Hiring of vehicles for compliance verification testing

European Commission JRC procurement EC-JRC/IPR/2026/OP/0152 seeks framework contractors for short- and long-term hire of light-duty vehicles for compliance verification testing with an indicative total value of €2,500,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months. The award is based solely on lowest price using a structured financial model and reopening of competition for specific orders, and submissions are electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Key selection requirements include consolidated average annual turnover above €500,000 (last two years) and evidence of at least 20 vehicle renting contracts in the last three years; subcontracting and joint tenders are permitted with required commitment letters. Deadline for receipt of tenders is 29 September 2026, 12:00 (Europe/Rome), with a questions cut-off on 21 September 2026.

What it buys

Scope

Framework contract to supply short- and long-term hire of light-duty vehicles (categories M1, N1 and L) for laboratory and on-road testing (emissions, safety, ADAS/ADS research, etc.). Vehicles may be new, specific variants or second-hand when requested; adaptations for testing (sensors, exhaust modifications, test plates) are foreseen and vehicles must be restored after tests.

Estimated value:€2 500 000 (total estimated ceiling for the framework contract).

Contract model and duration:Multiple framework contracts with reopening of competition; maximum duration up to 48 months.

Who can apply

Open procedure to economic operators established in EU Member States and in third countries covered by the WTO GPA or relevant procurement agreements. Submissions accepted from single tenderers or joint tenders; subcontracting is allowed and entities can rely on other organisations' capacities for selection criteria.

Key commercial rules

Award method is lowest price (price 100%). Multiple contractors (minimum 3, maximum 7) will be admitted to the framework; specific contracts awarded by reopening competition among framework contractors. Unit prices in the financial offer act as maximum prices for future orders.

1. 1Submission: electronic via EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission
2. 2Language: any official EU language
3. 3Selection highlights: consolidated turnover and experience in vehicle rentals required; exclusion and evidence rules apply

Main delivery location:JRC premises, Ispra (Italy); occasional deliveries elsewhere in Europe may be requested. Tender documentation, templates (financial offer, declaration on honour, draft FWC and annexes) published on the Portal.

Deadlines and milestones

Deadline for receipt of tenders:29 September 2026, 12:00 (Europe/Rome). Public opening: 30 September 2026. Deadline for questions: 21 September 2026 (portal Q&A).

How to apply

Register your organisation in the Participant Register (PIC) and submit the tender electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission: ec.europa.eu

Footnotes

1. 1All tender documents, templates and the financial model are available on the F&T Portal call page linked above; consult the Invitation to tender, Tender Specifications (Parts 1 and 2), Draft FWC and Annexes for full contractual and submission requirements.

Tender issued by:European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre (JRC), Sustainable, Smart and Safe Mobility Unit (JRC.C). Main CPV: 34110000 Passenger cars. Procedure: Open procedure leading to multiple framework contracts with reopening of competition (minimum 3 contractors; maximum 7). Estimated total procedure value: €2 500 000. Maximum framework contract duration: 48 months. Award method: lowest price (price 100% weighting).

What the contracting authority wants

Subject:short- and long-term hire (rental) of light duty and light category vehicles (categories M1, N1 and L) for compliance verification testing, pre-normative research and market surveillance activities (emissions, energy efficiency, safety, security and related testing). Vehicles may be of any brand, category and technology available on the European market (ICE, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, gaseous fuels, hydrogen). Vehicles will be characterised at the time of each request for service; requests may require specific age, mileage, exact variant, type approval family or presence of ADAS/ADS features. Vehicles may be delivered registered or unregistered (test plates) depending on the request. Vehicles may be used in laboratories (climatic cells, full-flow dilution tunnels), on public roads (PEMS/RDE) and on test tracks and proving grounds.

Key administrative facts and procurement documents

1. 1Procedure identifier: EC-JRC/IPR/2026/OP/0152 (TED ref. 581222-2026).
2. 2Submission method: electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system (EU Login and PIC required).
3. 3Deadlines: Questions cut-off (Contracting authority not bound to reply after): 21/09/2026 23:59 Europe/Rome; Deadline for receipt of tenders: 29/09/2026 12:00 Europe/Rome; Public opening: 30/09/2026 11:30 Europe/Rome.
4. 4Language: Tender may be submitted in any official EU language; procurement documents published in English (English is sole authentic text).
5. 5Award: Framework contracts will be awarded to the lowest price tenders (ranked ascending by price); framework agreement with reopening of competition.
6. 6Estimated total value / framework ceiling: €2 500 000 (indicative only).
7. 7Documents published on the Funding & Tenders Portal: Invitation to tender, Tender specifications (administrative and technical), Draft framework contract (parts I–III), Annexes (Declaration on honour, financial tender form, certificate of conformity, customs procedure for JRC Ispra), Financial tender model (Annex 6).

Who can apply (Eligible applicant types and geographic scope)

Eligible applicant types:any economic operator established in jurisdictions eligible under the EU public procurement rules and relevant international agreements (natural persons or legal persons). Typical applicants: vehicle rental companies, vehicle fleet owners/operators, leasing companies, specialised providers of test vehicles, and consortia of such entities. The procurement allows sole tenderers and joint tenders (groups of economic operators). Subcontracting is permitted and subject to the rules below.

Beneficiary geographic eligibility:Eligible applicants: entities established within the scope of the EU Treaties and in countries covered by the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and other trade agreements referenced in the procurement documents (i.e. generally the European Economic Area and GPA signatories). The place of performance is primarily JRC Ispra, Italy, but delivery/pick-up locations elsewhere in Europe may be requested.

Eligible applicant structure and consortium rules

Single tenderers or joint tenders (groups) may submit proposals. In case of a joint tender, a group leader must be appointed and an Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3 model) must be provided. All group members are jointly and severally liable for performance. Subcontractors with an intended share above 20% or subcontractors whose capacities are relied upon for selection criteria must be identified in Annex 4 and must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.1). Entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (not subcontractors) must provide Annex 5.2 commitment letters and supporting evidence where requested.

Eligibility and exclusion

Tenderers must not be in any of the exclusion situations listed in Article 138 of the Financial Regulation (bankruptcy, serious professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, terrorist offences, money laundering, child labour/trafficking, irregularities, etc.). A Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) must be submitted. The contracting authority will consult the Union Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) and may request supporting documentary evidence (e.g., judicial records, certificates of tax and social security compliance) during evaluation or before award.

Selection criteria (minimum capacities and evidence)

1. 1Legal and regulatory capacity: proof of registration in a relevant trade or professional register (evidence may be requested).
2. 2Economic and financial capacity (criterion F1): consolidated average annual turnover over the last two financial years above €500 000. Evidence: profit and loss accounts or bank statements (may be requested later by contracting authority or Validation Services).
3. 3Technical and professional capacity (criterion T1): consolidated experience – at least 20 vehicle renting contracts (each covering at least 1 vehicle) completed in the last 3 years prior to tender submission. Evidence: list of contracts with dates, scope, role and invoiced amounts; client statements may be requested.

Selection evidence may be requested after tender submission within short deadlines. Tenderers may rely on subcontractors or other entities to meet selection criteria, subject to the commitment letters and supporting evidence (Annexes 5.1 and 5.2).

Award criteria and financial model

Award criterion:Price 100% (lowest price wins). Evaluation uses a case-study scenario and the financial offer form (Annex 6) to calculate a total price for tender comparison. Unit prices entered in the financial offer form are maximum prices under the FWC for combinations of vehicle price class and hiring duration. At reopening of competition for a specific request contractors may offer lower prices. The contracting authority will classify vehicles into price classes using a public reference price method (manufacturer list prices in DE, IT and FR averaged) or, where necessary, selected second-hand market prices from AutoScout24 for special vehicles.

Financial offer structure:Tenderers must submit a complete financial tender in the Excel financial model (Annex 6). The financial model requires monthly hiring prices per vehicle price class (price bands), optional extension prices per month, and estimated numbers of vehicles per class/duration for the evaluation scenario. All prices must be in EUR, VAT excluded, all costs included.

Contractual model and commercial conditions

Procurement will result in multiple, separate but identical framework contracts (FWC) with reopening of competition. The FWC defines terms for award of specific contracts (order forms) by re-opening competition among FWC contractors. Framework contract duration: maximum 48 months. The draft FWC (Annex 4a/€4B) and draft specific contract model (Annex III) set out payment rules, conformity certificate (Annex IV), delivery and acceptance procedures, extensions, insurance obligations, maintenance and repairs, vehicle return and Certificate of Conformity. Interim payments only for specific contracts longer than 6 months are possible. No pre-financing is foreseen by default. The contracting authority may require pre-financing or guarantees in specific contracts only where stated.

Delivery, place of performance and customs

Primary delivery and pick-up location is JRC Ispra site (Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy). For a minority of vehicles, other European locations may be requested. The contractor must coordinate customs clearance for goods introduced to the JRC premises; the tender documentation contains the JRC customs procedure and requirements for invoices, DAU/EX1 documents and related formalities for non-EU imports (Annex V).

Insurance, damage and maintenance

Registered vehicles:full insurance covering third party and all-risk vehicle damage must be provided; acceptable excess per damage normally not to exceed €1 000 unless otherwise stipulated. Roadside assistance is normally required. Contractor covers costs of periodic maintenance and repairs (unless specific contract stipulates otherwise). JRC may perform periodic maintenance for long rentals after acceptance; maintenance schedules must be communicated. For accident or breakdown the contractor must respond and coordinate repair or replacement; JRC will notify contractor within 48 hours of incidents.

Packaging, equipment and vehicle condition

Vehicles must be in good mechanical condition, with fluids topped up, preferably almost empty fuel tank at delivery, and next manufacturer periodic maintenance scheduled at least 4000 km after delivery or 6 months after delivery unless otherwise agreed. Supplier must supply two towing eyes per vehicle and for BEV/PHEV at least one charging cable and adapters unless otherwise specified. Summer tyres are default; winter/all-season tyres or winter sets required for contracts covering winter months. JRC reserves the right to refuse vehicles that show malfunctioning, exhaust leakage from the engine, excessively dirty condition or other defects.

Practical submission requirements

1. 1Submissions exclusively via eSubmission: EU Login account and PIC required. Use the eSubmission Quick Guide and system requirements.
2. 2Tender validity: 6 months from the tender deadline.
3. 3Maximum number of uploaded files per tender: eSubmission system limit applies.
4. 4Mandatory attachments (Annex 1): Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Financial tender (Annex 6), Agreement/Power of attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), List of identified subcontractors (Annex 4) where applicable, Commitment letters from subcontractors/entities (Annex 5.1/5.2) where applicable, evidence on selection/exclusion upon request.
5. 5Name attachments in eSubmission according to the instructions in Annex 1.

Evaluation, award and contract signature

The contracting authority will verify administrative compliance, non-exclusion, selection eligibility and then evaluate tenders on the award criterion (price). Only tenders meeting minimum technical requirements and selection criteria and not excluded will be evaluated. Framework contracts will be signed with the lowest priced compliant tenderers until the maximum number of contractors (up to 7, minimum 3) is reached. The contracting authority reserves the right to sign with only two contractors if it considers competition real. The signature of a framework contract does not oblige the contracting authority to place orders.

Tender risks and important legal points

• Tenderers must ensure they are not subject to EU restrictive measures (sanctions) that prohibit transfers of funds or economic resources.
• Tenderers must ensure compliance with environmental, social and labour law obligations (EU and national) during contract execution.
• Tenderers must confirm absence of conflicts of interest and professional conflicting interests.
• Abnormally low tenders: contracting authority may request explanations and reject abnormally low offers.

Key dates (local time Europe/Rome)

Templates, forms and how to prepare the application

Mandatory templates and models are published with the procurement documents on the Funding & Tenders Portal and must be used verbatim where indicated. The main templates are:

1. 1Annex 1: List of documents to submit and upload instructions (maps which entities must supply which documents in eSubmission and where to attach them).
2. 2Annex 2: Declaration on Honour (exclusion and selection criteria) - one per involved entity as specified in Annex 1. Must be signed by authorised representative; QES recommended.
3. 3Annex 3: Agreement/Power of Attorney model for joint tenders - must be signed by all group members and appoint a group leader.
4. 4Annex 4: List of identified subcontractors and proportion of subcontracting (identify subcontractors with >20% share or those relied upon for selection).
5. 5Annex 5.1 and 5.2: Commitment letters by identified subcontractors or by entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (models).
6. 6Annex 6: Financial tender form (Excel model). This model must be completed and uploaded in eSubmission as the financial offer; it contains price classes, hiring duration classes, extension options and evaluation scenario.

Make sure the Financial offer (Annex 6) is fully completed, all required prices are entered in EUR and that the evaluation scenario cells are filled so the portal/evaluators can compute the comparison price. Any missing mandatory documents will lead to rejection.

Questions, help and contacts

Submit questions via the Funding & Tenders Portal Questions & Answers section for this call. Technical issues with eSubmission: consult the eSubmission Quick Guide and eSubmission Helpdesk. Contracting authority procurement contact: jrc-ispra-dir-c-procurement@ec.europa.eu.

Where to access the procurement documents and submit:All procurement documents, templates and the electronic submission link are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page for this tender Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page ¹.

Summary checklist for applicants

1. 1Register organisation in the Participant Register and obtain PIC; ensure PIC data and SME status are current.
2. 2Obtain or confirm EU Login account and familiarise with eSubmission requirements and supported browsers/files.
3. 3Download and study Invitation, Tender Specifications (Part 1 admin and Part 2 technical), Draft FWC and Annexes.
4. 4Prepare Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for all involved entities required by Annex 1 and sign (QES recommended).
5. 5Prepare evidence for selection criteria (turnover and renting experience). Be ready to submit supporting documents if requested.
6. 6Complete Annex 4 (identified subcontractors) and obtain Annex 5.1/5.2 commitment letters where applicable.
7. 7Complete the Financial tender form (Annex 6 Excel) with unit prices and extension prices; ensure evaluation scenario cells are filled.
8. 8Upload all required documents in eSubmission in the correct sections before the tender deadline; check attachments comply with system limits (file size/types).
9. 9Attend virtual public opening if desired (register per invitation rules) and monitor Portal for clarifications or corrigenda up to the stated cut-off.

This opportunity is a public procurement tender to establish framework contracts for vehicle hire to support JRC testing and research activities. It is targeted at vehicle rental/lease providers and related operators able to supply a wide range of vehicles across Europe, with financial and technical capacity to meet the selection thresholds and with experience in vehicle hiring contracts. The award is strictly on lowest price uniform evaluation method using a predefined scenario and a structured financial model. Comply carefully with the administrative and templated submission requirements and be prepared to supply evidence on selection/exclusion upon request.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement dossier, templates and eSubmission link are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page: ec.europa.eu

This is a European Commission JRC procurement for the short and long term rental of light duty and light category vehicles for testing, with an estimated value of €2,500,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months. The broader JRC context is vehicle market surveillance and compliance testing activity, including in service conformity work and related research on vehicle behaviour [1].

What the contract covers

The contract covers the hire of vehicles of any brand, category and technology available on the European market, with the exact vehicle characterisation to be defined when the service request is issued. The tender specifications state that the contract is not divided into lots, variants are not allowed, and the supplies are to be delivered mainly to JRC Ispra in Italy, although a small fraction of vehicles may need to be delivered elsewhere in Europe.

The financial model shows that the JRC will classify requested vehicles into price classes and rental duration classes, and that the pricing submitted in the framework financial offer acts as a maximum price ceiling for the relevant vehicle and duration combination. At reopening of competition, contractors may offer lower prices and may also propose separate pricing for combinations not included in the case study.

Who can apply

• Any natural or legal person that falls within the scope of the EU Treaties may submit a tender.
• International organisations may participate.
• Third country operators may participate where an applicable procurement agreement with the EU allows it, including WTO Government Procurement Agreement countries under the relevant conditions.
• Tenderers may bid alone or as a joint tender, and subcontracting is allowed.
• All involved entities and subcontractors must not be subject to EU restrictive measures.
• A valid EU Login account is required for electronic submission, and a Participant Identification Code is required for participation.

Eligibility, selection and exclusion requirements

Financial and contractual conditions

• The award criterion is lowest price only.
• The contract will be awarded under a framework agreement with reopening of competition.
• The tender validity period is 6 months.
• The contractor will need to compete again for specific contracts during implementation.
• Specific contracts may include optional items, but the contractor must price them in the tender.
• The financial offer must be in euro and free of VAT, duties, taxes and other charges.
• For vehicles outside the euro zone, prices still have to be quoted in euro.

The tender specifications also provide a vehicle classing methodology based on manufacturer list prices in Germany, Italy and France, or second hand market prices if the required configuration is not available as new. This means applicants need a pricing structure capable of covering different vehicle segments and rental periods in a transparent way.

Submission requirements and key dates

1. 1Submit only through the electronic submission system.
2. 2Use the required declaration on honour and financial tender form.
3. 3If bidding jointly, include the agreement or power of attorney for the group.
4. 4If using subcontractors or relying on other entities, provide the relevant commitment letters and subcontractor information where required.
5. 5Ensure the tender is complete before the deadline because late submissions are rejected.
6. 6Prepare evidence in advance because the contracting authority may request it on short notice.

Practical applicant takeaways

This opportunity is best suited to established vehicle rental or leasing operators with proven multi contract experience, sufficient turnover, and the ability to source a wide range of light duty vehicles quickly across the European market. Competitive positioning will depend almost entirely on price, so bidders should focus on a robust rental cost model, compliance with the JRC pricing framework, and strong administrative readiness for the award and contract execution phases.