Enhancing Animal Health and Welfare in EU Member States, Candidate, and Neighbourhood Countries: Harmonising the Implementation of EU Legal Requirements through the 'Better Training for Safer Food' Initiative

The Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) has issued a call for tenders titled "Enhancing Animal Health and Welfare in EU Member States, Candidate, and Neighborhood Countries: Harmonising the Implementation of EU Legal Requirements through the 'Better Training for Safer Food' Initiative," under tender reference HADEA/2025/OP/0018. This procurement contract aims to organize and implement training activities centered on Animal Health and Animal Welfare Law, falling within the framework of the "Better Training for Safer Food" initiative.

Eligible applicants include private companies, consultancies, training organizations, and other entities experienced in training services. While SMEs are not specifically prioritized, there are no restrictions on the size of organizations that can apply, provided they meet the essential expertise requirements. The total estimated contract value is €3,900,000, and the tender is classified as a procurement procedure for a service contract, meaning the EU seeks to purchase services rather than provide grants or loans.

There is no explicit requirement for applicants to form a consortium, allowing for both single applicants and potential partnerships, as long as they meet the selection criteria. The geographic scope covers EU Member States, Candidate Countries, and EU Neighborhood countries, which includes regions such as Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, and Tunisia.

The project is primarily focused on the agriculture sector, specifically in animal health and welfare objectives aligned with promoting sustainable food systems and compliance with EU legislation. The contract is structured into two phases, each extending for 30 months, allowing for a total duration of up to 60 months.

The call for tenders requires submissions to be submitted electronically by September 30, 2025, by 17:00 CEST. Proposals will be evaluated based on a quality-to-price ratio, where quality factors will hold a weight of 70% and price will constitute 30%. Unlike grants, this procurement contract does not require co-funding, as the selected contractor will receive direct payments for the services delivered.

Interested parties must demonstrate their suitability through evidence of professional capability, economic and financial standing, and technical prowess. The overarching objectives of this initiative comprise animal disease prevention, harmonization of legal frameworks across the EU, and enhancing global recognition of EU standards, with a target to bolster responsible food production and safety within the community.

In summary, this tender offers a significant opportunity for qualified entities to engage in enhancing animal health and welfare training across key geographic regions, aligning with central EU objectives aimed at sustainability and legislative compliance.

The Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) has published a call for tenders HADEA/2025/OP/0018 titled "Enhancing Animal Health and Welfare in EU Member States, Candidate, and Neighbourhood Countries: Harmonising the Implementation of EU Legal Requirements through the 'Better Training for Safer Food' Initiative." The TED reference for this call is 96/2025 322938-2025.

This is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically to the address provided. The subject of this call is the organization and implementation of training activities on Animal Health and Animal Welfare Law under the "Better Training for Safer Food" initiative. The execution of tasks will be divided into two separate phases of 30 months each, resulting in a maximum contract duration of 60 months.

The main objectives of this call for tender are:
1. Protecting the EU from animal diseases.
2. Harmonizing EU legislation.
3. Promoting sustainable food systems.
4. Supporting DG SANTE priorities.
5. Enhancing global recognition of EU standards.

The main beneficiaries will be EU Member States and Candidate Countries, with some non-EU countries (EU Neighborhood countries) also covered based on European Commission strategic objectives.

The estimated total value of this call is 3,900,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 20/05/2025. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 30/09/2025 at 17:00 Europe/Brussels. The date and time of the public opening is 01/10/2025 at 15:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 22/09/2025 at 05:00 Europe/Brussels. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. This call does not involve a framework agreement.

Selection criteria include:
1. Suitability to pursue the professional activity (consult the procurement documents).
2. Economic and financial standing (consult the procurement documents).
3. Technical and professional ability (consult the procurement documents).

The following documents are available for download:
1. EN1. HADEA 2025 OP 0018 Invitation to tender (request for offer), published on 20/05/2025, Version 2, no translations available.
2. EN2. HADEA 2025 OP 0018 Draft Service Contract, published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
3. EN3. HADEA 2025 OP 0018 Technical specifications, published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
4. EN4. HADEA 2025 OP 0018 Declaration on Honour (tender), published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
5. EN5. HADEA 2025 OP 0018 Financial Offer Form, published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
6. EN2a. HADEA 2025 OP 0018 Appendix I Draft contract annex, published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, no translations available.

A question was raised regarding the statement of exclusivity and availability. The response clarified that the template for this statement is not applicable to this call, as stated in the tender specifications, section 3.2.3, concerning technical and professional ability. This Q&A was published on 27/05/2025 at 12:34.

In summary, this tender opportunity, HADEA/2025/OP/0018, focuses on enhancing animal health and welfare across EU member states, candidate countries, and neighboring regions through the "Better Training for Safer Food" initiative. The goal is to harmonize the implementation of EU legal requirements by providing training activities. The project is divided into two 30-month phases, with a total estimated value of 3.9 million EUR. The call is open to all eligible organizations that can demonstrate the necessary professional, economic, financial, and technical capabilities. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by September 30, 2025. The tender aims to protect the EU from animal diseases, harmonize legislation, promote sustainable food systems, support DG SANTE priorities, and enhance the global recognition of EU standards. The beneficiaries of the training will primarily be EU member states and candidate countries, with potential inclusion of EU neighborhood countries based on strategic objectives.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the call for tenders, it is likely that eligible applicants include organizations with experience in providing training services, such as training providers, consulting firms, universities, and research institutes. The selection criteria mention suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability, suggesting that the applicants should be established entities with relevant expertise.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is an "Invitation to tender (request for offer)" and the documents include a "Draft Service Contract" and a "Financial Offer Form," indicating that the selected applicant will be awarded a contract to provide services in exchange for payment.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scale and nature of the training activities, both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, provided they meet the selection criteria and have the necessary expertise and capacity.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Candidate Countries, and EU Neighborhood countries. The description states that "The main beneficiaries will be EU Member States and Candidate Countries, with some non-EU countries (EU Neighborhood countries), which will be also covered based on European Commission strategic objectives."

Target Sector: The target sector is training services related to Animal Health and Animal Welfare Law. The call for tenders focuses on the organisation and implementation of training activities under the "Better Training for Safer Food" initiative. The main classification (CPV) code is 80500000, which corresponds to training services.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States, Candidate Countries, and EU Neighborhood countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is implementation. The call is for the organisation and implementation of training activities, indicating that the project is at the stage of delivering services rather than research, development, or demonstration.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 3,900,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders. The procedure type is described as an "Open procedure," meaning that any interested and eligible organization can submit a tender.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive non-monetary services in the form of training activities. The call is for the organisation and implementation of training, so the support provided is the training itself, rather than direct financial support.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it is likely a multi-stage process involving submission of a tender, evaluation of the tender based on selection criteria, and award of the contract to the winning tenderer. The documents provided (Invitation to tender, Draft Service Contract, Technical specifications, Declaration on Honour, Financial Offer Form) suggest a comprehensive evaluation process.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders (HADEA/2025/OP/0018) issued by the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) for the organisation and implementation of training activities on Animal Health and Animal Welfare Law under the "Better Training for Safer Food" initiative. The total estimated value of the contract is 3,900,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 60 months, divided into two phases of 30 months each. The main objectives are to protect the EU from animal diseases, harmonize EU legislation, promote sustainable food systems, support DG SANTE priorities, and enhance global recognition of EU standards. The training activities will primarily benefit EU Member States and Candidate Countries, with some non-EU countries (EU Neighborhood countries) also included based on European Commission strategic objectives. The procedure is an open call, and submissions must be sent electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 30/09/2025 at 17:00 Europe/Brussels. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. Applicants must demonstrate their suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. The selected applicant will be awarded a service contract to provide the training services. The call aims to enhance animal health and welfare by harmonizing the implementation of EU legal requirements through better training.