Consultancy services to carry out a data request and validation for the gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs) efficiency benchmark of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators

The European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) has announced a planned procurement contract for consultancy services related to data request and validation for gas Transmission System Operators' (TSOs) efficiency benchmarking. This opportunity is specified as a negotiated procedure for a middle to low-value contract, with an estimated total value of 125,000 EUR. The maximum duration of the contract is set for 11 months.

Eligible applicants for this contract include consultancy firms, professional service providers, and organizations with relevant expertise in energy sector regulations, specifically those proficient in gas transmission systems. Notably, the opportunity is not deemed suitable for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), indicating a requirement for substantial organizational capacity and experience.

The application process is open and will require electronic submission through the EU's Funding and Tenders Portal. The phase for expressing interest will start on September 11, 2025, and close on September 27, 2025, with the anticipated launch date for the negotiated procedure on October 7, 2025.

This opportunity indicates a focus on providing professional services necessary for ensuring compliance and performance standards among gas TSOs across the European Union, aligning with ACER's regulatory functions. There are no specific geographic restrictions mentioned, but participation is expected to primarily involve EU member states due to the agency's operational scope.

As part of the submission process, applicants may refer to a public Q&A section for clarifications, although detailed documentation for the tender will be provided later. Moreover, there is no explicit requirement for co-funding from applicants.

In summary, this procurement is primarily designed for established entities capable of delivering essential consultancy services in the energy sector, particularly concerning regulatory benchmarking and efficiency evaluations.

This is a pre-information notice, announcing the planned launch of a negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract. This is not a call for tenders. The contracting authority is the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER).

The procedure identifier is ACER/2025/MVP/0053-EXA.

The subject of the contract is consultancy services to carry out a data request and validation for the gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs) efficiency benchmark of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract.

The estimated total value of the contract is 125,000 EUR.

The main classification (CPV) code is 79400000, which refers to business and management consultancy and related services.

The nature of the contract is for services.

The maximum contract duration is 11 months.

There is no framework agreement associated with this procedure.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-09-11 Europe/Brussels.

The deadline for expression of interest is 27/09/2025 05:59 Europe/Ljubljana.

The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-07 Europe/Ljubljana.

The method of expression of interest is electronic.

To express interest, applicants must use the electronic address provided. Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given.

A question and answer section is available. To create a question, users must log in. A public Q&A and FAQ section is available.

One question has already been answered: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer clarifies that references with ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders but announcements of future low or middle negotiated procedures. This answer was published on 03/10/2024 at 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-information notice for a planned negotiated procedure by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). The contract involves consultancy services for data request and validation related to the efficiency benchmark of gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs). The estimated value is 125,000 EUR, and the contract duration is 11 months. The expression of interest phase begins on September 11, 2025, and closes on September 27, 2025. The actual call for tenders is expected around October 7, 2025. This announcement is not a call for tenders itself, but a heads-up for interested parties to prepare for the upcoming opportunity.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is for consultancy services, so eligible applicants are likely to be consultancy firms, businesses, or organizations with expertise in business and management consultancy and related services. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, research institutes, or other organizations with relevant capabilities.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, specifically for consultancy services. The contracting authority will procure these services through a negotiated procedure.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. It is likely that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, but this would need to be confirmed in the full call for tenders documentation when it is released.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity is from the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), suggesting that the geographic eligibility is likely focused on EU member states. However, the specific eligibility criteria will be detailed in the official call for tenders documentation.

Target Sector: The target sector is energy, specifically related to gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and the efficiency benchmark of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The opportunity also targets business and management consultancy.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the context implies a focus on EU member states due to the involvement of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The cities of Brussels and Ljubljana are mentioned in relation to the timing of events.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the provision of consultancy services, which suggests a development or implementation stage where expertise is needed to carry out a data request and validation for the gas TSOs efficiency benchmark.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 125,000 EUR, placing it in the €50k–€200k range.

Application Type: The application type will be a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. This announcement is a preliminary notice indicating the contracting authority's intention to launch this procedure in the future. The method of expression of interest is electronic.

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

Application Stages: The application will involve at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent negotiated procedure. The exact number of stages will be detailed in the official call for tenders documentation.

Success Rates: Since this is a planned negotiated procedure, the success rates are not possible to determine at this stage. Negotiated procedures typically involve a limited number of pre-selected candidates, so the success rate among those invited to negotiate may be relatively high.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not specify whether co-funding is required. This detail will likely be included in the official call for tenders documentation.

Summary: This is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). The agency intends to contract consultancy services to carry out a data request and validation for the gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs) efficiency benchmark. The estimated value of the contract is 125,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 11 months. The procedure is planned to be launched on 2025-10-07. Interested parties are invited to express their interest electronically, with a deadline of 27/09/2025. This announcement is not a call for tenders, but rather a notification of the contracting authority's intention to launch a negotiated procedure in the future. The procedure identifier is ACER/2025/MVP/0053-EXA. The CPV code is 79400000, which corresponds to business and management consultancy and related services.