EU MODEX Cycle 13 - Exercises on Civil Protection Modules, Other Response Capacities, European Union Civil Protection Teams and Technical Assistance a...

The European Commission DG ECHO is launching an open tender (EC-ECHO/2025/OP/0045) to design, plan, conduct and self-evaluate EU MODEX Cycle 13 tabletop and field civil protection exercises across four lots with a total budget of €16,600,000 over 36 months. Eligible tenderers are natural or legal persons established in EU Member States, EEA countries and UCPM Participating States, tenders must be submitted electronically via the eSubmission system on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 19 May 2026 16:00 CET, and bidders may apply for up to two lots. Awards will be made per lot on the best price-quality ratio with price weighted 35 percent and quality 65 percent, and require demonstrable financial capacity, technical experience in international civil protection exercises and specified qualified core team members.

What is funded

Direct service contracts to design, plan, conduct and self-evaluate EU MODEX tabletop and field exercises for civil protection modules, other response capacities, European Union Civil Protection Teams (EUCPT) and Technical Assistance and Support Teams (TAST). Exercises may be inside or outside the EU and may support certification, recertification and INSARAG/WHO processes.

Scope and contract type:Open procedure for services; framework of four direct contracts (lots). Maximum contract duration per lot 36 months; award by best price-quality ratio.

Who can apply

Any economic operator (natural or legal person) established under the Treaties, international organisations and eligible third‑country entities as allowed by the UCPM rules. Joint tenders and subcontracting allowed with specific limits: tenderers may bid for up to two lots; the same experts cannot be proposed across more than two lots. Tenderers must not be subject to EU restrictive measures or exclusion grounds.

Key financials and lots

Total maximum budget for the procedure €16 600 000, split across four lots with individual maximums and exercise counts.

Selection and award highlights

Selection requires proof of legal, economic/financial and technical capacity (including turnover and experience delivering international civil protection exercises). Key staff (project manager, exercise director, chief exercise controller, main coach/trainer, lead evaluator, quality expert) must meet CV and language requirements. Awarded on best price-quality ratio (price 35%, quality 65%); tenders must meet minimum quality thresholds.

Practical details & deadlines

1. 1Submission method: electronic only via eSubmission (Funding & Tenders Portal).
2. 2Tender type: open procedure; submit separate technical and financial tenders per lot (max two lots per tenderer).
3. 3Tender validity and administrative requirements: follow Invitation to Tender and Annexes (declarations, financial forms, CVs, evidence).
4. 4Deadlines: main submission deadline 19 May 2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels (public opening 20 May 2026).

Contracting authority & classification

European Commission, DG ECHO — Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), Unit Civil Protection Emergency Response Capabilities. Main CPV: 80560000 Health and first-aid training services.

Estimated total value and documentation published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. See procurement documents (Invitation to tender, Technical specifications, draft contract, Annexes) for full requirements and templates.

Key milestone dates and procedural rules (e.g., limits on experts across lots, financial capacity evidence, Q&A deadlines) are in the tender specifications; read and follow Annex 1 (documents to submit) exactly.

For online submission and all official documents use the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission facility F&T Portal - Tender page ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents, templates (Annexes 1–7), Q&A and eSubmission instructions are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender page linked above.

Buyer:European Commission, DG ECHO — European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Procurement type: Services. Procedure: Open procedure. Submission method: Electronic via eSubmission. CPV: 80560000 Health and first-aid training services. Total estimated value: €16,600,000. Contract form: Direct service contract per lot. Contract duration: 36 months per lot.

Deadlines and key dates:TED publication: 19/02/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 19/05/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 20/05/2026 10:30 Europe/Brussels. Final date for questions to the contracting authority: 07/05/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels. Opportunity page: EU Funding & Tenders Portal — EC-ECHO/2025/OP/0045.

Scope and Objectives

The call will select contractors to design, plan, conduct and self-evaluate the EU MODEX programme of tabletop and field exercises for civil protection modules and other response capacities, EU Civil Protection Teams (EUCPT) and Technical Assistance and Support Teams (TAST), deployable under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) inside or outside the EU. Exercises must test quality requirements for UCPM deployments, provide structured learning, facilitate certification and reclassification processes (ECPP, rescEU, INSARAG IER, WHO EMT where applicable), and implement a harmonised approach for EUCPT and TAST integration, coaching, quality assurance and evaluation.

Lots and Budgets

Tenderers may submit for maximum two lots. No individual or legal person may participate in more than two lots (as member, consortium partner, or via proposed experts for EXCON, coaching, QA or evaluation). Variants are not allowed.

Technical Content — Exercise Requirements by Lot

Lot 1 — Ten tabletop exercises (TTX):Scenarios: 2 forest fire, 2 combined USAR–medical, 4 flood-related, 1 CBRN, and 1 open scenario per Commission need. At least five TTX use an outside-EU scenario. Each TTX minimum 30 participants: about 20 key personnel from modules/other response capacities, 2 TAST key personnel, an EUCPT cell of 5–7 experts plus 1–2 ERCC LOs; outside-EU scenarios include one UNDAC expert. Duration: minimum five days including arrival/departure and full mission cycle coverage. Deliverables include detailed MEL/MIL and injects aligned with learning objectives and expected outcomes. vOSOCC is used for outside-EU scenarios.

Lot 2 — Six field exercises for water and forest firefighting:Water-related exercises: participation of 6 modules/capacities (e.g. HCP, WP, FRB, FC), generally in pairs from different Member States, plus at least 3 virtual modules; three exercises include EUCPT and TAST; at least two exercises use an outside-EU scenario or occur outside the EU. Forest firefighting: five ground FF capacities and up to two aerial FF capacities; may include additional capacities such as RPAS or FAST. Minimum continuous operational phase: 42 hours, commencing no later than early afternoon on day one from border crossing/RDC (STARTEX aligns with STARTOPS). Duration: four days total including arrival/departure and full mission cycle. vOSOCC and international environment role-play for outside-EU scenarios.

Lot 3 — Six field exercises for USAR, medical, CBRN:Two combined USAR–medical exercises: 3 USAR modules (Light/Medium/Heavy and comparable capacities) and 3 medical capacities (e.g. EMT type 1 and 2, MEDEVAC), plus at least 3 virtual modules; include EMTCC. Two USAR-only exercises: 4 USAR modules (including Heavy in at least one), potentially USAR-CBRN, Cave/Mountain SAR. Two CBRN exercises: 5 CBRN modules. Three exercises (two combined and one USAR-only) include EUCPT and TAST and use an outside-EU scenario or occur outside the EU; include 1–2 UNDAC experts. Minimum continuous operational phase: 64 hours for combined USAR–medical and 42 hours for USAR-only/CBRN. UCC and EMTCC must be fully incorporated as appropriate. INSARAG External Re-classification facilitation strictly follows INSARAG Guidelines and EU MODEX IER Handbook.

Lot 4 — Two field exercises for EUCPT and TAST:Two seven-day exercises covering deployment, operational phase, handover, demobilisation, post-mission activities, debriefings and reporting. Strong focus on EUCPT function profiles, mission planning, IM, safety-security, media, liaison and coordination. Use of a Microsoft 365 EUCPT IT Office structure provided by the Commission.

Common cross-lot requirements

• Harmonised EUCPT and TAST integration based on Commission guidance, including pre-deployment preparation, on-mission coaching, and product quality assessment.
• Coaching and training: all coach/trainers must have attended an EU MODEX Training of Trainers; a Main Coach/Trainer issues a coach/trainer handbook per exercise.
• Quality Assurance and Evaluation: contractors must implement an internal QA and evaluation framework, KPIs, milestones and deliverables; ensure lessons identified are integrated into subsequent exercises; provide exercise reports within six weeks after each exercise.
• Role players and international environment: realistic, diverse and inclusive role play including vulnerable groups; for outside-EU scenarios, simulate UN agencies, NGOs, IFRC, EU Delegations, ECHO field offices and military actors as relevant; use vOSOCC.
• Safety and security: comprehensive plans, briefings and acknowledgements before operations; independent designated officer to investigate incidents; formal EU MODEX Code of Conduct and an Exercise Conduct Review Team with appeal process.
• Visibility and media: implement EU visibility per Communication and Visibility Manual for EU-funded Civil Protection Actions; produce exercise films, photography and social media outputs; supply UCPM-branded items and colour-coded tabards.
• Registration: all experts, observers and capacities register via the UCPM Online Registration Tool; PIC registration is mandatory for tenderers.
• Logistics and costs: contractors cover travel, transfers, accommodation and meals for participants and exercise staff as specified per lot; when EUCPT participates with TAST, contractors cover EUCPT/UNDAC travel and transfers while TAST provides meals and accommodation; pay modules/TAST in advance per Appendix 16 thresholds, including up to €20,000 per TAST.
• Sustainability: minimise environmental footprint across travel, venues, catering and waste management; comply with any sanitary measures required by host country.
• Insurance: contractors must hold adequate insurance; participants/observers must ensure health/accident/liability insurance coverage.

Participation and Eligibility

Who can tender:Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons within the scope of the EU Treaties and to international organisations; to natural and legal persons established in third countries having special agreements with the EU in public procurement under the conditions laid down therein; and to natural and legal persons established in third countries eligible under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (Decision No 1313/2013/EU). WTO GPA does not apply. All involved entities and subcontractors must not be subject to EU restrictive measures and must pass exclusion checks.

Consortium composition constraints:Tenderers may submit as single entities or joint tenders. However, the technical selection criterion TA.1 requires that at least four national civil protection authorities are members of the consortium, evidencing close cooperation with national civil protection authorities from at least four EU Member States or UCPM Participating States. A single legal entity cannot meet TA.1 unless it validly integrates such authorities within a group arrangement. No individual or legal person, and no proposed EXCON/coach/QA/evaluator expert, may participate in more than two lots; otherwise, related tenders are rejected.

Selection and Award Criteria

Award method:best price-quality ratio. Weighting: Price 35%, Quality 65%. Quality criteria include methodology (60 points; minimum 50% per sub-criterion), project management and resources (30 points; minimum 50%), and risk analysis and contingencies (10 points; minimum 50%). Overall minimum quality threshold: 70%.

Evaluation dimensions for Quality

• Methodology: step-by-step approach from design to evaluation, activities vs. objectives, QA and validation steps, monitoring and indicators, lessons integration, exercise locations suitability and certification/IER suitability, visibility and media plan.
• Project management: governance, decision-making, coordination and reporting tools, milestones and deliverables; allocation of roles across core team and consortium/subcontractors; resource allocation rationale.
• Risk analysis and contingency: risk identification across phases, probability/impact, preventive/corrective measures, escalation mechanisms, continuity planning for staff absence.

Financial Terms and Payments

• Prices quoted in euro, net of VAT and duties (EU institutions exempt per Protocol on Privileges and Immunities).
• Payments to the contractor per the special conditions: pre-financing 30%; interim payments (for Lots 1–3: 30% and 20% against approved exercise reports milestones; for Lot 4: single interim 40%); balance upon acceptance of final progress report.
• Price revision not applicable; reimbursement of expenses not applicable outside contractually specified items.
• Reduction in price or liquidated damages may apply in case of low quality or delays; unexecuted exercises reduce the price proportionally; if none executed, up to 10% may be paid upon acceptance of a progress report.
• New services by negotiated procedure may be procured up to 50% of the initial lot value within three years, for repetition of similar services subject to Commission acceptance.

Submission, Documentation and Templates

• Electronic-only submission via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal; PIC registration is mandatory for each participant in a tender; documents must be signed preferably with a qualified electronic signature (eIDAS-compliant).
• Technical offer limit: 60 pages excluding annexes; include location of any personal data processing/storage outside EU/EEA/UCPM states, if applicable.
• Financial offer: use Annex 6 Financial tender form template for the specific lot; include breakdown per exercise phase (design, planning, conduct) and other costs.
• Mandatory uploads with the tender: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) per involved entity, authorisation to sign, Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), identified subcontractors list and commitment letters (Annex 4 and 5.1), reliance commitment letters (Annex 5.2), economic and technical selection evidence per Annex 1 table of the Administrative Specifications.
• Core tender documents and templates: Invitation to tender; Annex I Part 1 Administrative Specifications; Annex I Part 2 Technical Specifications; Annex II Direct Service Contract; Annex 6 Financial tender forms for Lots 1–4; Annex 7 Simplified balance sheet and P&L. All available via the call page.

Key Operational and Scientific-Technical Content Required

• UCPM integration: ERCC liaison; CECIS, vOSOCC use for outside-EU; alignment with UCPM Training and Exercises Programme and EUCPT function profiles; host nation support guidelines applied.
• Capabilities exercised: water operations (HCP, WP, FRB, FC), forest firefighting (ground/aerial), USAR (L/M/H, USAR-CBRN), EMT types 1–2 and MEDEVAC with EMTCC, CBRN modules; inclusion of virtual modules.
• Command and coordination: establish RDC, UCC, EMTCC; module pairing; STARTEX aligned to border crossing/RDC arrival; 24/7 operations demonstrated through continuous 42h/64h windows.
• Learning and inclusion: disability, gender, age, sexual and gender-based violence considerations; unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups in scenarios and role play; civil-military coordination awareness where feasible.
• Coaching and assessment: on-mission coaching with structured feedback sessions post-ENDOPS; individual assessment for EUCPT roles with certification focus for Team Leader/Deputy in field exercises.
• Certification facilitation: peer certifiers for ECPP/rescEU (2–6 per exercise; contractor funds their logistics); INSARAG reclassification supported logistically; WHO EMT processes supported as relevant.
• Media and visibility: exercise films, social content across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube; EU-branded clothing and tabards with standardised colours for EXCON, coaches, venue management, QA/certifiers, media, observers.
• IT support: Microsoft 365 EUCPT IT Office structure and templates provided by the Commission; Signal as primary communication tool during exercises; digital tools encouraged for inject steering and feedback collection.
• Logistics standards: venue time-from-transport hubs under 6 hours roundtrip; single-room accommodation standards where specified; on-site catering and hydration 24/7; sanitary installations to international standards; medevac and medical services available during real emergencies.

Categorisation and Structured Information

Eligible Applicant Types:Consortia led by or including national civil protection authorities; public bodies and agencies; universities and research institutes with relevant disaster management exercise expertise; nonprofits and NGOs with civil protection training capacity; SMEs and large enterprises specialised in training, simulation, logistics, media and evaluation; international organisations. The consortium must include at least four national civil protection authorities as members to satisfy TA.1. Subcontractors and capacity-providing entities are allowed under defined conditions.

Funding Type:Procurement — direct service contracts per lot. Payments against deliverables and milestones as set in the service contract.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required in practice. While single or joint tenders are allowed, selection criterion TA.1 mandates that at least four national civil protection authorities are members of the consortium, making a multi-entity arrangement necessary for eligibility.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States and entities within the scope of the Treaties; UCPM Participating States; international organisations; third countries with special procurement agreements with the EU; third countries eligible under the UCPM programme. WTO GPA does not apply.

Target Sector:Civil protection and disaster risk management; emergency response training and exercises; firefighting; water and flood response; urban search and rescue; CBRN response; emergency medical teams and medical evacuation; logistics and coordination; safety and security; evaluation and quality assurance; media and visibility for civil protection.

Mentioned Countries:Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Iceland; Moldova; Montenegro; Norway; North Macedonia; Serbia; Türkiye; Ukraine. These are UCPM Participating States explicitly referenced. Exercises may occur inside any EU Member State or outside the EU.

Project Stage:Implementation and delivery. Mature operational capacity is required to design, run and evaluate complex multinational exercises; this is not a research or pilot funding stream.

Funding Amount:Total maximum budget: €16,600,000. Lot ceilings: Lot €1 2,000,000; Lot €2 6,800,000; Lot €3 6,800,000; Lot €4 1,000,000.

Application Type:Open call for tenders; single submission by the deadline via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Monetary payments to contractors for services rendered under the direct service contracts; no grant co-financing mechanism.

Application Stages:One-stage procurement: submission, opening and evaluation across exclusion, selection and award criteria, followed by contract award. No separate concept or negotiation stage is planned.

Success Rates:Not published. The call follows open procedure rules; award is to the most economically advantageous tender per lot that passes eligibility, selection and minimum quality thresholds.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding is required from contractors. Contractors must pre-finance and manage all exercise costs as specified; participating modules and TAST receive payments from the contractor in advance as per agreed caps (e.g., up to €20,000 per TAST).

How to Apply — Practical Submission Checklist

1. 1Register or verify PIC for all tender participants in the Participant Register.
2. 2Prepare consortium with at least four national civil protection authorities as members; define roles and tasks; sign Agreement/Power of Attorney.
3. 3Compile selection evidence: Annex 7 financials; TA.1 consortium composition proof; TA.2 references; CVs and C1 English certificates for TB.1–TB.6; UCPM credentials for Main Coach/Trainer.
4. 4Draft technical offer (max 60 pages): methodology; QA&E framework; management and governance; risk and continuity planning; exercise portfolio and venues suited to certification/IER; visibility and media.
5. 5Complete financial tender form for chosen lot(s) using Annex 6; include unit breakdown for design, planning, conduct and other administrative/visibility costs.
6. 6Upload mandatory documents in eSubmission per Annex 1 mapping: Declarations on Honour, authorisations to sign, subcontracting lists and commitment letters, reliance commitment letters, technical and financial offers.
7. 7Submit before 19/05/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels; retain submission receipt. Attend public opening virtually if desired by requesting access per Invitation to Tender instructions.
8. 8Monitor the portal for Q&A updates; final date for questions is 07/05/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels.

Reference Documents and Links

• Call page and eSubmission entry: Funding & Tenders Portal
• Administrative Specifications (Part 1): scope, selection, submission, evidence and templates.
• Technical Specifications (Part 2): exercise designs per lot, operational requirements, QA&E, EUCPT/TAST guidance, Code of Conduct, templates for reports and handbooks.
• Direct Service Contract (Annex II): main, special and general conditions, payments, IPR, data protection, security.
• Financial tender forms per lot (Annex 6) and Simplified Balance Sheet and P&L (Annex 7).

General Summary

This open EU procurement from DG ECHO seeks expert consortia to deliver the 13th cycle of EU MODEX exercises that strengthen the operational readiness and quality assurance of UCPM deployable capacities. Across four lots, contractors will design, plan, run and self-evaluate a portfolio of tabletop and field exercises spanning water and flood response, forest firefighting, urban search and rescue, emergency medical teams, CBRN, and dedicated EUCPT and TAST coordination missions. Rigor is required in exercise design, including realistic and inclusive scenarios, 24/7 operational simulations, international coordination environments, and support for formal certification and reclassification pathways. A harmonised coaching and quality assurance approach must underpin learning, feedback and lessons integration, and deliver evidence-based evaluation reports. The call imposes robust eligibility and selection conditions; notably, each consortium must include at least four national civil protection authorities and demonstrate a strong record of international exercises, as well as deploy experienced key staff in project management, exercise direction, control, coaching, evaluation and quality assurance with advanced English proficiency. Contracts are awarded per lot on best price-quality ratio, with quality weighted at 65 percent and strict minimum thresholds per criterion. The contractor will manage comprehensive logistics, safety-security and visibility plans, cover participation costs as specified, and ensure compliance with data protection and security requirements. Interested consortia should assemble multi-country civil protection authorities and specialised partners across training, simulation, logistics, media and evaluation; align proposals with UCPM training architecture; select venues fit for certification and INSARAG IER; and present credible methodologies, governance and risk management to deliver high-quality, standardised, and impactful exercises over 36 months.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) is launching a major procurement opportunity to design, plan, conduct and self-evaluate civil protection exercises under the EU MODEX Cycle 13 program. This open tender is divided into four distinct lots covering tabletop and field exercises for civil protection modules, response capacities, European Union Civil Protection Teams (EUCPT), and Technical Assistance and Support Teams (TAST). The total available budget is €16,600,000 over a 36-month implementation period.

Tender Reference and Key Dates:Tender identifier: EC-ECHO/2025/OP/0045. Call published 19 February 2026. Deadline for clarification questions: 7 May 2026 at 23:59 CET. Tender submission deadline: 19 May 2026 at 16:00 CET (Brussels time). Opening of tenders: 20 May 2026 at 10:30 CET.

Lot Structure and Funding Allocation

The procurement is structured into four separate contract lots, each with defined scope, budget, and objectives. Tenderers may submit proposals for a maximum of two lots. No individual or legal person can participate in more than two lots, and key personnel (EXCON staff, coaches, trainers, quality assurance experts, evaluators) cannot be proposed across more than two lots.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants

Eligible tenderers include natural or legal persons established in EU Member States (27), European Economic Area countries (3: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), and Participating States of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (10: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, plus Iceland and Norway). Third country entities may participate only where covered by specific agreements. Tenderers must indicate their country of establishment and provide supporting evidence of legal establishment.

Structural Requirements

• Sole tenderers or joint tenders (consortia) permitted; subcontracting allowed
• Tenderers may submit for maximum two lots
• No individual or legal person can participate in more than two lots simultaneously
• Same EXCON staff, coaches, trainers, quality assurance experts, and evaluators cannot be proposed across more than two lots
• In joint tenders, all members assume joint and several liability; a group leader must be appointed as single point of contact
• Identified subcontractors with greater than 20 percent contract share must provide commitment letters
• Economic operators linked by control or association may submit separate tenders if demonstrated independence

Financial and Capacity Requirements

Economic and Financial Capacity

Tenderers must demonstrate average yearly turnover above the maximum budget allocated to the specific lot for each of the last two closed financial years. Financial assessment applies to the tenderer as a whole (consolidated assessment of all involved entities). Evidence required includes simplified balance sheet per template in Annex 7, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and audit reports for the last two closed financial years, or appropriate statements from banks. The most recent year must have closed within the last 18 months. In exceptional cases, other appropriate documents may be accepted if contracting authority deems justification sufficient.

Technical and Professional Capacity

Tenderers must demonstrate extensive experience in civil protection, disaster management, and international exercise organization. Assessment covers both organizational-level capacity and specialized team member qualifications. Tenderers must prove close cooperation with at least four national civil protection authorities from EU Member States and UCPM Participating States, and must have designed, planned and conducted at least three international civil protection exercises of similar scope and scale within the last five years.

Required Core Team Members and Minimum Qualifications:Project Manager: minimum ten years professional project management experience in civil protection or related disaster management; C1 English language level. Exercise Director: managed or supervised minimum three UCPM or related exercises in last five years; C1 English. Chief Exercise Controller: led design and conduct of minimum three UCPM or related exercises in last five years; C1 English. Main Coach/Trainer: UCPM trained (DCC/ODC or equivalent); minimum five exercises as coach/trainer in last ten years; personnel management experience; EU/UCPM Participating State origin; C1 English. Lead Evaluator: minimum three exercise evaluations or preparedness projects in last seven years; C1 English. Quality Assurance Expert: project management and quality control experience in minimum three exercises or preparedness projects in last seven years; C1 English.

Exclusion and Selection Criteria ¹

Tenderers and all involved entities must not be subject to EU restrictive measures or situations of exclusion as defined in Article 138 of the Financial Regulation. Exclusion grounds include bankruptcy or insolvency, breach of tax or social security obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal offences, significant contract performance failures, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent legal obligations, and resistance to investigations. Tenderers must submit Declaration on Honour confirming non-exclusion status. Presumed successful tenderers must provide documentary evidence before contract award. The contracting authority may verify exclusion status through publicly available information and the EU Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES).

Professional conflicting interests must be disclosed. Tenderers must certify that they fulfill all selection criteria and are not subject to conflicts of interest that would negatively affect contract performance. Subcontractors and entities on whose capacities tenderers rely must also meet these requirements.

Submission and Evaluation Process

Submission Requirements

Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the eSubmission electronic submission system available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Paper submissions or email submissions will be rejected. All tenderers must be registered in the Participant Register and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Tenderers submitting for multiple lots must upload separate technical and financial tenders for each lot.

Technical Tender Specifications:Maximum 60 pages (A4, Times New Roman font size 12), excluding annexes. Must address all minimum requirements in technical specifications and demonstrate compliance with technical and financial award criteria. Tenderers must declare compliance with minimum requirements. Personal data processing location must be specified only if outside EU/EEA territory.

Financial Tender Specifications:Must be complete with price breakdown using financial model in Annex 6. Prices expressed in euros, free of all duties, taxes and other charges including VAT. Tenderers from non-euro countries must quote in euros; no price adjustment for exchange rate movements is permitted. EC is exempt from VAT under Protocol 7 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Required Documentation

• Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (signed by authorized representative; electronic or handwritten signature acceptable)
• Evidence of authorization to sign documents (for representatives acting on behalf of legal entities)
• Agreement/Power of attorney (for joint tenders, signed by all group members)
• List of identified subcontractors with roles and proportion of subcontracting
• Commitment letters from identified subcontractors (using prescribed model)
• Commitment letters from entities on whose capacities tenderer relies
• Economic and financial capacity evidence: simplified balance sheet template and financial statements for last two closed years
• Technical and professional capacity evidence: list of three major relevant projects/publications, CVs with language certificates for all required core team members
• Declaration confirming tender prepared in complete independence from other tenders

Evaluation Methodology

Tenders are evaluated based on best price-quality ratio using weighted scoring. Evaluation sequence: verification of access to procurement, administrative compliance, non-exclusion status, selection criteria fulfillment, compliance with minimum requirements, and award criteria scoring. Contracting authority evaluates elements in order considered most appropriate. If any evaluation element reveals grounds for rejection, tender is rejected without full evaluation. Rejected tenderers informed of rejection grounds without feedback on non-assessed content.

Award Criteria Weighting:Price: 35 percent. Quality: 65 percent, comprising Quality of Proposed Methodology (60 points, minimum 50 percent score), Project Management and Organization (30 points, minimum 50 percent), and Risk Analysis and Contingency Planning (10 points, minimum 50 percent). Overall minimum quality threshold is 70 percent; tenders below this are rejected and not ranked. Tender ranking formula: cheapest price divided by tender price, multiplied by 100, multiplied by price weighting (35 percent), plus total quality score multiplied by quality weighting (65 percent).

Contact and Submission Information

Contracting Authority:European Commission, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), Rue de la Loi 86, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium. Email: ECHO-CP-TRAINING-EXERCISES@ec.europa.eu. All communications via F&T Portal Questions and Answers section.

Portal Access:EU Funding and Tenders Portal at Portal Link. Subscription to call provides email notifications of updates. ESubmission Quick Guide available for detailed submission instructions. Technical support available through eSubmission Helpdesk.

Important Implementation Notes

Contractors must comply with all contractual obligations including fraud prevention, environmental considerations, equal opportunities, and security requirements. Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 on Security applies. Contractors must ensure compliance with data protection regulations (EU 2018/1725 and 2016/679), environmental and labor law obligations. An electronic exchange system may be activated for all contract communications at no additional cost to contracting authority. Contractors are responsible for security background checks and clearances at their own expense. Multiple post-award options may be available: within three years of contract signature, Commission may use negotiated procedure to procure additional services up to 50 percent of initial contract value, subject to contractor request and identified needs.

Payment structure includes pre-financing of 30 percent upon contract signature, interim payments upon milestone achievement and deliverable approval (Lot 1-3: 30 percent after fourth exercise report, 20 percent after seventh exercise report; Lot 4: 40 percent after first exercise report), and payment of balance upon final report approval. All interim and balance payments require documentation of pre-existing rights to results and approved deliverables. If contractor fails to conduct any exercises, amounts for unexecuted phases are deducted at balance payment; if no exercises are conducted, maximum 10 percent of contract price paid for progress report.

Critical Success Factors for Applicants

• Early registration in Participant Register to obtain PIC before deadline
• Detailed technical proposal demonstrating clear understanding of EU MODEX objectives, exercise design principles, and quality assurance methodology
• Evidence of significant prior experience in organizing international civil protection exercises of comparable scope
• Strong team composition with qualified staff meeting all specified criteria and language requirements
• Realistic financial proposal within budget ceiling for chosen lot
• Comprehensive risk analysis with appropriate mitigation and contingency strategies
• Clear project management structure with defined roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate across multiple EU Member States and international partners
• Commitment to innovation in exercise design and evaluation methodologies
• Ability to meet tight deadlines including exercise planning and reporting deliverables

Full details on exclusion situations and evidence requirements are provided in the Declaration on Honour template (Annex 2) and Administrative Specifications Part 1, Section 3.1. Tenderers should consult Article 138 of the Financial Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 for complete legal definitions.