Data of Russian crude prices for determination of oil price cap

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), has issued a call for tenders referenced as EC-ENER/2025/OP/0105 titled "Data of Russian crude prices for determination of oil price cap." This procurement opportunity involves acquiring essential data about Russian crude oil prices, specifically the Urals price benchmark, which will be used to implement the EU sanctions regulation concerning an oil price cap.

The contract is structured for a total estimated value of €435,000 and is set to last a maximum of 36 months, with the procedure classified as an accelerated open call. The contract duration includes a primary 12-month period that can be renewed twice, depending on satisfactory performance.

Submissions must be made electronically, and a key requirement is that applicants possess a Personal Identification Code (PIC). Both individual bidders and consortium applications are welcome. The deadline for submitting tenders is October 29, 2025, at 16:00 European time, with a public opening of the tenders occurring the following day, October 30, 2025. Questions regarding the tender can be submitted until October 27, 2025, at 07:00.

The successful contractor will be responsible for providing reliable data assessments, with the evaluation criteria favoring quality (70%) over cost (30%), emphasizing the importance of technical expertise in energy markets and data analysis. The specific need for regular price assessments denotes that the work will involve ongoing data collection and reporting to ensure compliance with EU sanctions concerning the pricing of Russian oil.

The main classification related to this opportunity falls under CPV code 71356200, indicating its association with technical assistance services. This procurement is notable as it ties into geopolitical strategies, necessitating specialized knowledge of both energy markets and regulatory compliance.

Furthermore, the tender documentation, which includes the invitation letter, tender specifications, financial offer form, and declaration of honor, is available for download. The electronic submission system has specific requirements, including file types and size limits. This ensures a streamlined application process aimed at enhancing participation and adhering to EU procurement standards.

Overall, this procurement initiative illustrates the European Commission's ongoing efforts to monitor and adapt to market conditions impacted by geopolitical developments, aiming to maintain compliance with strategic regulatory frameworks regarding energy commodities.

The European Commission, DG ENER Energy, has published a call for tenders EC-ENER/2025/OP/0105 titled "Data of Russian crude prices for determination of oil price cap". The TED reference for this tender is 198/2025 678596-2025. This is an accelerated open procedure.

The tender aims to acquire information on price assessments necessary to populate the formula set out in the sanctions' regulation. According to the formula, the revised cap will be determined as the average Urals prices over a period of 22 weeks minus 15%.

The estimated total value of the tender is 435,000 EUR. The contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 36 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is mentioned.

The TED publication date is 15/10/2025. The date and time of the public opening is 30/10/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Brussels time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 29/10/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 27/10/2025 at 07:00 Europe/Brussels time.

The main classification (CPV) code is 71356200 Technical assistance services.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

The following documents are available for download:

1. Invitation to tender EC-ENER2025OP0105 Data of Russian crude prices Invitation letter, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
2. Annex I Tender specifications EC-ENER2025OP0105 Tender specifications, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
3. Annex 6 to the tender specifications Financial Form EC-ENER2025OP0105 Financial offer form, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
4. Annex 2 to the tender specifications declaration-of-honour-tenders Data of Russian crude prices EC-ENER2025OP0105 Declaration on honour (tender), published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
5. Annex II EN Direct Service Contract EC-ENER2025OP0105 (1) Draft contract, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
6. Annex III to the contract VAT declaration Draft contract annex, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
7. Annex IV to the contract Statements on IPR Draft contract annex, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
8. Appendix 2 to the contract Security requirements 2025 Draft contract annex, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.

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In summary, this tender is an invitation from the European Commission, specifically DG ENER, for companies to bid on a contract to provide data on Russian crude oil prices. This data will be used to determine the oil price cap as outlined in the sanctions regulations. The contract is valued at 435,000 EUR and will run for a maximum of 36 months. The selection process will prioritize the best price-quality ratio. The submission deadline is October 29, 2025. The tender documents, including the invitation letter, specifications, financial forms, and draft contract, are available for download. The tender process is managed electronically, and the provided FAQs address common technical issues related to the eSubmission system. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for tenderers.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity details do not explicitly list eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of a call for tenders and the requirement for a PIC (Personal Identification Code), it can be inferred that eligible applicants are likely organizations such as companies, research institutions, or other entities capable of providing the required services. Individuals are unlikely to be eligible.

Funding Type: Procurement. This is indicated by the terms "call for tenders," "tender specifications," "financial offer form," and "direct service contract." The contracting authority is procuring a service.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity details mention that a PIC is mandatory to participate as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). Therefore, either a single applicant or a consortium is acceptable.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity details do not explicitly state geographic eligibility. However, given that it is an EU funding opportunity managed by the European Commission, it is highly likely that the primary geographic eligibility is for entities located within the EU or potentially EEA countries.

Target Sector: Energy. The call is issued by the European Commission, DG ENER (Energy), and concerns data related to Russian crude prices. The main classification (CPV) code is 71356200 - Technical assistance services.

Mentioned Countries: Russia (specifically, Russian crude prices and Urals prices are mentioned).

Project Stage: The project stage is likely to be service delivery or implementation. The call seeks a service provider to deliver data and analysis related to crude oil prices.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of this procurement is 435,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open call. The procedure type is described as an "accelerated open procedure." Submissions must be sent electronically.

Nature of Support: Non-monetary services. The selected applicant will be awarded a service contract to provide data and analysis.

Application Stages: The opportunity details do not explicitly state the number of application stages. However, based on the documentation provided (invitation to tender, tender specifications, financial form, declaration of honor, draft contract), it can be inferred that there is at least a single stage involving the submission of a comprehensive tender.

Success Rates: The opportunity details do not provide information on success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: The opportunity details do not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG ENER (Energy), for a service contract to provide data on Russian crude prices, specifically Urals prices. This data is needed to determine the oil price cap according to the formula set out in the sanctions' regulation. The revised cap will be determined as the average Urals prices over a period of 22 weeks - 15%. The procedure is an accelerated open procedure, with an estimated total value of 435,000 EUR and a maximum contract duration of 36 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio.

Eligible applicants can be either single entities or consortia. Submissions must be electronic, and applicants must have a Personal Identification Code (PIC). The deadline for receipt of tenders is 29/10/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 27/10/2025 at 07:00 Europe/Brussels.

The tender documents include an invitation letter, tender specifications, a financial offer form, a declaration of honor, a draft service contract, a VAT declaration annex, statements on IPR, and security requirements. The eSubmission system supports various file types and has specific requirements for attachment names and sizes (less than 50 MB per file, up to 200 files per submission). The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.