EU-ARMENIA STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION & COMMUNICATION ENGAGEMENT (2027–2031)

Restricted tender by the European Commission (ENEST) for strategic communication and engagement in Armenia (EU‑Armenia Strategic Communication & Communication Engagement 2027–2031) with an estimated value of €3,500,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months. The objective is to strengthen positive public perception of the EU, promote EU values and assistance, and counter EU‑related disinformation and misinformation. Requests to participate must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission by 14 October 2026 at 14:00 Asia/Yerevan, with a provisional invitation to tender in November 2026 and a provisional contract start in April/May 2027 under a restricted two‑stage procedure. Eligible applicants include natural or legal persons and consortia established in EU Member States or countries eligible under NDICI Article 28 and international organisations, and selection requires meeting specified financial, personnel and technical reference thresholds.

What it funds

Scope

A restricted tender to deliver strategic communication, media engagement and promotional activities to reinforce positive perceptions of the EU in Armenia, combat EU‑related disinformation and proactively promote EU assistance under the Closer than Ever EU‑Armenia partnership.

Estimated contract value:€3,500,000 (total estimated value for the procedure) ¹

1. 1Contracting authority: European Commission, ENEST – Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood
2. 2Place of performance: Armenia
3. 3Contract duration: up to 48 months (provisional start Apr/May 2027)
4. 4Award method: best price‑quality ratio; restricted procedure with shortlist of 4–8 candidates

Who can apply

Eligible applicants:natural persons and legal entities (or consortia) established in EU Member States or in countries eligible under NDICI Article 28, and international organisations. Consortia allowed; all members jointly and severally liable.

Key selection highlights

1. 1Minimum average annual turnover (last 3 closed years): €1,500,000
2. 2Average staff in relevant specialist areas: at least 15 personnel (current year average over past 2 years)
3. 3Technical references: at least 2 contracts in the last 4 years, each with a share >= €1,000,000, in strategic communication/cultural diplomacy/media engagement for public sector clients

Submission:electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 14 October 2026, 14:00:59 (UTC+04). Procedure identifier EC-ENEST/EVN/2026/EA-RP/0079. Documents and Q&A available on the portal Tender page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents and additional information (A5f, request to participate form, declaration on honour) are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details page linked above.

Opportunity summary

What this tender is for

This is a restricted procedure tender issued by the European Commission (ENEST - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood) to put in place a fee-based service contract or framework agreement to deliver strategic communication and communication engagement activities in the Republic of Armenia for the period 2027-2031. The overall objective is to reinforce positive perception of the European Union among Armenian citizens, raise awareness about EU values and benefits of a closer EU-Armenia partnership, counter EU-related disinformation and misinformation, and proactively promote EU assistance in Armenia in the context of the Closer than Ever EU-Armenia partnership. The work is to be delivered in Armenia over a maximum contract duration of 48 months. Further procurement documentation and submission is managed via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and eSubmission system ¹.

Estimated total value:€3,500,000 (estimated overall contract amount).

Main classification (CPV):92111200 Advertising, propaganda and information film and video-tape production; additional CPV 79952000 Event services.

Key administrative and procedural details

1. 1Contracting authority: European Commission, ENEST - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (lead contracting authority).
2. 2Procedure identifier / internal identifier: EC-ENEST/EVN/2026/EA-RP/0079.
3. 3TED reference / Notice publication: TED ref 151/2026 550047-2026; publication date 07/08/2026 (contract notice).
4. 4Procedure type: Restricted procedure (two-stage): requests to participate are invited; between 4 and 8 candidates will be shortlisted and invited to tender.
5. 5Submission method: Electronic via Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission (EU Login required). Address for submission is the eSubmission link indicated in the procurement documents.
6. 6Language of procedure and submissions: English.
7. 7Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 14 October 2026, 14:00:59 (Asia/Yerevan UTC+04:00).
8. 8Provisional invitation to tender (second stage): November 2026 (provisional).
9. 9Provisional contract start date: April/May 2027 (provisional).
10. 10Maximum contract duration / Period of implementation: 48 months.
11. 11Award method: Best price-quality ratio (quality and price weighting specified in procurement documents; quality has 80% weight and price 20% in awarding structure as indicated in procurement metadata).
12. 12Nature of the contract: Services (fee-based).
13. 13Place of performance: Republic of Armenia.

Eligibility and who should apply

Eligibility is defined by Regulation (EU) 2021/947 (NDICI-Global Europe) for geographic programmes. Participation is open to natural persons and legal persons that are nationals of, and entities effectively established in, EU Member States or eligible countries/territories listed under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. International organisations may also participate. Candidates may apply individually or as a consortium (permanent or ad-hoc grouping). Subcontracting is allowed. Capacity-providing entities may be used but must meet the same nationality/eligibility rules and their data for selection criterion must be provided in separate documents as instructed in the procurement dossier.

Eligible applicant types (detailed)

Eligible applicant types include:private sector communication agencies, media production companies, advertising agencies, event management companies, public relations firms, consultancies specialising in strategic communication, digital and social media specialists, NGOs and non-profit organisations with relevant capacity, research institutes or think tanks with communications specialities, international organisations, consortia combining the above, and legal entities established in eligible countries or EU Member States. Individuals are eligible only where permitted under NDICI rules (natural persons nationality requirement applies).

Selection and award criteria

The tender uses a two-stage restricted procedure. Stage 1 is a request to participate (selection stage); stage 2 is the invitation to submit full tenders by shortlisted candidates (award stage). Selection criteria and technical/financial thresholds are set out in the Additional Information about the Contract Notice and in the request to participate form and selection documentation.

1. 1Selection stage: candidates must demonstrate economic and financial capacity, professional capacity and technical capacity as per the procurement documents.
2. 2Short-listing: between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to submit full tenders. If fewer than 4 candidates meet selection criteria, the contracting authority may still invite those who meet criteria; if more than 8 meet criteria, a re-examination using comparative sub-criteria will rank candidates.
3. 3Award stage: best price-quality ratio. The procurement metadata indicates quality carries 80% and price 20% of the total weighting; candidates must consult procurement documents for precise scoring and sub-criteria.

Procurement documents and required forms

Key procurement documents published with the contract notice include:a5f additional information about the contract notice (detailed selection criteria, participation rules, timeline and administrative instructions), b3 request to participate form (template to be completed and submitted), and a14a declaration on honour (declaration on exclusion and selection criteria). These documents must be used exactly as instructed and uploaded in the correct eSubmission attachment sections. Originals of declarations may be requested if shortlisted.

Available document downloads:a5f_additional_information_contract_notice_final_V1.pdf; b3_req_part_form_V1.docx; a14a_declaration_honour_procurement_V1.docx. All documents are available from the Funding & Tenders Portal call page and must be consulted and followed precisely when preparing the request to participate ¹.

Application process, format and templates

Requests to participate must be submitted electronically via the F&T Portal eSubmission system using an EU Login account and referencing the procurement project UUID. The request to participate must be a single signed request per legal entity or per consortium (group submission). The request to participate must contain the completed b3 request to participate form, the signed a14a declaration on honour, and any other documents required in the procurement dossier. Additional unsolicited brochures or material will not be considered.

Structure and contents of the request to participate (template guidance)

1. 1Identification and administrative information: name(s) of legal entity(ies) submitting the request, nationality, PIC (Participant Identification Code), contact person details.
2. 2Economic and financial capacity: completed financial table for the last three closed years showing annual turnover, current assets and current liabilities; average figures; explanation of any estimated figures if accounts not closed.
3. 3Professional capacity and personnel statistics: manpower and personnel in relevant fields for current and previous two years; areas of specialisation table (max 10 specialisations) identifying which entity has which specialisation.
4. 4Technical capacity: up to 15 project references implemented during the reference period (14/10/2022–14/10/2026). For each reference include project title, client, country, overall contract value, part carried out by the candidate, number of personnel provided, dates, consortium members (if any), and a one-page detailed description for each reference (1 page max per reference, font size 12). Documentary evidence must support each reference.
5. 5Declarations: signed declaration on honour (a14a) on exclusion and selection criteria for each legal entity and for any capacity-providing entity or main subcontractor where applicable.
6. 6Consortium specifics: if applying as a consortium, indicate leader and members, include joint and several liability acknowledgement, include the separate documents for capacity-providing entities as required by the instructions.
7. 7Foreign financial contributions disclosure (Form FS-PP) if applicable as set out in procurement documents (applies for high-value procurements as specified).
8. 8Statement of intent: signed statement committing to submitting a tender if shortlisted and noting restrictions on key experts involved in project preparation.

Technical scope and expected activities

Tenderers must propose a strategic communications programme and delivery plan tailored to Armenia that may include: strategic planning; mass media production (TV, radio, web video); social and digital media campaigns; community engagement, events and cultural diplomacy; targeted outreach to specific audiences; rapid rebuttal and fact-checking capacity to counter disinformation; media partnerships; monitoring and evaluation of communication impact; visibility and promotion of EU assistance and programmes; and logistical and operational support for communication activities. The CPV codes indicate film/video production and event services are core components.

Geographic scope and beneficiaries

Place of performance and primary beneficiary zone:Republic of Armenia. The procurement is financed under the Neighbourhood programme (NDICI-Global Europe) and is part of the Technical Assistance Facility for the EU’s Resilience Growth Plan in support of Armenia. Eligible applicants must satisfy nationality/establishment rules under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947; international organisations are also eligible.

Consortium, subcontracting and capacity-providing entities

Consortia are allowed and commonly used. A consortium may be permanent or set up for this tender. All consortium members are jointly and severally liable. Tenderers may rely on capacity-providing entities but must provide separate commitments and evidence that those entities will make resources available; when relying on other entities for economic/financial criteria those entities become jointly and severally liable. For technical tasks an operator may rely on other entities only where those entities will perform the specific tasks for which their capacities are relied upon.

Technical and documentary compliance

Strict compliance with document formats, page limits, evidence requirements and eSubmission technical requirements is mandatory. The procurement documents include precise instructions on naming files, maximum file sizes (system accepts files under 50 MB per attachment), permitted file formats and number of attachments (system supports up to 200 attachments). Draft submissions may be edited until the submission deadline. Declarations on honour must be signed and scanned into eSubmission in the specified attachment sections; originals may be requested later if shortlisted.

Selection process, timeline and evaluation

Stage 1:submission of request to participate by the deadline. The contracting authority will evaluate against the selection criteria listed in the procurement documents. Stage 2: shortlisted candidates (minimum 4, maximum 8) will be invited to submit full tenders; award will follow evaluation of tenders on the best price-quality ratio. Provisional timetable: shortlist invitations November 2026; contract start April/May 2027; implementation up to 48 months. If more than 8 eligible candidates meet the selection criteria, a re-examination applies using the additional comparative criteria (highest number of qualifying completed contracts and highest cumulative value of qualifying services).

Commercial and financial terms

The contract is fee-based under NDICI financing. The estimated overall contract amount is €3,500,000. The contracting authority has indicated the award will be based on best price-quality ratio with quality weighting significantly higher than price. Exact payment, invoicing, VAT treatment, and financial conditions will be set out in the tender dossier and the contract forms; candidates should consult the tender dossier for details and note that the award is subject to the availability of appropriations. Electronic ordering and electronic payments will be used during contract execution.

Co-funding and foreign contributions

The procurement documents do not require co-funding by the tenderer; the contract is financed under a financing agreement and fee-based arrangements. However, applicants must declare any foreign financial contributions received in the last three years using Form FS-PP if required by the rules in the procurement documents (applicable thresholds and cases are specified).

Application stages and expected competition

1. 1Number of stages: 2 (Stage 1: Request to participate / selection; Stage 2: Tender by shortlisted candidates / award).
2. 2Shortlisting: between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to the second stage.
3. 3Competition and success rate: the contracting authority does not publish the total number of applicants; success rate cannot be precisely known in advance. The shortlist will limit competition to a maximum of 8 in stage 2; final award probability depends on the number of shortlisted competitors invited to tender and their quality.

Success factors and practical recommendations

High-scoring requests and tenders will be those that precisely map organisational capacities and prior projects to the selection and technical criteria: demonstrate relevant strategic communication experience for public sector clients in the region; provide evidence of at least two comparable contracts with a minimum share of €1,000,000 each performed by the candidate within the reference period; meet the financial threshold (average turnover >= €1,500,000 over last three closed years); demonstrate an available team (average at least 15 relevant personnel); provide credible capacity commitments from any third-party entities relied upon; and fully comply with all administrative evidence and signed declarations. Clear demonstration of ability to counter disinformation and to deliver cross-media campaigns in Armenian and other relevant languages, plus robust monitoring and evaluation and visibility of EU assistance, will be important.

Target sector and project maturity

Target sector:strategic communications, public diplomacy, media production, event services and public information. Project stage expected: implementation/delivery (operational activities and campaigns to be executed during the 48-month contract period).

Mentioned countries and geographic eligibility

Explicitly mentioned country:Armenia (place of performance). Geographic eligibility: EU Member States, eligible countries/territories under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947, and international organisations (participation open per the NDICI rules).

Practical links and references

Full procurement dossier, document downloads and the eSubmission link are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender call page for this procedure. Tenderers must subscribe to the call page and consult the procurement documents and the Additional Information document (a5f) for detailed instructions, templates and deadlines ¹.

Final summary: what is this opportunity about and how to explain it

This is a restricted EU external actions procurement to secure a single supplier or framework contractor (which may be a consortium) to deliver a comprehensive strategic communications programme in Armenia for 2027–2031. The aim is to strengthen public understanding and positive perception of the EU, promote EU values and benefits of closer EU-Armenia relations, proactively publicise EU assistance, and limit the impact of misinformation and disinformation. The contract is estimated at €3.5 million, will run up to 48 months, and is financed under the NDICI Neighbourhood programme. The procurement follows NDICI eligibility rules: organisations from EU Member States, eligible Article 28 countries and international organisations may apply. The procedure is a two-stage restricted process: interested parties must submit an electronic request to participate (using the provided b3 and a14a templates) by the stated deadline; 4 to 8 shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit full tenders which will be evaluated on best price-quality ratio with significant weight on quality. Tenderers must meet defined financial, professional and technical thresholds (including turnover and demonstrated experience delivering strategic communication/public-sector campaigns with minimum contract shares). Strict compliance with the published procurement templates, evidence requirements and eSubmission rules is essential. Interested organisations should begin by downloading and studying the a5f additional information, the b3 request to participate form and the a14a declaration on honour on the Funding & Tenders Portal, register or verify their PIC, prepare documentation demonstrating the selection criteria, and register and prepare to submit the request to participate via eSubmission before the deadline.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents and the eSubmission address are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal call page for EC-ENEST/EVN/2026/EA-RP/0079: ec.europa.eu

This is a €3,500,000 restricted services tender from the European Commission, ENEST, for a 48 month strategic communication and engagement programme in Armenia, aimed at strengthening the positive perception of the EU, promoting EU values and assistance, and countering EU related disinformation and misinformation. The deadline for requests to participate is 14 October 2026 at 14:00 Asia/Yerevan, and the contract is expected to start in April or May 2027.[1][2]

What the opportunity is about

The contract seeks a communications partner able to reinforce positive public perceptions of the EU among Armenian citizens, raise awareness of EU values and the benefits of the closer EU Armenia partnership, and improve proactive communication on EU assistance in Armenia. The wider policy context points to a strengthened EU Armenia relationship, including the Strategic Agenda for the EU Armenia Partnership and the Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia, both of which emphasize visibility, communication, and resilience against foreign information manipulation and disinformation.[3][8][10][12]

Who can apply

• Natural persons who are nationals of an EU Member State or an eligible country or territory under Article 28 of Regulation 2021 947 may apply, as may legal persons effectively established in such places, whether individually or in consortium.[1][2]
• International organisations are also eligible to participate.[1][2]
• Consortia may be permanent legal groupings or ad hoc groups created for this procedure, and all members are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.[1][2]
• Only one request to participate may be submitted by the same natural or legal person, whether alone or as a consortium member or leader; multiple submissions by the same entity lead to exclusion.[2]
• If an ineligible person is part of a consortium, the entire consortium is excluded.[2]
• Subcontracting is allowed, but subcontractors and capacity providing entities may need to provide the same exclusion declarations and must comply with the eligibility rules that apply to the role they play.[2]

Selection criteria and award logic

The procedure is restricted, so only short listed candidates will be invited to submit full tenders. The documents state that between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited, and if fewer than 4 meet the criteria the contracting authority may still invite the qualified candidates; short listed candidates cannot form alliances with each other for the second stage unless the contracting authority gives prior written authorisation.[2]

Submission and procedural rules

• Requests to participate must be submitted exclusively through the Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission system; email, paper, courier, or letter submissions are disregarded.[2]
• An EU Login account is required for subscription, questions, and electronic submission, and a Participant Identification Code is required for each participating organisation.[2]
• The request to participate form, the declaration referred to in point 7 of that form, and the declaration on honour on exclusion and selection criteria must be uploaded in the correct attachment sections.[2]
• All written communications for the procedure and the contract must be in English.[2]
• Clarification questions must be submitted through the portal no later than 21 days before the deadline, and answers are published no later than 8 days before the deadline.[2]
• The contracting authority plans to notify the outcome by email, using the address provided in the submission profile.[2]

Budget, duration, and conditions

The estimated overall contract amount is €3,500,000, and the implementation period is 48 months. The notice also states that award is subject to the availability of appropriations, meaning the procedure may be abandoned or cancelled without compensation if the budget condition is not met.[1][2]

The legal basis is Regulation 2021 947 on NDICI Global Europe, and the notice says participation is open under the relevant eligibility and rules of origin framework for geographic programmes financed under that instrument. The additional information document also requires financial data in EUR and indicates that foreign currency amounts should be converted using the July 2026 InforEuro rate.[2]

Practical points applicants should note

• Candidates must submit a signed declaration that they are not in any exclusion situation and that they have no conflict of interest or professional conflicting interests that could affect performance.[2]
• Technical experience must be evidenced by documentary proof such as approval of reports or deliverables, proof of payment, or certificates from the contracting authority, and only the part completed within the reference period is counted.[2]
• The reference period for technical experience is 14 October 2022 to 14 October 2026, and the request to participate form allows up to 15 project references in total.[2]
• The authority may request financial and professional evidence after shortlisting, so applicants should prepare turnover, personnel, and contract reference records in advance.[2]
• If the consortium composition changes during the procedure, the short listed request may be rejected unless the specific exceptions in the procurement rules are authorised in writing.[2]

Overall, this is a high visibility public diplomacy and strategic communications assignment aligned with the EU's deepening engagement with Armenia. Applicants with proven delivery in strategic communication, media engagement, and public sector outreach, plus sufficient turnover and staffing capacity, are the strongest fit for the shortlist.[3][8][10][12]