ERTMS deployment team - Support to improving rail interoperability with a view to achieving deployment of rail breakthroughs supporting TEN-T infrastructure policy

The European Commission, through the DG MOVE - Mobility and Transport, has issued a call for tenders identified as EC-MOVE/2025/OP/0002. This procurement contract is aimed at enhancing rail interoperability and supporting the deployment of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) infrastructure, particularly focusing on the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

Eligible applicants primarily include consulting firms, large enterprises, or specialized agencies capable of providing business and management consultancy services in the transportation sector. Notably, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are excluded, as indicated by a specific indicator within the tender data.

The nature of the funding is a procurement contract categorized as a service agreement under the EU funds program. It is structured as an open call for tenders, with the anticipated contract total valued at €5 million. The maximum duration for the contract is set at 38 months.

There is no explicit requirement for applicants to form a consortium, suggesting that a single applicant can suffice. Applications must be submitted electronically, with a submission deadline established for June 13, 2025. The review criteria for selection emphasize quality at 70% and price at 30%, with successful bidders needing to demonstrate economic and financial standing, along with the requisite technical ability.

The specific scope of the tender targets EU member states, reinforcing the geographical eligibility limitations. The project stage targets deployment and implementation, focusing on innovative solutions rather than preliminary research or baseline projects.

Applicants are required to register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) in order to participate, whether individually or as part of a group. The tender documents, including the invitation letter, specifications, and necessary forms for submission, are readily available for download from the relevant tender portal.

In summary, this tender calls for experts to support the deployment of innovative rail transport solutions, ensuring they align with the overarching goals of the TEN-T infrastructure policy. The submission process entails meeting specific selection criteria, adhering to document submission rules, and operating within defined timelines.

The European Commission, DG MOVE Mobility and Transport, has published a call for tenders, EC-MOVE/2025/OP/0002, for an ERTMS deployment team to support improving rail interoperability with a view to achieving deployment of rail breakthroughs supporting TEN-T infrastructure policy. The TED reference for this call is 77/2025 257504-2025.

The procedure is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The call is currently open for submission. The description of the tender is to provide support to the Commission, ERA European Union Agency for Railways, CINEA European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, and EU-Rail European Union Agency for Railways for the deployment of innovative solutions to ensure the competitiveness of rail transport with a view to achieving deployment of rail breakthroughs supporting TEN-T infrastructure policy.

The estimated total value of the tender is 5,000,000 EUR. The TED publication date was 18/04/2025. The main classification CPV code is 79410000, which refers to business and management consultancy services. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 38 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement associated with this tender.

The selection criteria include:
Suitability to pursue the professional activity (consult the procurement documents).
Economic and financial standing (consult the procurement documents).
Technical and professional ability (consult the procurement documents).

Key milestones include:
TED publication date: 18/04/2025
Date and time of public opening: 17/06/2025 00:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 13/06/2025 00:00 Europe/Brussels
The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after: 02/06/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:
ENEN-Invitation to tender Invitation letter Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available
ENTender specs FINAL Tender specifications Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 2 to tender specs - declaration-of-honour-tenders Declaration on honour tender Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex 6 to tender specs - Financial-proposal Financial offer form Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available
ENcontrat-direct-service-2024 ERTMS 110425 Draft contract Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available
ENAnnex III to service contract-vat-2023-en Information for candidates and tenderers Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available
ENAppendix 2 to service contract - Security requirements en 2025 Information for candidates and tenderers Published on 18/04/2025 Version 1 No translations available

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission provided electronically.

Several questions and answers have been published regarding this tender:
65630: The liability is limited to three times the order value per individual order, but not for gross negligence, willful misconduct. The liability of the contractor is governed by the contract and the applicable law see article I.11.1. Article II.6.3 of the contract states that the contractor is liable for any loss. Published on 28/05/2025 18:08
65533: For criteria T1, the interpretation that the three projects indicating minimum level of capacity should cover three different EU countries is correct. Published on 27/05/2025 18:10
65532: Regarding requirements for language skill, i.e. English level B2/C1 in the Common European Framework for Reference for languages, certificates are not the only way to prove language skills. Being a native speaker or past relevant experience can also be considered. Published on 27/05/2025 18:08
65042: Any consultant working with the Commission is required to work to its best knowledge and with the highest level of impartiality. There are relevant contractual clauses included in the tender documents. Published on 21/05/2025 03:42
64933: Criterion T4 requires providing proof in relation to each of the three languages. The evidence of providing a sample 20-page report refers to at least one report that can be formulated. Published on 20/05/2025 13:39
64502: The Commission acknowledges the importance of the contract and has set the tender open for 55 calendar days, as opposed to the minimum time of 37 days, to allow sufficient time to prepare an offer. Published on 14/05/2025 16:12
64461: The expert profiles requested are the minimum required to ensure this action is performed, but it is not necessarily a sufficient minimum. Potential applicants should consider the tasks. Published on 13/05/2025 16:12
64328: Word versions of the needed annexes have now been published in the Funding and Tenders portal. Published on 12/05/2025 17:12

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In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG MOVE, seeking a team to provide support for the deployment of innovative solutions in the rail transport sector, specifically related to the ERTMS and the TEN-T infrastructure policy. The selected contractor will assist the Commission, ERA, CINEA, and EU-Rail in ensuring the competitiveness of rail transport. The tender is an open procedure with electronic submission, an estimated value of 5 million EUR, and a maximum duration of 38 months. The deadline for submitting tenders is 13/06/2025. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Applicants must meet specific suitability, economic, financial, technical, and professional criteria.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include organizations capable of providing business and management consultancy services, given the CPV code 79410000. This likely encompasses SMEs, large enterprises, and potentially research institutes or other organizations with relevant expertise. The selection criteria mention suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability, suggesting a broad range of organizations could be eligible if they meet these criteria.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is explicitly stated as "services".

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the FAQ mentions the Personal Identification Code (PIC) being mandatory for participation "as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium)", which implies that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly defined, but given that it is an EU funding opportunity related to TEN-T infrastructure policy and ERTMS deployment, it is highly likely that the beneficiary scope includes EU member states and potentially EEA countries or countries associated with the EU's research and innovation programs. The FAQ response confirming that the three projects indicating minimum level of capacity should cover three different EU countries further supports this.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily transport, specifically rail transport and interoperability. It focuses on the deployment of innovative solutions to ensure the competitiveness of rail transport and support the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) infrastructure policy. The tender also targets the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). Secondary sectors include business and management consultancy services.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions "EU countries" in the context of technical criteria related to project capacity.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is focused on deployment and implementation. The description emphasizes "deployment of innovative solutions" and "achieving deployment of rail breakthroughs," indicating that the projects should be at the demonstration, validation, or commercialization stage rather than basic research or idea generation.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 5,000,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, as this is a service contract.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but the process involves submitting a tender, which will then be evaluated based on selection criteria related to professional activity, economic standing, and technical ability. This suggests at least a two-stage process: submission and evaluation.

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

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

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG MOVE - Mobility and Transport, with procedure identifier EC-MOVE/2025/OP/0002. The tender seeks to procure services to support the Commission, ERA (European Union Agency for Railways), CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency), and EU-Rail in deploying innovative solutions to enhance the competitiveness of rail transport. The primary goal is to facilitate the deployment of rail breakthroughs that support the TEN-T infrastructure policy, specifically focusing on improving rail interoperability with the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

The estimated total value of the contract is 5,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 38 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 13/06/2025 at 00:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority will not reply to questions submitted after 02/06/2025 at 05:00 Europe/Brussels.

Eligible applicants should be capable of providing business and management consultancy services, as indicated by the CPV code 79410000. The selection criteria include suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. Applicants must register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to participate, whether as a single entity or as part of a consortium.

The tender documents, including the invitation letter, tender specifications, declaration of honor, financial offer form, draft contract, and information for candidates and tenderers regarding VAT and security requirements, are available for download. The eSubmission system supports various file types and requires attachments to be less than 50 MB in size, with a maximum of 200 files per submission. The system is multilingual, supporting all 24 official EU languages, and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information.