Framework contract for provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) is preparing to issue a call for tenders for a framework contract focused on the provision and management of interpretation and cultural mediation services essential for its operational activities. This procurement opportunity carries an estimated total value of €90 million and will span a duration of 48 months. The call is structured into seven separate lots, each targeting specific geographic areas that include various EU member states and neighboring regions.

The lots are delineated as follows:
- Lot 1 covers Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Georgia, with an estimated contract value of €10 million.
- Lot 2 pertains to Greece and Cyprus, estimated at €23 million.
- Lot 3 includes Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo, estimated at €8 million.
- Lot 4 consists of Italy and Malta and is estimated at €24 million.
- Lot 5 is for Portugal and Spain, valued at €19 million.
- Lot 6 covers the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Iceland, and Luxembourg, with an estimated value of €2 million.
- Lot 7 includes Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, and mentions Ukraine in peacetime, valued at €4 million.

Eligible applicants are likely to be service providers capable of delivering the required interpretation and cultural mediation services. While the procurement does not specifically target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), they are not excluded if they can demonstrate adequate capability. The anticipated publication date for the contract notice is October 16, 2025, with a supporting TED publication expected on August 13, 2025.

This opportunity does not require co-funding, as successful applicants will receive payment for the services rendered. The framework contract aims to establish reliable and flexible service provisions to support FRONTEX operations, focusing on meeting critical border management and migration needs. Interested parties are encouraged to stay informed via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the TED database for updates on the official tender documents and processes.

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) is planning a call for tenders, FRONTEX/2025/OP/0036-PIN, for the provision and management of interpretation and cultural mediation services to support its operational activities. This is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication. The estimated total value of the framework contract is 90,000,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 13/08/2025, and the estimated date of publication of a contract notice is 16/10/2025. The TED reference is 154/2025 529181-2025. The main classification (CPV) code is 79540000 Interpretation services. The maximum contract duration is 48 months.

The call for tenders is divided into seven lots:

Lot 1: Framework contract for provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Georgia. The estimated value is 10,000,000 EUR.

Lot 2: Provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Greece and Cyprus. The estimated value is 23,000,000 EUR.

Lot 3: Provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo. The estimated value is 8,000,000 EUR.

Lot 4: Provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Italy and Malta. The estimated value is 24,000,000 EUR.

Lot 5: Provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Portugal and Spain. The estimated value is 19,000,000 EUR.

Lot 6: Provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Island, Luxembourg. The estimated value is 2,000,000 EUR.

Lot 7: Provision of Interpretation and Cultural Mediation Services for Operational Activities in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, (Ukraine in peace time). The estimated value is 4,000,000 EUR.

A question was asked regarding where to find the procurement documents for this call for tenders. The answer provided states that the planned call for tenders announces the intention of the contracting authority to publish a future call for tenders and that no other information or documents other than those published are currently available. This answer was published on 17/02/2024 00:54.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement of a forthcoming call for tenders by FRONTEX for interpretation and cultural mediation services. The total estimated budget is 90 million EUR, divided into seven lots covering different geographical regions. The actual call for tenders, with all the relevant documentation, is expected to be published around October 16, 2025. Interested parties should monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) database for the official publication of the call and related documents. The opportunity aims to establish framework agreements with service providers who can deliver reliable and high-quality interpretation and cultural mediation services to support FRONTEX's operational activities across various European and neighboring countries.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the call for tenders which is for the provision of services, it can be inferred that eligible applicants are likely to be service providers, companies, or organizations with the capacity to deliver interpretation and cultural mediation services. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, or specialized agencies.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a planned call for tenders. The financial mechanism is a service contract where the selected providers will be contracted to deliver interpretation and cultural mediation services in exchange for payment. It is a framework agreement, without reopening of competition.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and scale of the services required, both single applicants and consortia could potentially be eligible, depending on their capacity to meet the requirements of each lot.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility varies depending on the lot. The lots are divided geographically, with specific countries or regions assigned to each. The lots cover the following regions and countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Georgia; Greece and Cyprus; Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo; Italy and Malta; Portugal and Spain; Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Island, Luxembourg; Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, (Ukraine in peace time).

Target Sector: The target sector is interpretation and cultural mediation services. This falls under the broader category of services related to border management, security, and cultural understanding.

Mentioned Countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Georgia, Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Island, Luxembourg, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, Ukraine.

Project Stage: This is a call for tenders for the provision of services, so the relevant stage is the operational or implementation stage. The selected applicants will be responsible for delivering ongoing interpretation and cultural mediation services.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the framework contract is 90,000,000 EUR. The estimated value for each lot varies. Lot 1 (Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Georgia) has an estimated value of 10,000,000 EUR. Lot 2 (Greece and Cyprus) has an estimated value of 23,000,000 EUR. Lot 3 (Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo) has an estimated value of 8,000,000 EUR. Lot 4 (Italy and Malta) has an estimated value of 24,000,000 EUR. Lot 5 (Portugal and Spain) has an estimated value of 19,000,000 EUR. Lot 6 (Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, France, Belgium, Island, Luxembourg) has an estimated value of 2,000,000 EUR. Lot 7 (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, Ukraine in peace time) has an estimated value of 4,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication. This indicates that the call will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union Supplement.

Nature of Support: The selected applicants will receive money in exchange for providing interpretation and cultural mediation services. This is a service contract, so the support is financial compensation for services rendered.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there will be at least two stages: submission of a tender and evaluation of the tender. There may be additional stages such as clarification requests or contract negotiation.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, in procurement contracts, co-funding is generally not required. The contractor is paid for the full cost of the services provided.

Summary:

This is a planned call for tenders by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) for the provision and management of interpretation and cultural mediation services to support its operational activities. The total estimated value of the framework contract is 90,000,000 EUR, and the contract duration is 48 months. The call is divided into seven lots, each covering a specific geographic region or group of countries. The services required include providing reliable, flexible, and high-quality interpretation and cultural mediation. The procedure type is a planned call for tenders with publication in the Official Journal of the European Union Supplement (OJ S). The estimated date of publication of the contract notice is 16/10/2025, with the TED publication date being 13/08/2025. Companies and organizations that can provide interpretation and cultural mediation services are encouraged to monitor the Official Journal of the European Union Supplement for the publication of the call for tenders and to prepare their applications accordingly. The lead contracting authority is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). The CPV code is 79540000 Interpretation services.