EU Outreach and Partnership Facility for the GCC

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal has issued a call for tenders titled "EU Outreach and Partnership Facility for the GCC," identified by the procedure identifier EC-FPI/RUH/2025/EA-RP/0026. This initiative is led by the European Commission, specifically the FPI Service for Foreign Policy Instruments. It aims to enhance cooperation with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in areas of public diplomacy, cultural affairs, civil society, gender, education, and human rights, addressing short- to medium-term foreign policy priorities.

Eligible applicants include large enterprises and consortia, as the opportunity explicitly excludes SMEs. The funding mechanism for this call is a procurement contract, with an estimated value of €3,500,000. The procedure is categorized as a restricted call, indicating applicants will go through an initial selection phase based on requests to participate, followed by an invitation to submit full tenders for shortlisted candidates. The submission method is electronic, and interested parties must use the EU's Funding and Tenders Portal, with a deadline for submissions set for September 7, 2025, at 17:00 Asia/Riyadh time.

The geographic eligibility for this tender includes EU member states as well as specific GCC countries—namely the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The project focuses primarily on implementation and operational stages, with services to be provided in public relations, technical support, and event organization, among others.

Applications will be evaluated based on a best price-quality ratio, prioritizing quality (80%) over price (20%). No co-funding requirement has been specified, and the maximum contract duration is set for 36 months. The total value exceeds typical thresholds for EU procurement, necessitating an open call format, and results should be submitted exclusively via the designated electronic system, which supports multiple languages and encrypts submitted documents for confidentiality.

Overall, this call represents a significant opportunity for established organizations capable of delivering high-quality services aimed at enhancing EU-GCC partnerships.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for tenders titled "EU Outreach and Partnership Facility for the GCC". The procedure identifier is EC-FPI/RUH/2025/EA-RP/0026. The submission method is electronic, and the call is currently open for submission.

The action aims to further the objectives outlined in the Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council, 'A Strategic Partnership with the Gulf'. The primary goal is to enhance cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, addressing short and medium-term foreign policy priorities through strengthened bilateral relations, dialogues, alliances, and partnerships. Key areas of focus include public diplomacy, cultural affairs, civil society, gender, education, human rights, and other relevant sectors where policy dialogues with targeted countries or territories are ongoing, planned, or ripe for further exploration. To achieve these objectives, the facility will procure a range of services, including studies, events, technical support, and communication support.

The procedure type is a restricted procedure. The estimated total value is 3,500,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 04/08/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, FPI Service for Foreign Policy Instruments. The main classification (CPV) code is 79416200 Public relations consultancy services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 36 months. The award method is best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement.

The places of delivery or performance include: Oman (20000979), Kuwait (20000934), Qatar (20000993), EU Europe (31085118), United Arab Emirates (20000821), Saudi Arabia (20000997), and Bahrain (20000842). The programmes associated with this call are Global Challenge (44995793) and Asia and the Pacific (44995882).

The deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 07/09/2025 at 17:00 Asia/Riyadh time.

Two documents are available for download: an EN contract notice & additional information document (Invitation to submit a request to participate) and an EN contract notice in PDF format (Invitation to submit a request to participate). Both were published on 04/08/2025, are version 1, and have no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission at the provided address.

There is a section for Questions and Answers (Q&A). Users must log in to create questions. Currently, there are no public Q&As.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is provided, addressing technical aspects of the eSubmission system:

How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser. Published on 13/02/2025 21:52.

Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, click on the link System Requirements. 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 upload. Published on 13/02/2025 21:50.

Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal: Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate. Published on 17/10/2024 21:40.

Which size should attachments have: eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size. Any larger sizes will not be accepted by the system. Published on 17/10/2024 21:36.

How should I name attachments in eSubmission: Name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements. See the following conditions: The attachment names should adhere to the system requirements. Published on 03/10/2024 17:39.

Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported? 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 is not mandatory. 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? Make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system. A) For procurement procedures: B) For requests. 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. Check the eSubmission System Requirements in the documentation. 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. 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. 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. 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 call for tenders by the European Commission to enhance cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The project aims to strengthen bilateral relations through various services like studies, events, and technical and communication support. The total estimated value is 3.5 million EUR, and the deadline for submitting requests to participate is September 7, 2025. The submission must be done electronically, and applicants need a PIC (Participant Identification Code). The call focuses on areas like public diplomacy, cultural affairs, civil society, gender, education, and human rights, aligning with the EU's strategic partnership with the Gulf region. The eSubmission system supports multiple languages and encrypts uploaded documents for security.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the call for tenders, it is likely that eligible applicants include organizations capable of providing services such as studies, events, technical support, and communication support. This could include consulting firms, research institutes, public relations agencies, and other service providers.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a call for tenders. The European Commission, FPI - Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, is procuring services through a contract.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the FAQ section mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). This suggests that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility for this opportunity includes both EU member states and specific countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The places of delivery or performance are listed as Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, EU Europe, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

Target Sector: The target sector for this program includes public diplomacy, cultural affairs, civil society, gender, education, human rights, and other related sectors. The main classification (CPV) code provided, 79416200, corresponds to public relations consultancy services.

Mentioned Countries: The countries explicitly mentioned in the opportunity details are Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. The region of EU Europe is also mentioned.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly mentioned, but based on the description, the opportunity is geared towards the implementation and execution of activities related to foreign policy objectives. This suggests a stage beyond initial research, focusing on development, demonstration, and potentially scale-up of initiatives.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of this opportunity is 3,500,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with a restricted procedure. Submissions must be sent electronically.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered. The contract is for services, including studies, events, technical support, and communication support.

Application Stages: The procedure type is listed as "restricted procedure," which typically involves at least two stages: a selection stage where candidates submit a request to participate based on pre-defined selection criteria, and a tender stage where selected candidates are invited to submit a full proposal. Therefore, there are at least 2 stages.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, FPI - Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, with the procedure identifier EC-FPI/RUH/2025/EA-RP/0026. It aims to enhance cooperation between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing foreign policy priorities. The initiative, titled "EU Outreach and Partnership Facility for the GCC," seeks to procure services such as studies, events, technical support, and communication support. The estimated total value of the contract is 3,500,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 36 months.

The key areas of focus include public diplomacy, cultural affairs, civil society, gender, education, and human rights. The geographic scope includes Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and EU Europe. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 07/09/2025 at 17:00 Asia/Riyadh time.

The procedure is a restricted one, meaning that there will be an initial selection phase based on requests to participate, followed by an invitation to submit full tenders for those who are shortlisted. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Interested organizations must register for a PIC (Personal Identification Code) and submit their requests to participate electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The system supports multiple languages and encrypts uploaded documents to ensure confidentiality. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200, and the maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB.