EEA/ENS/TC/26/002 - Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Nature

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has launched tender EEA/ENS/TC/26/002 for a Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Nature to provide State of Nature reporting, species and habitat assessments, protected areas, soil restoration, ecosystems and nature restoration support. The opportunity is a framework service contract with an estimated overall value of €6,600,000, an initial duration of 24 months and renewable up to three times (potential total up to 96 months). Eligible applicants are organisations or consortia that must be formally designated as Topic Centre Organisations (TCOs) via the Eionet designation process and submit electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission deadline is 3 August 2026 at 14:00:59 CET and proposals will be evaluated on quality (70%) and price (30%).

What it funds

Scope summary

Framework service contract to deliver technical support and knowledge services on State of Nature, species and habitat types, protected areas, soil restoration and sustainable soil management, ecosystem services and nature restoration solutions.

Estimated contract value:€6,600,000 (estimated overall contract amount for the framework) ¹

Who can apply:Organisations (public or private) and consortia with proven expertise in biodiversity, habitat and soil sciences, data management and policy support; submissions via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system.

1. 1Deadline for submission: 3 August 2026, 14:00:59 (Europe/Copenhagen)
2. 2Open tender event: 4 August 2026, 10:00 (per procurement documents)
3. 3Questions/additional information deadline: 24 July 2026

Tender identifier EEA/2026/OP/0032. Submission method required:eSubmission through the Funding & Tenders Portal. See procurement documents for technical specifications, financial template and draft contract Tender details ¹

Footnotes

1. 1All procurement documents (technical specifications, draft contract, financial offer template and annexes) are published on the tender page: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity at a glance

Title:EEA/ENS/TC/26/002 - Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Nature. Contracting authority: European Environment Agency (EEA). Call identifier: EEA/2026/OP/0032. Procedure type: Open tender using electronic submission (eSubmission) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Main CPV: 73000000. Estimated overall contract value: €6,600,000. Contract nature: Services, Framework Service Contract (initial period 24 months, renewable up to three times; planned period 54 months). Lot structure: one lot (LOT-0001).

Key deadlines:Deadline for submission: 3 August 2026, 14:00:59 (Europe/Copenhagen). Open tender event (planned): 4 August 2026, 10:00 (local time). Last date to ask for additional information (end of request period): 24 July 2026. Publication date: 15 June 2026 ¹.

Scope and objectives

Purpose:To establish and operate a Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Nature that will deliver support related to State of Nature reporting, species and habitat types, protected areas, soil restoration and sustainable soil management and ecosystems, nature restoration and nature-based solutions. The contractor will provide services, knowledge products, expertise and data management activities in support of EEA and its networks (including Eionet). The technical specifications and detailed tasks are provided in Annex I Technical Specifications.

Detailed technical and contractual documents available

Tender documentation published with the call includes (non-exhaustive list of documents):Invitation to tender (EN-Invitation_to_tender...), Annex I Technical Specifications, Annex 1 Financial offer template (docx), Annex 2 Draft Framework Service Contract, Annex 3 Reimbursements, Annex 4 Overview of expertise (xlsx), Annex 5 EEA Corporate standards, Annex 6 EEA IT and Data management policies, Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission. Bidders must consult all procurement documents referenced in the portal and follow the eSubmission checklist and templates ¹.

Primary tasks and thematic areas:State of Nature reporting, species and habitat assessments, monitoring and reporting for protected areas, soil restoration and sustainable soil management, ecosystem assessments, nature restoration planning and implementation support, nature-based solutions and knowledge transfer to EU policy processes and Eionet.

Who can apply

Eligible applicant types:Legal entities capable of entering into a public contract. Typical eligible applicants include national or regional public bodies, universities and research institutes, NGOs and environmental organisations, consultancies and service providers, consortia of organisations, and large enterprises. The procurement notice indicates SME suitability indicator: false (the tender is not specifically reserved for SMEs) but SMEs may participate as part of a consortium or as subcontractors. The call documentation includes specific tenderer qualification requirements and selection criteria that must be met; bidders should consult the tender dossier for mandatory evidence and supporting documents.

Consortium requirement:The procurement allows contracting by a single legal entity or by consortium (consortium participation is commonly accepted in EEA framework contracts). The procurement documentation includes tenderer qualification rules and may require lead contractor to demonstrate financial and operational capacity; bidders forming consortia must supply the required consortium declarations and allocation of tasks as specified in the documents.

Eligibility and geographic scope

Beneficiary geographic eligibility:The contracting authority is the European Environment Agency (EEA). The opportunity is aimed at organisations able to contract with the EEA; in practice this covers entities from EEA Member Countries and EEA cooperating/collaborating countries as defined by the EEA and the procurement rules. The EEA recently extended cooperation to Ukraine as a cooperating country, and Eionet includes 40 member and cooperating countries; applicants should consult eligibility rules in the procurement documents and the invitation to tender to confirm which countries are eligible to sign such a contract with the EEA. The portal listing is hosted by the European Commission Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

Financial and award information

Funding type:Public procurement of services (framework service contract). This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument; it is a contract award procedure under EU procurement rules using eSubmission.

Estimated contract value:€6,600,000 (estimated overall contract amount / estimated total procedure value). This is the EEA estimate for the whole duration of the framework contract (planned period 54 months including renewals).

Award criteria and weighting:Quality 70% and Price 30% (the documentation states two awarding criteria: quality and price with respective weightings; bidders must consult the procurement documents for the breakdown of sub-criteria under quality and the scoring methodology).

Application process and format

Application type and submission method:Open tender with mandatory electronic submission (eSubmission) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal / Funding and Tenders eForms. The portal provides access tools and eForms. Bidders must use the Financial offer template (Annex 1, .docx) and submit all requested administrative, financial and technical documents through the portal following Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission and other annexes.

1. 1Step 1: Register organisation and any individual experts on the Funding & Tenders Portal / Participant Register (if not already registered).
2. 2Step 2: Download full tender dossier and templates from the Tender Details page and read Annex I Technical Specifications and Draft Framework Service Contract.
3. 3Step 3: Prepare technical offer demonstrating expertise, staff profiles, proposed methodology, quality assurance, and data management approach (follow Annex 4 Overview of expertise template if provided).
4. 4Step 4: Complete the Financial offer template (Annex 1) and other financial documents; check Annex 3 Reimbursements for eligible cost rules.
5. 5Step 5: Compile required declarations, proof of legal status, financial capacity, and any required CVs and certifications; consolidate into the eSubmission using the Checklist (Annex 7).
6. 6Step 6: Submit via eSubmission before the deadline (3 August 2026, 14:00:59 CET).

Application stages:Single-stage submission procedure (one formal electronic submission). There is an open tender event and an additional-information request period; clarifications may be requested and the contracting authority may publish answers. The award is then made following evaluation against the award criteria (quality and price).

Selection, evaluation and contract details

Selection and exclusion:Bidders must comply with exclusion and selection criteria set out in the procurement documents. Specific tenderer qualification requirements are provided in the tendering terms and Annexes; these cover legal, economic and financial capacity, technical and professional capacity, and may include requirements to demonstrate relevant experience in biodiversity, habitats/species assessment, soils, protected areas, ecosystem services, data management and stakeholder engagement.

Evaluation:The contracting authority will evaluate bids on quality (70) and price (30) and apply the scoring method described in the procurement documents. Bidders should consult the detailed award methodology in the invitation and technical specifications.

Contract form:Framework Service Contract. Draft contract is provided in Annex 2 Draft Framework Service Contract. Contract duration: initial 24 months, renewable up to 3 times as described in the documents (the procurement project indicates renewal option). Financial and reimbursement rules, IT and data management obligations and EEA corporate standards are provided in Annexes 3, 5 and 6 respectively.

Administrative and practical details

1. 1Submission method: eSubmission through Funding & Tenders Portal (eForms).
2. 2Documents required: Completed Financial offer (Annex 1), Technical offer following Annex I Technical Specifications, supporting evidence of qualifications and experience (use Annex 4), signed draft framework contract or acceptance, any declarations requested in the tender dossier, and compliance with EEA IT and data policies (Annex 6).
3. 3Language: English (document language identifiers show EN).
4. 4Open tender event: 4 August 2026 (occurrence date/time published in the tendering process data).
5. 5Contact and portal links: See the tender details page on the Funding & Tenders Portal for submission and information access EEA Tender Details EEA main site ¹.

Specific tender features and requirements

SME suitability indicator:false. The contracting authority indicates the tender is not exclusively aimed at SMEs. Electronic order and electronic payment usage indicators: true. Tender validity period: 6 months. Awarding sub-criteria: Quality (70) and Price (30) with subordinate criteria to be consulted in procurement documents. Planned procurement period: 54 months. Contracting systems referenced: framework agreement and non-DPS usage. Appeal receiver party ID is listed in tendering terms; bidders should consult the procurement documents for appeal rules.

Success rates, co-funding and financial obligations

Success rates:Not published in the tender dossier. Public procurements of this nature typically have low bid-to-award ratio; success depends on meeting selection criteria and offering best value (quality and price balance). Historical success rates vary and are not specified here.

Co-funding requirement:As a public procurement contract, no applicant co-funding (matching grant) is required; the contractor will be paid under contract terms. Costs and rates must be presented in the financial offer; consult Annex 3 Reimbursements for rules on eligible costs and travel/reimbursement arrangements.

Templates and application structure

Provided templates and guidance in the tender dossier:Annex 1 Financial offer template (native docx file) — bidders must complete this to present prices and rates. Annex 4 Overview of expertise (native xlsx) — likely used to summarise team composition, CVs and expertise per task. Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission — step-by-step eSubmission checklist. Annex I Technical Specifications — defines required services, deliverables, work packages, timelines, KPIs and reporting format. Annex 2 Draft Framework Service Contract — legal and contractual clauses, liability, confidentiality, IP and data management obligations. Annex 6 EEA IT and Data management policies — mandatory IT security, data sharing, metadata and data publication rules. Annex 3 Reimbursements — rules on travel, per diems and eligible reimbursable costs.

1. 1Recommended structure for technical offer (based on Annex I expectations): Executive summary; Understanding of tasks and methodology; Work plan and timetable; Team and CVs mapped to tasks (use Annex 4); Quality assurance and risk management; Data management plan compliant with Annex 6; Deliverables and milestones; Past performance and relevant project examples.
2. 2Recommended structure for administrative and financial package: Completed Financial offer template (Annex 1); Signed legal declarations; Certificates for legal and financial standing; Detailed budget breakdown and rates; Subcontracting and consortium agreement details if applicable.

Target sectors and project maturity

Target sector:Environment and biodiversity policy support, covering biodiversity, nature restoration, soils, ecosystems, protected areas, and related environmental information systems. Project stage / maturity: Operational delivery and service provision (implementation, data production, reporting and support to policy processes). This is not a research grant for early-stage R&D but a service contract requiring experienced teams and proven capacity to deliver knowledge products and operational outputs.

Mentioned countries and region

Explicitly mentioned organisations/regions:European Environment Agency (EEA); Eionet network; references to EU/EEA context and cooperating countries including Ukraine as a cooperating country. The procurement is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and is intended for entities able to contract with the EEA across the EEA and cooperating countries. No exhaustive list of eligible countries is published in the scraped extract — bidders must check the invitation to tender for precise eligibility.

How to prepare a competitive bid

1. 1Thoroughly read Annex I Technical Specifications and the Draft Framework Service Contract (Annex 2) to ensure full compliance with deliverables, KPIs, timelines, insurance and liability requirements.
2. 2Use the provided templates: complete Annex 1 Financial offer template and Annex 4 Overview of expertise. Follow Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission precisely to avoid administrative rejection.
3. 3Demonstrate strong relevant experience in biodiversity assessments, State of Nature reporting, protected areas, soils, and nature restoration, including examples of previous projects with scale and results.
4. 4Assemble a multidisciplinary team with named experts, include CVs and allocate tasks to show capacity to deliver across the full thematic scope.
5. 5Prepare a clear data management plan aligned with Annex 6 EEA IT and Data management policies and clarify how data, metadata and deliverables will be shared with the EEA and Eionet.
6. 6Ensure financial offer is realistic, compliant with reimbursement rules (Annex 3) and provides value for money given the 70/30 quality/price weighting.
7. 7Plan for contractual compliance with corporate standards (Annex 5) and be prepared for framework contract management, reporting and audits.

Success in this procurement depends on satisfying the selection requirements, offering high-quality technical solutions across biodiversity and nature topics, and presenting a competitive price. The awarding emphasis (70 quality, 30 price) strongly favours technically robust proposals with clearly demonstrated capacity to deliver EEA outputs and to comply with EEA data, IT and contractual policies. Bidders should allow time for consortium agreements, procurement-specific declarations and the eSubmission process.

Summary: what this opportunity is about

This is a public procurement tender launched by the European Environment Agency to award a framework service contract for a Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Nature. The contractor will provide knowledge, data services, expert assessments and operational support for State of Nature reporting, species and habitat assessments, protected areas, soil restoration and sustainable soil management, ecosystem assessments and nature restoration/nature-based solutions. The estimated contract value is €6.6 million over the planned duration (initial 24 months, renewable up to a total planned period of 54 months). The tender is an open eSubmission procedure on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with a submission deadline of 3 August 2026. Proposals will be evaluated on quality (70) and price (30). Bidders must use the templates provided in the annexes (financial offer template, overview of expertise, technical specifications and draft contract) and comply with EEA IT, data and corporate standards. Eligibility covers organisations able to contract with the EEA (EEA Member and cooperating countries); consortia are permitted and often appropriate for covering the multidisciplinary scope. Interested parties should consult the full procurement dossier on the Funding & Tenders Portal and prepare a single electronic submission following the Annex 7 checklist to ensure completeness and compliance.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents and the full procurement dossier are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender Details page: ec.europa.eu. Annexes referenced (Annex I Technical Specifications; Annex 1 Financial offer template; Annex 2 Draft Framework Service Contract; Annex 3 Reimbursements; Annex 4 Overview of expertise; Annex 5 EEA Corporate standards; Annex 6 EEA IT and Data management policies; Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission) were published with the call on 15 June 2026.

What This Funding Is About

This tender seeks a consortium to operate the European Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Nature, providing support on the State of Nature, species and habitat types, protected areas, soil restoration, sustainable soil management, ecosystems, and nature restoration solutions ¹. The centre acts as a conduit for data and analysis between the EU level and EEA member countries, supporting policy implementation ².

Who Can Apply and Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be formally designated as a Topic Centre Organisation (TCO) by the EEA Management Board before submitting an offer ³. Eligible entities include consortia of European organisations with expertise in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity and ecosystems, similar to the current ETC-BE consortium of 24 organisations ⁴. Organizations must first inform their national Eionet Representative of interest to become a prospective TCO and gain access to the submission tool ³.

Key Eligibility Criteria:1. Formal designation as a TCO by the EEA Management Board. 2. Expertise in biodiversity and ecosystems (terrestrial, freshwater, marine). 3. Consortium structure (single organisation cannot apply alone). 4. National Eionet Representative notification prior to submission ³.

Funding Amount, Duration, and Contract Terms

The contract is a Framework Service Contract with an estimated total value of €6.6 million. The initial period is 24 months, renewable three times, potentially extending the total duration to 96 months ⁵. Quality accounts for 70% of the award decision, while price accounts for 30% ⁵.

Critical Application Steps and Deadlines

1. 1Step 1: Contact your national Eionet Representative to express interest and become a prospective TCO ³
2. 2Step 2: Submit application via the EEA selection tool before the designation deadline to become a designated TCO ³
3. 3Step 3: Form a consortium with other designated TCOs or eligible organisations ⁴
4. 4Step 4: Prepare and submit tender via eSubmission before 2026-08-03 14:00:59 CET ⁵
5. 5Step 5: Attend information session (if applicable) and await evaluation results

The submission deadline is 2026-08-03 at 14:00:59 CET. An information session is scheduled for 2026-08-04 at 10:00:00 CET ⁵. The additional information request period ends on 2026-07-24 ⁵.

Relevant Background and Strategic Context

This tender supports the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which aims to unlock at least €20 billion annually for nature and ensure biodiversity receives significant investment from the 30% of the Multiannual Financial Framework dedicated to climate action ⁶. The current ETC-BE (2023-2026) consortium, led by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) with CENIA as a partner, will conclude, necessitating this new tender ¹⁷.

Footnotes

1. 1CENIA press release on ETC-BE tender success: CENIA Succeeds
2. 2EEA Topic Centres role description: Become a Topic Centre Organisation
3. 3EEA TCO designation process and Eionet contact list: Become a Topic Centre Organisation
4. 4ETC-BE consortium composition: Ecologic Institute ETC-BE and NIVA ETC-BE
5. 5Official tender details and contract terms: EEA Tender Details
6. 6EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 funding targets: Climate-ADAPT Biodiversity