House of European History in Brussels exhibition maintenance, renewal and construction

The European Parliament Directorate General for Communication has published an open tender for a framework contract to provide exhibition maintenance, renewal and production services at the House of European History in Brussels. The maximum estimated value is €9,000,000 excluding VAT and the contract runs for an initial 12 months renewable three times to a maximum of four years. Services cover daily onsite technical operations, specialised AV and IT support, preventive and corrective maintenance, renewals and temporary and touring exhibitions; a mandatory site visit is scheduled for 11 May 2026 and tenders must be submitted electronically by 23 June 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. The award will be based on the best price quality ratio with quality and price weighted equally at 50 percent each and tenderers must supply exclusion and selection declarations, financial statements, EMAS or equivalent and ISO 9001 or equivalent documentation and Europass CVs for key staff.

What it funds

Provision of exhibition maintenance, renewal, production and related services for the House of European History (permanent, temporary and touring exhibitions), including daily onsite technical operations, specialised AV/IT support, punctual works, updates/renewals, project management and third‑party procurement under a framework contract.

Who can apply

Open procedure. Eligible applicants:natural or legal persons and public entities established in EU Member States and third countries that have concluded public‑procurement agreements with the EU (see tender documents for details on exclusion/selection criteria and required declarations).

Contracting authority:European Parliament, DG COMM – Directorate for Communication, Directorate for Visitors (House of European History).

Estimated total value:€9,000,000 (framework contract ceiling) ¹

1. 1Procedure: Open procedure via EU eSubmission
2. 2Maximum framework duration: 1 year plus tacit renewal up to 4 years total (12 months renewable 3 times)
3. 3Award method: Best price‑quality ratio (50% quality / 50% price)
4. 4Contract type: Framework agreement without reopening of competition
5. 5Main CPV: 92521100 Museum‑exhibition services

Tender documents include invitation letter, technical specifications, price list, draft framework contract and multiple annexes (site visit scheduled; EU Login and PIC registration required for eSubmission). The contracting authority may request evidence on exclusion/selection criteria and reserves the right to cancel the procedure.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents and eSubmission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: F&T Tender Details.

High-level summary

The European Parliament (Directorate-General for Communication, Directorate for Visitors — House of European History, HEH) has launched an open procedure to award a framework service contract for exhibition maintenance, renewal, production and related services for the House of European History in Brussels (Tender procedure identifier EP-COMM/2026/OP/0002; TED ref 80/2026 280824-2026). The contract is a framework agreement with a maximum total estimated value of €9,000,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months (12 months initial + up to three tacit renewals). Procedure type: Open procedure; submission is electronic via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The award method is best price-quality ratio (quality/price weighting 50% / 50%). The contract covers daily on-site technical operations, specialised audiovisual/IT operations, punctual corrective and preventive maintenance, design/production of renewals and temporary/touring exhibitions, project management, third-party subcontracting/coordination and related services. Key dates published: TED notice 24/04/2026; deadline for receipt of tenders 23/06/2026 12:00 Europe/Brussels; public opening 23/06/2026 14:00 Europe/Brussels. Mandatory site visit: 11/05/2026 at HEH, Rue Belliard 135, 1040 Brussels. All procurement documents (invitation letter, technical specifications, draft FWC, price list, data protection notice and annexes) are published on the F&T Portal and form the tender dossier F&T Portal tender page ¹.

Estimated contract ceiling:€9,000,000 (total maximum value for the framework contract) ¹.

Detailed opportunity information and requirements

Purpose and scope:maintenance, updating and renewal of the permanent HEH exhibition in Brussels (and related temporary and touring exhibitions or projects). Services cover daily technical operations (full-time on-site technician), specialised AV/IT technical operations (weekly on-site AV/IT technician + remote support), corrective and preventive maintenance, ad-hoc technical assistance (including outside normal opening hours), design and production for renewals or temporary exhibitions, ticketing/helpdesk system, inventory and spare parts management, third-party procurement and management, environmental and accessibility requirements, safety and data protection obligations. The Contractor is expected to subcontract where specialist skills are required; the contractor is responsible for managing and paying subcontractors and claiming reimbursable costs from the Parliament with a management fee as specified in the price list.

Place of performance:House of European History, Rue Belliard 135, 1040 Brussels. Some activities may take place off-site for prefabrication of exhibition elements; assembly and installation on-site. Contracting authority: European Parliament, COMM - Directorate-General for Communication, Directorate for Visitors (HEH).

Contract structure and duration:Framework Service Contract (FWC) with specific contracts or order forms for individual projects and interventions. Initial term 12 months; may be tacitly renewed up to three times to reach a maximum of 48 months. Additional negotiated procedures to procure repeat services are possible (up to 50% of initial FWC ceiling under conditions).

Award criteria and evaluation:Quality criteria (max 100 points) covering functional and technical quality of maintenance services (55 points, threshold min 40), environmental impact (5 points), accessibility (5 points), quality of case study (35 points, threshold min 25). Candidates must score minimum 70/100 on quality and meet minimums for criteria 1 and 4 to pass to price evaluation. Price criterion max 100 points. Final scoring uses 50 % Quality + 50 % Price (Score = cheapest price * 100 * 50% / tender price + total quality score * 50%).

1. 1Submission method: exclusively electronic via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login and PIC required).
2. 2Language: procurement documents published in English; tenders may be submitted in any EU official language (documents required in English for evaluation).
3. 3Site visit: mandatory site visit on 11/05/2026; attendees must register in advance to hehtenders@europarl.europa.eu (max 2 representatives per economic operator).
4. 4Deadline and public opening: Deadline for receipt of tenders 23/06/2026 12:00 CET; virtual public opening 23/06/2026 14:00 CET.
5. 5Questions: applicants must post questions through the F&T Portal Questions & Answers section (EU Login required). Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 15/06/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels.

Documentation:The tender dossier includes an Invitation Letter, Tender Specifications (Annex 1) with detailed Technical Specifications (Annex I) and many sub-annexes (health & safety, discovery spaces inventory, circular design note, environmental policy, data protection notice Annex III, draft FWC and specific contract/order form templates, price list Annex XII, case study brief Annex XI, declarations on exclusion/selection, financial templates and PEPPOL/e-invoicing instructions). Tenderers must submit the Annex III declaration on honour, selection evidence, certificates (EMAS or equivalent environmental certificate, ISO 9001 or equivalent), financial statements demonstrating minimum turnover of €1,000,000 over the last three financial years, insurance, relevant references and CVs (Europass) for key staff: on-site technician, senior & junior AV/IT technicians, project manager, handyman, designer, conservators/art-handlers where relevant.

Question-by-question categorisation and details

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants:all natural or legal persons and public entities established in an EU Member State and natural or legal persons and public entities of third countries party to public procurement agreements with the EU granting access. In practice this includes: SMEs, large enterprises, museums, exhibition producers, AV/IT integrators, conservators, design studios, construction/fit-out contractors, art-handlers, research institutions (where relevant), non-profits, public bodies and consortia or temporary partnerships. Joint bids are permitted (groups of economic operators); tenderers must demonstrate joint and several liability if bidding as a group. Subcontracting is allowed; subcontractors must comply with exclusion/selection criteria.

Funding Type

This is a public procurement (service contract) awarded as a framework service contract. The financial mechanism is procurement (service contract) not a grant or subsidy. Payment is by invoicing under the FWC and specific contracts/order forms; reimbursable third-party costs are allowed with a documented management fee.

Consortium Requirement

Consortiums are allowed but not mandatory. The tender may be submitted by a single economic operator or by a group of economic operators (consortium). If a group is used, the group must provide proof of legal form or a power-of-attorney and accept joint and several liability. The contracting authority may require a specific legal form before contract signature.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Geographic eligibility:EU Member States. The Tender Specifications state participation is open to natural and legal persons and public entities in EU Member States and third countries that have concluded relevant procurement agreements with the EU and are covered by those agreements. In practice primary target: EU/EEA-based operators; third-country participation possible under applicable international procurement rules.

Target Sector

Sectors targeted:culture/museums/exhibitions (main CPV 92521100 - Museum-exhibition services), audiovisual and IT integration for cultural venues, conservation and collection handling, exhibition design and production, facilities maintenance for cultural buildings, accessibility and inclusive design, circular economy / sustainable procurement and environmental management for cultural heritage.

Mentioned Countries

Explicit country references in the documents:Belgium (place of performance: Brussels — Rue Belliard 135; EP buildings include ASP, WIM, SQM and others in Brussels). The contracting authority is the European Parliament (EU institution). Documents reference EU Member States generally and worldwide for intellectual property exploitation; Tender is published EU-wide with EU-wide participation rules.

Project Stage

Expected maturity:operational implementation and lifecycle services covering maintenance (operations and preventive/corrective maintenance), updates/renewals (design, production, installation) and occasional design-and-build projects for exhibition elements and temporary/touring exhibitions. Projects will range from daily operations and maintenance (operational) to renewal/design activities (design, production, implementation) and small demonstration/pilot updates (medium TRL).

Funding Amount

Estimated total value:€9,000,000 (frame maximum over the contract term). Specific contracts and order forms will be issued against the FWC with prices taken from Annex XII Price List. The financial offer format requires detailed unit prices, labour half-day rates and management fee percentages for reimbursable third-party costs; the Price List template and scenario must be completed by tenderers.

Application Type

Application method:Open call for tenders (electronic submission only) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal / eSubmission. A PIC and EU Login account are required. No postal or email submissions are accepted. Tenderers must follow eSubmission technical requirements (file size limits, naming, encryption).

Nature of Support

Beneficiaries receive service contracts (monetary payments for services delivered). This is paid work (monetary). The contract also includes non-monetary obligations (data reporting, training, tickets/ticketing system, documentation, source code delivery where applicable), but primary support is financial via procurement payments under the FWC/specific contracts.

Application Stages

Number of stages:1 procurement submission stage (full tender submission) followed by evaluation (quality threshold + price ranking) and award decision. Procedural steps include: submission -> virtual public opening -> administrative checks (exclusion, selection) -> quality evaluation (including case study) -> price evaluation -> award decision -> standstill period -> contract signature. The dossier also contemplates potential clarifications, site visit and possible two-step procurement for additional services via negotiated procedures under the FWC.

Success Rates

Published success rates:not provided. This is an open EU tender for a single FWC; award probability depends on number and quality of bids. Historically, framework agreements of this type attract multiple bidders; competition is expected strong in museum/exhibition maintenance and AV/IT integration sectors. No explicit success-rate statistics are supplied in the tender documents.

Co-funding Requirement

Co-funding:No co-funding requirement is stated. The tender is a public procurement: tenderers price their services and supplies; third-party supplier costs are reimbursed on presentation of original invoices (excluding VAT) and a management fee is payable to the Contractor as specified in the price list. Tenderers bear costs of preparing and submitting tenders.

Application content and templates — structure and mandatory items

Mandatory documents and structure to prepare a compliant tender (as defined in the Invitation and Annexes):

1. 1Declaration on the tenderer’s honour concerning exclusion and selection criteria (Annex III) — signed and dated for each legal entity (or each member of a group).
2. 2Tender specifications response: methodology (max 10 pages for key quality criterion), organisation chart, management of take-over from previous contractor (knowledge transfer 4 weeks), risk management, ticketing system proposal, environmental and accessibility strategies, and the case study deliverables as per Annex XI.
3. 3Technical capacity evidence: experience of at least 5 years in design, building and maintaining minimum two museum exhibitions with specified capabilities (sets/installation, furniture/showcases, graphic design, multimedia, electrical & AV/IT work), list of main services and references, certificates (EMAS or equivalent; ISO 9001 or equivalent) or proof of equivalent measures.
4. 4Key personnel CVs (Europass): on-site technician (>=5 years), senior ICT/AV technician (>=5 years), junior ICT/AV technician (>=3 years), project manager (>=5 years), handyman (>=3 years), designer(s), conservator/art-handler as required. Proof of English language capability.
5. 5Financial documentation: minimum turnover evidence €1,000,000 over last three financial years, professional indemnity insurance, financial statements, bank references (Annex VII).
6. 6Price offer: Annex XII Price List filled in (unit prices, estimated scenario values), management fee percentages for reimbursable third-party costs, all prices in euro and excluding VAT as required.
7. 7Case study: deliverables described in Annex XI (four case scenarios: show controller installation, complex projection, interactive experience, design/production of a new display) with methodology, schedule, resource allocation, rough budget and afterlife/circularity strategy.
8. 8Administrative templates: Financial identification form (Annex IV), declaration on subcontractors (Annex VI) if applicable, group information sheet (Annex V) for consortia, electronic invoicing registration (PEPPOL / F&T Portal guidance Annex IX/X).
9. 9Data protection and privacy compliance: acknowledgement of Data Protection Notice (Annex III data protection notice) and readiness to comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.
10. 10Health & Safety and site access documentation: Staff Handbook, permits to work, asbestos inventory references and compliance with HEH specific health & safety annexes (Annex I.b).

Notes on pricing and reimbursement:all prices must be all-inclusive and in euros (VAT excluded). Reimbursable third-party supplier costs are invoiced on presentation of original invoices (excluding VAT) and the contractor may charge a one-off management fee percentage as per Annex XII. Additional items not foreseen at tender stage are limited to a maximum of 5% of the total contract value per the FWC provisions when required for proper execution.

Procurement-specific legal, security and compliance obligations

Exclusion and selection:Tenderers must provide the signed declaration on honour (Annex III). The contracting authority will request documentary evidence before award. The Financial Regulation exclusion grounds (Articles 137–143 FR) apply: bankruptcy, final convictions for fraud/corruption/terrorism, grave professional misconduct, tax/social security breaches, significant deficiencies in performance, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent obligations, resistance to audits, etc. Remedial measures can be accepted in limited situations as described in the Financial Regulation and tender specifications.

Restrictive measures:Tenderers must ensure they, their subcontractors and entities on whose capacities they rely are not subject to restrictive measures (Regulation 833/2014 and related measures with respect to Russia). Annex VIII is the declaration on restrictive measures which must be completed. Bids from entities covered by the prohibitions will be rejected unless a legal exception applies and is documented.

Security and access:external staff must undergo security verifications and obtain access authorisations in accordance with EP rules. Contractor must ensure compliance with EP site safety and security rules; failure to obtain security accreditation for staff may lead to replacement requirements or contractual termination rights. Health & safety documentation (annex I.b series) must be used; permits to work and risk assessments are mandatory for certain operations.

Environmental and circularity requirements:Tenderers must include EMAS certification or equivalent, describe environmental measures and circular design approach (Annex I.d note on circular design) for production of exhibition elements; life-cycle, energy efficiency, FSC/PEFC wood, minimisation of packaging and transport emissions are mandatory policy considerations (Annex II European Parliament environmental policy). Accessibility: all new digital assets must comply with WCAG 2.2 where applicable.

Practical tendering tips and checklist (extracted from documents)

1. 1Register and obtain PIC in Participant Register and ensure EU Login with 2-factor authentication as required after June 2026.
2. 2Carefully complete Annex XII Price List scenario and provide clear unit prices and reimbursement rules; declare management fee percentages for third-party costs.
3. 3Prepare case study deliverables as per Annex XI (technical solutions, scheduling, staffing, budgets, afterlife and circularity plan).
4. 4Provide evidence for selection criteria: refs for 5+ years experience in similar museum exhibition projects, project lists, certificates, client references and completion certificates for major works in last five years.
5. 5Ensure CVs/Europass of key staff with project references and proof they can work in English.
6. 6Include EMAS (or equivalent) and ISO 9001 (or equivalent) certificates or equivalent proof of environmental and quality management.
7. 7Prepare financial statements and bank/insurance statements; minimum turnover €1,000,000 in the area covered by the contract over last three financial years.
8. 8Prepare the ticketing system proposal (web-based, role privileges, reporting, inventory management, export in open format) and include a plan for training HEH staff.
9. 9Detail take-over plan (no-cost knowledge transfer 4 weeks), continuity and migration of AV/IT and show controllers, and stock/inventory handovers.
10. 10Follow the Health & Safety annexes (Annex I.b) including permit-to-work process; provide required documentation in advance for site access.
11. 11Register for e-invoicing (PEPPOL or F&T Portal) and complete financial identification form; ensure invoices conform to EP invoicing rules.

What is this opportunity about and how to explain it?

This is a public tender for a comprehensive, long-term framework service contract to operate, maintain, update and produce exhibition-related works for the House of European History in Brussels. The contracting authority seeks a single framework contractor (or consortium) able to supply day-to-day technical operations (full-time onsite technician), weekly specialised AV/IT onsite support plus remote cover, punctual corrective and preventive maintenance, design and production for renewals and temporary/touring exhibitions, management of third-party suppliers, ticketing/helpdesk and inventory systems, and to comply with strict security, environmental, accessibility and data-protection requirements. The contractor will manage subcontractors where necessary, must provide evidence of museum/exhibition experience (design, AV/IT integration, scenography, conservation handling), meet minimum financial thresholds, and submit a quality-led technical proposal and price list. The award is based on best price-quality ratio with high quality thresholds for technical responsiveness, methodology, case study quality and capability to manage the take-over from the incumbent, with a total framework ceiling of €9 million over up to 4 years. If you are an exhibition services provider, AV/IT specialist, museum production house, or a consortium combining these capabilities, prepare a full compliant eSubmission incorporating the mandatory declarations, technical evidence, EMAS/ISO proof or equivalents, a strong case study, the completed price list and the operational plans described above to compete for the contract.

Footnotes

1. 1Full tender documentation, annexes and submission portal are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is an open tender procedure for exhibition maintenance, renewal and production services at the House of European History in Brussels. The European Parliament, through its Directorate-General for Communication, is seeking a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive maintenance and technical services for the permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, and touring exhibitions. The current maintenance contract has reached its end date, necessitating this open procurement procedure.

Opportunity Type and Reference:Open Tender Procedure. Procedure Identifier: EP-COMM/2026/OP/0002. TED Reference: 80/2026 280824-2026. Contract Notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 24 April 2026.

Total Estimated Value:€9,000,000 excluding VAT for the entire contract duration.

Contract Duration and Structure:The contract shall run for an initial period of 12 months, renewable three times for successive periods of one year, without exceeding a maximum duration of four years from entry into force. The contract is structured as a framework agreement without reopening of competition, with specific contracts or order forms to be issued for individual services.

Key Deadlines

Potential tenderers must send full names, dates of birth, nationalities and ID or passport numbers of their representatives to hehtenders@europarl.europa.eu at least two working days in advance to attend the site visit. A maximum of two representatives per economic operator may attend. All travel expenses are borne by the economic operators and will not be reimbursed.

Scope of Services

The contract covers comprehensive exhibition maintenance, renewal and production services for the House of European History, including the permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, and touring exhibitions. Services are mostly but not limited to the permanent exhibition and include maintenance of all exhibition elements, daily operations, installations and activities, together with renewals and updates.

Main Service Categories

• Daily technical operations with full-time onsite technician presence Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00 (40 hours per week)
• Specialised AV/IT technical operations including one day per week onsite presence (Monday 09:00-17:00) and remote support
• Corrective maintenance for repairs and replacement of exhibition items
• Preventive maintenance to care for equipment and reduce downtime
• Updates and renewals of exhibition elements and new design development
• Technical assistance outside general service hours for special events
• Temporary and touring exhibitions support
• Specialised technical support for audiovisual and IT hardware and software
• Ticketing system provision for issue tracking and management

Services specifically exclude general building maintenance such as general cleaning services, building repairs (e.g. dysfunctional blinds), and general facilities maintenance (e.g. air-conditioning system maintenance). However, reporting of temperature and relative humidity problems in galleries is included. The contractor must provide all equipment, tools, consumables and materials necessary for performance of maintenance services. The European Parliament supplies electrical power and water as needed.

Daily Technical Operations Requirements

The onsite technician must conduct daily walkthroughs of all museum levels after general start-up, checking visual and sound items, touchable items, exhibition lights, furniture, showcases, scenography, graphic elements, the central Vortex sculpture, replicas, showcase alarm systems and climate monitoring systems. Tasks include cleaning, repairs, battery replacements and documentation. The technician serves as the contact point for the House of European History regarding all maintenance services covered by the contract.

AV/IT Technical Operations

The contractor must maintain and support complex audiovisual and IT equipment including exhibition show controllers, DMX-based light controllers, media players, projectors, displays, mini-PCs, audio/video hardware, Android-based tablets with multimedia guides, environmental monitoring solutions and climate control software. The contractor must ensure maximum automation through show controllers and provide monthly reports on operational parameters. Remote diagnostics must be provided within one working day for standard issues and within two working days for major issues causing unavailability of entire AV/IT exhibits.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who Can Apply

Participation is open on equal terms to all natural or legal persons and public entities in European Union Member States and to natural and legal persons and public entities of third countries which have concluded specific public procurement agreements with the European Union. Tenderers must indicate their country of establishment and present supporting evidence normally acceptable under the law of that country.

Legal and Regulatory Capacity

Tenderers must be enrolled in a relevant professional or trade register, except for international organisations. In the case of groups of economic operators, each member must furnish proof of authorisation to perform the contract.

Financial and Economic Capacity

Tenderers must have a minimum turnover of €1,000,000 in the area covered by the contract over the last three financial years for which accounts have been closed. Appropriate professional risk indemnity insurance must be in place, in particular against risks and damage relating to performance of the contract as required by relevant legislation. Financial capacity will be assessed based on statements from banks, professional risk indemnity insurance evidence, income declarations for at least the two most recent financial years, financial statements for the last three years for which accounts have been closed, and statements of overall turnover and turnover in the area covered by the contract.

Technical and Professional Capacity

Tenderers must have at least five years of experience in design, building and maintaining at least two museum exhibitions where they carried out tasks similar in nature and complexity to those described in this procedure. Required experience includes sets and exhibition installations, manual interactives and models, museum components such as furniture and showcases, graphic design and museum signage, multimedia and audio-visual hardware, electrical engineering work, and implementation of accessibility standards.

Tenderers must provide an organisational chart with number of staff per department, a list of principal services provided and supplies delivered in the past three years with sums, dates and clients, and a list of works carried out in the last five years accompanied by certificates of satisfactory execution for the most important works. A list of past projects where accessibility standards were observed must be provided.

Tenderers must have a team of specialised personnel including an onsite technician with at least five years of experience maintaining at least two museum exhibitions with similar tasks, a Senior ICT and audio-visual technician with at least five years of relevant experience in hardware and software for museum exhibitions, a Junior ICT and audio-visual technician with at least three years of relevant experience, a Handyman with at least three years of relevant experience in integration of equipment in exhibitions, and a Project Manager with at least five years of experience in coordinating, delivering and implementing museum exhibitions. Europass CVs must be provided for all profiles demonstrating required experience with project references and proof of English language capability. The working language for the contract is English.

Environmental Management and Quality Standards

Tenderers must include in their tenders a copy of a certificate of compliance with the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) issued by an independent body. The European Parliament will accept equivalent certificates from bodies established in European Union Member States. The independent certifying body must comply with European Union legislation or European or international standards on certification. Tenderers unable to provide EMAS certificates may provide other proof of equivalent environmental management measures.

Tenderers must include a copy of a certificate of compliance with ISO 9001 or similar quality management standard issued by an independent body. The European Parliament will accept equivalent certificates from bodies established in other Member States. The independent certifying body must comply with European standards series concerning certification. If unable to provide the requested certification, tenderers may provide other proof of equivalent quality assurance measures.

Exclusion Criteria

Tenderers must not be in any of the exclusion situations defined in Articles 138 to 143 of the Financial Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. These include bankruptcy or insolvency, breach of tax or social security payment obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal offences, significant deficiencies in contract performance, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent legal obligations, and resistance to investigations or audits. All tenderers must submit a declaration on the tenderer's honour concerning exclusion and selection criteria, duly dated and signed.

Tenderers must ensure that they, their subcontractors, suppliers or entities whose capacities are relied on are not subject to restrictive measures adopted under Article 21 TEU or Article 215 TFEU. In particular, tenderers must comply with Regulation 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine. Tenders submitted by persons or entities falling within the prohibited categories shall be rejected unless an exception to the restrictive measures is applicable.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

The contract will be awarded to the tender offering the best price-quality ratio. Tenders will be evaluated on the basis of quality criteria (maximum 100 points) and price criterion (maximum 100 points), with a weighting of 50 percent for quality and 50 percent for price.

Quality Criteria Evaluation

To be selected for the price evaluation stage, candidates must obtain at least 70 points for quality criteria and reach the minimum required threshold for specific criteria. Quality evaluation includes four main criteria:

• Functional and technical quality of maintenance services (maximum 55 points, minimum 40 points) covering overall approach and methodology, allocation of resources and cooperation with the House of European History, work organisation and workflows, communication flows and procedures, management of take-over process from previous contractor, risk and problem management, and ticketing system proposal
• Environmental impact of services (maximum 5 points) addressing consumption of resources, waste and emissions, use of environmentally friendly packaging, reduction of packaging waste and transport emissions, and life cycle of materials
• Accessibility (maximum 5 points) covering accessibility strategy for all exhibition sections including Discovery Spaces for people with disabilities and other people in need
• Quality of case study (maximum 35 points, minimum 25 points) assessing efficiency, efficacy and quality of methodology for requested services and organisation of services

Quality documentation must be provided in English. Maximum page limits apply to each criterion. The case study must provide all deliverables outlined in the tender specifications.

Price Evaluation

A maximum of 100 points will be awarded for the price criterion. The lowest price of the scenario mentioned in the price list will be given the maximum number of points. Other tenders will be awarded points in proportion to their divergence from the lowest-priced tender. The price must be quoted excluding VAT and other equivalent indirect taxes and must be all-inclusive and expressed in euros.

Submission Requirements and Procedures

Submission Method and Address

Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the electronic submission system (eSubmission) available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenders submitted in any other way (e.g. by email or letter) will be rejected. Economic operators must register in the European Commission's Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC), a nine-digit number that acts as their unique identifier. Tenderers already registered should reuse their existing PICs.

The deadline for receipt of tenders is 23 June 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. The submission receipt provided by eSubmission, showing the official date and time of receipt (timestamp), constitutes proof of compliance with the deadline. Tenders received after the deadline will be rejected. It is not possible to submit a tender through eSubmission after the deadline indicated in the contract notice and on the portal.

Tender Content Requirements

Tenderers must ensure that tenders contain all information and documents required by the contracting authority as set out in the procurement documents at the time of submission. Tenders must be submitted in one of the official languages of the European Union. After submitting a tender but before the deadline, a tenderer may definitively withdraw its tender or withdraw it and replace it with a new one. A withdrawal receipt will be provided by eSubmission as proof of withdrawal.

No more than one tender can be considered per tenderer. If the same tenderer submits more than one tender and none is withdrawn as described above, only the latest tender will be considered. The tenderer may not refer to earlier submitted tenders to complement, clarify or correct its latest tender. All costs incurred in preparing and submitting tenders and in attending the opening session are borne by tenderers and will not be reimbursed.

Required Documentation

Tenderers must submit the following key documents:Declaration on the tenderer's honour concerning exclusion and selection criteria (Annex III), Financial identification form for suppliers (Annex IV), Information sheet concerning groups of economic operators if applicable (Annex V), Declaration concerning subcontractors if applicable (Annex VI), Financial data sheet (Annex VII), Declaration on the tenderer's honour concerning restrictive measures regarding Russia (Annex VIII), Financial identification form for electronic invoicing (Annex IX), Price list (Annex XII), and case study documentation as specified in Annex XI.

Tenderers must also provide EMAS and ISO 9001 certificates or equivalent environmental management and quality management documentation, organisational charts, lists of past projects and services, Europass CVs for required personnel profiles, and all other supporting documents specified in the tender specifications.

Groups of Economic Operators

Groups of economic operators may submit a tender. Annex V must be completed and included with the tender. The European Parliament reserves the right to require the group selected to have a given legal form if necessary for proper performance of the contract. This requirement may be communicated at any time during the contract award procedure but at all events before the contract is signed. The group must provide proof of its legal form by the time the contract is signed, which may take the form of an entity with legal personality recognised by a Member State, an entity without legal personality but offering sufficient protection of the European Parliament's contractual interests, or a power of attorney or equivalent document confirming a form of cooperation signed by all partners.

Tenders from groups of economic operators must specify the role, qualifications and experience of each member of the group. The tender must be submitted jointly by the economic operators, who must also assume joint and several liability for the tender submission. Each member must furnish proof of right of access to the contract (eligibility) and proof concerning compliance with exclusion and selection criteria. The European Parliament may rely on the capacity of other members of the group to establish whether the tenderer will have the resources needed to perform the contract, in which case an undertaking is required from those members stating they will make available to the other members the resources needed.

Subcontracting

Subcontracting is permitted. If the tenderer uses subcontractors, Annex VI must be completed and included with the tender. The tender must give details, as far as possible, of the part of the contract which the tenderer proposes to subcontract and the identity of the subcontractors. During the contract award procedure or performance of the contract, the European Parliament reserves the right to require tenderers to supply information about the financial, economic, technical and professional capacity of proposed subcontractors. The European Parliament may demand proof to establish whether subcontractors comply with requisite exclusion criteria. Proposed subcontractors may not be in any of the situations described in Articles 138 to 143 of the Financial Regulation.

The European Parliament shall verify whether envisaged subcontractors, when subcontracting represents a significant part of the contract, fulfil the relevant selection criteria. The European Parliament is entitled to reject any subcontractor who does not comply with exclusion or selection criteria. The European Parliament must be informed by the Contractor of any subsequent use of subcontracting not provided for in the tender. The authorising officer responsible reserves the right to accept or reject the proposed subcontractor. If the contract is awarded to a tenderer who proposes a subcontractor in its tender, this equates to giving consent for the subcontracting.

Contact and Communication During Procedure

There must be no contact between the contracting authority and tenderers at any point during the procedure, save in exceptional circumstances and under specific conditions. Any request for additional information must be made in writing only by clicking 'Create question' in the 'Questions and answers' section at the EU Funding and Tenders Portal link. EU Login registration is required to create and submit a question. The contracting authority is under no obligation to reply to requests for additional information received fewer than six working days before the deadline for receipt of tenders.

The contracting authority may, on its own initiative, inform interested parties of any error, inaccuracy, omission or any other type of clerical error in the text of the procurement documents. Any additional information will be published at the portal link. It is the economic operator's responsibility to check for updates and modifications during the submission period.

Opening of Tenders

Tenders will be opened in a virtual opening session on 23 June 2026 at 14:00 Brussels time. A maximum of two representatives per tenderer may attend. Tenderers may ask to attend the opening by sending an email to hehtenders@europarl.europa.eu as quickly as possible and no later than one working day before the scheduled start of the virtual opening session. The request must include the full name(s) and email address(es) of the tenderer's representative(s), the name of the tenderer being represented, and the submission receipt generated by eSubmission. The contracting authority reserves the right to refuse access to the virtual opening session if the information listed above is not provided. Representatives will receive an email invitation containing the meeting details and instructions on how to attend.

The public part of the opening session will be strictly limited to verification that each tender has been submitted in accordance with submission requirements and announcement of tenders received, which entails announcing the names of tenderers (all members for joint tenders). Tenderers not present at the opening session may send an information request to hehtenders@europarl.europa.eu if they wish to be provided with the information announced during the public opening.

Contract Terms and Conditions

Payment and Invoicing

100 percent of the total value indicated in the specific contract or order form shall be payable following provision of the services and their acceptance by the European Parliament. The price shall be payable after the Contractor has correctly delivered all supplies and provided any ancillary services and after those supplies and services have been accepted.

Invoices or credit notes must be submitted in electronic format either by using the Pan-European Public Procurement Online platform (PEPPOL), by using the Funding and Tenders Portal, or by email to dgcomm-finances@europarl.europa.eu. In exceptional cases, the European Parliament will allow invoices to be sent by post and in paper form for contractors established outside the European Union, contracts involving no more than five invoices per year, or in case of malfunction of the PEPPOL platform or Funding and Tenders Portal.

The purchase order number must be indicated on invoices or credit notes. Monthly payments are made for daily technical operations. To be admissible, requests for payment at the end of each calendar month must be accompanied by a monthly report and relevant invoices indicating the purchase order number. For punctual services and third-party services, requests for payment upon completion must be accompanied by an acceptance report and relevant invoices. The European Parliament shall have a period of 30 calendar days in which to make the payment and approve the final report.

Price Revision

With effect from the second year of the contract, the price shall be revised upwards or downwards each year on the anniversary of the entry into force of the contract at the request of one of the contracting parties, sent by registered letter to the other contracting party no later than three months before the anniversary date. Price revision shall be carried out on the basis of changes in the index of consumer prices published every month by the Statistical Office of the European Union, using a specified formula with fixed and variable components.

Warranty

For each product resulting from the services, the Contractor shall grant a warranty period of two years with effect from the date of completion of the services. During the warranty period, the Contractor shall be required to remedy any errors or malfunctions notified in writing by the European Parliament within a period of 10 calendar days of such notification.

Contractor's Liability and Breach of Obligations

The Contractor shall be liable for any damage, harm and/or loss caused to the European Parliament or third parties by the Contractor, its staff and/or its subcontractors and their staff in connection with performance of the contract, particularly in the case of non-performance, incorrect performance or late performance.

If the Contractor breaches its contractual obligations, the European Parliament may apply one or more of the following measures: a flat-rate penalty for each day of delay (0.2 percent of the value of services provided late, with a total maximum of 20 percent), proportional price reduction for failure to provide services in accordance with quality standards or provision of only part of services, unilateral determination of damage or harm actually suffered based on supporting documents, or performance by substitution in cases of urgency to ensure correct performance with reimbursement of additional costs from the Contractor.

Termination

The European Parliament may terminate the contract as of right, either in full or in part, without recourse to legal proceedings and without compensation in several cases including if the Contractor is in bankruptcy or insolvency, if the Contractor has misrepresented information required for participation, if the Contractor is in a situation constituting conflict of interest, if a change in the Contractor's legal, financial, technical or organisational situation could have material effect on performance, if the Contractor fails to comply with specified obligations, if the Contractor is in serious breach of contractual obligations, if the procurement procedure or performance is found to be subject to material errors, irregularities, corruption or fraud, or if the contract is in an area subject to rapid changes in prices and technology and mid-term review shows terms no longer reflect current prices or technology.

Any termination shall be preceded by notice sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. The party receiving the notice shall have the opportunity to present observations within 15 calendar days from the date of dispatch of the letter. The contract may be terminated if no action or inadequate action has been taken in response to the notice. Termination shall be notified by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt and shall take effect on the date of receipt of the letter of termination or on any other date referred to in that letter.

Intellectual Property Rights

The European Parliament shall irrevocably acquire ownership of the results and of all intellectual property rights arising from the contract, in particular on newly created material produced specifically for the European Parliament under the contract and included in the results, without prejudice to the rules applicable to pre-existing rights on pre-existing materials. Unless otherwise provided in the Specific Terms and Conditions, the European Parliament shall acquire those rights in all territories worldwide.

The European Parliament shall not acquire ownership of pre-existing rights under the contract. The Contractor shall license the pre-existing rights on a royalty-free, non-exclusive and irrevocable basis to the European Parliament, which may use the pre-existing materials for all modes of exploitation set out in the contract. All pre-existing rights shall be licensed to the European Parliament from the moment the results are delivered and accepted.

When delivering results with which intellectual property rights are associated, the Contractor shall warrant that for any modes of exploitation the European Parliament may envisage within the limits set in the contract, all necessary pre-existing rights have been obtained or licensed and the results and pre-existing material incorporated in the results are free of claims from creators or third parties. The Contractor shall sign a declaration to that effect on the results and on the list of pre-existing rights.

Data Protection

All processing of personal data by the European Parliament is subject to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. The processing of personal data by the Contractor on behalf of the European Parliament is also subject to this Regulation, and the Contractor shall comply with all obligations deriving therefrom. The Contractor and its subcontractors carrying out processing activities on behalf of the European Parliament are processors within the meaning of the Regulation.

The Contractor shall process personal data only for the purposes indicated by the controller and may act only on documented instructions from the controller. The Contractor shall notify relevant personal data breaches to the controller without undue delay and at latest within 48 hours after becoming aware of the breach. The Contractor shall ensure that all contracts concluded with subcontractors for carrying out processing activities on behalf of the European Parliament lay down the same data protection obligations as set out in the contract.

Environmental and Sustainability Requirements

The Contractor shall undertake to comply with the environmental legislation in force in the field of the contract. The European Parliament applies the EMAS environmental management system in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009. The successful tenderer will be required to ensure that information provided by the European Parliament on the EMAS programme and implementation of environmental measures in practice is known by all staff working for the European Parliament.

For corrective maintenance operations in the permanent exhibition, the Contractor must enhance the life duration and sustainability of any replaced element by choosing the most sustainable solutions and provide proof of that. A warranty must be committed that ensures the life duration of the replaced element. For design and production of new elements, the Contractor must follow the circular exhibition procedure as described in the tender specifications.

In case of replacement or addition of new elements in exhibitions, all appliances bearing an energy efficiency label must be of the highest energy efficiency available on the market. All wood elements must be certified FSC or PEFC. In all sections of exhibitions including Discovery Spaces, the Contractor should take accessibility into consideration in constant dialogue with House of European History teams. All new apps introduced should be compliant with WCAG 2.2 standard.

Security Provisions

For performance of the contract, the Contractor undertakes to comply and to assure that persons acting on their behalf comply with national and internal safety and security rules which apply to access to the European Parliament's premises, locations or events, and with any other comparable applicable rules. The Contractor is aware that such compliance might include the obligation to obtain a security clearance for themselves and any person acting on their behalf from the competent services of the European Parliament and/or national authorities.

The Contractor shall cooperate with the competent security service of the European Parliament to assist in carrying out its security duties and tasks. Such cooperation includes immediate reporting of any changes of persons authorised to act on behalf of the Contractor and any matters of potential security concern. If a person acting on the Contractor's behalf fails to obtain or loses security accreditation or security clearance, the Contractor must replace them immediately. Any other failure to comply with applicable safety and security rules entitles the European Parliament to have the member of staff replaced. Replacement staff must have obtained necessary security accreditations and/or security clearances and be capable of performing the contract under the same contractual conditions.

Key Applicant Information

Tenderers must declare if they are a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC. An SME is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 250 persons and has an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million.

Additional Important Information

The Contractor may not use photographs of the exterior or interior of the European Parliament's premises for advertising or commercial purposes without the European Parliament's prior authorisation in writing. The European Parliament's authorisation may be subject to specific conditions and limited to a fixed period.

The Contractor must not use the European Parliament's logo and image without prior authorisation in writing. The Contractor and its staff may not claim to represent the European Parliament unless authorised to do so in writing. The Contractor and its staff must inform third parties that they are not members of the European Union civil service.

The Contractor must ensure that its staff have the professional qualifications and experience required for performance of the contract in accordance with criteria laid down in the tender documents. In the event of any incident connected with an act or omission by a member of the Contractor's staff working on the European Parliament's premises, or in the event of qualifications and/or experience of a member of the Contractor's staff failing to comply with the profile required under the contract, the Contractor must replace that person immediately upon a reasoned request from the European Parliament.

The contract must be performed in such a way as to rule out the Contractor or its staff being in a position identical to that of persons employed by the European Parliament. In particular, staff executing tasks may not be given direct orders by the European Parliament, neither the Contractor nor its staff may be integrated into the European Parliament's administrative organisation, and under no circumstances may the European Parliament be considered the employer of the Contractor's staff.

The Contractor must take all appropriate measures (insurance and other measures) to cover its staff against all risks to which they may be exposed during performance of the contract. The Contractor shall take out the insurance policies against risks relating to performance of the contract which are required by applicable legislation and any additional policies, including professional insurance policies, which are customary in its field of activity and tailored to the value of the contract.

The European Parliament may check or require an audit of the performance of the contract to verify correct performance of obligations and investigate any suspected fraud. Such checks and audits may be carried out in part or in full by the European Parliament's staff or its authorised external representative. They may be carried out from the signing of the contract until five years after the date of payment of the balance. The Contractor must grant the European Parliament's staff and/or external persons authorised by the European Parliament the appropriate right of access to sites and premises where the contract is performed.

The Contractor must keep all documents connected with performance of the contract on any appropriate medium for a period of five years from the date of payment of the balance, unless a longer period is required by applicable law. The costs of performing these obligations shall be included in the contract price.

The Contractor shall undertake to observe a policy on the promotion of equality and diversity in the performance of the contract by applying the principles of non-discrimination and equality set out in the Community Treaties in full and in their entirety. The tenderer awarded the contract shall undertake to establish, maintain and promote an open and inclusive working environment which respects human dignity and the principles of equal opportunities, based on equality between men and women, employment and integration of disabled persons, and removal of all obstacles to recruitment and all potential discrimination based on sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or convictions, disability, age or sexual orientation.

For detailed information on all requirements, conditions, and procedures, applicants must consult the complete tender documentation available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal at EU Funding and Tenders Portal. All annexes, technical specifications, contract templates, and evaluation criteria are available for download from this portal. Applicants are strongly advised to review all documentation thoroughly before submitting their tenders.