GESTION OPÉRATIONNELLE DE LA CRÈCHE DU CENTRE POLYVALENT DE L'ENFANCE CPE 5 SISE À BERTRANGE-MAMER AU GRAND-DUCHÉ DE LUXEMBOURG

The European Parliament is procuring full operational management of the CPE 5 nursery at 6 rue Gaston Thorn, Bertrange‑Mamer, Luxembourg, covering administrative, pedagogical, nutritional and hygiene services for approximately 108 children aged 3 to 56 months. The open tender EP-PERS/LUX/2026/OP/0001 foresees a contract starting 1 September 2026 for up to five years, with a mandatory site visit on 21 March 2026 and a tender submission deadline on 17 April 2026 at 18:00 (Europe/Luxembourg). Bidders must demonstrate financial capacity (minimum annual turnover €1,000,000 for each of the last three years and ability to provide a €300,000 financial guarantee), hold ISO 9001 or equivalent, and meet strict staffing, language and pedagogical qualifications and hygiene/environmental standards. The contract will be awarded on a best price-quality ratio basis (70% quality, 30% price) and tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

What is being procured

Open tender for the full operational management of the Centre Polyvalent de l'Enfance CPE 5 (administrative, pedagogical, catering and hygiene services) located at 6, rue Gaston Thorn, Bertrange‑Mamer, Luxembourg.

Key dates

1. 1Deadline for receipt of tenders: 17/04/2026 18:00 (Europe/Luxembourg)
2. 2Public opening (sessione pubblica): 20/04/2026 15:00 (Europe/Luxembourg)
3. 3TED publication date: 25/02/2026

Contract details

Procedure:Open procedure. Nature: services (CPV 85312110 Child daycare services). Award criterion: best price‑quality ratio. Maximum contract duration: 60 months; start date foreseen 01/09/2026.

Contracting authority:European Parliament, Directorate‑General for Personnel (PERS) ¹

Who can apply

Operators economically active in early childhood services (single entities or groups). Participation is open to entities established in EU Member States and to entities of third countries covered by applicable procurement agreements; groupings and sub‑contracting are permitted. Registration in the Commission participant register (PIC) is required for eSubmission.

Financial & selection highlights

1. 1Minimum financial capacity requested: annual turnover of at least €1,000,000 for each of the last three closed financial years
2. 2Guarantee: ability to provide a bank guarantee of €300,000 if awarded
3. 3Technical requirements: proven experience managing at least one daycare facility of minimum 30 places in the last 3 years; staffing, pediatrics, nursing, kitchen and pedagogical profiles required as specified in the tender documents

A mandatory on‑site visit is scheduled (attendance required; offers from operators who do not attend will be deemed non‑compliant). All submissions must be made electronically via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Pricing and invoicing

Bidders must submit a completed price schedule (monthly prices per child by attendance regime) in euros, VAT excluded. Invoicing is electronic (PEPPOL or manual entry on the Funding & Tenders Portal) or, exceptionally, signed e‑mail with qualified electronic signature.

How award is scored

Award is based on the best price‑quality ratio:quality 70% (organization, staff and pedagogical project, catering, communication) and price 30%.

All detailed requirements, templates, declarations and annexes (49 documents) including tender specifications, price schedules, declarations on exclusion, financial forms, and contract draft are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and in the tender documents ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Access the full procurement dossier and submit tenders via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu (search procedure EP-PERS/LUX/2026/OP/0001).

Title:Gestion opérationnelle de la crèche du Centre Polyvalent de l'Enfance CPE 5 sise à Bertrange-Mamer au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. Procedure ID: EP-PERS/LUX/2026/OP/0001. Contracting authority: European Parliament, PERS - Directorate-General for Personnel. Procedure type: Open procedure. Nature: Services. CPV: 85312110 - Child daycare services. Award method: Best price-quality ratio. Maximum contract duration: 60 months. Place of performance: 6, rue Gaston Thorn, Bertrange-Mamer, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Scope and Objectives

Objective:To award a services contract for the complete operational management (administrative, pedagogical, nutrition and catering, hygiene) of the European Parliament’s CPE 5 childcare facility in Bertrange-Mamer. The service must ensure a high-quality, inclusive, multilingual and multicultural childcare environment, aligned with the Parliament-approved pedagogical approaches (Pikler for infants up to ~18 months and Montessori for older children) and inclusion policy for children with special needs. The contractor must deploy all human and material means necessary and comply with Luxembourg legislation in areas including safety, hygiene, labor, and professional qualifications.

Key Facility Parameters and Service Content

• Capacity and age groups: Total childcare capacity 108 children. Indicative grouping: two baby groups (3–18 months, 2x12), two middle groups (18–30 months, 2x15), two big groups (30–42 months, 2x15), one pre-maternelle (42–56 months, 1x20).
• Attendance profile: Monthly average attendance estimated 65–70 children; detailed historic and forecast attendance figures provided in tender specifications.
• Family Room service: Occasional, very short-duration day care in existing sections within capacity limits; parents pay directly to a European Parliament account; contractor provides attendance and proof of parent payment for invoicing.
• Premises and equipment provided by the EU: Fully equipped single-storey childcare facility with activity rooms, dormitories, kitchen (€68 M²) for on-site production, gym room (€88 M²), infirmary and pediatric rooms, administrative offices, staff rest room, laundry, extensive outdoor play areas (€890 M²), IT and fixed telephony lines. Building-level utilities, maintenance, cleaning of floors in the evening, security, insurance of building/content provided by the Parliament/Office for Infrastructure in Luxembourg (OIL).
• Contractor-provided supplies and services: Consumables (including eco-labeled diapers and detergents per EU Ecolabel/Nordic Swan/Blue Angel criteria), child and staff care products, pedagogical materials, catering supplies and ingredients prioritizing fresh, seasonal, local, preferably organic and short-supply-chain products; laundry and in-day cleaning/disinfection; all other non-infrastructure items and services necessary for proper execution.
• Medical service model: Parliament provides regular on-site pediatrician. Contractor must ensure at least one nurse on duty at all opening hours and adhere to pediatric and preventive medicine instructions. Strict hygiene rules, waste management aligned with EMAS, and product safety sheets required.
• Catering: Full daily on-site preparation of meals, snacks, and goûters; weekly menus co-developed by a dietitian (min. 0.20 FTE) with the medical team; infant milk per pediatric guidance; strict HACCP hygiene; service timeliness enforced.
• Pedagogical project and mandatory activities: Daily outdoor time; weekly psychomotor observation/development (≥4 hours/week, ≥40 weeks/year); weekly music activities (≥4 h/week) and art activities (≥4 h/week), which may be subcontracted; weekly playful English initiation (for older groups) and book discovery (from middle groups) together ≥4 h/week across both; at least 4 internal extraordinary activities and 4 external outings per year; July–August daily minibus availability 10:00–17:00 for outdoor activities.
• Communication and quality: Monthly forward calendar of group activities; two thematic parent info sessions per age group per year; annual parent satisfaction survey; annual staff satisfaction survey; GDPR-compliant photo/video sharing; annual activity report by 31 March (or after first 7 months in year 1).
• Opening hours: Monday–Thursday 07:30–19:00; Friday 07:30–18:30; open every EP working day. Some EP closure days can exceptionally become workdays upon agreement. Certain EP closure days (last week of calendar year and Thursday/Friday before Easter Sunday) are billable.
• On-site visit: Mandatory site visit scheduled Saturday 21 March 2026 from 09:00; pre-registration required with identity details of participants at pers-tenders@europarl.europa.eu. Offers from bidders not attending the mandatory visit will be non-compliant.

Human Resources Obligations and Qualifications

• Leadership: Minimum two full-time managers (director and deputy) present during opening hours; university-access secondary diploma plus relevant post-secondary training; at least 5 years’ experience with 3 years leading a crèche of ≥30 places; French C1; English B2.
• Pedagogical Lead: Full-time; relevant degree (pedagogy/psychology/logopedics, etc.); min. 3 years’ relevant experience; one of English/French at C1 and the other at B2; supports inclusion and adapts pedagogical plan.
• Childcare staff: The working language is French; all childcare staff at French C1. At least one staff member per group must have English B1. Minimum 60% staff must hold Luxembourg’s regulated Educateur qualifié qualification (or recognized equivalent); maximum 40% may be Auxiliaire de vie (or recognized equivalent). Min. 3 years’ experience; police record, medical fitness, diplomas, NDAs and right-to-work must be provided. Staffing ratios by room: 1:5 (1 staff for 1–5 children), 2:10 (6–10 children), 3:15 (11–15 children), and 3:20 for pre-maternelle only; at least two staff present per occupied room 07:30–09:00 and 16:30–19:00 even with fewer than 6 children. Additional mobile staff: at least 3 full-time up to 60 enrolled children, and at least 4 full-time above 60.
• Nursing staff: At least one nurse present at all opening hours; degree recognized in EU or equivalent; French C1, English B2; min. 3 years’ experience.
• Psychomotricity: At least 4 hours per week for at least 40 weeks; relevant bachelor-level diploma; French C1, English B2; min. 3 years’ experience with under-4 groups.
• Special-Needs Inclusion Support: Upon EP request for a child recognized as needing extra attention by the pediatrician, the contractor must recruit a specifically trained professional (educator/teacher or relevant health professional) to foster inclusion; profile and hours agreed ad hoc with EP; separately invoiced; not counted in the price schedule.
• Kitchen team: Chef and assistant present with minimum time windows (chef 06:00–14:00; assistant 10:00–14:00); chef with at least 3 years’ collective catering experience; HACCP training; French B2.
• Cleaning/laundry/catering support: 1 full-time equivalent for laundry, periodic disinfection/cleaning within rooms, and catering support not covered by chefs.
• Language training: If needed, contractor may organize at its cost language courses enabling staff to meet required levels within 2 years of contract signature.
• Replacements: Immediate replacement with equivalently qualified staff is mandatory for absences within specified maximum delays (educator: 2 working days; nurse: 2; kitchen: 1; management: 5).

Legal, Environmental, and Administrative Compliance

• Applicable law and regulations: Contractor must comply with all applicable laws in Luxembourg including safety, hygiene, labor, and professional practice rules.
• EMAS and green procurement: The European Parliament operates an EMAS-based environmental management system. Contractor must respect EMAS-related measures, provide training where requested, and use eco-labeled consumables (per detailed EU Decisions for surface cleaners, hand dishwashing, machine dishwashing detergents, and textile detergents).
• Insurance: Contractor carries civil and professional liability insurance throughout contract, including appropriate coverage for personal injury/death and material damage; certificates must be provided annually.
• Security and access: Staff must comply with EP/OIL building access protocols, wear badges, and accept possible infrastructure modifications without financial claim.
• Data protection: GDPR and Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 compliant handling of personal data; EDES may apply to cases under Article 138 of the Financial Regulation.
• Restrictive measures: Mandatory declaration and compliance with EU restrictive measures including those under Decision 2014/512/CFSP and Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 regarding Russia. Use of subcontractors/providers linked to prohibited entities is not allowed; dedicated Annex IX declaration is required.
• Conflicts of interest and exclusion grounds: Full exclusion and selection criteria per Articles 138–143 of the Financial Regulation apply; Declaration on Honour (Annex III) is mandatory.

Commercial and Contractual Framework

• Contract start and duration: New contract to start 01/09/2026. Total duration up to 5 years: initial 1 year, then tacit annual renewals up to a 5-year maximum, with 9 months’ prior notice for non-renewal by either party.
• Takeover and handover: Unpaid takeover period 01/08/2026–31/08/2026 for knowledge transfer. At contract end, contractor must ensure at least 1 month handover with successor.
• Financial model and pricing: Price schedule Annex I with unit monthly fees per child by attendance regime (full-time, part-time 80% or 60%, half-day morning with lunch, half-day afternoon) for 3–42 months and 42–56 months; and daily prices for Family Room attendance (two age brackets). Each item is weighted by estimated attendance. Monthly invoicing in arrears based on enrolled children and accepted attendance lists; pro-rata for first and last months of each child. All prices in EUR, exclusive of VAT, and firm per price schedule; revisions as per draft contract terms.
• Invoicing: Electronic invoicing preferred via PEPPOL or the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; advanced electronic signatures may be required if submitted by email. Paper accepted only in exceptional platform malfunction cases.
• Financial capacity: Minimum annual turnover €1,000,000 for each of the last 3 closed financial years. Ability to obtain a financial guarantee of €300,000 on award (model Annex XV). Provide financial statements for last 3 exercises and complete Annex VII (financial data form).
• Penalties: A structured penalty regime applies for non-compliances (e.g., opening hours breaches, staffing non-replacement delays, ratio/qualification breaches, hygiene non-conformity, late meals, unjustified absence at EP meetings, reporting delays, safety/environment breaches). Examples: €1,000 per infringement per half-hour of delay for opening hours; €500 per infringement plus €250/day for late staff replacement; €1,000 per infringement for ratio or qualification breaches; cumulative when multiple failures arise from one cause.
• Staff transfer: The incoming contractor must comply with Luxembourg legislation and jurisprudence on the transfer/re-hiring of staff from the outgoing contractor; current pay practices do not distinguish Educateur qualifié vs Auxiliaire de vie. Meal vouchers: current staff have €8.4/day vouchers (one-third employee share, two-thirds employer) under national law.
• Subcontracting: Allowed; identity, scope, and capacity of subcontractors must be declared in Annex VI and may be assessed against exclusion/selection criteria. EP reserves right to reject subcontractors not meeting criteria. Subsequent, non-declared subcontracting during execution requires prior written authorization.
• Variants: Not allowed.
• Quality management: ISO 9001 or equivalent certification is requested; otherwise, equivalent measures must be evidenced.

Timeline, Submission, and Evaluation

Submission method:Electronic via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. PIC numbers are required for tenderers (and for all group members in a joint tender). Address for submission: portal entry point Apply/Access submission on the call page.

Evaluation:Best price-quality ratio. Quality: 70%; Price: 30%. Quality criteria (100 pts total): 1) Organisational structure (max 30 pts) against an indicative 70-children scenario; 2) Training and staff well-being policy (max 25 pts) including 100% reimbursement of public transport for cross-border staff (4 pts yes/no), end-of-career arrangements (3 pts), complementary hospital insurance (3 pts), and a quantified multiannual training plan (10 pts); 3) Pedagogical project and execution of mandatory activities (max 20 pts); 4) Catering proposal (seasonal menus by age and season, 10 pts; local product sourcing, 5 pts) total 15 pts; 5) Internal and parent communication plans (10 pts). Thresholds: at least 50% of points on each of items 1–5 and at least 60/100 overall on quality to proceed to financial evaluation. Financial scoring computed as lowest evaluated price divided by the tender’s evaluated price, multiplied by 100, then weighted 30%.

Procurement Documents and Templates

• Invitation Letter with instructions for eSubmission, PIC registration, deadlines, mandatory site visit arrangements, and public opening attendance process Invitation letter.
• Tender Specifications (Cahier des charges) including annexes and detailed service, staffing, hygiene, catering, environmental, training, communication, reporting, legal, and penalty requirements Cahier des charges (FR) and IT language version provided in downloads.
• Annex I: Price schedule (Excel) – to complete, date, stamp, and sign; unit monthly prices per child and daily prices for Family Room, with explanatory notes Annexe I price schedule.
• Annex II: European Parliament Environmental Policy (EMAS) obligations.
• Annex III: Declaration on Honour regarding exclusion and selection criteria, including SME status, to be duly dated and signed Annex III FR template.
• Annex IV: Financial Identification Form and multilingual guide; to set up payee bank details in EP systems Guide Form.
• Annex V: Grouping information form for joint tenders (roles, legal form, solidarity undertaking) Annex V FR template.
• Annex VI: Subcontracting declaration with identities and scopes Annex VI FR template.
• Annex VII: Financial information form for last three financial years (to enclose financial statements) Annex VII FR template.
• Annex VIII: Bidder information sheet.
• Annex IX: Declaration on Honour regarding restrictive measures related to Russia Annex IX FR template.
• Annex X–XI: Registration modalities for PEPPOL and Funding & Tenders portal; e-invoicing form.
• Annex XII: EP office closure days / 2026 session calendar.
• Annex XIII: Staffing table as of 31 January 2026.
• Annex XIV: Non-disclosure undertaking template.
• Annex XV: Financial guarantee model (€300,000) to be provided upon award.

Categorisation Answers (Detailed)

Eligible Applicant Types:Economic operators capable of delivering childcare services and associated operations, including SMEs and large enterprises specialized in early childhood care; nonprofits and NGOs delivering social/childcare services; universities or research institutes are not typical unless able to operate a crèche service; public bodies are eligible if permitted to tender under EU procurement; joint ventures or public-private groupings are permitted; individual natural persons may not realistically meet capacity but are not categorically excluded if they satisfy legal, financial, and technical criteria; subcontractors can cover specific functions (e.g., music/art facilitators, specialized inclusion staff, or catering support) but the main contractor remains responsible.

Funding Type:Procurement contract for services. The European Parliament will purchase childcare services under a fee schedule; this is not a grant, loan, or subsidy.

Consortium Requirement:Single tenderers or groupings of economic operators (consortia) are allowed. No mandatory consortium requirement. Groupings must commit to joint and several liability and appoint a leader; legal form conditions are set out and may be required prior to contract signature.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons and public entities of EU Member States, and to third-country participants where an agreement with the EU on public procurement grants access under the terms of that agreement. Service performance is in Luxembourg.

Target Sector:Childcare and early childhood education; social services; catering and nutrition; hygiene and infection control; health support (pediatrics provided by EP, nursing by contractor); environmental management and green procurement (EMAS); HR and training; multilingual and inclusion-focused pedagogy.

Mentioned Countries:Luxembourg; references to Brussels (Belgium) and Strasbourg (France) relate to other EP childcare activities; Russia is mentioned only in the context of EU restrictive measures compliance. Primary region: EU.

Project Stage:Service implementation and operation. This is not R&D; it is full delivery of established services with strict quality and staffing requirements, starting 01/09/2026, including a takeover month for knowledge transfer.

Funding Amount:An overall estimated value is not specified in the notice extract. Pricing is determined by the bidder’s Annex I unit prices multiplied by indicative attendance weights; monthly invoicing in arrears based on enrollments and accepted attendance. A financial guarantee of €300,000 must be obtainable upon award. Utilities, building maintenance, and some infrastructure costs are borne by the EP/OIL; all operational consumables and staff costs are borne by the contractor and recovered through the agreed prices.

Application Type:Open call for tenders with electronic submission via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Mandatory on-site visit prior to submission.

Nature of Support:Money paid by the European Parliament to the awarded contractor for services delivered, under a monthly invoicing scheme aligned to the price schedule and attendance. No co-funding or reimbursement framework typical of grants; instead, commercial procurement payments.

Application Stages:Single-stage open procedure comprising submission, public opening, exclusion/selection checks, qualitative and financial evaluation, and award. Clarifications may be requested; non-substantive corrections are possible. A mandatory site visit is a precondition to admissibility.

Success Rates:No success rate information is provided. Selection is competitive based on meeting exclusion and selection criteria, achieving minimum quality thresholds, and attaining the best price-quality ratio.

Co-funding Requirement:No explicit co-funding requirement. The contractor bears operational costs and invoices the EP monthly per the agreed rates. The ability to secure a €300,000 bank guarantee upon award is required. Some costs (building, utilities, evening floor cleaning, security) are covered by the EP/OIL.

Submission Essentials and Technical Notes

• Portal link: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – Call page.
• Submission: Electronically via eSubmission; ensure organization PIC is in place for each consortium member. Validate system requirements (supported browsers, file size limits, number of attachments).
• Public opening attendance: by videoconference or in person (max 2 reps per offer) upon prior request including submission receipt reference.
• Q&A: Submit via the call Questions & Answers section; the contracting authority is not bound to respond to questions received after the set Q&A deadline.
• Language: Offers may be submitted in any official EU language; the FR version of the specifications prevails over translations.

Templates and How to Structure Your Offer

• Administrative dossier: Signed Invitation Letter acknowledgement (if required), completed Annex III Declaration on Honour (including SME status), Annex IV Financial Identification Form with required evidence, legal establishment and professional authorization proof, PIC details, any power of attorney for signatories.
• Selection capacity evidence: Financial statements for the last three financial years and completed Annex VII financial data form; bank/financial institution letter committing to provide the €300,000 guarantee upon award (Annex XV model); proof of professional registration and any special authorizations; quality management certification (ISO 9001 or equivalent evidence).
• Exclusion and sanctions compliance: Signed Annex IX declaration on restrictive measures; recent criminal records or equivalent upon request; tax and social security compliance certificates upon request.
• Technical offer structure aligned to quality criteria (max 55 pages, Arial 11, no cross-references): 1) Organisational structure (max 15 pages) including organogram, staffing tables by profile and FTE for the 70-children scenario, roles/responsibilities, decision tree, base schedules, and EP coordination procedures; 2) Training and well-being policy (max 5 pages total) including quantifiable multiannual training plan and HR retention/stability measures, plus explicit statements and evidence regarding public transport reimbursement, end-of-career arrangements, and complementary hospital insurance; 3) Pedagogical project (max 10 pages) consistent with Pikler/Montessori, detailing delivery of mandatory activities; 4) Catering (max 20 pages) with four seasonal monthly menu sets per age group and sourcing strategy demonstrating local products; 5) Communication (max 5 pages) with internal comms cadence and media, onboarding of new carers, and enhanced parent information plan plus parental support initiatives.
• Financial offer: Completed, dated, stamped, and signed Annex I price schedule with unit monthly prices for each attendance regime and age group, and daily Family Room prices. Ensure consistency with the technical approach and cost assumptions.
• Subcontracting and consortium documentation: Annex VI for all intended subcontractors with scope and value share; Annex V for groups of economic operators (roles, legal form, solidarity commitment).
• Confidentiality: Signed non-disclosure undertakings (Annex XIV) for relevant staff upon request.
• E-invoicing readiness: Follow Annex X–XI to ensure capability to invoice via PEPPOL or the Funding & Tenders Portal post-award.

Milestones and Contacts

• Mandatory visit registration and opening attendance requests: pers-tenders@europarl.europa.eu.
• Q&A and system support: Use the call page Public Q&A function; consult eSubmission system requirements and helpdesk via portal links.
• Post-submission: Public opening results available; content remains encrypted; clarifications may be requested; results communicated via email to the contact provided in eSubmission.

Compliance Highlights and Notable Constraints

• Mandatory on-site visit prerequisite to admissibility.
• Strict language requirements for staff (notably French C1 across childcare and English at varying levels for designated roles).
• Fixed staff-to-child ratios and required minimum mobile staffing levels; daily two-staff per occupied room during peak arrival/departure times.
• Environmental product criteria and EMAS-aligned practices are enforceable and audited.
• On-site daily catering production with HACCP; penalties for late meal service.
• Ability to secure a €300,000 financial guarantee upon award; minimum turnover threshold.
• Prohibition of links to entities subject to EU restrictive measures; specific Russia-related declarations required.
• Variants are not accepted; joint tenders and subcontracting are allowed under strict conditions.
• Takeover month is unpaid; utilities and building services covered by EP/OIL, but all operational inputs, HR, and service delivery are at contractor’s cost and risk until invoiced monthly.

Summary Explanation

This is a competitive EU procurement to operate the European Parliament’s CPE 5 childcare facility in Bertrange-Mamer, Luxembourg. The contractor must provide end-to-end management including leadership, qualified childcare staff meeting Luxembourg’s regulated profiles, nursing coverage at all opening hours, on-site catering with strong dietary and HACCP standards, environmental compliance under EMAS, and a robust, inclusion-oriented pedagogical program consistent with Pikler and Montessori approaches. Operational obligations are extensive and precisely defined: detailed staffing ratios, daily outdoor time, weekly psychomotricity, music and art programs, playful English initiation and book discovery, multiple annual internal and external events, and enhanced summer mobility for outdoor activities. The Parliament provides the building, key equipment, utilities, and evening floor cleaning; the contractor supplies all consumables (green-labeled where applicable), pedagogical materials, in-day hygiene, and staff. Pricing is proposed via a formal unit price schedule per attendance regime and age group, with monthly invoicing in arrears based on enrollments and approved attendance lists. Bidders must pass exclusion and selection thresholds, demonstrate financial robustness (turnover and capacity to obtain a €300,000 guarantee), provide evidence of quality management (ISO 9001 or equivalent), and present a high-scoring technical offer within strict page limits aligned to the five quality criteria. The award is based on a 70/30 quality/price weighting, with minimum quality thresholds. Attendance of the mandatory site visit is required. Submission is fully electronic via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The opportunity suits experienced childcare operators with strong HR pipelines in Luxembourg-regulated profiles, proven multilingual pedagogy, on-site catering capabilities, and environmental and quality management systems, whether acting alone or in a consortium with specialized subcontractors.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The European Parliament is seeking qualified service providers to manage the complete operational activities of CPE 5 nursery located at 6 rue Gaston Thorn, Bertrange-Mamer, Luxembourg. This is a public procurement tender for comprehensive childcare services covering administrative, pedagogical, nutritional, and hygiene management for approximately 108 children aged 3 months to 56 months.

Tender Reference:EP-PERS/LUX/2026/OP/0001 (TED reference 39/2026 132379-2026)

Contracting Authority:European Parliament, Directorate-General for Personnel (PERS)

Key Dates and Deadlines

Attendance at the mandatory site visit is obligatory. Tenders submitted by economic operators who did not participate in the mandatory site visit will be considered non-compliant. Prospective bidders must register at least two working days in advance by providing names, dates of birth, nationalities, and identification document numbers of their representatives to pers-tenders@europarl.europa.eu.

Contract Duration and Value

Contract Period:Five years total, commencing 1 September 2026. Initial duration is one year with automatic annual renewal for up to four additional years unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least nine months before the annual expiration date.

Estimated Total Value:Not disclosed in tender documents. Pricing is based on monthly fees per child according to attendance mode (full-time, part-time 80%, part-time 60%, half-day morning, or half-day afternoon). Bidders must submit unit prices in euros excluding VAT for 12 pricing items covering different age groups and attendance patterns.

Facility and Capacity

CPE 5 is a single-level facility with total capacity of approximately 108 children distributed across nursery (3-42 months) and pre-school (42-56 months) sections, plus a family room for occasional short-term care. The facility includes eight activity rooms with dormitories, gymnasium, medical facilities, administrative offices, fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, and outdoor play area of 890 square meters. The European Parliament provides the building, utilities, heating, maintenance, security, and basic furnishings at no cost to the contractor.

Scope of Services

The contractor must provide complete operational management encompassing administrative, pedagogical, nutritional, and hygiene functions. This includes staffing, meal preparation, activity programming, parent communication, quality assurance, and compliance with Luxembourg regulations and European Parliament policies.

Mandatory Staffing Requirements

The contractor must deploy qualified personnel meeting specific requirements for each role. Staffing levels are determined by child-to-staff ratios and minimum qualifications.

• Direction: Minimum 2 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Directors must hold secondary education diploma plus specialized training in education, psychology, or related field; have minimum 5 years professional experience including 3 years as nursery manager of facility with at least 30 places; master French at C1 level and English at B2 minimum.
• Pedagogical Coordinator: 1 full-time position responsible for implementing pedagogical project and inclusion policies. Requires secondary education plus specialized training; minimum 3 years relevant experience; French C1 and English B2.
• Childcare Staff: Minimum 60% must hold Luxembourg qualified educator qualification or recognized equivalent; maximum 40% may hold auxiliary care worker qualification. Staffing ratios require 1 educator per 5 children, with minimum 2 educators per occupied room during peak hours (07:30-09:00 and 16:30-19:00). Additional 3 FTE floating staff required for up to 60 enrolled children; 4 FTE for over 60 children. All childcare staff must master French at C1 level and have English B1 minimum in each group.
• Nursing Staff: Minimum 1 full-time nurse during operating hours. Requires nursing diploma from EU member state or recognized equivalent; French C1 and English B2; minimum 3 years experience.
• Psychomotor Development Specialist: Minimum 4 hours weekly for 40 weeks annually. Requires psychomotor diploma at secondary level minimum; French C1 and English B2; minimum 3 years experience with children under 4.
• Dietitian: Minimum 0.20 FTE to establish menus in collaboration with medical team and chef.
• Kitchen Staff: Permanent chef and assistant/aide required. Chef must be present 06:00-14:00 minimum; assistant 10:00-14:00 minimum. Both require professional catering qualification, French B2 minimum, HACCP food safety training, and 3 years collective catering experience.
• Support Staff: 1 FTE for laundry, cleaning, and kitchen support operations.

All staff must provide criminal record clearance (less than 3 months old), medical fitness certificates, and signed confidentiality agreements before contract execution. The contractor must replace absent staff with equivalent qualifications within specified timeframes: 2 working days for educators, 5 working days for directors, 2 working days for nurses, 1 working day for kitchen staff.

Pedagogical Requirements

The contractor must implement a pedagogical project aligned with Pickler approach (up to 18 months) and Montessori approach (older children) as validated by the European Parliament. Mandatory complementary activities include daily outdoor play (minimum 30 minutes), music education (minimum 4 hours weekly for 40 weeks), artistic activities (minimum 4 hours weekly for 40 weeks), English language introduction through play, book discovery activities, psychomotor development, and extraordinary activities (minimum 4 internal and 4 external activities annually). A minibus must be provided for summer outings in July and August (10:00-17:00 daily).

Nutrition and Food Service

All meals must be prepared on-site daily according to recent pediatric nutrition principles. The contractor must provide fresh, preferably local and organic products using short supply chains. Frozen products are permitted only occasionally; canned goods only as last resort. Menus must be established weekly by the dietitian in collaboration with the medical team. Meals must be served promptly after preparation. The contractor provides all food products, specialized diets on medical prescription, and basic medications. Infants receive appropriate formula milk by age; diversification follows medical guidance. Children over 18 months receive growth milk and varied meals including fish twice weekly (once fatty fish), one meat-free meal weekly, and varied healthy fats.

Hygiene and Environmental Standards

The contractor must maintain strict hygiene standards and provide all consumables meeting EU environmental criteria. Diapers must comply with EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, or Blue Angel standards. Child care products must be hypoallergenic without harmful chemicals. Replacement clothing must meet GOTS standards. All cleaning products must meet specific EU environmental criteria for hard surface cleaners, hand dishwashing detergents, dishwasher detergents, and laundry detergents. Paper products must be 100% recycled or from sustainable forests (PEFC or FSC certified). The contractor manages waste sorting and conditioning; the European Parliament handles disposal. Professional liability insurance is mandatory.

Operating Hours and Calendar

The facility operates Monday to Friday during European Parliament working days:07:30-19:00 Monday-Thursday and 07:30-18:30 Friday. The facility closes on European Parliament office closure days and national holidays. Closure dates for 2026 include Christmas/New Year (24 December 2025 - 2 January 2026), Easter period (2-6 April 2026), Labour Day (1 May), Ascension (14-15 May), Whit Monday (25 May), and Luxembourg National Day (23 June). Staff receive these closure days as paid leave without deduction from statutory vacation entitlements.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who Can Apply

The tender is open to all natural and legal persons and public entities from EU member states and third countries with relevant agreements with the EU. Bidders must be established in an eligible country and provide proof of legal status. Participation is permitted for individual companies, consortia of economic operators, and groups with or without legal personality, provided they demonstrate joint and several liability.

Exclusion Criteria

Bidders are excluded if they or their key personnel are in bankruptcy, insolvency, or liquidation; have failed to pay taxes or social contributions; have committed serious professional misconduct; have been convicted of fraud, corruption, organized crime, money laundering, terrorism, or human trafficking; have seriously breached contractual obligations; have committed irregularities; have created entities to evade legal obligations; or have obstructed investigations. Bidders must declare compliance with these criteria and may be excluded if they have Russian nationality or ownership, or if subcontractors representing over 10% of contract value fall into these categories.

Selection Criteria

Bidders must demonstrate legal capacity to operate childcare services in their country of establishment. Financial capacity requires minimum annual turnover of €1,000,000 for each of the last three closed financial years and ability to obtain a €300,000 financial guarantee. Technical and professional capacity requires proven presence in early childhood care market in the bidder's country, minimum 3 years experience managing nurseries of at least 30 places for third parties, availability of qualified staff meeting specified requirements, and ability to implement quality measures and HACCP food safety standards. ISO 9001 certification or equivalent quality management certification is required.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

The contract will be awarded to the tender offering the best price-quality ratio based on 70% quality evaluation and 30% price evaluation. Bidders must achieve minimum 50% of maximum points for each quality criterion and minimum 60% overall quality score to be considered.

Quality Evaluation Criteria

Bidders must not exceed 55 pages total for all quality criteria responses (Arial 11 font). Financial evaluation calculates the score as: lowest price divided by bidder's price multiplied by 100. Final score combines weighted quality (70%) and price (30%) scores.

Submission Requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically through the eSubmission system on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. All bidders must register in the Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Submissions must include the signed invitation letter, completed tender specifications, price schedule (Annex I), declaration of honor regarding exclusion and selection criteria (Annex III), financial identification form (Annex IV), information on consortia if applicable (Annex V), subcontractor information if applicable (Annex VI), financial information sheet (Annex VII), bidder information sheet (Annex VIII), and declaration regarding Russian sanctions compliance (Annex IX). All documents must be dated and signed. Bidders may submit in any official EU language.

Financial Guarantees and Insurance

The contractor must obtain a financial guarantee of €300,000 from a bank, financial institution, or third-party guarantor, payable to the European Parliament in case of contract award. Professional liability insurance covering personal injury, bodily harm, and material damage is mandatory and must be provided annually. The contractor is responsible for all damages caused by its staff or children to Parliament-provided facilities and equipment.

Performance Monitoring and Penalties

The European Parliament monitors service quality and contractual compliance through the Working Time and Childcare Unit and may conduct additional inspections through occupational safety services, the facility pediatrician, and other recognized bodies. The contractor must remedy deficiencies within Parliament-specified timeframes. Written findings trigger penalties that are deducted from payments. Cumulative unresolved findings exceeding three may result in contract termination.

Knowledge Transfer and Transition

If the contract is awarded to a different operator than the current manager, a takeover phase runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 August 2026 during which the new contractor familiarizes itself with essential operational elements. No payment is due during this period. The new contractor may meet with existing staff and families provided this does not disrupt operations. At contract end, the contractor must conduct a handover phase of at least one month with the successor contractor. If substantial organizational changes are approved by Parliament, a three-month transition period allows smooth implementation.

Additional Obligations

The contractor must provide monthly attendance lists to Parliament by the fifth working day of the following month, certified by the director, showing presence, absence, illness, vacation, and enrollment status. Annual activity reports due 31 March must cover pedagogical project evolution, coordination status, parent feedback management, inclusion measures, quality control results, logistics, staff mobility with justification, training plan implementation, and improvement initiatives. The contractor must maintain constant availability through designated representatives and provide financial statements and auditor reports within three months of fiscal year closure. The contractor must implement a photo and video transmission system complying with GDPR. Environmental compliance requires adherence to EU EMAS standards and provision of staff training on environmental measures.

Key Considerations for Applicants

• Mandatory site visit attendance is a compliance requirement; non-attendance results in tender rejection.
• Staffing costs represent the largest operational expense; bidders must carefully calculate qualified personnel requirements and salary competitiveness.
• The facility operates during European Parliament working days only, creating scheduling complexity during extended closures.
• Multilingual and multicultural competence is essential; staff must meet specific language proficiency levels (French C1 for all childcare staff, English B1-B2 depending on role).
• Quality evaluation emphasizes pedagogical approach alignment with Pickler and Montessori methods; bidders must demonstrate deep understanding of these approaches.
• Environmental compliance is mandatory across all consumables; bidders must establish supply chains meeting EU Ecolabel and equivalent standards.
• The 60-month contract duration provides long-term revenue stability but requires significant upfront investment in staff recruitment and training.
• Performance penalties are substantial and cumulative; operational excellence is essential to profitability.
• The current operator (People & Baby) has managed the facility since 2012; bidders should research current service levels and parent satisfaction.
• Pricing must account for mandatory staff benefits including paid closure days and potential public transport reimbursement.
• Financial guarantee of €300,000 must be secured before contract signature.