In-country Support Services - Central Asia

The European Training Foundation (ETF) invites tenders for a framework contract to provide in-country support services across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The estimated overall contract amount is €1,700,000 for a framework period of up to 48 months (initial 12 months renewable three times) to deliver meeting organisation, logistics, participant reimbursements, language services, ad hoc consultancy and related add-on services. Eligible applicants are legal entities or consortia able to provide services in all five countries and must submit required annexes including financial solvency and professional capacity evidence. Submissions are mandatory via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission by 2026-07-23 at 16:00:59 UTC.

What it funds

Summary

Framework contract to provide in‑country support services for the European Training Foundation (ETF) across Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Services are delivered on request and include meeting organisation, logistics, participant reimbursements, language services, ad hoc consultancy and other add‑on services.

Estimated contract value:€1 700 000 (estimated overall contract amount for the planned period) ¹

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities or consortia able to operate in all listed Central Asian countries; single contractors, joint tenders or use of subcontractors is permitted.
2. 2Duration: planned period 48 months; framework initially 12 months with up to 3 renewals (consult draft contract).
3. 3Key requirements: timely country information, cooperation with national stakeholders and suppliers, proficiency in local/official languages, ability to provide listed service types on request.
4. 4Submission: electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; deadline 23 July 2026 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Rome).

Lead contracting authority:European Training Foundation (ETF). Tender documents, draft contract and annexes published on the portal. Apply through the official opportunity page Tender details ETF2026.

Footnotes

1. 1Estimated value shown in tender metadata (requested tender total €1 700 000). See financial proposal template in the procurement documents.

Basic procurement facts

Opportunity title:In-country Support Services - Central Asia. Reference / Call Identifier: ETF/2026/OP/0001. Contracting authority: European Training Foundation (ETF). Procedure type: public procurement (tender). Main CPV code: 79952000 (Conference, congress and trade show organisation services). Estimated total procedure value / Estimated overall contract amount: €1 700 000. Planned contract duration: framework contract for an initial period of 12 months, renewable three times (total planned duration up to 48 months).

Deadlines:Deadline for submission: 23 July 2026 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Rome timezone). Open tender event (possible opening): 24 July 2026 at 10:00 (local time). Last date to request additional information: 15 July 2026. There is an intermediate date shown (01 January 2026 14:00:59 UTC) but the official tender closing date is 23 July 2026 16:00:59 ¹.

Scope of services required

The ETF is seeking a contractor able to deliver in-country support services for ETF activities across the Central Asia countries listed below. Services will be requested on demand and must be available and deliverable in each country covered by the contract. The provider must be able to supply up-to-date local information, cooperate with national stakeholders and suppliers, and be proficient in the official languages of the countries where services are delivered.

1. 1A. Organisation of meetings — full meeting management and administration (planning, venue selection and booking, participant management, session logistics, on-site coordination).
2. 2B. Logistics organisation — travel logistics, accommodation booking, transport, venue set-up, IT and equipment provisioning, and other event logistics.
3. 3C. Handling and administration of reimbursements to participants — processing, documentation, secure payments and record-keeping of participant reimbursements and per diems in compliance with ETF rules.
4. 4D. Language services — interpretation and translation (consecutive, simultaneous, written translation) in the official and working languages relevant to the countries.
5. 5E. Ad hoc consultancy services — short-term local consultancy, research, local stakeholder engagement, facilitation, field visits and context analysis.
6. 6F. Add-on services — procurement of local supplies, printing, outreach, communications support, health and safety measures, and other supplementary services required for ETF activities.

Geographic and country coverage

This framework contract covers the five Central Asian countries where ETF requires in-country support: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The contractor must provide services in each of these countries either directly, via a joint tender, subcontracting, or a combination of joint tendering and subcontracting arrangements.

Eligible applicants

The tender documentation allows different legal setups for bidders. Eligible applicant types include private companies (including SMEs and large enterprises), consortia or joint ventures, non-governmental organisations, nonprofit organisations, professional service providers (conference organisers, language service providers, logistics companies), and other entities legally established and able to perform contracts. Individual natural persons are unlikely to meet the requirement to provide services across multiple countries and to meet selection criteria; legal entities or consortia are the intended applicants. Bidders may use subcontractors to deliver services. Specific selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the tender documentation and the mandatory Declaration on Honour (Annex C).

Consortium and subcontracting:The tender explicitly permits: sole provider bids, joint tendering with other providers (consortium/joint venture) and/or use of subcontractors. The contract requires the ability to deliver services in each country; therefore consortia or subcontracting arrangements are commonly used. The tender documents provide guidance on submission rules for joint tenders and subcontracting and on how to present capacities of partners and subcontractors.

Funding and contract model

This is a procurement / tender opportunity for a framework services contract with the ETF, not a grant. The funding type is public procurement (services contract). The estimated overall contract amount is €1 700 000 for the framework period. The framework contract is concluded for an initial 12 months with up to three renewals. Payment modalities, invoicing and financial conditions are described in the draft contract and financial offer template (Annex G scenario financial proposal).

Application and submission specifics

Submission method:electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission) using the Funding and Tenders Portal eForms/online submission tools. The tender is open (public call) and documents are published on the Portal. Applicants must complete and upload required tender documents including Invitation, Tender Specifications, Annexes (Annex A contact details, Annex B1-B3, Annex C Declaration on Honour, Annex D professional technical capacity, Annex E financial solvency, Annex F minimum requirements, Annex G financial offer template), and Draft Contract. The Tender specifications contain detailed selection, exclusion, and award criteria and the scoring model (quality 60% / price 40% as indicated in the tendering terms).

1. 1Submission channel: Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission (required electronic submission).
2. 2Mandatory documents: Annex C Declaration on Honour (Exclusion and Selection), Tender Specifications, Draft Contract, Financial offer using Annex G, proofs of financial solvency (Annex E), technical capacity (Annex D), minimum requirements (Annex F), contact details (Annex A).
3. 3Language: Documents and submissions are in English (tender language indicated as EN).
4. 4Deadlines for clarifications: Additional information request period closes on 15 July 2026; bidders should consult the Portal for amendments or Q&A.

Award criteria, evaluation and stages

Awarding criteria:The procurement documentation indicates a weighted award structure combining quality and price. The high-level weighting given in the tendering terms is 60% quality and 40% price. Detailed sub-criteria, thresholds, scoring methodology and pass/fail minimum requirements are defined in the Tender Specifications and Annex F (Minimum requirements).

1. 1Evaluation stages: 1) Compliance check and exclusion/selection assessment (administrative and eligibility verification using Declaration on Honour and supporting evidence); 2) Technical evaluation of the tender (quality criteria, experience, professional and technical capacity); 3) Financial evaluation and combined scoring (price). Thereafter contract award and signature of the framework contract.
2. 2Number of application stages: 3 (administrative/eligibility, technical/quality, financial/price).

Success rates and competition

The tender notice does not publish historical success rates or the expected number of winners. As a single-lot framework contract, typically one contractor (or one successful consortium) will be awarded the lot, though the framework may allow multiple suppliers in some procurements; bidders should consult the Tender Specifications and Draft Contract for confirmation on the number of framework contractors to be awarded. Overall competition depends on market interest and specialised capacity to operate across all five Central Asian countries.

Co-funding and financial requirements

Co-funding:No co-funding from the applicant is required as this is a procurement contract where payments are made by the contracting authority under contract terms. Bidders must demonstrate financial solvency and provide the financial offer in the specified format (Annex G). The procurement documents include Annex E Financial solvency which lists required financial evidence and thresholds.

Beneficiary scope and geographic eligibility

Beneficiaries / eligible applicants:legal entities established in accordance with the laws of any country allowed under the procurement rules of the ETF and the European Commission. The tender does not limit bidders to EU-only legal entities; international providers capable of operating in the specified Central Asian countries can bid. Bidders must be able to provide services in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Target sector and required expertise

Target sector:professional services related to event management, logistics, translation and interpretation, local consultancy and administrative support for an EU agency working in human capital, education, training and labour market projects. Required expertise includes: event and meeting organisation in-country, logistics and procurement, financial administration of participant reimbursements, certified language services, local research and facilitation, and administration in compliance with EU/ETF rules.

Technical and administrative requirements (selection and minimum criteria)

Bidders must satisfy exclusion criteria (no grounds for exclusion), selection criteria (sufficient economic/financial and professional/technical capacity) and minimum requirements as set out in the Tender Specifications and Annex F. Typical requirements include: proof of legal status, VAT/registration documentation if applicable, financial statements demonstrating solvency, references and past performance in similar in-country support services across the region, CVs of key personnel, evidence of language capacities, and capacity to process participant reimbursements and ensure financial controls. Annex D covers professional and technical capacity details, Annex E covers financial solvency evidence, and Annex F lists minimum requirements that must be met.

Templates and application forms

The tender package includes templates and annexes that bidders must complete and upload. Key templates: Annex A Contact details (PDF), Annex C Declaration on Honour (Word template), Annex D Professional Technical Capacity (PDF), Annex E Financial Solvency (PDF), Annex F Minimum requirements (PDF), Annex G Scenario financial proposal (Excel). The Financial offer must follow the Annex G scenario financial proposal workbook. The Draft Contract is provided and bidders should review it for contractual terms, renewal provisions and liability/insurance requirements. All submission templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page and must be completed in the prescribed format and language.

Nature of support and payment

Nature of support:This procurement results in paid service contracts; beneficiaries (contractor) will receive monetary payments for delivered services under the contract in accordance with invoicing and payment terms in the Draft Contract. The ETF will not provide non-financial services; it will procure services from the contractor and pay for them according to contract milestones and invoicing.

Contract model and renewals

Contract model:framework services contract (the Draft Contract is provided in the tender documents). Duration: initial 12 months, renewable three times (consult Draft Contract for renewal conditions). The tendering process and award will lead to signature of a framework contract under which specific calls for services (call-offs) will be issued and executed. Electronic ordering and electronic payments are foreseen in the post-award process.

How evaluation weightings are applied

High-level award weighting indicated in procurement project metadata:quality 60% and price 40%. Detailed breakdown of quality sub-criteria, thresholds, scoring and pass/fail elements are specified in the Tender Specifications and must be followed. Bidders should carefully follow the technical proposal format and address all quality sub-criteria to maximize their score.

Mentioned countries

Explicitly mentioned countries where services must be provided:Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

Project maturity / expected delivery stage

Project stage:operational delivery and implementation. The opportunity seeks service providers able to implement and deliver in-country support, logistics, language services and short-term consultancy — this is a delivery/implementation stage contract rather than research or product development.

Success rates and likely competition

The call does not publish explicit success rate statistics. As a single-lot framework call with an estimated overall value, typically one supplier (or one lead contractor within an awarded consortium) will be selected. Competition is expected among specialised regional providers and international suppliers with in-country networks. Success will depend on meeting minimum requirements, strong technical proposal, regional coverage and competitive pricing.

Key documents to consult (available on the Portal)

1. 1Tender specifications (ETF2026OP0001_Tender_specifications_CA_V1.pdf) — contains full procurement rules, selection/exclusion criteria, minimum requirements and award criteria.
2. 2Invitation document (ETF2026OP0001_Invitation_V1.pdf).
3. 3Annex A Contact details (ETF2026OP0001_Annex_A_Contact_details_V1.pdf).
4. 4Annex B1, B2, B3 (technical / administrative annexes) — see Tender Package.
5. 5Annex C Declaration on Honour (ETF2026OP0001_Annex_C_Declaration_Exclusion_Selection_V1.docx) — mandatory.
6. 6Annex D Professional technical capacity (ETF2026OP0001_Annex_D_professional_technical_capacity_V1.pdf).
7. 7Annex E Financial solvency (ETF2026OP0001_Annex_E_Financial_solvency_V1.pdf).
8. 8Annex F Minimum requirements (ETF2026OP0001_Annex_F_Decl_Minimum-req_V1.pdf).
9. 9Annex G Financial offer template (ETF2026OP0001_Annex_G_scenario_financial_proposal_V1.xlsx).
10. 10Draft contract (ETF2026OP0001_Draft_contract_V1.pdf).
11. 11Appendix I and II: Guidelines on Green procurement for EC and ETF (environmental guidance).

Practical recommendations for bidders

1. 1Read the Tender Specifications and Draft Contract carefully and ensure you can accept contractual terms including liability, insurance and data protection clauses.
2. 2Complete Annex C Declaration on Honour and provide all requested documentary evidence for exclusion/selection criteria.
3. 3Use the Annex G financial template to prepare the price offer and ensure clarity on unit costs, scenarios and currency (EUR).
4. 4Provide clear evidence of capacity to operate in each of the five countries (local offices, partners, subcontractors, certificates, past references).
5. 5Demonstrate language capacities and provide CVs of key staff and interpreters/translators where required.
6. 6Ensure financial solvency evidence matches Annex E requirements and that you meet minimum thresholds in Annex F.
7. 7Submit all documents electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline and keep proof of submission.

Categorisation answers (structured)

Eligible Applicant Types:Private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), professional service providers, NGOs and nonprofits, consortia/joint ventures, research institutions or other legal entities able to deliver services; joint tenders and subcontracting permitted. Individuals are not the intended applicants. Consortiums and public-private partnerships may apply where allowed by the tender rules.

Funding Type:Public procurement / services contract (tender), framework agreement for services. This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument.

Consortium Requirement:Other — the tender allows single applicants, consortia/joint tenders, subcontracting or combinations thereof. The contractor must ensure coverage across all five countries, which often requires consortium or subcontracting arrangements.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):International applicants able to deliver in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Legal entities from EU and non-EU countries may be eligible subject to the tender's rules and exclusion/selection criteria.

Target Sector:Event and meeting organisation, logistics, translation/interpretation, local consultancy and administrative services supporting education, training and labour market activities. Sector classification aligns with CPV 79952000 and ETF operational activities in human capital and skills development.

Mentioned Countries:Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan.

Project Stage:Implementation / operational delivery (service delivery in-country).

Funding Amount:Estimated overall contract amount €1 700 000 for the framework duration (up to 48 months including renewals). The initial contract period is 12 months, renewable up to three times.

Application Type:Open tender (public call) with electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission).

Nature of Support:Monetary payments to contracted service provider(s) under the framework services contract; the award delivers commercial payments rather than grants or non-monetary support.

Application Stages:3 stages — eligibility/exclusion & selection checks, technical/quality evaluation, financial evaluation and combined scoring leading to award.

Success Rates:Not published in the tender notice. Likely low number of awards (single-lot), competition dependent on regional capability; bidders should assume competitive tendering and prepare high-quality, compliant submissions.

Co-funding Requirement:No applicant co-funding needed. Bidders must demonstrate financial solvency and provide a competitive price; payments will be made by ETF under contract terms. Annex E lists required solvency evidence.

Where to get the tender documents and apply

All tender documents, templates and the eSubmission interface are available on the European Commission Funding & Tenders Portal tender page for reference bafc837f-3a1a or via the call reference ETF/2026/OP/0001. Consult each annex and the Draft Contract uploaded with the call documents before preparing the submission ETF Tender Page.

Overall summary and explanation

This tender is a public procurement launched by the European Training Foundation to award a framework contract for in-country support services across five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). The selected contractor will provide on-demand meeting organisation, logistics, participant reimbursement handling, language services, ad hoc consultancy and other add-on services needed to support ETF activities in the region. The contract is a paid services agreement estimated at €1.7 million over the framework period, with an initial 12-month term renewable up to three times. Bidders must submit an electronic tender via the Funding & Tenders Portal, meet exclusion and selection criteria, provide required annexes and templates (including Declaration on Honour, financial solvency evidence, professional capacity and a completed financial offer template), and demonstrate capacity to deliver services in all five countries either directly or through consortia/subcontractors. Award is based on quality (60) and price (40) criteria as defined in the tender documents. Interested providers should consult the full tender package on the Portal, follow the templates and instructions (Annexes A-G and Draft Contract), and submit a fully compliant offer before the closing date 23 July 2026 16:00:59 (Europe/Rome timezone) ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Primary procurement documentation and all annexes are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Confirm exact deadlines and times on the Portal entry for tender reference ETF/2026/OP/0001.

Opportunity Summary

The European Training Foundation (ETF) is seeking a provider to deliver support services for its activities across five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan ¹. This is a framework service contract with an estimated total value of €1,700,000 over a planned period of 48 months ².

Contract Type:Framework agreement renewable 3 times after an initial 12-month period, with a total duration of up to 48 months ³.

Estimated Value:€1,700,000 (estimated overall contract amount) ².

Who Should Apply

The ETF requires a contractor capable of providing services in all five target countries. Applicants may submit as a sole provider, through a joint tender with other providers, via subcontracting, or through a combination of joint tendering and subcontracting ¹.

1. 1Legal entities with operational presence or strong partnerships in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
2. 2Organizations proficient in official languages of the target countries
3. 3Providers with experience in meeting organization, logistics, reimbursement handling, language services, and ad hoc consultancy
4. 4Entities demonstrating financial solvency and professional technical capacity as per Annex E and Annex D

Key Services Required

The service provider will deliver the following services upon request:organization of meetings, logistics organization, handling and administration of participant reimbursements, language services, ad hoc consultancy, and add-on services ¹.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to provide timely country information, cooperate with national stakeholders and suppliers, and be proficient in official languages ¹. Selection is based on quality (60%) and price (40%) ⁴.

Required Documents:Tender specifications, draft contract, financial solvency proof (Annex E), professional technical capacity (Annex D), declaration on minimum requirements (Annex F), and financial proposal (Annex G) ⁵.

Submission Details

Submissions must be made electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using eSubmission. The deadline is 2026-07-23 at 16:00:59 UTC (Europe/Rome timezone) ⁶. Additional information requests can be submitted until 2026-07-15 at 20:00 UTC ⁶.

Submission Method:Electronic submission (eSubmission) is mandatory; paper submissions are not accepted ⁶.

Tender Validity:Tenders must remain valid for 6 months from the submission deadline ⁶.

Important Notes for Applicants

The contract is structured as a framework agreement with potential renewals. Applicants must ensure compliance with green guidelines from both the European Commission and ETF (Appendices I and II) ⁵. The SME self-assessment tool is not suitable for this tender ⁶.

Footnotes

1. 1ETF Tender Specifications CA: ec.europa.eu
2. 2Estimated Overall Contract Amount: €1,700,000 (procurement project data)
3. 3Contract Renewal Terms: Initial 12 months, renewable 3 times (draft contract)
4. 4Award Criteria: Quality 60%, Price 40% (awarding terms)
5. 5Procurement Documents: Annexes A-G, Appendices I-II, Draft Contract (publication date: 2026-06-17)
6. 6Submission Deadline: 2026-07-23 at 16:00:59 UTC; Additional Info Deadline: 2026-07-15 at 20:00 UTC