Framework contract "Accelerated closure of open ERDF cases from Germany of 2007-2013 programming period"

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy has issued a call for tenders designated as EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0026, aimed at establishing a framework service contract to facilitate the closure of open European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) cases specifically from Germany for the programming period of 2007-2013. The objective of this tender is to appoint a contractor responsible for preparing case-by-case analyses of reported irrecoverable amounts and deciding if these amounts should be absorbed by the EU budget. This process involves the evaluation of up to 80 cases over the contract's maximum duration of 48 months.

Eligible applicants can include both single candidates and consortia, as evidenced by the requirement for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) necessary for participation. While the scope of this tender is notably centered on Germany, the tender is open to service providers from across the EU or potentially beyond, contingent upon their ability to meet the specific German ERDF requirements. The judicial context blends administrative tasks with specialized expertise in financial and regulatory aspects of EU regional policies.

The total estimated value for this framework contract is set at €120,000, which is relatively modest but reflects the specialized nature of the services required. The assessment criteria for tenders will favor the best price-quality ratio, indicating a focus on both cost-effectiveness and the quality of the proposed services.

Submissions must be completed electronically by the deadline of October 8, 2025, at 12:00 UTC. Furthermore, a public opening of tenders is scheduled for October 9, 2025, at 10:00 UTC. It’s emphasized that any inquiries regarding the tender must be submitted before September 30, 2025, at 06:00 UTC, as further questions will not be addressed thereafter.

The focus of work encompasses administrative consulting and auditing services, particularly in connection with financial regulations and compliance related to the ERDF. The expected deliverables include a structured checklist for each case to ensure thorough assessment and documentation.

Overall, this tender represents a significant opportunity for qualified service providers specializing in EU fund management to contribute to the efficient closure of ERDF cases in Germany, thus helping to ensure compliance and manage public funds effectively.

The European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), has published a call for tenders, EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0026, for a framework service contract to accelerate the closure of open European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) cases from Germany of the 2007-2013 programming period. The tender seeks assistance in preparing case-by-case decisions on reported irrecoverable amounts, determining whether these amounts should be borne by the EU budget. The service provider will assess a maximum of 80 cases during the contract duration, utilizing a checklist to guide the assessment and detail the minimum required documentation for each case.

The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value of the tender is 120,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 02/09/2025. The main classification (CPV) code is 79200000, which refers to accounting, auditing, and fiscal services. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The framework agreement will be a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

Key milestones include the TED publication date of 02/09/2025, a public opening date and time of 09/10/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Brussels time, and a deadline for receipt of tenders on 08/10/2025 at 12:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 30/09/2025 at 06:00 Europe/Brussels time.

The available documents for download include:

ENEN-Invitation to tender EC-REGIO2025OP0026 Accelerated closure of open ERDF cases Invitation letter, published on 02/09/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENTender Specifications DE 07-13 closure cases final Tender specifications, published on 02/09/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENdeclaration-of-honour-tenders Accelerated closure of open ERDF cases EC-REGIO2025OP0026 Declaration on honour (tender), published on 02/09/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENEN Draft Service FWC EC-REGIO2025OP0026 final Draft contract, published on 02/09/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix 2 Security requirements en Draft contract annex, published on 02/09/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAnnex 6 tender specifications Financial tender form Other invitation to tender document, published on 02/09/2025, Version 1, no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

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In summary, this tender opportunity is for a framework service contract with the European Commission's DG REGIO. The goal is to accelerate the closure of open ERDF cases specifically from Germany's 2007-2013 programming period. The selected contractor will be responsible for analyzing up to 80 cases, determining whether irrecoverable amounts should be covered by the EU budget. The process involves using a checklist to guide the assessment and ensure all necessary documentation is reviewed. The contract is valued at 120,000 EUR and will run for a maximum of 48 months. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by 08/10/2025, and a PIC is mandatory for participation. The eSubmission system supports various file types and languages, and provides FAQs to assist tenderers with technical issues.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely open to service providers, consulting firms, or other entities with expertise in accounting, auditing, and fiscal services.

Funding Type: The funding type is a procurement, specifically a framework service contract.

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions that a 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). Therefore, both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The tender focuses on the closure of ERDF cases from Germany, suggesting that applicants with the capacity to work on German cases are particularly relevant. However, the geographic eligibility of the applicants themselves is not explicitly restricted, so it may be open to entities from the EU or potentially other countries, provided they can fulfill the requirements related to German ERDF cases.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily related to accounting, auditing, and fiscal services, specifically in the context of EU Regional and Urban Policy (ERDF).

Mentioned Countries: Germany is explicitly mentioned as the country for which ERDF cases need to be closed.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the operational phase, specifically the accelerated closure of existing ERDF cases. This suggests a need for expertise in handling and resolving existing financial and administrative issues rather than research or development.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the framework contract is 120,000 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 services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it can be inferred that there are multiple stages, including submission of the tender, evaluation, and contract award.

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

Co-funding Requirement: There is no explicit mention of a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders (EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0026) issued by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO). The purpose of this tender is to secure a framework service contract aimed at accelerating the closure of open European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) cases specifically from Germany's 2007-2013 programming period. The selected contractor will be responsible for preparing case-by-case decisions on reported irrecoverable amounts, determining whether these amounts should be borne by the EU budget. The contractor will assess a maximum of 80 cases over the 48-month duration of the framework contract. A checklist must be completed for each case, guiding the assessment and detailing the required documentation.

The procedure type is an open procedure, meaning any interested and qualified economic operator can submit a tender. The estimated total value of the contract is 120,000 EUR. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio. The framework agreement will be implemented without reopening competition for specific tasks.

The TED publication date was 02/09/2025. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 08/10/2025 at 12:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority will not respond to questions submitted after 30/09/2025 at 06:00 Europe/Brussels time. Submissions must be electronic.

To participate, tenderers need a Personal Identification Code (PIC). The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200, and the maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents.

The tender documents include an invitation letter, tender specifications, a declaration on honour, a draft service framework contract, security requirements, and a financial tender form.