EU Assistance for Innovation Procurement

The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) has published an open procedure tender (EISMEA/2026/OP/0016) to deliver the European Assistance for Innovation Procurement (EAFIP) service for 2026–2029. The service contract is estimated at €1,000,000 for up to 48 months and will be awarded on the best price-quality ratio. The scope includes updating the EAFIP toolkit, outreach and promotion, convening sectoral roundtables and webinars, and providing tailored legal and technical assistance to at least 30 public and private procurers across EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is required with a deadline for receipt of tenders on 15 April 2026 at 12:00 (Europe/Brussels).

What the contract buys

Scope and main tasks

Service contract to implement the European Assistance for Innovation Procurement (EAFIP) for 2026–2029. Activities include maintaining and updating the EAFIP toolkit, outreach and events (roundtables, webinars), building networks of local lawyers/experts, and providing tailored assistance to public and private procurers to prepare and run innovation procurements.

Estimated value and duration:Estimated total value €1,000,000; maximum contract duration 48 months.

1. 1What it funds: advisory, outreach, toolkit updates, local legal/technical assistance and support to launch pre-commercial procurements and public procurement of innovative solutions
2. 2Who buys: European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
3. 3Award method: best price-quality ratio

Who can apply

Open procedure for economic operators (companies, consortia/joint tenders). Submission only via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system; participants must be registered in the Participant Register and use a PIC. Subcontracting is allowed but selection and exclusion rules apply as set out in the tender documents ¹.

Key eligibility/requirements:Experienced service providers or consortia with capacity to run EU-level assistance, organising events and deliver tailored legal/technical procurement support across EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries (European continent).

Deadlines and practicals

Deadline for receipt of tenders:15 April 2026, 12:00 (Europe/Brussels). Public opening: 15 April 2026, 15:00 (Europe/Brussels). Contract notice/TED publication date: 9 March 2026.

How applications are evaluated

Open procedure evaluated on best price-quality ratio. Bids must follow tender specifications and annexes (technical offer, financial offer, declarations, annex templates, CVs and evidence of capacity). Tenders submitted after the deadline are rejected.

1. 1Prepare technical offer addressing the 5 task areas in the tender specifications (contacts, toolkit, assistance, promotion, impact reporting)
2. 2Include required declarations and annexes (Declaration on Honour, Statement of turnover, technical capacity, power of attorney if joint tender, list of subcontractors)
3. 3Submit via eSubmission and ensure correct naming and size of attachments

Contact and documents

Full tender dossier, invitation to tender, technical specifications and annexes are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page. All communications and Q&A are handled via the Portal ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender page and documents: EU Assistance for Innovation Procurement (EISMEA/2026/OP/0016) on the Funding & Tenders Portal F&T opportunity.

Procedure identifier:EISMEA/2026/OP/0016. Lead contracting authority: European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), European Innovation Council. Procedure type: Open procedure. Award method: Best price-quality ratio. Nature of the contract: Services. CPV classification: 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services. Estimated total value: €1,000,000. Maximum contract duration: 48 months. Submission method: Electronic via eSubmission. TED reference: 47/2026 161431-2026. Tender status: Open for submission Funding and Tenders Portal – Tender page ¹.

Deadlines, Milestones, and Key Dates

Place of performance:contractor’s premises and, when relevant, in different locations across EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries on the European continent (for on-site meetings/events/assistance).

Purpose and Scope of the Contract

This service contract implements the European Assistance for Innovation Procurement (EAFIP) for 2026–2029, building on the existing EAFIP. The action extends the scope from public ICT-centric innovation procurement to both public and private buyers across all sectors in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries on the European continent. Core goals are to mainstream innovation procurement, update and expand the EAFIP toolkit (including guidance for private procurers and new legal evolutions), organise sectoral roundtables and webinar workshops, establish and maintain extensive contacts with key procurers and replicator entities, provide local assistance to procurers to kickstart innovation procurements (PCP and PPI for public buyers, as well as pilots/R&D and innovative solutions for private buyers), and conduct yearly impact reporting.

Contract Tasks and Expected Outputs

• Task 1 – Establishing contacts and organising meetings: Build up-to-date contact lists of key public procurers (minimum 4,400 across 10 public sectors) and key private procurers (minimum 3,300 across 15 sectors including security and defence), with particular focus on critical infrastructure owners/operators under CER and NIS2. Organise meetings with replicator entities (national competence centres, policy makers, central purchasing bodies, procurement offices, training centres) and 15 sectoral roundtables (online mainly; up to five physical) engaging public and private procurers’ higher management.
• Task 2 – Toolkit: Update the EAFIP toolkit to include guidance for private procurers and new obligations/opportunities arising from the revision of EU public procurement directives and the European Innovation Act. Curate at least 12 new successful innovation procurement cases over the contract period (minimum 3 per year).
• Task 3 – Assistance to procurers: Set up and grow a network of local innovation procurement experts and lawyers across all target countries. Launch and manage calls for assistance (public and private procurers), select cases in agreement with the contracting authority, and provide tailored assistance to at least 30 procurers (minimum 20 public, 10 private) covering scoping, business case, market consultation, tender drafting/launch, impact optimisation during procurement, and post-procurement impact data collection.
• Task 4 – Promotion activities: Maintain and regularly update the EAFIP website hosted under DG RTD, manage the EAFIP mailing list and mailbox (OVH domain and Brevo platform), actively manage the EAFIP LinkedIn account, run at least four promotion campaigns per year for calls to join the expert network and for procurer assistance, and organise at least two interactive webinar workshops per year (with recordings and materials published).
• Task 5 – Yearly impact reporting: Deliver annual impact reports summarising activities and quantified impacts across tasks (contacts established, events, toolkit usage, assistance outcomes, promotional reach), including short-term and longer-term impacts on procurers and suppliers, supported by survey evidence and accessible graphical presentation.

The methodology must demonstrate flexibility to integrate prospective legal reforms (revised EU public procurement directives and the European Innovation Act), expand to Horizon Europe Associated Countries on the European continent, adequately address both public and private procurement contexts, and apply green public procurement and accessibility-by-design principles.

Contract Management, Deliverables, and Payments

The contract foresees a structured sequence of deliverables and meetings (kick-off; interim deliverables, reports, and impact reports in years 1–3; and a final set at month 46–48). Payments are linked to deliverables as interim payments (25% + 25% + 25%) and a final payment (25%). Price revision and reimbursement of expenses are not applicable. The service is a direct contract (no framework) and requires adherence to the European Commission’s security, data protection, and visual identity requirements, and to publication accessibility standards (W3C/WCAG).

Deliverable cadence and content:Kick-off deliverable by month 1.5; first interim deliverable and progress report by month 5–6; second interim deliverable/progress report and year 1 impact report by month 11–12 (first interim payment); third interim deliverable/progress report and year 2 impact report by month 23–24 (second interim payment); fourth interim deliverable/progress report and year 3 impact report by month 35–36 (third interim payment); final deliverable, final progress report, and final impact report by month 46–48 (final payment). Progress, interim, and final meetings accompany each submission, with concise minutes and action points.

Who Can Apply and Under What Conditions

Eligible Applicant Types

Participation is open to any interested economic operator (natural or legal person) meeting EU access rules for procurement. Eligible applicant types include, without limitation: SME, large enterprise, consulting and legal service providers, universities and higher education institutions, research and technology organisations, nonprofit entities and NGOs, public or semi-public agencies and institutes, and public-private partnerships. Individual professionals and consortia are permitted provided they meet the selection and exclusion criteria.

Funding Type

Procurement – service contract. The selected tenderer will receive payments for services rendered according to the contract and approved deliverables. This is not a grant scheme and does not provide sub-grants to third parties.

Consortium Requirement

Single tenderers and joint tenders (consortia) are both allowed. In joint tenders without separate legal personality, a group leader must be appointed and joint and several liability applies, as formalised via the Annex 3 Power of Attorney model.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Access to this procurement is open to all natural and legal persons within the scope of the EU Treaties and international agreements applicable to EU procurement and to entities established in countries eligible under Horizon Europe as specified in the tender documentation. GPA does not apply. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are not eligible. Specific restriction: Hungarian public interest trusts established under Hungarian Act IX of 2021 and entities they maintain cannot be awarded contracts (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506).

The contract’s operational scope for service delivery focuses on EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries located on the European continent for engaging procurers, events, and assistance.

Target Sector

The contract supports cross-sector innovation procurement and strategic technologies, serving both public and private procurers. Sectors include: energy; transport; banking and financial market infrastructures; health; water; digital and ICT service management; public administrations; space; postal and courier services; waste management; chemicals; food; manufacturing; research; security and defence. For public procurement, the 10 TED-defined public sectors are targeted, including construction and housing, health and social protection, education and culture, environment, general public services and public administration, public order/safety/defence (including space), energy utilities, transport services, water, and postal services.

Mentioned Countries or Regions

Regions explicitly referenced:EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries on the European continent. Specific non-targeted Associated Countries (no activities expected under this contract): South Korea, Canada, New Zealand.

Project Stage

Service implementation. Activities include programme design and execution, toolkit update and content production, stakeholder engagement, sectoral and national coordination, expert network management, procurement assistance delivery, events and communications, monitoring and annual impact reporting.

Funding Amount

Estimated total contract value:€1,000,000 for up to 48 months. Payments are scheduled through three interim instalments (25% each) and a final payment (25%) upon acceptance of deliverables. No price revision; no expense reimbursement provisions.

Application Type

Open call for tenders (open procedure). Submission via the EU eSubmission system. A PIC (Participant Identification Code) is mandatory for tenderers and consortium members. Subcontractors do not require a PIC at submission but must provide required declarations/evidence upon request.

Nature of Support

Money:payments from the contracting authority to the selected contractor for services delivered. The contractor will, in turn, provide non-monetary assistance to procurers as part of the contract’s services (advice, templates, events, networking, toolkit, and hands-on procurement assistance).

Application Stages

Single-stage tender submission and evaluation under an open procedure. Evaluation covers exclusion criteria, selection criteria (legal, economic/financial, technical-professional), compliance with minimum requirements, and award based on best price-quality ratio.

Success Rates

No success rate information is provided in the tender documentation.

Co-funding Requirement

No co-funding is required. This is a fixed-price service contract with payments against approved deliverables.

Eligibility, Selection, and Exclusion – Evidence and Compliance

Exclusion criteria:Tenderers and involved entities must not be in exclusion situations (bankruptcy, tax/social security breaches, grave professional misconduct, fraud/corruption/organised crime/money laundering/terrorist offences/trafficking, contract performance deficiencies, irregularities, creation with intent to circumvent obligations, obstruction of audits). Restrictive measures: entities subject to EU restrictive measures are excluded. Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) must be submitted by all involved entities, with evidence to be provided upon request or prior to award as specified.

Selection criteria:Legal existence and capacity; economic and financial capacity (e.g., turnover evidence per Annex 2.1); technical and professional capacity (criteria T1–T4 and P1–P5, evidenced via CVs, lists of projects, Annex 2.2). Only entities contributing to minimum capacity levels for the relevant criteria must submit evidence.

Rules on access to procurement:Participation is limited to entities with access under EU rules and, where applicable, Horizon Europe eligibility. GPA does not apply. Subcontracting may not circumvent access rules. Specific ineligibility applies to Hungarian public interest trusts and their entities.

Security, Data Protection, and Confidentiality

Security:The contractor and service providers must comply with the Commission’s security requirements, including cybersecurity under Regulation (EU) 2023/2841, incident reporting within 48 hours, and the Security Baseline for External Connections (Appendix 3) for remote access and handling Commission information. Specific obligations apply to background checks and, where applicable, security cleared personnel. Service providers must sign the Ethics Reminder and Acceptable Use Policy annexes.

Data protection:Personal data processing must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. Processing must be within the EU/EEA, data centres in EU/EEA, with access only to authorised persons in countries with adequate protection. Specific processing contexts include managing contact lists, event registrations, assistance application forms, surveys, and mailing list operations (OVH domain and Brevo platform). The contracting authority’s privacy notice applies to contract management.

Key Technical Requirements and Performance Indicators

Tenderers must propose a robust, flexible methodology covering all tasks, ensuring:comprehensive and current pan-European contact mapping; high-calibre events and facilitated discussions; scalable expert-lawyer network; tailored assistance packages for diverse procurer profiles (public/private, PCP/PPI/R&D/deployment); evidence-driven yearly impact reporting; and resource planning for on-site and remote delivery while complying with security, sustainability, and accessibility policies.

Output and impact indicators include:Contact lists: at least 4,400 public and 3,300 private procurer contacts, complete and current. Replicator entities mapped and engaged across all target countries. Roundtables: minimum 15 (one per target sector), aiming for 100–200 participants each, net promoter scores above 90%. Toolkit updates: comprehensive private procurer guidance; legal updates integration; 12 successful case examples overall. Assistance: minimum 30 procurers supported (20 public: at least 8 PCP and 8 PPI; 10 private: at least 5 R&D/pilots and 5 innovative solutions). Geographic coverage: at least 80% of assisted cases in different countries, with priority to countries not previously assisted by EAFIP. Promotion: bi-monthly content; minimum four campaigns/year for both expert-network and procurer-assistance calls; two webinar workshops/year. Impact reports: strong response rates (≥30% for events; ≥90% for assisted procurers) and clear graphics. Project management: ≥90% on-time completion; high-quality English; minimal rework; low turnover; demonstrable flexibility.

Submission Package and Templates

Submission is exclusively electronic via eSubmission. A PIC is required for tenderers and all group members in joint tenders. File limits and technical specifications follow the eSubmission System Requirements. The tender must include the technical offer and the financial offer using the prescribed models.

Mandatory documents with the tender (failure to upload leads to rejection):Technical offer (uploaded under Tender Data > Technical offer), Technical tender form (Annex 7), Financial offer (Annex 6, uploaded under Tender Data > Financial offer).

Administrative and eligibility documents (with the tender or upon request):Declaration on Honour on Exclusion and Selection Criteria (Annex 2, for all involved entities), Evidence authorising the signatory to represent the entity, Power of attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), List of identified subcontractors (Annex 4), Letter of submission (Annex 5), Commitment letters by identified subcontractors and capacity-providing entities (Annex 5.1 and 5.2), Statement of turnover (Annex 2.1) and financial statements where applicable, Evidence of technical and professional capacity (Annex 2.2, CVs, project lists), Evidence of legal existence/status (via Participant Register or upon request), Evidence of non-exclusion (upon request or prior to award as specified).

How to prepare your technical offer (recommended structure based on specifications):Executive summary; Understanding of objectives, scope and regulatory context; Methodology per task (Tasks 1–5) with detailed approaches, data collection, engagement plans, expert network strategy, assistance delivery models for different procurer profiles, promotion strategy, webinar design, and impact reporting framework; Work plan and timeline mapped to the deliverable calendar; Team and governance (key experts, EU-wide coverage, language capabilities, security/data protection compliance roles); Risk management and mitigation (including 30% workload variation and geopolitical/legal evolutions); Quality assurance and performance tracking; Sustainability and accessibility measures; Legacy strategy and handover plan; Budget breakdown per task/subtask and travel optimisation plan; Security and data protection compliance statements aligned with Appendices; Assumptions and dependencies.

How to prepare your financial offer (Annex 6):Provide a clear, fixed total price covering all services and costs for the 48-month period, broken down per task/subtask as requested in the specifications. No price revision applies. Ensure consistency with the technical proposal’s resource plan and deliverable schedule.

Science, Technology, and Policy Content Requirements

The contractor must demonstrate deep expertise in innovation procurement, including PCP/PPI legal and procedural design, functional/performance-based specifications, value-for-money award criteria, value engineering, startup/scale-up-friendly selection and contract conditions, IPR regimes keeping ownership with suppliers where possible, place-of-performance requirements, and impact steering during contract execution. The methodology must address strategic technologies critical to EU economic security, risk assessments supporting CER and NIS2 compliance for critical entities, and supplier ecosystem mapping via EU instruments (e.g., EIC Innovation Procurement Programme, Innovation Radar) to identify qualified EU-based innovators. Toolkit updates must reflect the upcoming European Innovation Act and the revision of EU public procurement directives, including guidance for private procurers adapting innovation-friendly techniques to private procurement law and practices.

Contractual, Legal, and Compliance Highlights

• Contract duration: up to 48 months. Direct contract (not a framework agreement).
• Communication: primarily via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for submissions and contract management; email for designated contacts where applicable.
• Intellectual property: Ownership of results by the Union, with detailed exploitation rights including publication, adaptation, translation, and licensing to third parties. Pre-existing materials must be identified; licences to the Union are required for embedded pre-existing rights.
• Security and confidentiality: Adherence to Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 and related standards; compliance with the Security Baseline for External Connections; incident handling; acceptance of audits and assessments; ethics and acceptable use undertakings by service providers.
• Data protection: Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 applies. Data localisation in EU/EEA. Specific processing scenarios enumerated in the special conditions; compliance with Commission policies for web and event registrations; GDPR-aligned practices for surveys and mailing lists.
• Green public procurement: Apply sustainability guidelines for events and operations; demonstrate measures to reduce environmental impact and integrate social considerations.
• Accessibility and visual identity: All web and published content must be accessible (WCAG). Use the Commission’s visual identity and templates.

Document Set Available

• Invitation to tender EISMEA/2026/OP/0016
• Tender specifications: EISMEA 2026 OP 0016 – European Assistance for Innovation Procurement
• Annex 1: List of documents to be submitted
• Annex 2: Declaration on honour on exclusion and selection criteria
• Annex 2.1: Statement of turnover
• Annex 2.2: Technical and professional capacity
• Annex 3: Power of attorney (for joint tenders)
• Annex 4: List of identified subcontractors
• Annex 5: Letter of submission
• Annex 5.1: Commitment letter by an identified subcontractor
• Annex 6: Financial offer model (referenced in Annex 1)
• Annex 7: Technical tender form (referenced in Annex 1)
• Appendix 2: Security requirements for Commission’s contractors
• Appendix 3: Security baseline for external connections (including Acceptable Use Policy)
• Draft direct service contract (December 2024 conditions)

How to Submit

1. 1Register or ensure your organisation’s details are current in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC.
2. 2Prepare your technical offer and financial offer using the required models and structure, ensuring all mandatory annexes and declarations are complete and signed (QES or handwritten per instructions).
3. 3Upload all required documents via eSubmission before the deadline. Respect file naming, format, and size constraints (typical limit: 50 MB per file; 200 files per tender).
4. 4Monitor the portal for Q&A updates and notifications. Requests for clarification must be submitted via the portal Q&A by the specified cut-off date and time.
5. 5Optional: request to attend the virtual public opening session by emailing the address provided with the required details at least three hours prior to the opening time.
6. 6Keep an auditable record of submission receipts and withdrawals/replacements if applicable.

Long Summary and Explanation

This open call for tenders from EISMEA seeks a highly capable contractor (single entity or consortium) to deliver the next multiannual phase of the European Assistance for Innovation Procurement. The initiative aims to mainstream innovation procurement across Europe by equipping both public and private buyers with the methodologies, tools, contacts, and expert support they need to procure research and development, pilots, and innovative solutions. Building on the prior EAFIP, the 2026–2029 contract scales up to include private procurers and a broader range of sectors, notably critical entities identified under CER and NIS2, and focuses on strategic technologies for EU resilience and economic security.

The contractor will:maintain and expand a large-scale network of key procurers and national-level replicator entities; convene sectoral roundtables to catalyse multi-annual innovation procurement strategies; produce and maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date toolkit for both public and private buyers reflecting upcoming EU legal evolutions; provide tailored hands-on assistance to at least 30 procurers with robust geographic spread; and drive broad communications via the EAFIP website, mailing list, and social media alongside twice-yearly interactive webinars. The work is anchored in measurable performance indicators, rigorous security and data protection obligations, sustainability and accessibility requirements, and a transparent deliverables-and-payments schedule.

Suitable tenderers include expert service providers in innovation procurement law and practice, consulting organisations, pan-European networks, academic and research institutions with applied procurement expertise, and consortia combining complementary strengths (legal, methodological, technical, event, communications, and data analysis capabilities). The winning tender will present a robust methodology that adapts to legal reforms (revised public procurement directives and the European Innovation Act), achieves scale across all targeted countries and sectors, handles an anticipated 30% workload variation across tasks, ensures high-quality assistance and content, and provides compelling, evidence-based annual impact reporting. The contract is valued at approximately €1 million over 48 months and will be awarded on the basis of best price-quality ratio.

Footnotes

1. 1All tender documentation, submission workflow, Q&A, and contract templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. See the tender page for authoritative versions and updates: EISMEA/2026/OP/0016 – Portal page.

This open procedure tender seeks a service contractor to implement the European Assistance for Innovation Procurement (EAFIP) service for the period 2026-2029. The contract builds on previous EAFIP initiatives, expanding scope to both public and private buyers across EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries on the European continent, covering all sectors with focus on strategic technologies and critical infrastructures.

Key Opportunity Details

Contracting Authority:European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), Department I - Innovation Ecosystems, SMP/Entrepreneurship and Consumers.

Estimated Total Value:€1,000,000.

Contract Duration:Maximum 48 months.

Award Criteria:Best price-quality ratio.

CPV Code:73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services.

TED Publication:09/03/2026.

Key Dates:Deadline for questions: 07/04/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 15/04/2026 12:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 15/04/2026 15:00 Europe/Brussels.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Open to all economic operators established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Joint tenders and subcontracting are permitted. Tenderers must register in the EU Participant Register to obtain a PIC. Exclusion criteria apply for bankruptcy, tax/social security breaches, fraud, corruption, terrorism-related offences, or significant deficiencies in prior EU contracts. No entities subject to EU restrictive measures or Hungarian public interest trusts.

Selection Criteria

• Legal and regulatory capacity to perform the contract.
• Economic and financial capacity (e.g., turnover statement).
• Technical and professional capacity (CVs, list of projects, Annex 2.2 form).

Scope of Services

The contractor will deliver five main tasks:(1) Establish contacts with key public/private procurers and replicator entities, organise meetings/roundtables; (2) Update EAFIP toolkit for public/private buyers, add 12 new case examples; (3) Provide assistance to at least 30 procurers (20 public, 10 private) via network of lawyers/experts; (4) Promotion via website, mailing list (18,846 subscribers), social media, webinars; (5) Yearly impact reporting. All deliverables in English, with KPIs for performance measurement.

Key Deliverables and Timetable

Submission Requirements

Electronic submission only via EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Required documents include: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), technical/financial offers, CVs/lists for capacity, power of attorney (joints), subcontractor lists. Max 200 files, <50MB each. Detailed list in Annex 1.

Documents Available

• EN-Invitation to tender.
• Technical specifications.
• Annexes 1-5.1 (lists, declarations, forms).
• 19 documents total on portal.

Portal:EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key Conditions and Risks

• Services free to recipients (procurers, workshops).
• Flexibility for workload variations (+/-30%).
• Security/data protection obligations (Appendix 2/3).
• Green procurement: sustainable events, digital focus.
• IP: Union owns results; pre-existing rights licensed.
• Payments: 3 interim (25% each) + balance (25%).

Applicants should review full technical specifications for detailed KPIs (e.g., 4400 public procurer contacts, 15 roundtables, NPS >90%). Strong expertise in innovation procurement, networks across 44 countries, and prior EU project experience essential. High competition expected given €1M value and strategic importance.

Footnotes

1. 1All details from official tender documents on EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Verify latest updates before submission.