Floor staff for the European Commission’s Visitor services

Tender EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013 seeks service providers to supply floor staff for the European Commission Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe in Brussels under a framework agreement managed by DG COMM. The estimated overall contract value is €6,000,000 (VAT excluded) for a planned duration of 48 months with possible renewals. Submission is by mandatory electronic eSubmission on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal with a deadline of 24 August 2026 16:00:59 Europe/Brussels, and award will be on the best price quality ratio weighted 60 percent quality and 40 percent price. Tenderers must meet selection and security requirements specified in the procurement documents and use the provided technical and financial templates.

What it funds

Scope summary

Provision of floor staff services for the European Commission Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe in Brussels (renewal of COMM/2022/OP/0439). Services include front-of-house visitor management and related operational tasks under a framework agreement for on-site visitor services.

Estimated contract value:€6,000,000 (estimated overall contract amount) for a planned period of 48 months.

1. 1Who can apply: service providers able to deliver visitor reception and floor-staff services in Brussels; tenderers must meet the selection criteria in the procurement documents.
2. 2Contracting authority: European Commission, DG COMM - Communication; procurement type: services, framework agreement (open tender, eSubmission).

Submission method:electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal. See procurement documents for technical, security and financial templates and award criteria (quality 60, price 40). Tender details ¹

Footnotes

1. 1All tender documents (Invitation to tender, Tender specifications, Financial Base Model, Draft FWC and security appendices) are published on the opportunity page linked above.

Basic opportunity facts

Title:Floor staff for the European Commission’s Visitor services. Contracting authority: European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM). Call / Reference: EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013. Procurement type: services (framework agreement). Main CPV codes: 79950000 (Tourism and travel related services) and 63514000 (Security services). Location of delivery: Brussels (Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe). Estimated overall contract amount: €6,000,000. Planned contract duration: 48 months. Tender status and publication date: published 24 June 2026. Submission method: mandatory eSubmission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Closing date for submission: 24 August 2026, 16:00:59 (Europe/Brussels). There is also an earlier listed date of 1 January 2026 14:00:59 in the metadata; the authoritative closing date in the call text is 24 August 2026 16:00:59. Open tender event: 26 August 2026 at 10:00 (local time).

Purpose and scope:Provision of floor staff services for the European Commission Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe in Brussels. This procurement is a renewal of COMM/2022/OP/0439 and is structured as a framework agreement (draft FWC provided). The services include front-of-house visitor assistance, information and orientation work in the Visitors' Centre/Experience Europe, with associated security and operational requirements.

Who may apply and eligibility

Eligible applicants:economic operators offering services (commercial companies of any size, including SMEs and large enterprises), consortia or joint tenderers where allowed by the procurement documents, and other legal entities legally entitled to provide the requested services. The procurement documents specify selection and exclusion criteria and require submission of standard tenderer evidence such as declarations of honour, financial forms and technical offer. The tender metadata indicates SMESuitableIndicator:false, meaning the lot is not reserved to SMEs. There is no indication that individuals or non-legal persons can apply. Public bodies may participate only if they fulfil the selection criteria set out in the tender documents.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):Expected eligible applicant types: private companies (SME and large enterprise), legal entities capable of contracting for services (national companies or branches), potential consortia or joint ventures where explicitly permitted by the Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications, and subcontractors proposed by the main tenderer. Research institutes and universities are unlikely to be primary bidders unless they operate a legal entity delivering visitor services. NGOs may bid if they are legal economic operators able to fulfil service delivery and administrative requirements.

Funding and contract modality

Funding type:procurement / public service contract in the form of a framework agreement. This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument. The successful tenderer(s) will be paid under contract terms for services delivered according to the framework agreement and subsequent call-offs.

Estimated contract value and duration:Estimated overall contract amount: €6,000,000 (currency EUR). Planned period: 48 months. Tender validity period requested: 6 months (tender validity).

Submission and selection process

Application type:open call for tenders published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method: mandatory electronic submission (ESUBMISSION) through the Funding & Tenders Portal eForms. Key dates: submission deadline 24 August 2026 16:00:59 (Europe/Brussels). Additional information request period ends 14 August 2026 (see tender documents). An open tender event is scheduled on 26 August 2026 at 10:00 local time. The procurement uses a framework agreement contracting system; auction is not used.

1. 1Submission method: eSubmission via Funding & Tenders Portal eForms (required).
2. 2Additional information request period ends: 14 August 2026 (check tender documents for precise cut-off time).
3. 3Open tender event: 26 August 2026, 10:00 (Europe/Brussels).
4. 4Tender validity requested: 6 months from submission deadline.
5. 5Framework agreement duration: 48 months with possible renewals as set in contract.

Evaluation, award criteria and weighting

Awarding criteria:the procurement documents show a two-criterion split with weighting. Quality: 60 percent; Price: 40 percent. Tenderers must consult the procurement documents for details of the subcriteria, scoring methodology and minimum thresholds. Selection criteria (suitability, economic and financial capacity, technical and professional capacity) and exclusion grounds apply as set out in the Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications.

Consortium requirement and subcontracting

Consortium requirement:not explicitly forced; single economic operators may submit tenders. The procurement documents reference standard selection requirements and allow tenderers to propose subcontractors and supply chains. Where consortiums or joint bids are used, the tender must provide proof of the joint capacity and specify responsibilities. Tenderers must follow the selection and proof documentation rules described in the Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications.

Geographic eligibility and beneficiary scope

Beneficiary scope:primarily EU-wide. The contracting authority is the European Commission in Brussels and the call is published on the EU portal open to economic operators established in EU Member States and possibly in the EEA and other countries allowed by the procurement rules and the tender documents. The procurement documents should be checked for any specific nationality/establishment restrictions. Delivery location is Brussels (Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe).

Target sector and services required

Target sector:public communication and visitor services. Services required: front-of-house floor staff for visitor reception, information provision, orientation, and related operational duties in the European Commission Visitors' Centre / Experience Europe. The scope includes service delivery that must comply with specific security requirements and baselines (Appendix 2 Security requirements en 2025; Appendix 3 Security baseline en). The tender also includes operational layouts (Annex 8 Floorplan) and detailed technical offer templates (Annex 7 Technical Offer Form).

Security, compliance and mandatory documentation

The procurement contains mandatory security-related appendices (Appendix 2 Security requirements, Appendix 3 Security baseline). Tenderers must comply with those security requirements and show compliance evidence where requested. Required documents available in the call folder include Invitation-to-tender, Tender Specifications, Draft FWC, Annex 7 Technical Offer Form, Annex 6 Financial Base Model (Excel), Annex 2 Declaration of Honour, Annex 8 Floorplan, and security appendices. Tenderers must complete the technical offer templates and the financial base model, and sign the declaration of honour. Tenderers should consult the Tender Specifications for the full list of required documents and evidences of capacity, qualifications, insurance, staff vetting and other compliance items.

Key documents available:Invitation-to-tender_V1.pdf; Tender Specifications_V1.pdf; Draft FWC_V1.pdf; Annex 7 Technical Offer Form_V1.pdf; Annex 6 Financial Base Model_V1.xlsx; Annex 2 Declaration Honour_V1.pdf; Annex 8 Floorplan_V1.pdf; Appendix 2 Security requirements en 2025_V1.pdf; Appendix 3 Security baseline en_V1.pdf. All documents published 24 June 2026 in the call folder on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender details ¹.

Application contents and templates

Application structure:tenderers will normally submit a two-part offer consisting of a technical offer and a financial offer, together with administrative and legal documents. The procurement expressly provides the following templates and forms which must be used/completed where applicable: Annex 7 Technical Offer Form (technical capacity, methodology, staffing, quality measures), Annex 6 Financial Base Model (Excel financial offer and cost breakdown), Annex 2 Declaration of Honour (exclusion and conflict of interest declaration), Draft Framework Agreement (contractual terms), and security appendices detailing vetting and operational security requirements. The Tender Specifications provide precise instructions on structure, page limits, required annexes, evidence for staff qualifications, proof of prior experience, and required certificates.

1. 1Administrative documentation: legal entity registration, signed Declaration of Honour, evidence on exclusion and selection criteria.
2. 2Technical offer: completed Annex 7 Technical Offer Form, methodology for floor staff operations, proposed staffing plan (numbers, roles, shifts), training and quality assurance measures, references and prior experience.
3. 3Financial offer: completed Annex 6 Financial Base Model (Excel) with unit cost, total cost and any pricing assumptions.
4. 4Security and compliance: evidence of ability to meet Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 security requirements, vetting arrangements for staff, insurance details.
5. 5Contract documents: comments on Draft FWC only if the procedure allows; signed undertakings as required.

Awarding process stages and timelines

Application stages:1) Preparation and electronic submission of the tender dossier before the eSubmission deadline; 2) Administrative and eligibility checks by the contracting authority followed by evaluation of technical and financial offers against award criteria; 3) Possible clarification requests or negotiations (if allowed by the procedure) and formal award of framework agreement; 4) Signature of framework agreement and subsequent call-offs under the FWC for service delivery. The tender metadata explicitly lists an open tender event (26 August 2026) and an additional information cut-off date (14 August 2026).

Number of application stages:At least two main stages are identifiable: submission (stage 1) and evaluation/award (stage 2). Operationally there may be further sub-stages (administrative check, technical evaluation, financial evaluation, clarifications) amounting to 3 or more steps in the assessment process.

Success rates and competitiveness

The call does not publish a success rate. Public procurement framework agreements are competitive; success rate will depend on the number and quality of tenders submitted. No historical success-rate data for COMM/2022/OP/0439 is provided in the documents included in the call folder. Tenderers should assume a competitive environment and ensure compliance with mandatory criteria and strong demonstration of operational capacity, security compliance and value for money.

Co-funding and financial obligations

Co-funding:not applicable. This is a public procurement contract; the successful contractor will be remunerated under the contractual payment terms for services provided. No co-financing from the tenderer is requested except where specific cost-sharing is part of the price proposal or where the tenderer assumes operational costs within the offered price. The financial base model must be completed and is binding for evaluation.

Specific procurement and administrative notes

SME suitability:the lot is not reserved for SMEs. Tenderers must comply with the electronic order and payment arrangements post-award. The procedure is recorded as a framework agreement (fa-wo-rc). Auction is not used. Tender validity period requested is 6 months. The procurement project lot ID is LOT-0001. The contracting authority provides details and all official documents through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Tenderers should carefully read the Tender Specifications and the Draft FWC for termination, liability, staff vetting, performance monitoring, KPIs and service levels.

Mentioned countries and locations

Explicitly mentioned location:Brussels, Belgium (European Commission Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe). The contracting authority is the European Commission (EU institution). The procurement is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and therefore is intended for economic operators established in EU Member States and other countries eligible under EU procurement rules; check the Tender Specifications for exact nationality/establishment rules.

Project stage and expected maturity

Project stage:implementation / service delivery. The tender requests operational service providers ready to staff and run front-of-house activities according to agreed service levels from contract start. This is not a research or development call — it requires proven operational capability, staffing, training and security compliance.

Nature of support

Nature of support:monetary contract payments for services delivered under a public procurement framework agreement. No grants or non-monetary advisory services from the contracting authority are provided; non-monetary obligations apply to compliance, training and reporting under the contract.

Co-funding requirement

Co-funding is not required in the sense of matching funds. The tenderer funds its own bid preparation and operational setup; service delivery is remunerated under contract according to the financial offer. No separate co-financing scheme is mentioned.

How to apply — practical checklist

1. 1Register and sign into the Funding & Tenders Portal account well before the deadline.
2. 2Download and study all call documents (Invitation-to-tender, Tender Specifications, Draft FWC, Annexes and Security Appendices).
3. 3Prepare administrative documentation, including the Declaration of Honour and proof of legal status and exclusions/selection evidence.
4. 4Complete the Annex 7 Technical Offer Form describing methodology, staffing plan, training, security measures and references.
5. 5Complete the Annex 6 Financial Base Model (Excel) with a full price proposal and cost breakdown.
6. 6Ensure compliance with security appendices and prepare staff vetting / background-check processes to evidence compliance.
7. 7Submit the complete tender dossier via the eSubmission system before 24 August 2026 16:00:59 (Brussels time).
8. 8Monitor the Funding & Tenders Portal for clarifications, corrigenda and the open tender event on 26 August 2026.

Administrative and technical details are binding as in the Tender Specifications and Draft Framework Agreement. Late or incomplete tenders will be rejected. Use the provided templates where mandatory.

Summary — what is this opportunity about?

This is a public procurement for floor staff services at the European Commission Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe in Brussels, managed by DG COMM. The authority intends to award a framework agreement (48 months) for operational visitor services with an estimated overall contract value of €6,000,000. The call is an open tender published on the Funding & Tenders Portal with mandatory electronic submission. Award will be based on quality (60) and price (40). Tenderers must use supplied templates (technical and financial forms), comply with security requirements and submit full supporting evidence. The procurement renews an earlier contract (COMM/2022/OP/0439) and expects bidders with demonstrated operational capacity to deliver front-of-house visitor services in a secure EU institutional environment.

Recommended immediate actions:obtain and review Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications, complete Annex 7 and Annex 6 templates, gather evidence for security and selection criteria, register on the Funding & Tenders Portal and prepare eSubmission well ahead of the 24 August 2026 deadline.

For the full set of official documents and the authoritative tender text consult the call folder on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Tender details ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call folder and documents (Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications, Draft FWC, Annexes and Appendices) are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details page: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Summary

This tender seeks qualified service providers to supply floor staff for the European Commission Visitors' Centre and Experience Europe in Brussels. It is a renewal of the previous contract COMM/2022/OP/0439, with an estimated overall contract value of €6,000,000 ¹.

Call Identifier:EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013 ².

Contract Type:Framework Agreement (FWC) without reopening of competition ³.

Key Deadlines and Timeline

1. 1Tender publication date: 24 June 2026
2. 2Deadline for additional information requests: 14 August 2026, 20:00 Brussels time
3. 3Tender submission deadline: 24 August 2026, 16:00:59 Brussels time
4. 4Public opening of tenders: 26 August 2026, 10:00 Brussels time
5. 5Estimated contract duration: 48 months (4 years)

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants include companies, non-governmental organizations, and other economic operators capable of delivering visitor services and floor staffing in Brussels. The tender is open to entities from EU and EEA countries, with no explicit SME suitability indicator, meaning larger firms may dominate ⁴.

Required Qualifications:Tenderers must hold relevant authorizations under Belgian/European law to perform national security services, as specified in the procurement documents ⁵.

Award Criteria

The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio, with quality being the dominant factor. Detailed quality parameters are outlined in the procurement documents ⁶.

Submission Requirements

1. 1Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (ESUBMISSION)
2. 2Participant Identification Code (PIC) mandatory for participation
3. 3Submission of Technical Offer Form (Annex 7), Financial Base Model (Annex 6), Declaration of Honour (Annex 2), and Security Requirements (Appendix 2 & 3)
4. 4Single applicants may apply; joint bids are permissible but consortium is not required

Funding and Contract Details

Estimated Contract Value:€6,000,000 (VAT excluded) ⁷.

Contract Duration:48 months, with possible tacit annual renewals up to three times if performance continues ⁸.

Contracting Authority:European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM) ⁹.

Important Notes for Applicants

Applicants must consult the full procurement documents, including Tender Specifications, Draft FWC, and Security Baseline, available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The contract involves high-security visitor services in a sensitive EU institution, requiring strict compliance with security protocols ¹⁰.

For further information, contact DG COMM via the official portal or visit the European Commission Visitors' Centre website EU Commission Visitors Centre.

Footnotes

1. 1Estimated overall contract amount: €6,000,000 – EU Funding & Tenders Portal EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013.
2. 2Call Identifier: EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013 – EU Funding & Tenders Portal EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013.
3. 3Contract type: Framework Agreement without reopening of competition – Procurement documents Draft FWC.
4. 4No SME suitability indicator – Procurement documents Tender Specifications.
5. 5Security authorizations required – Appendix 2 Security requirements en 2025 Appendix 2.
6. 6Award criteria: Quality 60%, Price 40% – Procurement documents Awarding Terms.
7. 7Estimated contract value: €6,000,000 – EU Funding & Tenders Portal EC-COMM/2026/OP/0013.
8. 8Contract duration: 48 months with possible renewals – Procurement documents Tender Specifications.
9. 9Lead contracting authority: DG COMM – EU Funding & Tenders Portal DG COMM.
10. 10Security baseline and requirements – Appendix 3 Security baseline en Appendix 3.