Design and delivery of the specialised training course on effective negotiations for Return in International and Multicultural Context

FRONTEX has published tender FRONTEX/2026/OP/0015 for the design and delivery of a specialised training course on Effective Negotiations for Return in international and multicultural contexts. The estimated overall contract value is €800,000 under a framework contract for an initial 12-month period renewable up to three times with a planned duration up to 48 months. Submissions must be made electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 17 September 2026 and will be evaluated on quality (60%) and price (40%). Eligible applicants include training providers, educational institutions and consultancies with demonstrated experience in negotiation training, migration management and multicultural communication.

Opportunity type and contracting authority

Tender for services — Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency)

Procurement to design and deliver a specialised training course on effective negotiations for return in international and multicultural contexts, tailored to operational needs and return-related staff target groups. The contract is structured as a framework agreement with an initial 12-month duration, renewable up to three times.

Estimated value:€800,000 (estimated overall contract value) ¹

1. 1Who can apply: service providers and training organisations capable of delivering operationally focused, multicultural negotiation training; SMEs flagged as not suitable in procurement documents.
2. 2Contract form: framework contract for services (training), planned period up to 48 months; initial 12 months + up to 3 renewals.
3. 3Submission method and process: eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; open tender event scheduled and selection based on quality (60) and price (40).

Main CPV codes include 80511000, 80521000 and 80530000. Tender documents (terms of reference, financial and technical templates, draft contracts) are published on the tender page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender dossier and submission portal: Tender FRONTEX/2026/OP/0015.

Opportunity type and contracting authority

Basic facts

This is a public tender (procurement) published by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) under call identifier FRONTEX/2026/OP/0015. The subject is the design and delivery of a specialised training course on Effective Negotiations for Return in International and Multicultural Context, tailored to operational needs and return-related staff target groups.

Deadlines:Key dates published: invitation documents dated 2026-07-08. Submission deadline (closing date) 17 September 2026 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Warsaw timezone). An open tender event is scheduled on 21 September 2026 at 10:00 (note this may be a post-submission event as listed in the procurement file). Additional information request period ends 09 September 2026. See procurement documents for confirmation and timeline details FRONTEX Tender Details. ¹

Detailed eligibility and administrative information

Estimated overall contract amount:€800,000. Procurement nature: services (CPV primary 80511000; additional CPVs 80521000, 80530000), contract type: framework contract concluded for an initial period of 12 months, renewable up to 3 times; planned total duration indicated as 48 months in procurement project metadata. Submission method: eSubmission via the Funding and Tenders Portal eForms (required). Tender documents and annexes are provided in the procurement documentation set.

Eligible Applicant Types:The contracting procedure is a public procurement open to economic operators who meet the selection criteria in the procurement documents. Eligible applicant types explicitly include service providers such as training providers, consultancies, specialised freelancers, NGOs and organisations capable of delivering training, universities and research institutes with training/delivery capacity, SMEs and large enterprises. The procurement documentation refers to specific tenderer qualification requests and selection criteria; bidders must consult Annex I Terms of Reference and the selection criteria within the tender package for mandatory administrative and technical capacity requirements.

Funding Type:Primary financial mechanism: procurement (public tender) for a paid services contract (framework contract). This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument; successful bidder(s) will enter a service contract and receive payment for contracted services.

Consortium Requirement:The procurement documentation includes a Power of Attorney / Commitment Letter (Annex VII PoA_Commitment Letter) and standard tender submission forms. This indicates that submissions can be made by single economic operators or by consortia/consortium-like arrangements (consortium members, subcontractors), subject to rules and forms in the selection criteria and PoA. Bidders should consult Annex VI Tender Submission Form and Annex VII PoA for exact allowed formats and mandatory signatures.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):As FRONTEX is the contracting authority and this is an EU procurement, economic operators established in EU Member States and Schengen-associated countries are the primary audience. The procurement documentation should be reviewed for explicit nationality or establishment requirements; typically EU procurement allows bidders from EU and EEA states and may accept operators from other countries per the rules stated in the tender.

Target Sector:Thematic sectors targeted: professional training and capacity building within border management, return operations, migration management and international negotiation practice. Sector keywords: training, security/public safety, migration and return operations, intercultural communication, negotiation, public sector capacity building.

Mentioned Countries:No specific third countries are named in the opportunity description. The contracting authority is an EU agency (FRONTEX). For geographic scope use EU / Schengen-associated countries unless tender documents state otherwise.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity:This procurement targets implementation and operational delivery: design and delivery of a finished training product. Required maturity: providers must be able to develop course content, deliver training to operational staff and implement evaluation and reporting. TRL style maturity is not applicable; operational delivery and capacity to run live and/or blended training is required.

Funding Amount:Estimated overall contract value published: €800,000 (currency EUR). The procurement metadata lists estimated total procedure value and estimated overall contract amount as €800,000.

Application Type and Submission Method:Application method: open public tender (invitation to tender published). Submission method: mandatory electronic submission via the European Commission Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission / eForms tool. The procurement package includes an Annex VI Tender Submission Form and an Excel Annex IV Financial Proposal to be completed and uploaded electronically.

Nature of Support:This is a paid service contract: beneficiaries (contractor) will receive monetary payments according to the contractual terms and financial proposal accepted by the contracting authority.

Application Stages:Main application stages inferred from procurement metadata: 1) Preparation and electronic submission of tender dossier (technical offer, financial offer, administrative documents) by the deadline; 2) Administrative and selection checks by the contracting authority; 3) Evaluation of offers against awarding criteria (quality and price weighting 60/40 indicated); 4) Award and contract signature including possible clarifications or negotiations if permitted under procurement rules. In practice applicants should expect at least two formal stages (submission and evaluation) plus potential clarification steps.

Success Rates:No explicit historical success rates are provided in the procurement documents. Success will depend on meeting mandatory selection criteria and achieving a competitive score on awarding criteria. The awarding criteria weighting shown in metadata is quality 60 percent and price 40 percent; high competition is likely for EU agency training contracts.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding from the bidder is required in the form of matching funds; this is a procurement for paid services. Bidders must price their services and submit financial offers using the provided Annex IV Financial Proposal template. Any required guarantees, insurances or performance security will be specified in the draft contract and terms of reference.

Templates and Application Documents:The procurement release includes a complete set of annexes and templates that bidders must use or follow when preparing their submission. Key documents included in the tender package: Annex I Tender specifications (Terms of Reference summary), Annex II Terms of reference (detailed), Annex III FWC service, Annex III to FWC - Privacy Notice, Annex IV a Technical Offer (template / guidance), Annex IV Financial Proposal (Excel template), Annex V Declaration on honour, Annex VI Tender Submission Form (docx), Annex VII PoA Commitment Letter, Draft Data Processing Agreement template, Invitation to tender document. Applicants must use the Annex IV Financial Proposal and Annex VI Tender Submission Form and follow instructions in Annex IV a Technical Offer and the Terms of Reference.

1. 1Annex I Tender specifications_V1.pdf (Tender specifications and instructions)
2. 2Annex II Terms of reference_V1.pdf (Detailed scope, objectives, deliverables, methodology expectations)
3. 3Annex III FWC service_V1.pdf and Annex III to FWC - Privacy Notice_V1.pdf (Framework contract service provisions and privacy requirements)
4. 4Annex IV a Technical Offer_V1.pdf (Technical offer structure and requirements)
5. 5Annex IV_Financial Proposal_V1.xlsx (Mandatory financial offer template)
6. 6Annex V Declaration on honour_V1.pdf (Integrity and exclusion declarations)
7. 7Annex VI Tender Submission Form_V1.docx (Mandatory submission cover form)
8. 8Annex VII PoA_Commitment Letter_V1.pdf (Power of Attorney / consortium commitments)
9. 9Draft Data Processing Agreement_template_V1.pdf (Data processing terms to be agreed)
10. 10Invitation to tender FRONTEX2026OP0015 Design and delivery of training (1)_V1.pdf (Main procurement notice)

Awarding criteria and weighting:procurement metadata shows awarding criteria split between quality (60) and price (40). The procurement documents state: Please consult the procurement documents for full detail of criteria and sub-criteria. Bidders must carefully follow instructions in Annex IV a Technical Offer and must ensure the technical submission addresses all quality sub-criteria, while the Annex IV Financial Proposal must provide compliant and complete pricing.

Administrative and selection checks:the tendering terms include tenderer qualification requests and specific tenderer requirements. Applicants must provide the required evidence of legal, financial, technical and professional capacity as specified in the selection criteria in the procurement documents. Declarations, supporting documents and any required proof of previous experience in similar training for return operations will be required.

Place of performance and delivery:the Terms of Reference (Annex II) and tender specifications (Annex I) define locations, potential travel requirements, and delivery modalities (in-person, blended or online). Bidders should consult Annex II Terms of Reference for details on expected delivery sites, numbers of participants, languages and logistical arrangements.

Subcontracting and consortium structure:the procurement package contains a Power of Attorney and commitment letter template (Annex VII). The tender allows subcontracting and participation of multiple legal entities when clearly described and supported by PoA/consortium commitments; responsibilities and contractual relationship must be clearly stated in the submission.

Contract implementation and duration:a framework contract is foreseen with an initial 12-month period and possible renewals up to three times. The procurement project metadata includes a planned overall duration measure of 48 months. The exact timing and tasking schedule are detailed in Annex II Terms of Reference and the draft Framework Contract.

Assessment recommendations:prospective bidders should carefully: 1) download and study Annex II Terms of Reference and Annex IV a Technical Offer templates to understand the pedagogical and operational expectations; 2) complete Annex IV Financial Proposal and Annex VI Tender Submission Form exactly as required; 3) prepare supporting evidence for selection criteria (previous experience, CVs of trainers, quality assurance procedures, capacity to work in multicultural and international environments); 4) ensure data protection measures align with the Draft Data Processing Agreement and privacy notice; 5) submit by eSubmission before the deadline and keep proof of upload.

Open procurement portal and document access:all procurement documents are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender details page for this opportunity and must be used for preparing submissions. The portal eSubmission tool is the mandated channel for submission of bids.

Contact and queries:the procurement metadata indicates an additional information request period ending on 09 September 2026. Questions should be submitted following the contact and clarification procedure described in the Invitation to Tender and on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Summary:This opportunity is a FRONTEX public procurement for the design and delivery of a specialised training course on effective negotiations for return operations in international and multicultural contexts. The estimated overall contract value is €800,000. Submissions must be made electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal by 17 September 2026. Bidders must use the provided templates (technical offer, financial offer, submission form), meet the selection and qualification requirements set out in the procurement documents and address quality criteria which carry 60 percent of the award weight and price which carries 40 percent. The tender package contains detailed Terms of Reference, contractual templates including a draft framework contract and data processing agreement, and mandatory administrative templates. Prospective bidders should consult and follow the Annexes precisely, prepare evidence of relevant experience and trainer profiles, ensure compliance with data protection requirements, and submit a fully compliant electronic tender before the published deadline ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents and full procurement package are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under FRONTEX/2026/OP/0015: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Overview

This tender, issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), seeks a contractor to design and deliver a specialised training course on Effective Negotiations for Return in International and Multicultural Context ¹. The estimated overall contract amount is €800,000, covering a planned period of 48 months with potential renewals ².

Key Deadlines:The submission deadline is 17 September 2026 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Warsaw), with an additional information request period ending 9 September 2026 ³.

Who Should Apply

The contract is open to training providers, educational institutions, and consultancy firms with proven expertise in negotiation training, migration management, and multicultural communication ⁴. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to tailor training to operational needs and specific target groups of return-related staff ⁵.

1. 1Proven experience in designing negotiation training for border or migration authorities
2. 2Expertise in multicultural communication and international return procedures
3. 3Capacity to deliver training tailored to operational needs of FRONTEX staff
4. 4Compliance with EU procurement and data protection standards

Eligibility and Selection Highlights

Selection is based on a weighted award criterion where quality accounts for 60% and price for 40% of the total score ⁶. Applicants must submit a Technical Offer (Annex IV a) and a Financial Proposal (Annex IV) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal ⁷.

Contract Details and Requirements

Contract Value:The estimated overall contract amount is €800,000, structured as a framework contract (FWC) for an initial 12-month period renewable up to three times ⁸.

Training Scope:The course must cover negotiation strategies for return operations, emphasizing international legal frameworks and multicultural sensitivity for staff involved in return processes ⁹.

• Submission via electronic means (ESUBMISSION) only
• Tender validity period of 6 months
• Requirement to sign a Declaration on Honour (Annex V)
• Adherence to the Draft Data Processing Agreement (Annex)

How to Access Documents

All procurement documents, including Tender Specifications (Annex I), Terms of Reference (Annex II), and Submission Forms (Annex VI), are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹⁰. The official invitation to tender is titled FRONTEX2026OP0015 ¹¹.

For general procurement inquiries, contact procurement@frontex.europa.eu ¹².

Footnotes

1. 1Official tender details: FRONTEX/2026/OP/0015
2. 2Contract value and duration: FRONTEX Procurement Details
3. 3Deadline and timeline: FRONTEX Tender Deadlines
4. 4Target provider expertise: FRONTEX Training Requirements
5. 5Operational tailoring requirement: FRONTEX Tender Specifications
6. 6Award criteria weights: FRONTEX Award Criteria
7. 7Submission forms: FRONTEX Annexes
8. 8Framework contract renewal: FRONTEX FWC Details
9. 9Training scope: FRONTEX Negotiation Training
10. 10Document access: FRONTEX Documents
11. 11Invitation title: FRONTEX Invitation
12. 12Contact email: FRONTEX Procurement Contact