ICTSS IV - ICT Support Services IV

CEDEFOP has launched an open procurement (ref CEDEFOP/2026/OP/0010) to award a single-provider framework contract for ICT support services, with submission by 15 September 2026. The contract covers operational ICT support for Microsoft technologies (Windows Server, Microsoft 365, Azure, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Power Apps and Purview), on-premises and cloud Unix servers, and Microsoft SQL Server, and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The framework is initially 12 months renewable up to a planned 48-month use, with an estimated 1,790 person-days and a €134,000 database monitoring budget over four years. Award criteria are quality 60% and price 40%, and all documents and eSubmission are via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

What it funds

Scope summary

Framework contract for ICT support services (CPV 72000000) to provide a range of IT services to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). Contract duration planned 48 months with an initial 12-month period, renewable up to three times.

Who can apply:Legal entities offering ICT services (service providers) able to meet the selection and qualification requirements in the tender documents; submission is via eSubmission through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

1. 1Lead contracting authority: CEDEFOP (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training)
2. 2Procedure: open procurement with framework agreement / framework contract
3. 3Awarding criteria weight: quality 60%, price 40%

Submission method required:eSubmission. The tender package (invitation, specifications, annexes) was published on 21/07/2026; consult the official tender page for full documents and formal requirements Tender details.

Submission, process and staging

Application type and submission:open tender via eSubmission (Funding and Tenders Portal). The submission method code is ESUBMISSION and submission is required electronically. A clarification / additional information request period closes 07 September 2026; bidders should use the portal to request clarifications within the allowed period. The tender specifies an open tender event date for administrative opening / clarification on 17 September 2026. Required documents: completed e-submission forms, evidence for selection criteria (economic/financial capacity, technical/professional capacity), declarations on exclusion, and the administrative, technical and financial offers as required by the Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications.

Application stages:Primary stage: single-stage open procurement process (submission of full tender). Following opening and admissibility checks, evaluation stage covering selection and award based on quality and price. There may be a clarification/negotiation step if permitted in the tender rules, but the metadata shows a standard single-stage submission followed by evaluation and award.

Templates, documentation and where to find them

Available procurement documents (as published):1. Invitation-to-tender-e-submission_V1.pdf (Invitation to tender and eSubmission instructions). 2. Tender specifications_V1.pdf (technical, administrative, contractual requirements). 3. Annexes to Specifications_V1.zip (annexes with technical schedules, draft contract, price schedules, templates and forms). These are the primary templates and forms bidders must complete and submit via the portal. All templates and mandatory forms are contained in the Annexes and in the eForms available through the Funding and Tenders Portal. Bidders must use the eSubmission forms provided and follow the exact structure requested in the Invitation to Tender; non-compliant submissions risk exclusion.

1. 1Download Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications and Annexes from the Funding & Tenders Portal.
2. 2Register and prepare eSubmission forms (use Funding and Tenders Portal eForms).
3. 3Prepare selection evidence: financial statements, professional references, CVs of key staff, relevant certifications.
4. 4Prepare technical offer addressing service scope, methodology, organisation, personnel, security and data protection measures.
5. 5Prepare financial offer and price schedule following the template in the Annexes.
6. 6Submit via eSubmission by the closing date and time (15/09/2026 15:59:59 local time).

Selection and compliance risks

Key compliance points:bidders must satisfy mandatory exclusion and selection criteria documented in the procurement package. Evidence of legal existence, absence of conflicts of interest, compliance with data protection and security requirements for EU agencies, and the capacity to implement the services for the duration of the framework will be assessed. Failure to provide required supporting documents or to follow eSubmission templates can lead to exclusion or disqualification. The SME suitability indicator is false — the tender is not reserved for SMEs.

Commercial and operational considerations for bidders

The tender is for a framework agreement. Under such frameworks, CEDEFOP will place call-offs or direct orders for specific services during the framework term; bidders must be prepared to accept orders under the terms of the framework and comply with ordering procedures, electronic ordering and invoicing. The framework initially runs for 12 months and may be renewed up to three times; the planned procurement horizon in metadata is 48 months. Bidders should review the draft framework contract included in the Annexes for termination, liability, confidentiality and data protection clauses and for any subcontracting rules and staff security clearance requirements.

Award weighting and proposal emphasis:Quality accounts for 60 percent of the score and price for 40 percent. Prepare a strong technical and organisational proposal (service management, SLA approach, staffing, continuity and disaster recovery, cybersecurity, GDPR compliance, references and case studies) to maximize the quality score while keeping pricing competitive and aligned with the provided price schedule templates.

Other administrative and contact information

Tender publication identifiers / gazette references:contract notice 503058-2026; Gazette 138/2026; publication date 21/07/2026; corrigendum published 24/07/2026. Portal link for the tender: ec.europa.eu. Lead contracting authority web presence: cedefop.europa.eu. For clarifications use the portal Q&A/clarifications facility within the allowed additional information request period (deadline indicated in the procurement data).

Risk, co-funding and commercial model

Co-funding:not applicable — this is a procurement/contracting opportunity in which the selected contractor is remunerated against delivered services under the contract. Bidders must propose fixed or unit prices according to the price schedule; payment and invoicing conditions are set out in the draft framework contract. Success rate: not disclosed; public tenders typically have low award probability depending on the number of bidders and market concentration. There is no indication of required bidder co-funding or contributions by the contractor beyond delivery of contracted services.

Success factors and recommendations for applicants

1. 1Carefully read the Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications and all Annexes — compliance with mandatory requirements is critical.
2. 2Follow exactly the eSubmission templates and forms; populate price schedules using the provided Annex templates.
3. 3Document relevant experience and references for ICT support services to EU institutions or comparable organisations and include CVs for key proposed staff.
4. 4Demonstrate strong capability in service management, SLAs, cybersecurity, GDPR compliance and continuity planning.
5. 5Prepare a clear pricing model aligned with the procurement’s price evaluation methodology to remain competitive while protecting margin.
6. 6Submit clarification questions early via the portal before the additional information request deadline.

This tender includes mandatory procurement documents and forms. Bidders should plan internal timelines to gather documentation, secure consortia or subcontractors if needed, and complete the eSubmission well before the portal closing time to avoid technical submission issues.

Documents and templates referenced:Invitation-to-tender-e-submission_V1.pdf; Tender specifications_V1.pdf; Annexes to Specifications_V1.zip — these contain the detailed templates for eForms, technical offer structure, price schedule, contractual clauses and the draft framework contract. See the procurement page for direct downloads and version history Procurement documents. ¹

Explicitly mentioned countries and geographic references

The contracting authority is CEDEFOP, an EU agency based in Greece (Thessaloniki). The procurement is published through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and intended to be run under EU procurement rules; explicit country list for bidder eligibility is not reproduced in the scraped metadata and must be confirmed in the Tender Specifications (typical practice permits bidders established in EU Member States and EEA / third countries as specified by the contracting authority).

Project stage and expected maturity

Project stage:operational delivery and service provision. This is not a research or development call; it targets operational ICT service provision, maintenance and support, and possibly managed services at production maturity. Bidders must be established service providers capable of immediate delivery upon award.

Comprehensive summary

What this opportunity is about and why it matters:CEDEFOP has published a public procurement for ICT Support Services IV to establish a framework agreement for the provision of ICT support services. The procurement is intended to secure ICT operational support, technical maintenance, service desk and related managed IT services for CEDEFOP under a framework contract. The award is based on quality (60) and price (40). The tender is an open eSubmission process on the Funding & Tenders Portal with key documents published (Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications and Annexes). The initial framework duration is 12 months with renewals possible, and the planned procurement horizon is up to 48 months of use. Bidders should be established ICT service providers that can meet EU agency security, data protection and service management requirements, must submit electronically by 15 September 2026, and must follow the templates and evidence requirements included in the procurement documents. This is a procurement contract (remunerated services), not a research grant; commercial and contractual terms are set out in the draft framework contract included with the tender documentation.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents were published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal on 21/07/2026; revision/corrigendum published 24/07/2026. Use the portal to access the current versions of Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications and Annexes.

This is an open procurement tender launched by Cedefop to conclude a framework contract for ICT support services, with the main tender deadline on 15 September 2026 and the reference CEDEFOP/2026/OP/0010.[1]

Procurement summary

What the contract covers

The scope includes services for the smooth functioning and continuous operation of Cedefop's ICT infrastructure, including Microsoft technologies such as Windows Server, Windows client operating systems, Microsoft 365, Azure, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Power Apps and Purview, plus open-source Unix servers hosted on premises or in the cloud and Microsoft SQL Server database systems hosted on premises or in Microsoft Azure.[1][5]

Contract duration, volume and award model

Who can apply

The opportunity is open to economic operators eligible to access the EU procurement market under Article 179 of the Financial Regulation, as summarized in the tender aggregation source.[2]

Submission and clarification rules

Practical implications for applicants

• Bidders should show strong operational capability in mixed Microsoft, Unix and SQL Server environments because the scope covers all three areas.[1][5]
• This is a framework contract, so the winning bidder is expected to provide ongoing ICT support rather than a one-off project delivery.[1][5]
• Price matters, but quality is the dominant award factor at 60 percent, so technical methodology and service capability will likely be decisive.[3]
• Any clarification questions should be submitted before the 7 September 2026 deadline because responses are only guaranteed through the official portal process.[1]