Consultancy services for review, strategic upgrade, and accreditation-oriented QA integration of the four tailored versions of the Operational Training Programme for the statutory staff of the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, known as Frontex, is announcing an upcoming negotiated procurement opportunity aimed at enhancing its Operational Training Programme for staff members of the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps. This announcement is not a call for tenders but rather an expression of intent to conduct a future negotiated procedure for a consultancy services contract.

Eligible applicants include consultancy firms and training providers, particularly those specializing in security and defense education. The funding mechanism for this opportunity is classified as a procurement contract, focusing on services rather than grants.

No consortium requirement is indicated, suggesting that a single entity could apply. The geographic eligibility primarily targets EU or EEA entities, in line with Frontex’s operations, although there may be possibilities for other associated countries.

The training sector is at the heart of this contract, specifically relating to curriculum development and quality assurance within border security contexts. The agency's mandate implicitly emphasizes tailored training capacities aligned with the EU’s strategic directives, including the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

The project appears to be in the development and validation stages, with a funding range estimated possibly between €200,000 and €1,000,000. The application process will commence with an electronic expression of interest, to be followed by a negotiated procedure for selected applicants. The start date for submissions is May 22, 2025, with a deadline set for June 6, 2025, and it is indicated that the contract duration will be a maximum of five months.

The nature of support under this contract will be financial, in exchange for consultancy services. Details on the success rates of applications are not provided, leaving uncertain the competitiveness of this opportunity. There is no mention of a co-funding requirement, simplifying the application process for potential bidders.

In summary, Frontex seeks consultancy services to improve its training curriculum for border security personnel, with aims of integration of stakeholder feedback and compliance with evolving standards. This opportunity, designated as a planned negotiated low to middle value contract, invites interested parties to express their interest electronically by June 6, 2025.

This is a publication announcing the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX)'s intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. This is not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is FRONTEX/2025/LVP/0017-EXA.

Frontex is seeking to establish a contract for consultancy services for review and upgrade of the Operational Training Programme for the statutory staff of the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps to be deployed as members of the teams. The subject of the contract is to detail the necessary steps for curriculum enhancement, integration of stakeholder feedback, alignment with strategic developments, in the preparation for envisaged accreditation and evolving operational requirements related to the Pact on Migration and Asylum and other EU-level developments. This objective is also to elevate the standard of training to ensure that all SC category 1 officers are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for their roles, especially in light of organisational changes and quality assurance findings.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not specified. The lead contracting authority is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). The main classification (CPV) code is 80521000, which refers to training programme services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 5 months. There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-05-22 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 06/06/2025 04:59 Europe/Warsaw. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-06-06 Europe/Warsaw.

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

A question and answer section is available. 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 was published on 03/10/2024 16:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement for a future low to middle value negotiated procedure by FRONTEX. The agency is looking for consultancy services to review and upgrade the Operational Training Programme for its Standing Corps. The goal is to enhance the curriculum, integrate feedback, align with strategic developments, and prepare for accreditation, considering the Pact on Migration and Asylum. The contract is expected to last for a maximum of 5 months. Parties interested in this future opportunity should express their interest electronically, with a deadline of June 6, 2025. The actual call for tenders is expected to be launched around the same date.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is for consultancy services, so eligible applicants would likely be consulting firms, individual consultants, or organizations with expertise in training program review, strategic upgrades, and quality assurance integration, particularly within the context of border and coast guard operations.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The nature of the contract is for services.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, given the nature of consultancy services, both single applicants and consortia could potentially be eligible, depending on the scope and complexity of the required services.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity is issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), suggesting that the geographic eligibility is likely focused on entities within the EU or those closely associated with EU programs and initiatives. The text does not explicitly exclude any specific geographic area, but it is reasonable to assume a preference for EU-based or EU-affiliated organizations.

Target Sector: The target sector is clearly consultancy services related to training and education, specifically within the context of border security and coast guard operations. The thematic areas include curriculum development, quality assurance, strategic alignment, and accreditation processes.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the European Union is implicitly referenced through the mention of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) and the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which are EU-level initiatives.

Project Stage: The project stage involves reviewing and upgrading an existing Operational Training Programme. This suggests a development and validation stage, focusing on enhancing and improving an already established program.

Funding Amount: The opportunity is described as a "planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract." This suggests the funding amount is likely in the range of under €50k to €200k, or possibly up to €1M, but without a specific figure, it is difficult to provide a more precise estimate.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. This means that after the expression of interest, selected applicants will be invited to negotiate the terms of the contract. The initial expression of interest is submitted electronically.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing consultancy services.

Application Stages: The application process appears to involve at least two stages: an initial expression of interest, followed by a negotiated procedure for selected applicants.

Success Rates: There is no information available regarding success rates. As this is a negotiated procedure, the success rate will depend on the number of applicants expressing interest and the subsequent selection process for the negotiation phase.

Co-funding Requirement: There is no information provided about co-funding requirements.

Summary:

This opportunity is a planned procurement by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) for consultancy services. The agency intends to contract with a consultant or consulting firm to review, strategically upgrade, and integrate quality assurance measures into the four tailored versions of the Operational Training Programme for the statutory staff of the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps. The goal is to enhance the curriculum, incorporate stakeholder feedback, align the program with strategic developments, and prepare it for accreditation, taking into account evolving operational requirements related to the Pact on Migration and Asylum and other EU-level developments. The procedure is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. Interested parties must first submit an expression of interest electronically. Selected applicants will then be invited to participate in a negotiated procedure to finalize the contract terms. The start date for expression of interest is 2025-05-22, and the deadline for expression of interest is 06/06/2025. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-06-06. The maximum contract duration is 5 months. This is not a call for tenders but an announcement of the contracting authority’s intention to publish a future negotiated procedure.