EEA/ENS/TC/26/005 - Topic Centre on Marine Environment

EEA/ENS/TC/26/005 Topic Centre on Marine Environment is a competitive tender by the European Environment Agency to establish a Topic Centre Organisation providing scientific and data technical support for marine policy implementation, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Birds and Habitats Directives and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The procurement is a framework service contract with an estimated total value of €4,900,000 and an initial duration of 24 months renewable up to three times. Eligible applicants are organisations or consortia with demonstrated expertise in marine biodiversity, monitoring and environmental data management and must follow the tender templates and selection criteria. Submission is via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal with a deadline of 31 August 2026, 14:00:59 CET.

What it funds

Scope summary

Framework service contract to provide technical, scientific and coordination support to EU marine policy implementation, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Ocean Pact, Nature Restoration Regulation, the Birds and Habitats Directives, and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

Funding and value:Estimated overall contract amount €4,900,000. Initial framework duration 24 months with up to 3 renewals (see tender documents). Application deadline 31 August 2026, 14:00:59 (portal time) ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities (organisations or consortia) able to deliver technical and scientific services to the European Environment Agency; consult procurement documents for detailed eligibility and selection criteria.
2. 2Contract type: framework service contract managed by the European Environment Agency (EEA); eSubmission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Main procurement documents (tender specifications, draft contract, financial template and expertise overview) published on the Funding & Tenders Portal; applicants must submit electronically and follow the checklist and templates provided.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender details and documents available at the EU portal Tender page.

Opportunity summary

Core purpose and policy scope

This procurement establishes a Topic Centre on Marine Environment to support the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Topic Centres network in delivering services and technical assistance in the marine environment domain. The contract will provide structured support to: the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Ocean Pact, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Birds and Habitats Directives (Nature Directives), and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The work scope covers evidence production, monitoring and assessment support, data and knowledge services, synthesis and reporting, technical expertise and stakeholder engagement related to marine environment policy implementation.

Lead contracting authority:European Environment Agency (EEA). Full procurement reference EEA/2026/OP/0030 Tender details ¹

Contract type and nature:Framework service contract for services (procurement). Contracting systems indicated include framework agreement; the framework is concluded for an initial period of 24 months, renewable up to three times, with a planned overall duration of 54 months for the procurement project.

Estimated total value:Estimated overall contract amount €4,900,000 (estimated total procedure value €4,900,000).

Key dates and deadlines:Publication date: 15 June 2026. Submission deadline (closing date): 31 August 2026, 14:00:59 (Europe/Copenhagen). An earlier metadata date 1 January 2026 appears in raw data but the official call closing date is 31 August 2026. Open tender event (possible opening) is scheduled for 01 September 2026 at 10:00 (local time). The period for requesting additional information closes 21 August 2026.

Eligibility and applicant details

Eligible applicant types, geographic scope, consortium rules, and other participation constraints are provided below based on the tender documentation and typical EEA procurement practice.

Eligible Applicant Types:Organisations capable of delivering marine environment services and technical assistance. Typical eligible types include research institutes, universities, consultancies, NGOs, non-profit organisations, SMEs, large enterprises, consortiums or joint ventures and public bodies, provided they meet the selection and qualification criteria specified in the procurement documents. The tender documents (Annex I and Annex 4 Overview of professional and technical expertise) set out detailed professional, technical and administrative eligibility and selection requirements.

Funding Type:Procurement: service contract established via a framework agreement. This is not a grant; it is a paid contract where the successful contractor will receive remuneration according to the financial offer and reimbursement rules in the contract documents.

Consortium Requirement:The procedure is a standard public procurement for a framework service contract. Bidders may submit as a single legal entity or as a group of economic operators (consortium / joint tender) where permitted by the procurement rules and detailed in the tender specifications. The tender documents include selection criteria and require submission of the overview of professional and technical expertise; if bidding as a consortium, lead entity and partners must demonstrate collective capacity and provide the required supporting documents.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The tender is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by the EEA. Eligible bidders typically include organisations legally established in the European Union, EEA countries and the EEA cooperating and participating countries covered by the EEA/Eionet arrangements. Applicants should consult the tender's Terms & Conditions and Selection Criteria for precise legal eligibility and any restrictions on tenderers from third countries.

Target Sectors and Thematic Focus:Marine environment; biodiversity and nature restoration; environmental monitoring and assessment; marine policy support including Marine Strategy Framework Directive; ocean governance and Ocean Pact related activities; implementation of Birds and Habitats Directives; EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Activities will span data management, indicators, reporting, technical expertise, synthesis of scientific evidence, stakeholder engagement and capacity building.

Mentioned Countries:No individual countries are listed as exclusive beneficiaries in the procurement summary. The contracting authority is the European Environment Agency, which serves EU Member States and cooperating countries; Ukraine is noted elsewhere in EEA context as a cooperating country. Tender publication is on the EU portal and is therefore targeted at organisations established in the EU/EEA and cooperating countries.

Project Stage (expected maturity):Service delivery across implementation, monitoring, assessment, synthesis and reporting stages. The tender expects established operational capacity: demonstrated multidisciplinary teams, technical skills and track record in marine monitoring, assessment, data handling, policy support and stakeholder engagement (development through demonstration and operational service delivery rather than early-stage research).

Funding amount per bidder:The procurement indicates an estimated overall contract amount of €4,900,000 to be allocated across the framework period. The tender includes a Financial Offer template (Annex 1) for bidders to present their price. Specific lot distribution and contract award values will depend on the contracting authority's use of the framework and the financial offers submitted.

Application Type and Submission Method:Open competitive tender published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method is electronic submission via the Portal (eSubmission). Bidders must follow the eSubmission checklist and templates provided in the procurement documents (Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission).

Nature of Support:Monetary remuneration under a service contract. Contractors will provide services and be remunerated according to the financial offer, contract clauses and reimbursement rules set out in Annex 3 Reimbursement and the draft framework contract (Annex 2).

Application Stages:Single-stage submission (full tender submission by closing date) followed by evaluation. The procurement record shows one formal submission deadline and an opening event; further internal evaluation and award decision stages follow standard procurement flows. Therefore, bidders should prepare for a one-stage tender submission, evaluation and award/contracting sequence.

Success Rates:Not provided in the tender documentation. As a competitive public procurement, success rates depend on the number and quality of bids received; typical success rates for EU-level tenders vary and cannot be predetermined for this specific procurement.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding from the bidder is required as this is a paid service contract. Bidders must propose a financial offer in line with the financial template and accept reimbursement and invoicing rules in the draft framework contract.

Procurement documents and application templates

The procurement publication includes multiple annexes and templates that bidders must consult and use. Documents published with the call include a draft framework service contract, tender specifications, financial offer template, checklist for eSubmission, reimbursement rules and an overview template for professional and technical expertise.

1. 1EN-Invitation to tender EEA2026OP0030 Marine Environment (Invitation letter)
2. 2Annex I Technical specifications (tender specifications) — defines tasks, deliverables, reporting, quality requirements and detailed scope
3. 3Annex 1 Financial offer template (NATIVE .docx) — mandatory template for pricing
4. 4Annex 2 Draft Framework Service Contract (Draft contract) — contractual terms, duration, renewal and general conditions
5. 5Annex 3 Reimbursement — rules for eligible costs and invoicing
6. 6Annex 4 Overview of professional and technical expertise (xlsx) — template to present team qualifications and technical capacity
7. 7Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission — ensures correct portal submission
8. 8Other supporting documents as published on the Portal

Recommended application form structure (based on published templates):Bidders should follow the structure and templates provided. Typical required sections are: administrative and legal information; declarations and selection documentation (financial capacity, professional liability, declarations on exclusion); technical and methodological offer responding to the technical specifications (work plan, team, deliverables, quality assurance); overview of professional and technical expertise using Annex 4; and the completed financial offer using Annex 1. All attachments should follow the eSubmission checklist (Annex 7).

Procurement technical details (selected fields)

How to prepare a compliant bid

Thoroughly review Annex I Technical Specifications and the Draft Framework Contract. Use the Financial Offer template (Annex 1) and the Overview of Professional and Technical Expertise (Annex 4). Ensure all selection and exclusion evidence is included, follow the eSubmission checklist (Annex 7) and comply with the portal submission process. Address the award criteria (quality and price), demonstrating methodological excellence, relevant experience in marine monitoring and policy support, clear deliverables, a realistic workplan, a capable team with CVs and evidence of past performance, and competitive pricing aligned with the reimbursement rules in Annex 3.

Final summary

This is a competitive procurement for a framework Topic Centre on Marine Environment run by the European Environment Agency. The framework contract is intended to provide sustained technical support on marine environmental policy implementation, monitoring, assessment and knowledge services across EU and cooperating countries, supporting key policies such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Nature Directives and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The procurement is open via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with eSubmission only, an estimated total budget of €4.9 million over the framework duration, and requires bidders to submit a full technical and financial offer using provided templates. Interested bidders must consult and follow the published tender documents (technical specifications, draft framework contract, financial template, reimbursement rules and expertise overview) and adhere to the submission deadline of 31 August 2026.

Footnotes

1. 1Full tender documentation and annexes are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details page: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Purpose and Scope

This tender seeks a consortium to establish a Topic Centre Organisation (TCO) providing scientific and data-technical support to the European Environment Agency (EEA) for the period 2027–2030, focusing on marine environment ¹. The centre will support the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Ocean Pact, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Birds and Habitats Directives, and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 ².

Key Policy Areas Covered:The scope includes Good Environmental Status (GES) assessment, marine biodiversity monitoring, climate change impacts on seas, marine litter, invasive alien species, and ecosystem restoration under the Nature Restoration Regulation ³.

Who Should Apply

Applicants must be organisations with proven expertise in marine biodiversity, ecosystems, and environmental data management, typically part of the Eionet network or collaborating with national Eionet representatives ¹. The contract is awarded to a consortium of European organisations, as seen in previous Topic Centres like the ETC-BE (24 organisations) ¹⁰.

1. 1Organisations must first inform their national Eionet Representative of interest to receive access to the submission tool ¹
2. 2Consortium readiness with at least one lead organisation capable of managing a framework partnership agreement ¹⁰
3. 3Expertise in marine indicators, WISE-Marine systems, and Nature Restoration Regulation reporting ¹³

Contract Details and Financials

The contract is a framework partnership agreement with an initial 24-month period, renewable up to three times, totaling a maximum of 96 months ¹. The estimated total value is €4.9 million, with quality (70%) weighted higher than price (30%) in the award decision ¹.

Eligibility and Submission Requirements

Organisations must confirm eligibility criteria and provide a single point of contact before the EEA grants access to the submission tool ¹. The tender requires submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using electronic submission (eSubmission) ¹.

1. 1Submit a financial offer using the provided template (Annex 1 to TS) ¹
2. 2Provide an overview of professional and technical expertise (Annex 4 to TS) ¹
3. 3Include a draft framework service contract (Annex 2 to TS) ¹
4. 4Follow the eSubmission checklist (Annex 7 to TS) ¹

How to Access and Apply

The official tender page is available at EEA Tender Details. Organisations must contact their national Eionet Representative first to initiate the process ¹.

National Eionet Contact Points:Examples include Austria (AT-Interessensbekundung_EEA-Topic_Center@umweltbundesamt.at), Belgium (nfp@irceline.be), and Portugal (ETC2026@apambiente.pt) ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1EEA Topic Centres Call for Interest: eea.europa.eu
2. 2EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive: research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu
3. 3Implementing the EU Nature Restoration Law: bruegel.org