EU Natura 2000 Awards

This document details a call for tenders from the European Commission for the EU Natura 2000 Awards. The aim is to select a service provider to manage and support the Natura 2000 Award scheme and to raise public awareness of the Natura 2000 network of protected sites. The estimated total value of the contract is €1,260,000, covering a maximum duration of 48 months, with an initial period of 24 months that may be renewed once.

The procurement procedure is open to any eligible entity capable of delivering the required services, and there are no specific restrictions limiting participation to SMEs, although the procurement data suggests larger, more experienced providers may be preferred. The funding type is a direct service contract, not a grant, ensuring payment is made for services rendered.

The procurement opportunity does not stipulate a consortium requirement, allowing both individual bidders and groups to apply. Geographic eligibility typically extends to applicants from EU member states, though specifics are yet to be confirmed. The primary focus is on the environment and biodiversity conservation, particularly regarding the Natura 2000 network.

The evaluation process will focus on a best price-quality ratio, with 70% weight given to quality factors and 30% to price. The contract operation is designated for immediate service provision related to an established environmental initiative, rather than research or development.

Proposals must be submitted electronically by February 9, 2026, and the public opening of tenders will occur the following day. Participants are required to have a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to submit bids, and the system supports multiple languages and employs encryption to secure submissions. The maximum file size for submissions is 50 MB, with a capacity to upload up to 200 files. The opportunity may attract multiple bids, and as only one will be selected, potential success rates could be notably low. There are no co-funding requirements, as the contract is fully financed through EU funds.

All tender documents, including an invitation letter, tender specifications, and a draft service contract, are available for download through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The process is strictly regulated by EU public procurement directives, ensuring transparency and fairness in award decisions.

This is a call for tenders for the EU Natura 2000 Awards, with procedure identifier EC-ENV/2025/OP/0038. The submission method is electronic and the tender is open for submission. The objective of this tender is to select a tenderer to (i) support the European Commission to run the EU Natura 2000 Award scheme in all its facets and (ii) to raise awareness of the Natura 2000 network of protected sites and their species and of the excellent efforts of finalists and winners with the public at large. The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value is 1260000 EUR. The TED publication date is 18/12/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG ENV Environment. The main classification (CPV) is 90700000 Environmental services. The nature of the contract is services. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement. The date and time of public opening is 10/02/2026 10:30 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 09/02/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 30/01/2026 07:00 Europe/Brussels.

The following documents are available:
1. Invitation to tender Invitation letter, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
2. Tender Specifications, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
3. Draft Service Contract, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below. The submission method is electronic.

There are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) available:
How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents? Please make sure you use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, try the following steps: 1. Clear the cache and cookies on the Internet brows...Published on 13/02/2025 21:52
Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Please use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, click on the link System Requirements. You can access this link...Published on 13/02/2025 21:52
Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? The content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload. Thus, the system will not allow decryption after the u...Published on 13/02/2025 21:50
Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Depending on the type or step of procedure, you can find the submissions in one of these sections: In ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to ...Published on 17/10/2024 21:40
Which size should attachments have? For attaching files to your tender submission, eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size. Any larger sizes will not be accepted by the system. For the latest informa...Published on 17/10/2024 21:36
How should I name attachments in eSubmision? In eSubmission, you must name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements. With regards to all attachment names, please see the following conditions: The ...Published on 03/10/2024 17:39
Can I submit a video in eSbmission? Which formats are supported? You can check the System Requirements of eSubmission: Published on 03/10/2024 17:37
I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents. Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation. Go to F&T Portal, “My Invitations”. Click on “Select Organisation” from the “Action” ...Published on 03/10/2024 17:37
Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission? The Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). For subcontractors PIC i...Published on 03/10/2024 17:36
I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? When uploading a file in eSubmission, you must first make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system, which are as shown below. A)For procurement procedures: B)For req...Published on 03/10/2024 17:36
How many attachments can I upload per submission? The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files. You are able to check the eSubmission System Requirements in the documentation by clicking...Published on 03/10/2024 17:35
Why do tenderers need a PIC? It is mandatory to register for a PIC if you intend to submit a tender or a request to participate. Only one PIC per organisation must be used. Therefore, if your organisation alread...Published on 23/04/2024 18:14
How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)? First, check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register. If your organisation is a bigger...Published on 23/04/2024 17:07
How many languages does the system support? The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.Published on 01/04/2024 20:56
Which is the character set encoding in the system? The character set encoding is UTF-8.Published on 23/02/2024 00:58
Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information? Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.Published on 23/02/2024 00:57
Which file types does the system support? The supported file types depend on the type of submission you want to make. The allowed file types are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure in question. M...Published on 22/02/2024 00:55
Can I view and edit my draft submission? Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed and deleted. Published on 24/03/2023 22:32
In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission? No, it is just a display issue. This is not blocking for you: you can submit. Published on 03/08/2021 23:07
I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent? No, this is an auto-generated notification sent when the time limit of receipt defined for the call for tenders has been reached. Until then, you had the possibility of withdrawing...Published on 03/08/2021 23:05

In summary, this is a European Commission call for tenders to find an organization to support the EU Natura 2000 Award scheme and raise awareness about the Natura 2000 network. The selected tenderer will help manage the award process and promote the network's conservation efforts to the public. The tender is an open procedure, meaning any eligible organization can apply. The estimated value of the contract is 1,260,000 EUR, and the contract can last up to 48 months. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The deadline for submitting tenders is February 9, 2026. The tender documents, including the invitation letter, specifications, and draft contract, are available for download. The submission must be done electronically. A PIC (Personal Identification Code) is mandatory for participation. The eSubmission system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents. The maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB, and up to 200 files can be uploaded per tender.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the tender is open, suggesting it is open to any legal entity capable of providing the required services. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, research institutes, NGOs, or other organizations with relevant expertise.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a service contract.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. It is an open procedure, so both single applicants and consortia are likely eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly mentioned, but since it is an EU tender related to the Natura 2000 network, it is highly likely that applicants from EU member states are eligible. Other countries might be eligible as well, but this is not specified in the provided text.

Target Sector: The target sector is environment, specifically related to the Natura 2000 network, environmental services, and raising awareness of biodiversity and conservation efforts.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on the EU Natura 2000 network, implying a focus on EU member states.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on implementation and support of an existing initiative (the EU Natura 2000 Award scheme) and raising awareness, rather than research or development. It is about service provision.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 1,260,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it is likely a multi-stage process involving submission of a tender, evaluation, and contract award.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG ENV, for a service contract to support the EU Natura 2000 Award scheme and raise awareness about the Natura 2000 network. The tender is open to any eligible entity capable of providing the required services. The estimated total value of the contract is 1,260,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The procedure is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 09/02/2026 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 30/01/2026 at 07:00 Europe/Brussels. The tenderer will be selected based on the best price-quality ratio. The selected tenderer will be responsible for supporting the European Commission in running the EU Natura 2000 Award scheme and raising awareness of the Natura 2000 network and the efforts of finalists and winners. The tender documents include an invitation letter, tender specifications, and a draft service contract. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in this call for tenders. The eSubmission system supports multiple languages and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files, and the maximum file size is 50 MB.