Design, Development and Deployment of Public-Facing Multilingual Chatbots to Support the Implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Arti...

The European Commission is issuing a call for tenders identified as EC-CNECT/2025/OP/0095 for the design, development, and deployment of two multilingual AI-powered chatbots. The aim is to support compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). This contract, which has an estimated total value of €200,000, is classified under IT services, specifically consulting, software development, and support, and it will be evaluated based on a 60% quality and 40% price ratio.

Eligible applicants include service providers, enterprises, and consultancies with expertise in AI and chatbot development. There is no requirement for a consortium; applicants can choose to subcontract parts of the work. This procurement opportunity is primarily directed towards EU-based organizations, although participation from non-EU entities may be considered under specific conditions.

The project consists of three main phases:design, development, and deployment of the chatbots, with the entire contract duration set for 18 months. Bidders must submit their proposals electronically by March 6, 2026, while a public bid opening is scheduled for March 9, 2026. There is no co-funding requirement, as the contract is fully funded through EU resources.

The submission process is an open call that requires a Participant Identification Code (PIC) for participation. The eSubmission system supports all official EU languages and has specific guidelines for document uploads, including a maximum file size of 50 MB and up to 200 attachments per submission. The contract will result in monetary compensation for the successful bidder in return for their services.

Interested parties are encouraged to review the tender specifications and related documents, which outline detailed requirements and provide necessary instructions for participation. This procurement represents a strategic move toward modernizing regulatory guidance through the use of AI technologies, enhancing accessibility for various EU stakeholders in navigating compliance with significant EU digital legislation.

This is a call for tenders with procedure identifier EC-CNECT/2025/OP/0095. The submission method is electronic and the call is currently open for submission. The TED reference is 22/2026 73316-2026.

The purpose of this procurement is to design, develop, and deploy two multilingual, AI-powered chatbot tools to support the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). These chatbots will provide context-sensitive, public-facing guidance tailored to a wide range of stakeholders, helping users navigate legal obligations, definitions, and procedures under the respective regulations. The tools will be integrated into Commission platforms and built using reusable components in line with existing IT governance frameworks.

The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value is €200000. The TED publication date is 02/02/2026. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG CNECT Communications Networks, Content and Technology. The main classification (CPV) code is 72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 18 months. The award method is best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement.

Key milestones include:

TED publication date:02/02/2026

Date and time of public opening:09/03/2026 11:00 Europe/Brussels

Deadline for receipt of tenders:06/03/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels

Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after:27/02/2026 05:59 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:

Invitation to tender Invitation letter, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Tender Specifications CNECT2025OP0095, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 02 to TS DoH, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 03 to TS PoA, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 04 to TS List of subcontractors, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 5.1 to TS Commitment letter subcontractor, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 5.2 to TS Commitment letter entity, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 6 to TS Financial form, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Annex 7 to TS Declaration on non-conflict of interest, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

Model service contract CNECT2025OP0095 Draft contract, published on 02/02/2026, Version 1, No translations available

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to the eSubmission system:

How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents?

Make sure you use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.

Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support?

Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, click on the link System Requirements.

Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline?

No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload.

Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal?

Depending on the type or step of procedure, you can find the submissions in one of these sections: In ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate.

Which size should attachments have?

eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size.

How should I name attachments in eSubmision?

Name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements. See the following conditions: The attachment name must be different from other attachment names within the same submission. The attachment name must not exceed 50 characters. The attachment name must only contain Latin alphabet characters, numbers, dots, underscores and dashes.

Can I submit a video in eSbmission? Which formats are supported?

Check the System Requirements of eSubmission.

I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents.

Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation. Go to F&T Portal, “My Invitations”. Click on “Select Organisation” from the “Action” column.

Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission?

The Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). For subcontractors PIC is not mandatory.

I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do?

Make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system.

How many attachments can I upload per submission?

The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files.

Why do tenderers need a PIC?

It is mandatory to register for a PIC if you intend to submit a tender or a request to participate. Only one PIC per organisation must be used.

How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)?

First, check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.

How many languages does the system support?

The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.

Which is the character set encoding in the system?

The character set encoding is UTF-8.

Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information?

Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.

Which file types does the system support?

The supported file types depend on the type of submission you want to make. The allowed file types are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure in question.

Can I view and edit my draft submission?

Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed and deleted.

In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form:UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission?

No, it is just a display issue. This is not blocking for you:you can submit.

I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent?

No, this is an auto-generated notification sent when the time limit of receipt defined for the call for tenders has been reached. Until then, you had the possibility of withdrawing your submission and sending a new version.

In summary, this EU call for tenders seeks a contractor to design, develop, and deploy two AI-powered, multilingual chatbots. These chatbots will assist the public in understanding and complying with the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). The project has an estimated budget of €200,000 and a maximum duration of 18 months. The European Commission, specifically DG CNECT, is the lead contracting authority. The submission deadline is March 6, 2026. The tender documents and related annexes, including specifications, financial forms, and draft contract, are available for download. The submission process is electronic, and tenderers must obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). The eSubmission system supports multiple languages and encrypts uploaded documents.

Eligible Applicant Types:The opportunity details do not explicitly state eligible applicant types. However, given that it is a call for tenders for IT services, eligible applicants are likely to include companies, organizations, or consortia with expertise in IT services, consulting, software development, and AI-powered chatbot development. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, research institutions, and other entities with the necessary capabilities.

Funding Type:This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a call for tenders. The selected applicant will be awarded a service contract.

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity details do not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the inclusion of "Annex 04 to TS - List of subcontractors" and "Annex 5.1 to TS - Commitment letter subcontractor" suggests that applicants may involve subcontractors, implying that consortia are permissible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. However, given that it is an EU funding opportunity, it is highly likely that applicants from the EU and potentially EEA countries are eligible. The specific eligibility criteria would be detailed in the tender specifications.

Target Sector:The target sector is ICT (Information and Communication Technology), specifically focusing on AI, software services, and consulting. The project is directly related to the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act).

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is an EU initiative, so it implicitly targets the EU region.

Project Stage:The project stage is development and deployment. The call is for the design, development, and deployment of AI-powered chatbot tools, indicating that it is beyond the research or idea stage and focused on practical implementation.

Funding Amount:The estimated total value of the procurement is €200,000.

Application Type:The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, as this is a service contract.

Application Stages:The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it would typically involve at least one stage of proposal submission and evaluation. Given that it is an open procedure, there may be multiple stages, including eligibility checks, technical evaluation, and financial evaluation.

Success Rates:The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated. Typically, procurement contracts do not require co-funding, as the contracting authority (in this case, the European Commission) provides full funding in exchange for the contracted services.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG CNECT, for the design, development, and deployment of two multilingual, AI-powered chatbot tools. These chatbots are intended to support the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) by providing public-facing guidance to stakeholders. The estimated total value of the contract is €200,000, and the maximum contract duration is 18 months. The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be made electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 06/03/2026 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The project aims to create context-sensitive, multilingual chatbots integrated into Commission platforms, using reusable components in line with existing IT governance frameworks. Interested parties should review the tender specifications and related documents for detailed requirements and submission instructions. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in this call for tenders. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and accepts attachments up to 50 MB in size, with a maximum of 200 files per submission.