Erasmus+ DiscoverEU framework service contract

The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) has issued a call for tenders (EACEA/2025/OP/0001) related to the Erasmus+ DiscoverEU initiative, aimed at procuring services to facilitate travel arrangements for approximately 70,000 selected 18-year-olds annually. This framework contract, valued at €250 million, encompasses various services including optimizing travel pass absorption, promotional materials and services, online and social media management, and discount management for accommodations and related activities.

The procurement opportunity is classified as a service contract and has a maximum duration of 48 months, which can be extended once. The application process is an open call requiring electronic submission, with a submission deadline set for August 25, 2025, at 16:00 CEST. The award criteria for the contract will prioritize quality (60%) over price (40), focusing on sustainable and innovative service delivery.

Eligible applicants are expected to be economic operators capable of fulfilling the requirements without explicit restrictions based on organization type, which could include private companies (both SMEs and large enterprises) and possibly individuals. The opportunity is primarily aimed at entities from the EU/EEA, although broader eligibility may apply in the context of the Erasmus+ program.

There is no specific requirement for consortia, allowing single applicants to submit tenders, although subcontracting is permitted. No co-funding is required from applicants. The project is at the operational stage, with established requirements focusing on ongoing service delivery rather than research and development.

The call outlines a single-stage application process without prior selection phases. Success rates for such tenders are not disclosed, and interested parties must possess a Personal Identification Code (PIC) for participation, applicable to either individual submissions or group consortia.

The primary sector targeted involves travel and tourism-related services, with specific CPV codes indicating a clear focus on travel agency and transport services. The contract represents a significant investment in youth mobility and cultural integration within the EU framework.

For further reference, necessary tender documents are available for download, detailing administrative and technical specifications, financial forms, and a draft contract, ensuring potential applicants have the required information to participate effectively.

The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) has published a call for tenders, EACEA/2025/OP/0001, for an Erasmus+ DiscoverEU framework service contract. The TED reference for this opportunity is 127/2025 439744-2025. The estimated total value of this procurement is 250,000,000 EUR.

The EACEA is procuring services to organize travel arrangements and provide travel passes, optimize the absorption of travel passes, to deliver promotion material and services, online and social media and community management, and manage discounts on accommodation, culture, nature, sports, local transport, and other services. Approximately 70,000 travel passes are offered per year to selected 18-year-olds. This is an open procedure. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. This is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

The TED publication date is 07/07/2025. The date and time of the public opening are 29/08/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Brussels time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 25/08/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 14/08/2025 at 05:00 Europe/Brussels time.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

The following documents are available for download:

ENInvitation to tender-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Invitation letter, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex I Admin specifications-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Tender specifications - adm. part, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex I Technical specifications-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Technical specifications, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex 7 - Service request-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Other invitation to tender document, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex 8-Case study-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Other invitation to tender document, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex 9 - Draft framework contract-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Draft contract, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENFWC-Appendix 3 Security baseline en-EACEA-2025-OP-0001 (1)Draft contract annex, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENFWC-Appendix 2 Security requirements en-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Draft contract annex, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex 2-Declaration of honour tenders-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Declaration on honour (tender), published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENAnnex 6-financial tender-EACEA-2025-OP-0001Financial offer form, published on 07/07/2025, Version 1, No translations available

The main classification (CPV) code is 63515000 - Travel services.

The eSubmission system supports the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For technical recommendations, refer to the System Requirements link. The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages. The character set encoding is UTF-8. The system encrypts all uploaded documents using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.

Attachments for tender submissions must be less than 50 MB in size. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files. Attachment names must follow the System Requirements.

A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in this call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). Only one PIC per organization must be used. A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.

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

This call for tenders by the EACEA seeks a contractor to manage the DiscoverEU initiative, a program providing travel passes to 18-year-olds. The selected contractor will handle travel arrangements, optimize pass usage, create promotional materials, manage online communities, and secure discounts for participants. The contract is a framework agreement with an estimated value of 250 million EUR and a duration of 48 months. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The tender documents, including administrative and technical specifications, draft contract, and financial offer form, are available for download. The deadline for submitting tenders is August 25, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely open to service providers, companies, and organizations capable of providing travel arrangement services, promotion, online and social media management, and discount negotiation. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, and potentially other types of organizations with relevant expertise.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is procuring services through a call for tenders.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity is open to both single applicants and consortia. The FAQ mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory whether participating as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU tender related to the Erasmus+ DiscoverEU program, it is highly likely that the eligibility extends to entities within the EU and potentially EEA countries. Further details would be available in the tender documents.

Target Sector: The target sector is travel services, promotion, and online/social media management related to the Erasmus+ DiscoverEU program. This includes organizing travel arrangements, providing travel passes, optimizing the absorption of travel passes, delivering promotion material and services, online and social media and community management, and managing discounts on accommodation, culture, nature, sports, local transport, and other services.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the context of the Erasmus+ DiscoverEU program suggests a focus on the European Union.

Project Stage: The project stage is service implementation. The tender is for procuring services to support an existing program (DiscoverEU), not for research, development, or demonstration of a new project.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 250,000,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing the services outlined in the tender.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it involves at least one stage of submitting a tender, followed by evaluation and selection. Further details on the evaluation process would be in the tender documents.

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

Co-funding Requirement: There is no mention of a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders (EACEA/2025/OP/0001) issued by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) for the Erasmus+ DiscoverEU program. The EACEA aims to procure services related to travel arrangements, travel pass provision and optimization, promotion, online and social media management, and discount negotiation for accommodation, culture, nature, sports, and local transport. The estimated total value of the framework agreement is 250,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is August 25, 2025. The TED reference is 127/2025 439744-2025. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The tender is open to organizations capable of providing these services, and a Participant Identification Code (PIC) is required for participation, whether as a single entity or as part of a consortium. The eSubmission system supports multiple languages and encrypts uploaded documents. The maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB, and the maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200.