, accreditation expert, border/coast guard subject-matter experts, curriculum designers).
3. 3Document past experience in designing EQF-aligned qualifications and achieving accreditation across EU Member States or SAC.
4. 4Develop a draft methodological approach for designing an EQF level 6 qualification including learning outcomes, assessment strategy and QA mechanisms.
5. 5Plan stakeholder engagement with Member States and Schengen Associated Countries to secure recognition and accreditation.
6. 6Monitor the portal for publication of the formal negotiated procedure and the specific tender documents and templates.

Mentioned countries and geographic references

Explicitly mentioned:Member States (MS) and Schengen Associated Countries (SAC). The contracting authority is Frontex, an EU agency. No individual Member States are named in the notice text. The expression of interest and procedure dates reference Europe/Brussels and Europe/Warsaw time zones for milestone timestamps.

Summary assessment

This opportunity is a Frontex-planned negotiated procurement to acquire specialist services to design, develop and secure accreditation for an EQF level 6 qualification aimed at supervisory and middle management border and coast guard officers, with recognition by EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries. It is currently at the expression of interest stage; interested parties must submit electronically via EU Login between 24 March 2026 and 17 April 2026. The procurement is classified under training programme services and will be a services contract procured by negotiated procedure (ExA). Bidders should prepare multidisciplinary teams or consortia with proven EQF and accreditation experience, operational border/coast guard knowledge, and capacity to engage Member States and SAC for recognition.

Footnotes

1. 1Full tender publication and submission interface are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. EU Login is required to express interest and participate: ec.europa.eu

This is a planned procurement tender by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) to contract specialised expertise for designing, developing, and accrediting an EQF Level 6 qualification targeted at supervisory to middle management border and coast guard officers. The qualification must be recognised by EU Member States (MS) and Schengen Associated Countries (SAC).

Opportunity Overview

Procedure identifier:FRONTEX/2026/MVP/0027-EXA. This is not an active call for tenders but a publication announcing Frontexs intention to launch a future negotiated procedure for a middle or low value contract. The contract nature is services under CPV code 80521000 (Training programme services). It relates to the Sectoral Qualifications Framework (SQF) for border guarding, specifically developing Level 6 standards aligned with EQF.

Key Timelines

1. 1Start date for expression of interest: 24 March 2026 (Europe/Brussels)
2. 2Deadline for expression of interest: 17 April 2026, 23:59 (Europe/Warsaw)
3. 3Indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure: 20 April 2026 (Europe/Warsaw)

Eligibility and Participation

Interested parties must submit expressions of interest electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, requiring an EU Login account. Submissions are exclusive to the designated portal address: Express interest. This is a negotiated procedure, meaning Frontex will invite selected candidates based on expressions of interest to participate in the tender.

EQF Level 6 Context

EQF Level 6 corresponds to advanced knowledge involving critical understanding of theories and principles, advanced skills for solving complex problems, and responsibility for managing professional activities or projects, typically equivalent to a Bachelors degree. In the SQF for border guarding, Level 6 focuses on mid-level education for supervisory roles, covering areas like border control, risk management, and emergency response.

Expected Expertise:Contractors need highly specialised knowledge in qualification design, vocational training standards, EQF referencing, and accreditation processes recognised across MS and SAC. Relevant experience in SQF-BG or similar sectoral frameworks is implied.

Contract Details

• Lead contracting authority: European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)
• Estimated total value: Not specified in available data
• Framework agreement: Yes
• Procedure type: Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract

Application Process

Create or use an existing EU Login account to access the portal, subscribe to the opportunity, and submit expression of interest electronically before the deadline. No procurement documents are available yet as this is a planned procedure (EXA reference indicates announcement only). Public Q&A is available on the portal for clarifications.

Primary source:EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Additional context on SQF from Frontex documents¹.

Strategic Relevance

This tender supports harmonised training standards across EU border management, aligning with Frontexs mission to enhance border security through professional development. It builds on existing SQF levels 4-7 for border guards, emphasising mid-management competencies in border control, facilitation, and crisis response.

Footnotes

1. 1Sectoral Qualifications Framework for Border Guarding, Frontex publication detailing Level 6 learning outcomes.