Facility supporting Interreg NEXT programmes(2021-2027)and preparatory activities for the next MFF programming period on the EU’s ext. eastern and sou...

European Commission (DG REGIO) restricted procurement for a fee-based technical assistance contract to support implementation, monitoring, evaluation and preparatory activities for Interreg NEXT programmes and the next MFF, estimated at €5,314,701 with a maximum duration of 48 months. Procedure identifier 2026CE160AT059 (EC-REGIO/2026/EA-RP/0079) follows a two-stage restricted process; requests to participate must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 13 November 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time. The authority intends to shortlist 4–8 candidates and award by best price-quality ratio (quality 80%, price 20%). Minimum selection requirements include average annual turnover ≥ €1,400,000, a current ratio ≥ 1, an average of at least 15 relevant personnel and at least three completed contracts of ≥ €1,000,000 each in capacity-building/advisory services.

What it funds

Scope

Fee-based service contract to provide technical assistance and demand-driven support to the European Commission for implementation, monitoring, evaluation, stakeholder coordination, project assessment and capacity building for cross-border and transnational Interreg NEXT programmes and preparatory activities for the next MFF on the EU external eastern and southern borders.

Who can apply

All eligible natural and legal persons and groupings (consortia). Short-listed candidates will be invited to submit tenders. Subcontracting and reliance on capacity-providing entities are allowed; entities relied upon must meet eligibility rules and selection criteria.

Key selection requirements (summary)

Practical details & deadlines

Requests to participate must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required). The deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 13 November 2026, 16:00 (Europe/Brussels). Provisional invitation to tender: December 2026; provisional contract start: 01 September 2027.

Tender reference EC-REGIO/2026/EA-RP/0079. Full tender documents, request to participate form and Declaration on Honour are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal: Tender details. 1

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents and additional information (a5f, b3, a14a) published 13/10/2026 on the F&T Portal; consult the Invitation to submit a request to participate and Request to participate form for full eligibility, selection and submission instructions.

Tender reference and administrative data

Procedure identifier EC-REGIO/2026/EA-RP/0079. TED reference 198/2026 706661-2026. Lead contracting authority: European Commission, REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy. Main CPV: 79410000 Business and management consultancy services. Nature of contract: services, fee-based. Procedure type: restricted procedure. Submission method: electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). Two key dates: invitation published 13/10/2026; deadline for receipt of requests to participate 13/11/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels.

What the contract covers

This is a fee-based service contract to provide technical assistance (TA) and support services to the European Commission for the effective implementation, monitoring and management of cross-border and trans-national cooperation programmes (Interreg NEXT 2021-2027) and preparatory activities for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) programming period on the European Union’s external eastern and southern borders. The contract will operate as a demand-driven facility: the contractor will deliver expertise on programme management, monitoring, evaluation, stakeholder coordination, project selection and assessment, capacity-building for beneficiaries, and knowledge-sharing. Typical services include analytical support; drafting reports, studies and guidance; organising workshops and events; maintaining online knowledge platforms; providing expert days and operational support for specific assignments.

All services must align with EU regulations and the strategic objectives of the ERDF, NDICI (Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument) and Cohesion Fund when using TA, and contribute to policy learning, knowledge exchange and enhanced cooperation among participating regions. Quantities and precise outputs will be defined through specific assignments under the framework agreement.

Eligibility and who should apply

Target sectors, activities and expected project stage

Selection and award criteria, and short‑listing

Submission rules, templates and required documents

Requests to participate must be submitted exclusively online through the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission facility. A valid EU Login account and registration in the Participant Register (PIC) are required. The contracting authority provides standard templates and forms for: the request to participate (b3 Request to participate), the Declaration on Honour (a14a declaration honour procurement), and additional information to the contract notice (a5f). All communications and documentation must be provided in English.

Timetable and important dates

Practical and technical notes for applicants

Funding, co-financing and nature of support

Templates and application structure (application form outline)

Applicants must use the official Request to Participate form (b3) and Declaration on Honour (a14a). The Request to Participate form requires: identification of submitting legal entities, contact person details, consolidated financial tables for the last three closed accounting years (annual turnover, current assets, current liabilities, current ratio), personnel statistics (permanent and other personnel, relevant fields), areas of specialisation, up to 15 project references (value, client, dates, description, part carried out), and signed declarations. If relying on capacity-providing entities a separate document must be provided showing commitments and capacities.

Risks, constraints and compliance

Applicants must not be included in EU restrictive measures lists at the moment of the award decision. Candidates must declare absence of exclusion situations (bankruptcy, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist offences, child labour/trafficking, significant deficiencies in EU-funded contract performance, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent obligations) and provide evidence if required. Failure to provide accurate declarations or evidence may lead to exclusion and administrative sanctions (including financial penalties up to 10% of the estimated contract value).

Mentioned countries and regions

Summary: what this opportunity is about

This tender seeks one contractor or consortium to deliver a flexible, demand-driven technical assistance facility to support Interreg NEXT programmes (2021-2027) and preparatory activities for the next MFF on the EU’s external eastern and southern borders. The contractor will provide high-level programme management, monitoring and evaluation support, stakeholder coordination, capacity building, project selection and assessment, analytical studies, events and knowledge management. The framework agreement will run up to 48 months with an estimated budget of €5,314,701 and will be awarded following a restricted two-stage procedure. Short-listed candidates (4 to 8) will be invited to tender; award will be by best price-quality ratio. Interested applicants must submit a request to participate via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the official templates, meet the defined financial, professional and technical selection criteria, and comply with EU rules on exclusion, declarations and documentary evidence. The work covers EU, NDICI partner countries, the Mediterranean region and IPA regions and is financed under NDICI budget lines for technical assistance.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents, templates and full tender dossier available on the Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details page: ec.europa.eu. See documents: a5f additional information contract notice en, b3 Request to participate, a14a declaration honour procurement en.

Facility supporting Interreg NEXT programmes and preparatory activities for the next MFF programming period

This is a European Commission restricted procurement procedure for a fee based technical assistance service contract. It is not a grant scheme and does not provide project funding or a reimbursement rate to applicants. The successful contractor will be paid for services delivered under the contract and subsequent specific assignments.

The contract supports implementation, monitoring, evaluation and management of Interreg NEXT cross border and transnational cooperation programmes on the European Union external eastern and southern borders. It also supports preparatory work for the next Multiannual Financial Framework programming period. The work is financed under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument, with the opportunity referring to the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund for the use of technical assistance.

The contracting authority is the European Commission, Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy. The main service classification is CPV 79410000, business and management consultancy services.

Key procurement facts

The opportunity record contains an additional date of 1 January 2026, but the contract notice and procurement documents identify 13 November 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time as the deadline for requests to participate. Applicants should rely on the live portal deadline and the latest published procurement documents.

Scope of the required services

The contractor will provide flexible and demand driven technical assistance to the Commission and the relevant cooperation programmes. The volume and precise combination of services will be established through specific assignments according to programme priorities and emerging needs.

Expected service areas include:

The work is likely to require a multidisciplinary team able to combine programme management, regional policy, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, event organisation, stakeholder engagement and technical reporting. The demand driven structure means that bidders should demonstrate both depth of expertise and the ability to mobilise resources for different assignments during the contract period.

Geographical coverage

The contract covers the European Union, the Mediterranean region, countries eligible under the Instrument for Pre Accession Assistance and the relevant neighbouring partner countries. The additional contract notice identifies the location as NDICI countries, EU Member States and Türkiye.

The geographical scope is relevant for bidders because experience limited to domestic or single country assignments may be less competitive than experience involving cross border cooperation, neighbouring partner countries, multi country programmes or international technical assistance.

Who can apply

Eligible natural persons, legal persons and groupings of such persons may participate, subject to the applicable nationality, eligibility and origin rules under the procurement documents and the legal basis of the procedure. Consortia may be permanent legally established groupings or informal groupings created for this procurement.

All consortium members are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority. An ineligible member can cause exclusion of the entire consortium. A legal entity or natural person may participate only once, whether individually, as consortium leader or as a consortium member. The same organisation cannot submit or join multiple requests to participate for this procedure.

Subcontracting is allowed. Candidates may also rely on the capacity of other entities, but those entities must satisfy the applicable eligibility requirements and provide a commitment that their resources will be available. For technical and professional capacity, the entity whose capacity is relied upon must perform the tasks for which that capacity is required. Entities supporting economic and financial capacity become jointly and severally liable for contract performance.

Consortium composition must remain stable during the procedure unless the contracting authority gives prior written authorisation in the circumstances allowed by the applicable procurement rules. Shortlisted candidates may not form alliances with one another or subcontract to one another for this contract.

Minimum selection requirements

Candidates must satisfy economic and financial, professional and technical capacity requirements. For a consortium, the documents state that some criteria apply to the consortium as a whole, while the current ratio criterion must be fulfilled by each consortium member.

The experience requirement is narrower than the general contract description. Bidders should therefore select references that clearly demonstrate capacity building, advisory support and training or workshop delivery, rather than relying only on general consultancy or research experience.

Experience delivered through a consortium can be used only to the extent that the candidate performed and can document its own share of the work. The relevant value and nature of the candidate's contribution should be supported by contracts, deliverable approvals, payment evidence, client certificates, consortium agreements or equivalent documentation.

Shortlisting and second stage

The contracting authority intends to shortlist between four and eight eligible candidates for the second stage. If fewer than four candidates satisfy the selection criteria, the authority may invite all candidates that satisfy the criteria. If more than eight candidates qualify, the authority will rank them using additional comparative criteria.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit detailed tenders. The indicative invitation date is December 2026. The final tender will be evaluated using the best price quality ratio, with quality weighted at 80 percent and price at 20 percent. The detailed quality subcriteria and scoring methodology must be taken from the invitation to tender and complete tender dossier when issued.

Financial model and funding conditions

The estimated maximum value of the service contract is €5,314,701. This is the estimated procurement value available to remunerate the contractor and is not a grant budget allocated to applicants. No EU funding rate, co financing percentage, lump sum or maximum grant per project applies.

The contract is fee based and demand driven. Quantities are expected to be specified through individual assignments, which may include expert days, operational support, studies, events, reports and other deliverables. Bidders should expect the value and timing of work to depend on assignments issued during implementation rather than on a single fixed project work plan.

All financial information in the request to participate and subsequent tender must be expressed in euros. Where historic figures are in another currency, the procurement documents require conversion using the InforEuro exchange rate for October 2026.

Exclusion, integrity and compliance requirements

Each participating legal entity, consortium member, capacity providing entity and relevant subcontractor must provide the required declaration on honour concerning exclusion and selection criteria. The declaration addresses insolvency, tax and social security compliance, professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal organisations, money laundering, terrorism related offences, trafficking, irregularities, serious contractual deficiencies, circumvention of legal obligations, obstruction of audits and related grounds.

Candidates must also declare the absence of conflicts of interest, improper involvement in preparation of the procurement documents, prohibited foreign subsidy decisions and other grounds for rejection. Entities included on applicable EU restrictive measures lists at the time of the award decision cannot be awarded the contract.

The contracting authority may request documentary evidence such as recent judicial records, tax certificates, social security certificates, financial statements, bank evidence, personnel information, client certificates and proof of completed contract values. Evidence may not need to be resubmitted where it has already been provided to the same contracting authority and remains valid, or where it can be accessed through a free national database.

Required application documents and submission process

The request to participate must strictly use the official request to participate form. Additional brochures, promotional letters or other unsolicited documents may not be taken into consideration.

An EU Login account is required for electronic submission and for creating questions in the portal. Requests sent by email, post or other channels will be disregarded. The electronic submission receipt and its timestamp constitute evidence of timely submission.

Questions about the contract notice and the additional information document must be submitted in writing through the Funding and Tenders Portal. The procurement documents state that clarification requests should be submitted no later than 21 days before the participation deadline. Applicants should monitor the portal for amendments, clarifications and updated documents throughout the submission period.

Official procurement documents

The principal documents currently identified for the participation stage are:

Applicant suitability assessment

This opportunity is best suited to established consultancy firms, public policy institutes, technical assistance providers, international development organisations and consortia with substantial financial capacity, a stable multidisciplinary team and documented experience in capacity building and advisory services for public authorities or civil society.

A small organisation may participate as part of a consortium or as a subcontractor, but a sole applicant must independently meet the minimum financial, personnel and experience requirements unless it relies on eligible capacity providing entities in accordance with the procurement rules.

The strongest applications are likely to demonstrate experience across several Interreg, neighbourhood cooperation, regional development or comparable international programmes; operational capacity in the EU, Mediterranean and neighbouring regions; a credible pool of experts; strong monitoring and evaluation methods; and the ability to deliver assignments rapidly in English.

Key risks and points requiring attention

Recommended preparation plan

Overall assessment

This is a substantial strategic technical assistance procurement with an estimated value of €5,314,701 and a four year implementation period. It offers a strong opportunity for experienced organisations supporting EU regional cooperation and neighbourhood programmes, but the participation threshold is significant and the restricted procedure creates a competitive shortlisting stage.

The decisive participation factors are likely to be proof of at least three qualifying contracts valued at €1,000,000 or more each, an average annual turnover of at least €1,400,000, a current ratio of at least 1, access to at least 15 relevant personnel and a consortium or delivery structure capable of operating across the EU, Mediterranean, IPA and neighbouring partner country contexts.