Framework contract supporting measures to enhance cooperation between Public Employment Services (PES) Lot 1: Qualitative PES benchmarking Lot 2: Mutu...

This tender by the European Commission DG EMPL seeks framework contractor(s) to provide methodological, operational and logistical support to the European Network of Public Employment Services (PES Network) for Union-wide qualitative benchlearning and mutual learning. It is structured in two lots: Lot 1 for qualitative PES benchmarking against an Excellence Model and Lot 2 for mutual learning, mutual assistance and supporting services. The framework contract is initially 12 months, renewable up to three times to a maximum of 48 months, submissions must be made via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the tender deadline is 23 September 2026 at 12:00:59 (Brussels time). The procurement is not SME-suitable, requires meeting Annex 08 minimum requirements and will be evaluated on quality (70%) and price (30%) with financial offers submitted using the Annex 06 price lists.

What it funds

Scope by lot

Two lots:Lot 1 provides PES-specific methodological and operational support to implement Union-wide qualitative benchlearning against an Excellence Model; Lot 2 provides technical support for mutual learning, mutual assistance and related supporting services for the PES Network.

Who can apply:Organisations or consortia able to deliver PES expertise and services (consultancies, research institutes, service providers, networks) meeting the procurement selection and minimum requirements in the tender documents ¹.

1. 1Procedure: open e-submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal
2. 2Contract type: framework contract (initial 12 months, renewable up to 3 times; planned lot duration shown as 48 months)
3. 3Award criteria: quality 70% / price 30% (see tender specs)

Access the full procurement and submission documents, templates and draft framework contract on the Funding & Tenders Portal Funding & Tenders Portal - tender page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents (invitation, tender specifications, draft contract, annexes and price lists) are published on the call page of the Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity summary and purpose

What this tender is for

This is a competitive procurement (tender) launched by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL). The objective is to award one or more framework contracts to provide PES-specific expertise, methodological, operational and logistical support to the PES Network's activities. The services support Union-wide, evidence-based benchlearning of Public Employment Services against an Excellence Model and provide technical support for mutual learning, mutual assistance and other supporting services.

Call identifier and administrative details:Call identifier EC-EMPL/2026/OP/0006. Proceedings published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method required: eSubmission via the Funding and Tenders Portal. Deadlines include an early deadline listed as 2026-01-01T10:00:59.000Z (metadata entry) and the formal closing date 23 September 2026 at 12:00:59 (Brussels time). The procurement procedure is a framework contract with a planned duration per lot of 48 months and the contract concluded initially for 12 months renewable up to three times; consult draft contract for renewal mechanics and exact timelines ¹.

Lots, scope and services required

The procurement is structured in two lots. Each lot is a separate framework contract activity stream. Bidders may tender for one or both lots as specified in the procurement documents.

1. 1Lot 1: Qualitative PES benchmarking. Deliverables include methodological development and implementation of Union-wide qualitative benchlearning exercises comparing PES performance against an Excellence Model across PES core responsibilities. Activities include data collection support, qualitative analysis, synthesis, reporting, and operational facilitation of benchlearning processes.
2. 2Lot 2: Mutual learning, mutual assistance and supporting services. Deliverables include designing, organising and implementing mutual learning events, peer reviews, workshops, mutual assistance measures, operational and logistical support for the PES Network, and technical support for learning activities.

Eligible applicant types and consortium rules

This is a public procurement for services. Typical eligible tenderers under this type of EU procurement include private companies (consulting firms), consortia of companies, research and knowledge institutes, non-governmental organisations, social partners, networks and public bodies acting as economic operators. The procurement documents specify selection and exclusion criteria, and the contracting authority requests proof of professional capacity, financial capacity and relevant experience. The procurement allows participation by single legal entities or consortia/joint bidders where permitted by the tender documents; consortia should ensure a lead entity and provide the requested mandates/consortium agreements in the submission.

Explicit documents provided with the tender:The tender dossier includes: Invitation letter; Tender specifications (detailed), Draft framework contract for each lot; Declaration on honour (tender); Financial offer forms (Annex 06a Price list L1 for Lot 1 and Annex €06BPrice list L2 for Lot 2); Staff templates (Annex 09a staff L1 and Annex €09Bstaff L2); Annex 07 resources; Annex 08 - Minimum requirements; Annex 10 Dashboard guide; Annex 11a and €11B; Word-version annexes 3.1 to 5.2. Applicants must consult these documents for full submission requirements and templates ¹.

Funding type, contract nature and financial arrangements

Funding type:procurement (framework contract) awarded by the European Commission. This is not a grant programme but a public service contract; successful bidders sign a framework agreement and receive work orders/calls for services under the framework. Payments and invoicing rules, unit prices and price lists are defined in the tender documents and in the price list annexes. The procurement awards are based on quality and price criteria with weighting 70% quality and 30% price as indicated in the awarding terms; consult the tender specifications for details on price structure and invoicing modalities.

Who can apply geographically

The contracting authority is the European Commission. The opportunity is aimed primarily at economic operators established in EU Member States. Standard EU procurement rules typically permit participation by economic operators from the EU and the EEA and may allow entities from other countries in accordance with international agreements and the procurement documentation. Applicants must consult the procurement documents for detailed nationality and establishment eligibility, required legal form, and any country-specific constraints.

Target sectors and CPV codes

The tender targets public employment services and the public employment policy implementation domain. Relevant thematic sectors include employment policy support, public sector services, labour market analysis, capacity building and training, and operational/logistical event management. Main CPV classifications listed are 79411000 and 79421000 which correspond to 'Business and management consultancy services' and 'Human resources services'.

Project maturity and expected deliverables

Project stage:implementation and operational service delivery. The contract requires experienced service providers able to deliver mature methodological work, deliver benchlearning exercises, run peer reviews and mutual learning events, produce analytical reports and dashboards, and provide logistical and operational support to the PES Network. The planned period per lot is 48 months and the framework contract initial duration is 12 months renewable up to three times.

Application and submission process

Application type:open public tender through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission must be electronic (eSubmission) using the Funding and Tenders Portal e-forms and the templates provided in the procurement documents. The tender includes document templates for financial offers and staff CVs, a Declaration on Honour and other mandatory annexes. The portal link and tender detail page must be used for submission and clarifications.

Key dates:Publication date on Portal: 4 June 2026. Clarification/additional information request deadline: 15 September 2026 (see tendering process). Tender submission deadline: 23 September 2026 at 12:00:59 (Brussels time). Scheduled open tender event (likely remote): 24 September 2026 at 11:00 (Brussels time).

Evaluation, award criteria and selection

Awarding criteria:quality 70% and price 30% as stated in the procurement metadata. Quality criteria and subcriteria are detailed in the tender specifications and will include technical and methodological approach, relevant experience, staff profiles and proposed workplan. Selection/qualification criteria and mandatory minimum requirements (Annex 08) are included in the procurement documentation and must be satisfied by tenderers. The contracting authority reserves the right to require supporting evidence for capacity, references and staff qualifications.

Application stages, success rates and co-funding

Application stages:at minimum two formal selection stages: 1) administrative and exclusion checks and qualification/selection assessment (compliance with exclusion, selection and minimum requirements), and 2) technical and financial evaluation (award stage). There may be clarifications, interviews or presentations requested as part of technical evaluations; the tender documents specify if oral proceedings or presentations are part of the process. Success rates: not specified in the tender documents; typical EU-level single-supplier framework contract tenders have low success rates dependent on the number of bidders and scope (no explicit percentage available). Co-funding: not required as this is a paid service contract; the successful contractor is remunerated for services under the terms of the framework contract and calls-off. No beneficiary co-funding is requested.

Contract modality, remuneration and post-award

Contract type:framework agreement (fa-wo-rc). The framework will be used to place work orders (calls for services). Electronic ordering and payment usage indicators are true (electronic orders and electronic payments foreseen). The draft framework contract and the price lists annexes define the unit prices, reimbursement rules, travel and event cost rules, invoicing and payment terms, intellectual property and confidentiality clauses, and subcontracting rules.

Templates and application documents structure

The procurement package includes standard Commission templates and annexes. Key templates applicants will need to complete and include in the submission are:

1. 1Invitation letter (cover information and administrative requirements).
2. 2Tender specifications (detailed technical requirements, expected outputs, evaluation methodology, and contractual clauses).
3. 3Draft framework contract for each lot (contractual terms and conditions, renewal clauses, reporting requirements).
4. 4Declaration on Honour (exclusion and conflict of interest declarations).
5. 5Annex 06a Price list L1 (financial offer form for Lot 1) and Annex €06BPrice list L2 (for Lot 2) — locked versions provided for submission.
6. 6Annex 09a staff L1 and Annex €09Bstaff L2 (staff CV and key experts templates; locked versions provided).
7. 7Annex 07 resources (resource planning and costing guidance).
8. 8Annex 08 - Minimum requirements (mandatory eligibility and capacity thresholds).
9. 9Annex 10 Dashboard guide (technical and reporting requirements for dashboards and data products).
10. 10Annex 11a and €11B (other supporting templates and declaration forms).
11. 11Annexes 3.1 to 5.2 Word versions (additional narrative templates and required annexes).

Applicants should complete the financial offer in the provided price list spreadsheets, complete staff templates for proposed key experts, attach required declarations and supporting evidence, and follow eSubmission rules. Use the locked templates where provided (locked_V2 files) to ensure format compliance ¹.

Eligibility, required capacities and recommended bidder profile

Required capacities typically include:demonstrable track record in benchlearning or benchmarking exercises for public sector institutions; experience delivering mutual learning and peer review processes for public administrations; capability to deliver methodological research, qualitative analysis and reporting; event management and logistical capacity across Europe; strong multilingual communication skills; experienced experts in labour market policy, PES operations, monitoring and evaluation, data analysis and qualitative research; and robust financial and administrative systems to execute EU contracts. Minimum requirements and staff qualifications are set out in Annex 08 and the staff annexes.

Beneficiary scope and explicit country mentions

The procurement metadata explicitly identifies the contracting authority as the European Commission, DG EMPL. The tender text addresses Public Employment Services across EU Member States. No individual non-EU countries are explicitly listed in the scraped metadata; the scope is pan-European addressing PES in Member States and the PES Network. Tenderers should consult procurement documents for any allowed participation from EEA or third countries.

How to prepare a compliant bid (practical checklist)

1. 1Download the full tender dossier from the Funding & Tenders Portal tender details page and carefully read the Tender Specifications and Draft Framework Contract for the lot(s) you intend to bid for.
2. 2Confirm eligibility and check Annex 08 Minimum Requirements. Prepare evidence for selection criteria (financial statements, references, certificates, professional qualifications).
3. 3Decide whether to bid as single entity or consortium. If consortium, prepare lead entity mandate and consortium agreement if required.
4. 4Complete the financial offer using Annex 06a (Lot 1) and/or Annex €06B (Lot 2) locked spreadsheets. Ensure prices cover all required cost categories and comply with the pricing rules in the specifications.
5. 5Prepare staff CVs and expertise descriptions using Annex 09 templates indicating key experts, roles and availability for the contract period.
6. 6Complete and sign the Declaration on Honour and any legal forms requested, and include any requested certificates or declarations.
7. 7Prepare a strong technical proposal addressing the Award Criteria: methodology, workplan, quality assurance, risk management, mobilised resources, past performance and outputs aligned with the Excellence Model and PES Network needs.
8. 8Assemble all administrative, financial and technical attachments in the eSubmission platform and validate file formats and locked template integrity before upload.
9. 9Submit the eSubmission application before the deadline and monitor the Funding & Tenders Portal for clarifications, messages or requests from the Contracting Authority.

The contracting authority emphasises quality and price scoring (70/30). Tenderers should prioritise a robust methodological approach and experienced staff while providing a competitive and transparent price structure in the Annex 06 price lists. Deliverables will include reports, methodological tools, dashboards, event facilitation and capacity-building activities for PES Network members across Europe ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1All submission rules, eligibility, the detailed scope of services, evaluation methodology, price schedule and contractual terms are described in the Tender Specifications, Draft Framework Contracts and the annexes available on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender details page: ec.europa.eu. Consult the locked templates (Annex 06a/€06Band Annex 09a/€09B) and Annex 08 - Minimum requirements for mandatory threshold criteria.

Opportunity Purpose and Scope

This tender seeks a framework contractor to provide PES-specific expertise, methodological, operational, and logistical support to the European Network of Public Employment Services (PES Network) to enable Union-wide, evidence-based benchlearning ¹. The contract aims to compare PES performance against an Excellence Model and facilitate mutual learning activities to improve labor market integration and reduce unemployment ².

Contract Lots and Specific Objectives

Who Should Apply and Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be service providers with proven expertise in public employment services, labor market policy analysis, benchmarking methodologies, and organizational mutual learning processes ³. The tender is not SME-suitable, indicating a requirement for substantial organizational capacity and experience in EU-level public sector projects ⁴.

Minimum Requirements:Tenderers must meet mandatory minimum requirements detailed in Annex 08 (Minimum requirements), which likely include specific staff qualifications, past performance in similar EU contracts, and technical capacity to deliver benchlearning activities ⁵.

Contract Duration and Financial Details

The framework contract is concluded for an initial period of 12 months, renewable up to 3 times, totaling a maximum duration of 48 months ⁶. The contract covers both lots, with financial offers submitted via Annex 06a (Price list L1) and Annex €06B (Price list L2) ⁷.

Award Criteria Weighting:Quality accounts for 70% of the award decision, while price accounts for 30%, emphasizing the importance of technical excellence and methodological robustness over cost minimization ⁸.

Key Deadlines and Submission Process

1. 1Additional information request deadline: 2026-09-15 at 12:00:59 (Europe/Brussels)
2. 2Tender submission deadline: 2026-09-23 at 12:00:59 (Europe/Brussels)
3. 3Open tender event: 2026-09-24 at 11:00:00 (Europe/Brussels)

Submissions must be made electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the eSubmission method ⁹. All procurement documents, including Tender Specifications, Draft Framework Contracts, and Price Lists, are available in the portal under reference a023dd20-f1d6 ¹⁰.

Strategic Importance and Applicant Benefits

This contract supports the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the European Green Deal, and UN Sustainable Development Goals by strengthening PES capacity and effectiveness ¹¹. Winning contractors will play a pivotal role in modernizing PES services, enhancing digitalization, and improving labor market matching across the EU ¹².

Footnotes

1. 1The PES Network's benchlearning methodology combines quantitative and qualitative benchmarking with mutual learning to improve PES performance [[2]].
2. 2PES are key actors in fighting unemployment and tackling labor shortages by facilitating labor market integration and activation policies [[3]].
3. 3The PES Network aims to encourage cooperation between Member States to contribute to EU employment policies and the Europe 2020 strategy [[3]].
4. 4The tender is marked as not SME-suitable, indicating a requirement for substantial organizational capacity [[LOT-0001]].
5. 5Annex 08 (Minimum requirements) defines mandatory criteria for tenderer qualification [[LOT-0001]].
6. 6The framework contract is renewable 3 times for an initial 12-month period, totaling 48 months [[LOT-0001]].
7. 7Financial offers must be submitted using Annex 06a (Price list L1) and Annex €06B (Price list L2) [[LOT-0001]].
8. 8Award criteria weighting: Quality 70%, Price 30% [[LOT-0001]].
9. 9Submission method is required eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal [[LOT-0001]].
10. 10All procurement documents are available under reference a023dd20-f1d6 [[LOT-0001]].
11. 11The PES Network contributes to the European Pillar of Social Rights, European Green Deal, and UN Sustainable Development Goals [[3]].
12. 12PES are intensifying collaborations with employers and driving the green transition, digitalization, and youth guarantee initiatives [[13]].