EEA/CCE/26/003 - Implementing circular bioeconomy – good examples of circular business models on bioeconomy and insights on the benefits of increasing...

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is announcing a future procurement opportunity for a service contract valued at €74,000 aimed at conducting an analytical study on circular bioeconomy business models across Europe. This is not a grant application but a service contract where the selected contractor will analyze existing practices and extract lessons learned to support the EU's Bioeconomy Strategy. Eligible applicants include larger organizations such as research institutes, universities, and consulting firms, as the opportunity is specifically not suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The application process will be managed electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, and it requires expressions of interest starting January 28, 2026, with a deadline for submission on February 17, 2026. The planned launch of the tender is expected around February 16, 2026. The contract will focus on identifying good-practice examples of circular bioeconomy models with a duration of up to 12 months.

The scope of the project will include areas related to bio-based materials, circular business models, and environmental sustainability. This analysis will help gauge the potential benefits of increased circularity in the bioeconomy sector. The contract is classified under research and development services with no indication of a co-funding requirement.

Overall, this opportunity represents a significant step in advancing circular economy principles within the European bioeconomy and offers financial remuneration for consulting services rendered.

This is a pre-information notice, announcing the European Environment Agency's (EEA) intention to publish a future negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract. This is not a call for tenders.

The procedure identifier is EEA/2026/MVP/0005-EXA.

The contract's description is as follows: This contract will deliver concrete insights into how circularity in the European bioeconomy can be enhanced by identifying and analysing good-practice examples of circular bioeconomy business models across Europe. The work will extract key lessons learned, provide inspiring examples for countries and industry, and assess the potential benefits of increased circularity with a focus on bio-based materials in lead markets identified by the new EU Bioeconomy strategy.

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

The estimated total value is 74000 EUR.

The lead contracting authority is the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The main classification (CPV) code is 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services.

The nature of the contract is for services.

The maximum contract duration is 12 months.

There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2026-01-28 Europe/Brussels.

The deadline for expression of interest is 17/02/2026 05:59 Europe/Copenhagen.

The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2026-02-16 Europe/Copenhagen.

The method of expression of interest is electronic.

The address for expression of interest is "Express interest". Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given.

A frequently asked question (FAQ) 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, the European Environment Agency plans to launch a negotiated procedure for a contract focused on circular bioeconomy. The contract aims to identify and analyze good practices in circular bioeconomy business models across Europe, extract lessons learned, provide examples, and assess the benefits of increased circularity, particularly concerning bio-based materials. The estimated value is 74000 EUR, and the contract duration is up to 12 months. The expression of interest period starts on January 28, 2026, and closes on February 17, 2026. The actual call for tenders is expected around February 16, 2026. This announcement is simply an advanced notice, not the actual call for tenders.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the contract (services related to research and development) and the estimated value, it is likely that eligible applicants could include research institutes, consulting firms, universities, SMEs, and other organizations with expertise in bioeconomy and circular economy.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, specifically a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. This will likely be specified in the future call for tenders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The description mentions the European bioeconomy and good-practice examples across Europe, suggesting that the geographic eligibility is likely focused on entities within the EU.

Target Sector: The target sector is the circular bioeconomy, with a focus on bio-based materials. This includes aspects of environment, agriculture/food, and innovation.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on Europe.

Project Stage: The project involves identifying and analyzing existing good-practice examples of circular bioeconomy business models. This suggests a stage of validation and demonstration, as the project aims to extract key lessons learned and provide inspiring examples.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 74,000 EUR, placing it in the under €50k to €200k range.

Application Type: The application type is an expression of interest, followed by a planned negotiated procedure. This is not an open call for tenders but a more restricted process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, specifically for delivering concrete insights into enhancing circularity in the European bioeconomy.

Application Stages: There are at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent negotiated procedure.

Success Rates: Since this is a planned negotiated procedure, the success rates are not publicly available and will depend on the number of entities invited to negotiate.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This opportunity is a planned negotiated procedure for a service contract with the European Environment Agency (EEA). The contract aims to gain insights into enhancing circularity in the European bioeconomy by identifying and analyzing good-practice examples of circular bioeconomy business models across Europe. The selected contractor will extract key lessons learned, provide inspiring examples for countries and industry, and assess the potential benefits of increased circularity, focusing on bio-based materials in lead markets identified by the new EU Bioeconomy strategy. The estimated total value of the contract is 74,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 12 months. The procedure involves an expression of interest, followed by a negotiated procedure. The start date for expression of interest is 2026-01-28, and the deadline is 2026-02-17. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2026-02-16. This is not a call for tenders but a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure.