EUDEL Tanzania - travel agency services

The European External Action Service, through the Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania, has published an open tender (EEAS/DELTZAD/2026/OP/0062, TED 204/2026) to award a single framework contract for travel agency services covering air, rail and ferry ticketing, hotel reservations, rental vehicles, taxis and related travel administration for Delegation staff. Award will be to the lowest priced technically compliant tender, the framework ceiling is TZS 1,520,000,000 with a reimbursable expenses cap of TZS 1,377,103,500 and a maximum duration of up to 48 months (initial 24 months plus two 12-month renewals). Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login/PIC required) by 27 November 2026 at 16:00 Africa/Dar es Salaam time, with questions due by 19 November 2026 23:59 local time, and applicants should consult the portal documents for full technical, selection and invoicing requirements.

What is funded / contracted

Scope

Framework contract for travel agency services to handle work-related travel for the EU Delegation to Tanzania: booking and issuing air, rail and ferry tickets; hotel reservations; rental vehicles; taxis and transfers; assistance and reporting.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents (invitation, tender specifications, draft framework contract, request to participate form and technical specifications) are available from the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page: EUDEL Tanzania tender details.

Opportunity summary

The European Union Delegation to Tanzania (European External Action Service, EEAS) has published an open call for tenders to award a single framework service contract for travel agency services for EUDEL Tanzania. The contract covers purchase and issuance of transport tickets (airplane, railway, ferry, bus), hotel bookings, rental vehicles, airport and city transfers and related travel agency services for work-related missions of EU Delegation staff. The procurement procedure is an open procedure with electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). The framework is awarded on the basis of the lowest price among technically compliant tenders. The estimated total procedure value is TZS 1,520,000,000 and the reimbursable expenses ceiling for the duration of the framework is TZS 1,377,103,500. Maximum contract duration is 48 months (initial 24 months with two 12-month automatic renewals). Key dates: TED publication 21/10/2026, submission deadline 27/11/2026 16:00 Africa/Dar_es_Salaam, public opening 30/11/2026 11:00 Africa/Dar_es_Salaam.

What is procured (scope and services)

Procurement and contract model

Important dates and timeline

Eligibility and who should apply

Geographic eligibility

Selection and minimum requirements

Selection is based on exclusion, legal/regulatory, economic/financial and technical/professional capacity criteria. Tenderers must submit a Declaration on Honour for exclusion and selection criteria and supporting evidence on request. Minimum selection thresholds specified in Tender Specifications Part I include:

Award criteria and evaluation

Contract, commercial and operational conditions

The call includes a draft Service Framework Contract (FWC) with Special and General Conditions. Key contractual provisions: framework contract entry into force on last signature; initial duration 24 months with two automatic 12-month renewals; single FWC awarded; orders placed via e-mail with 'OK for issuing: Agency check ID XXXXXX' which is equivalent to a signed order form; contractor must accept or explain inability to accept orders within 24 hours; prices and reimbursable expenses details set in annexes; reimbursable expenses ceiling TZS 1,377,103,500; payments in TZS via e-PRIOR; contractor must process data in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and keep data within EU/EEA and Tanzania unless authorised otherwise; liquidated damages and reductions in price apply for breaches and service failures; contracting authority courts in Dar es Salaam have exclusive jurisdiction; invoices must be in TZS and contracting authority is exempt from taxes and VAT.

Submission method and application process

Templates and required application documents

Evaluation and scoring mechanics (practical guidance)

Tenders must first pass mandatory eligibility and minimum technical requirements. Only technically compliant tenders are scored on price. The financial tender must follow the provided Annex A and Annex B templates exactly; any modification to the provided tables will lead to rejection. Ensure arithmetic accuracy and that the scenario totals do not exceed the published maximum procedure value. Tie-breakers: lowest hotel service fee, then lowest Dar-es-Salaam-international airport transfer price.

Risk, penalties and compliance obligations

The draft FWC contains strict obligations on data protection, confidentiality, audit and record keeping (five years), penalties and liquidated damages for delays, late responses, failure to issue tickets, transfer failures and poor quality. Penalty examples in the technical specifications: late email response penalties (€10 first 24 working hours delay, €20 for each successive 24-hour period), penalty €300 for failure to issue tickets in time, €50 one-way transfer penalty for failure or late arrival. The contractor must pass on commissions/discounts to the contracting authority and must not present itself as EU representative.

Consortium and subcontracting specifics

Joint tenders are permitted. The group must designate a leader authorised to bind the group, provide a Power of Attorney (model provided), and members are jointly and severally liable. Subcontractors with shares exceeding 10% must be identified and sign commitment letters; they must comply with exclusion criteria and provide evidence when requested. If relying on other entities' capacities, a formal commitment letter must be provided evidencing resources that will be made available.

Technical and IT requirements

Financial model and how price is constructed

Remuneration is based exclusively on service fees per completed transaction (unit prices) and reimbursement of travel-related expenses (tickets, hotels, transfers) up to the reimbursable expenses ceiling. Requests for information that do not lead to completed transactions are not billable. The tenderer must complete the unit price schedule (Annex A) and price scenario (Annex B). The Contracting Authority will compute the maximum ceiling of the framework by adding the scenario total (excluding reimbursables) plus estimates for price revision, reimbursable expenses and a 10% security margin, capped by the amount published in the contract notice.

Application tips and checklist (operational)

Application stages and likely number of stages

Success rates and competition considerations

The tender documents do not state anticipated number of bids or explicit success rates. Success probability depends on meeting stringent selection thresholds, submitting a fully compliant technical tender and offering the lowest price among compliant tenders. As award is lowest price, well-prepared price modelling and meeting all minimum technical requirements are critical.

Co-funding and guarantees

Co-funding is not applicable. No pre-financing or performance/retention guarantees are required by default in the draft FWC for this procedure, except the contracting authority may request guarantees per specific contract where applicable; the draft FWC states performance and retention guarantees are not applicable, and pre-financing is not applicable.

Templates and structure of application forms (outline)

Mentioned countries and jurisdictions

Target sector and project stage

Footnotes

1. 1Reimbursable expenses ceiling TZS 1,377,103,500 is specified in the draft Framework Contract and Tender Specifications Part I and Part II (Article I.5.3 and related financial annexes). Full procurement documents are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Overview

This is a public procurement opportunity, not a grant or co-financing scheme. The European External Action Service, through the Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania, seeks one travel agency contractor to provide travel management services for official work related travel by Delegation staff. The services cover the purchase and issue of air, rail and ferry tickets, hotel reservations, rental vehicles and taxis.

The procurement is being conducted as an open procedure through electronic submission on the European Commission Funding and Tenders Portal. The current framework contract has reached its maximum value, creating the need for a replacement contract.

The authoritative opportunity record and procurement documents are available at EU Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity. 1

Key Opportunity Data

Scope of Services

The successful contractor will support official travel undertaken by staff of the EU Delegation to Tanzania. The expected service categories include:

Airline ticket research, reservation and issue; railway and ferry ticket arrangements; hotel searches and reservations; rental vehicle arrangements; taxi and local transport arrangements; itinerary management; fare and tax information; luggage allowance information; change and cancellation conditions; and related travel administration.

The draft framework contract indicates that orders will normally be issued by email using an agency check identification reference. The contractor must, within 24 hours, either return the specific contract signed and dated, issue the ticket where the order was placed through the prescribed email process, or explain why it cannot accept the order.

The technical specifications should be treated as controlling for detailed service levels, response times, fare rules, reporting, reimbursable costs and penalties. Applicants should not rely solely on the short description in the portal record.

Eligible Applicants and Participation Structure

The open procedure is intended to permit participation by economic operators that satisfy the exclusion, eligibility and selection requirements in the tender specifications. The available documents provide for participation by an individual legal entity, a natural person where permitted, or a joint tender submitted by several economic operators.

A joint tender may be submitted by a group of economic operators. Where the group has no separate legal personality or legal capacity, one member must act as group leader. Joint tender members are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority for performance of the framework contract.

Potential applicants should be established and legally authorised to provide the services and must be able to obtain any permits or licences required in Tanzania or another relevant place of performance. The tender documents should be checked for any specific requirement concerning Tanzanian travel agency licensing, registration, tax status, financial capacity, technical capacity, professional experience, staff and operational coverage.

The procurement record marks the contract as not suitable for SMEs. This does not necessarily prohibit SME participation, but it indicates that the contracting authority has not classified the opportunity as SME suitable. Smaller agencies may therefore need to consider a joint tender or subcontracting arrangement, subject to the procurement documents and prior approval rules.

Exclusion and Integrity Requirements

The declaration on honour requires the tenderer and relevant associated persons to confirm that they are not subject to exclusion situations. These include bankruptcy or insolvency, non-payment of taxes or social security contributions, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, criminal organisation offences, trafficking or child labour offences, serious contractual performance failures, irregularities and certain arrangements intended to circumvent legal obligations.

The declaration also covers directors, management or supervisory members, persons with powers of representation or control, beneficial owners and persons assuming unlimited liability for the debts of the tenderer where applicable.

The contracting authority may request supporting evidence, including recent judicial records, equivalent official documents, tax certificates and social security certificates. Applicants should prepare these documents early because obtaining official evidence can take longer than completing the tender forms.

Remedial measures may be declared where an applicant identifies an exclusion situation and has taken corrective action. The contracting authority will determine whether the measures demonstrate sufficient reliability, and documentary evidence may be required.

Commercial and Financial Structure

The framework contract has a maximum overall value of TZS 1,520,000,000. This ceiling includes all renewals and reimbursable expenses, but it is not a commitment to purchase the full amount. The framework contract itself does not guarantee any volume of orders or minimum revenue.

The draft framework contract identifies a maximum reimbursable expense component of TZS 1,377,103,500 over the full duration, including renewals. This amount principally relates to ticket costs and other expenses allowed under the tender specifications. The difference between the overall ceiling and the stated reimbursable expense ceiling is expected to cover service fees and other priced elements, subject to the final tender specifications and the contractor's financial offer.

The draft contract does not provide for pre-financing or interim payments. Payment is made after the relevant services have been provided and the contractor has submitted the required invoice and supporting information. The contracting authority must approve the documents and pay within 30 days of receiving a compliant invoice, subject to any suspension caused by observations or missing information.

Invoices must be submitted in Tanzanian shillings through e-PRIOR. The invoice package must include the specific contract reference or applicable agency check identifiers, traveller details, itinerary, hotel information, ticket class, fare and tax breakdown, luggage allowance, fare restrictions, change and cancellation rules, reimbursable expenses and service fees.

The EU Delegation is exempt from taxes and duties, including VAT, where the applicable privileges, immunities and host country arrangements apply. Tenderers should confirm how the exemption must be reflected in their prices, invoices and local tax documentation.

Prices are fixed during the first contract year. Price revision may be requested from the second year onwards, subject to the contract rules and the applicable consumer price index published by Tanzania's National Bureau of Statistics. The final price revision mechanism and eligible price components must be checked in the tender specifications.

Contract Duration and Ordering Model

The framework contract enters into force when the last party signs it. It has an initial duration of 24 months and may be automatically renewed twice for 12 months each, giving a maximum duration of 48 months.

Renewal is not unconditional from a commercial perspective. Either party may prevent renewal by giving formal notice at least three months before the end of the ongoing period. The contracting authority may also terminate the framework contract or specific contracts in a range of circumstances, including non-performance, repeated refusal or delay in accepting orders, failure to obtain required licences, serious contractual breach, conflicts of interest, data protection breaches, fraud, irregularities or a change in the authority's needs.

Specific contracts must be concluded before the framework contract expires. Specific contracts already issued may continue after framework expiry, but the services must generally be completed no later than six months after the framework contract expires.

The contracting authority will award one framework contract. Signing the framework contract does not itself create a purchase obligation. Actual work will arise only through specific contracts or order forms issued under the framework agreement.

Operational Requirements

Applicants should be capable of providing rapid and reliable travel support, maintaining access to airline, rail, ferry, hotel, vehicle rental and taxi inventories, and responding to urgent changes or cancellations. The 24 hour order handling rule in the draft contract is a material operational requirement.

The contractor must ensure that its personnel have the professional qualifications and experience required by the tender specifications. The contracting authority may request replacement of personnel who lack the required expertise or cause disruption at its premises, with the contractor bearing the replacement costs and responsibility for resulting delays.

The contractor must obtain all licences and permits required for the services, comply with applicable environmental, social and labour obligations, prevent conflicts of interest, protect confidential information and ensure continuity of service.

Subcontracting is restricted. The contractor may not subcontract implementation to third parties other than those identified in the tender without prior written authorisation. Any approved subcontracting does not relieve the main contractor of responsibility for performance.

Electronic Procurement and Submission

Tenders must be submitted exclusively by electronic means through the Funding and Tenders Portal. An EU Login account is required for electronic submission, for asking questions and for accessing certain procurement functions.

The organisation must have a Participant Identification Code, commonly called a PIC, for participation as a sole tenderer or consortium member. The PIC should be validated and linked to the correct legal entity before the submission is finalised.

The eSubmission system encrypts uploaded documents. Draft submissions can generally be viewed, edited and deleted until the deadline, but applicants should not rely on last minute uploads or corrections. Portal guidance indicates that attachments for tenders must be below 50 MB per file and that the system permits up to 200 files per tender, subject to the applicable system requirements for this procedure.

The tender must be submitted at the electronic address specified in the opportunity record. A successful transmission receipt and submission report should be retained as evidence. Upload completion alone should not be treated as submission until the portal confirms that the tender has been submitted.

Tender Validity and Documents

The procurement data indicates a tender validity period of nine months. The tender should therefore remain binding for that period unless the procurement documents provide a different detailed rule or the contracting authority requests an extension in accordance with the applicable procedure.

Six procurement documents are identified in English:

The invitation, Part I specifications, technical specifications, draft framework contract and declaration on honour should be read together. Where provisions conflict, the contractual order of priority in the draft framework contract gives precedence to the special conditions, general conditions and relevant order or specific contract provisions, with the tender specifications taking precedence over the tender submission.

Award and Evaluation Implications

The award method is lowest price rather than a quality and price scoring model. The offer must therefore be commercially competitive, but it must also satisfy every mandatory technical and administrative requirement. A low price that fails a minimum requirement can be rejected rather than ranked favourably.

Applicants should ensure that all service fees, ticket handling charges, booking fees, taxes, reimbursable items and any other price components are presented exactly as required by the pricing schedules. The authority's stated ceiling and reimbursement rules should be used to test whether the proposed pricing is commercially sustainable over a possible four year period.

The framework is without reopening of competition. This means the contracting authority is not expected to invite competing quotations among framework contractors for each order. As only one framework contractor is planned, the successful tenderer's prices and service commitments will be directly relevant to subsequent orders.

Key Contractual Risks and Conditions

The principal commercial risk is volume uncertainty. The maximum value is not a guaranteed purchase commitment, and the authority may terminate future purchasing where its needs change, while ongoing specific contracts remain subject to their terms.

The contractor may be liable for losses caused during implementation, generally up to three times the value of the relevant specific contract. Liability is not capped in cases of gross negligence or wilful misconduct. Joint tender members are jointly and severally liable.

The authority may impose liquidated damages for delayed performance using the contractual formula of 0.3 multiplied by the relevant purchase value divided by the applicable delivery period in days. It may also reduce the price for incomplete or low quality performance. The tender specifications may contain additional service-specific penalties.

The contractor must notify and manage conflicts of interest and professional conflicts. Repeated failure to perform, repeated refusal to accept or sign specific orders, inadequate quality, failure to maintain required licences and data protection failures can lead to termination.

Personal data relating to travellers must be processed under the contractual data protection requirements. The draft contract restricts processing, storage and access to the European Union, the European Economic Area and Tanzania unless an authorised transfer is permitted under applicable Union data protection rules. Personal data breaches must be notified to the contracting authority without undue delay and no later than 48 hours after the contractor becomes aware of the breach.

The contractor must retain original records for five years from payment of the balance of the last specific contract. The contracting authority, the European Anti-Fraud Office, the European Court of Auditors and other authorised bodies may conduct checks, audits and investigations during implementation and for the specified post-payment period.

Applicant Preparation Checklist

Date and Deadline Note

The supplied metadata contains an additional deadline of 1 January 2026 at 13:00:59 UTC. This conflicts with the detailed opportunity record, which identifies publication on 21 October 2026 and the tender deadline of 27 November 2026 at 16:00 Africa/Dar es Salaam. The detailed portal milestone should be treated as controlling, but applicants should verify the live portal immediately before submission for any amendment, corrigendum or revised deadline.

Overall Assessment

This is a substantial institutional travel management contract for an established travel agency with strong local operating capability, reliable supplier access, rapid response capacity and robust administrative systems. It may be attractive to agencies able to handle official travel, electronic procurement, detailed fare reporting and compliance requirements over several years.

The opportunity is less suitable for an operator that depends on guaranteed booking volumes, lacks the required Tanzanian licensing, cannot support e-PRIOR invoicing or cannot provide rapid service outside normal office hours. Because award is based on lowest price, applicants should combine strict compliance with a carefully controlled and sustainable price model rather than relying on a narrative quality proposition alone.

The most important unresolved matters are the precise selection criteria, required professional references, minimum financial and technical capacities, detailed service levels, pricing schedule, permitted service fees, local licensing requirements and the technical penalty regime. These matters must be confirmed from the current versions of Part I, Part II and any subsequent portal amendments before a final tender decision is made.

Source

The official Funding and Tenders Portal record and the procurement documents published under procedure EEAS/DELTZAD/2026/OP/0062 are the controlling sources for participation, submission, eligibility, pricing and contractual obligations. 1

Footnotes

1. 1Official opportunity record: EU Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity.