In-country Support Services – Southern and Eastern Mediterranean

The European Training Foundation (ETF) invites electronic tenders for a framework contract to provide in-country support services in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia (procedure ETF/2026/OP/0005). The contract covers event organisation, logistics, participant reimbursements, language services, ad hoc consultancy and add-on services with an estimated ceiling of €700,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months (initial 12 months, renewable). Award will be on the most economically advantageous tender (60% quality, 40% price) and submissions must be uploaded via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 24 September 2026 at 16:00 Europe/Rome.

Opportunity snapshot

What it funds

Framework contract to provide in-country support services for ETF activities in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. Services include organisation of meetings and study tours, logistics and travel bookings, participant reimbursements, language and interpretation services, ad-hoc consultancy and add-on services.

Estimated value and duration:Maximum overall envelope €700,000 for the full framework (up to 48 months). Award by best price-quality ratio ¹.

Key deadlines:Deadline for receipt of tenders 24 September 2026 16:00 (Europe/Rome). Public opening 25 September 2026 10:00 (Europe/Rome) ¹.

Who can apply

Open to natural and legal persons established in the EU, ETF partner countries, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and to international organisations. UK tenderers are excluded. Offers may be submitted by a sole contractor, a consortium (joint tender) or using subcontractors; lead contractor remains responsible.

Eligibility and award highlights

1. 1Must be able to deliver services in each listed country (directly or via partners/subcontractors).
2. 2Minimum technical selection: 3 years of similar service experience and fixed/permanent office base in one of the target capitals.
3. 3Financial selection: minimum yearly turnover €175,000 (last two closed years) and current liquidity ratio ≥ 1.
4. 4Award criteria: technical quality (60 points threshold) and price (scenario-based price, weighting 40%).

How to apply:electronic submission only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Tender dossier (invitation, tender specifications, annexes, draft contract and templates) is published on the Portal F&T tender page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full tender documentation and submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: In-country Support Services – Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (Procedure ETF/2026/OP/0005) F&T tender page.

Summary and purpose

The European Training Foundation (ETF) invites tenders for a 48-month framework service contract to provide in-country support services for ETF activities in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region. The contract covers Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia and is intended to support ETF events, missions and activities in those countries. The tender is an open electronic submission procedure. The resulting framework contract is non-exclusive and may be implemented by the successful contractor acting alone, in a joint tendering arrangement, or through subcontracting. The contract will be managed by ETF Projects and Partners Unit and is awarded on the basis of the best price-quality ratio.

Main services requested:The contractor must be capable of providing upon request A. Organisation of meetings; B. Logistics (travel and mission support); C. Handling and administration of reimbursements to participants; D. Language services (interpretation, translation, proofreading/editing); E. Ad hoc consultancy (facilitators, meeting design) and F. Add-on services (audio-visual, livestreaming, branding, promotional material, accessibility supports).

Administrative facts and process

Procedure:Open electronic procurement through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). TED reference 559648-2026; ETF reference ETF/2026/OP/0005. Submissions must be uploaded via the Portal eSubmission tool by the deadline. Questions must be submitted through the Portal Questions & Answers function by the stated cut-off. Public opening of tenders is scheduled (virtual) and attendance is permitted by prior email notification to ETF.

Deadlines and key dates:Call published 12 August 2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 24 September 2026, 16:00 Europe/Rome. Public opening: 25 September 2026, 10:00 Europe/Rome. Last date for requests for additional information: 16 September 2026 ¹.

Eligibility and participation

Participation is open to all natural and legal persons established in the European Union, ETF partner countries, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, and to international organisations, except UK tenderers. Economic operators in the supply chain may be involved as subcontractors; subcontracting exceeding 10% of contract value per subcontractor must be declared in the tender and supported by letters of intent. Joint tenders are permitted and the lead member must be authorised to sign on behalf of the group; members of a joint tender have joint and several liability. The tender documents include formal declarations on exclusion and selection criteria that shall be completed and signed by the tenderer (Annex C).

Eligible applicant types

Eligible applicant types include:private sector service providers (SMEs and larger enterprises), event management companies, conference and logistics specialists, language services providers, consultancies, joint consortia of such providers, international organisations, NGOs and social economy enterprises where they meet the procurement conditions and statutory requirements. Subcontractors may include local suppliers in the countries covered (for venue, catering, interpretation, travel bookings, printing, etc.).

Geographic eligibility

Tenderers must be established in the EU, ETF partner countries, Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein or be international organisations. The services must be deliverable in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. The contract requires operational capacity in each country covered, whether through the main contractor directly, partners in a consortium, or reliable subcontractors.

Contract scope, duration and value

Nature:Framework service contract for the provision of services. Maximum duration: 48 months. The framework contract is concluded for an initial period of 12 months and renewable three times (12 months each) without re-opening of competition, subject to performance and continued need. The estimated overall contract value is €700,000 (including fees and reimbursable costs). The envelope includes fees payable to the contractor and reimbursable third-party costs (estimated between 50% and 70% of total). ETF reserves the right to increase the ceiling by up to 50% through a future negotiated procedure in specific circumstances.

Funding Type and Nature of Support:Funding type: Procurement / service contract (framework agreement). Nature of support: monetary payments for services and reimbursements to the contractor; reimbursable third-party costs (travel, accommodation, venue, interpreters, equipment) paid to the contractor against documented invoices and evidence of payment. No grants or prizes are involved.

What the contract requires in practice

Contractors must provide timely country information and be able to cooperate with national stakeholders and suppliers, operate according to local rules and procedures, and be proficient in official languages used locally (Arabic, French and English are specifically identified for language services). The contractor will handle requests ranging from simple mission support for small ETF staff missions to large multi-country conferences and study tours. Services include participant management, invitations and registrations, venue identification and booking, interpretation and translation, hybrid meeting technical support and streaming, visa facilitation, transfers, accommodation, catering, printing and post-event reporting. The contractor must also handle reimbursements and per diems to participants when required.

1. 1Organisation of meetings: small, medium, large meetings and study tours (fees per meeting size category).
2. 2Logistics organisation: travel bookings, accommodation bookings, mission support.
3. 3Handling and administration of reimbursements to participants: per-participant handling fee; bank transfer costs reimbursed.
4. 4Language services: simultaneous/consecutive interpretation, translation, proofreading/editing; main languages Arabic, French, English; prices per hour/half-day/full-day and per page/slide for translation.
5. 5Ad hoc consultancy services: facilitators/speakers and meeting design consultants (daily fees).
6. 6Add-on services: AV, livestreaming, branded items, video production, accessibility services, and handling percentage for add-on procurement.

Service size categories:Small (up to 25 participants or support to missions), Medium (26–60 participants, study tours up to 25), Large (61–120 participants, study tours above 25). Where meetings exceed 120 participants, the fee is composed of the large fee plus applicable additional participant fees as defined in tender specifications.

Selection, award and evaluation

Selection requires tenderers to meet minimum technical and financial capacity. Minimum technical: at least three years’ experience delivering similar services in the region to public bodies, international organisations, or similar; permanent office base in one of the capital cities covered and necessary equipment and tools. Minimum financial: annual turnover of at least €175,000 for each of the last two closed financial years and a current ratio (short-term assets/short-term liabilities) of 1.0 or higher. Evidence such as lists of relevant contracts, financial statements and the Financial Solvency table (Annex E) may be requested.

Award criteria and weighting:Evaluation is on the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). Technical quality weighting 60% and price weighting 40%. Technical criteria (total 60 points): completeness and appropriateness of proposed team and backstopping (15); quality, relevance and effectiveness of country working methodology (20); quality and effectiveness of the simulation (detailed organisation of a regional meeting, including green and inclusion measures) (25). Financial evaluation uses the total price of an Annex G scenario which the tenderer must complete. Tenderers must meet minimum technical requirements to be considered and must score at least 60% of the technical score per technical award criterion to pass the technical threshold.

Consortium requirement and subcontracting

The procurement allows single tenderers, joint offers (consortia) or subcontracting. Joint tenders must designate a lead member responsible for the contract and supply a power of attorney and a breakdown of the roles/tasks. Partners in a joint tender are jointly and severally liable. Subcontracting above 10% of contract value per subcontractor requires inclusion of subcontractor identity, roles and a letter of intent from the subcontractor confirming the resources they will provide. The lead contractor remains fully responsible for overall delivery and compliance.

Project stage and expected maturity

Target project stage:operational delivery, implementation and service delivery across multiple event types. This procurement is not for research or product development; it requires experienced, delivery-ready service providers able to implement meetings, logistics and language services in-country and regionally, including support for hybrid formats and ad hoc consultancy.

Target sectors and capabilities required

Primary thematic sectors:education, training, human capital development, events and meeting services, logistics and language services. Required capabilities include event management, travel and visa management, participant administration, interpretation and translation services in Arabic, French and English, hybrid meeting technical capacity, study tour organisation, and familiarity with EU/ETF reporting, financial and compliance rules (including VAT exemption handling where relevant).

Budget, fees, and payment

Estimated total value:€700,000 (fee and reimbursable costs included) for up to 48 months. The contract foresees pre-financing at up to 50% for specific contracts/order forms, and final payment on acceptance with supporting evidence (participant lists, logistics list, proofs of payment, translated documents, reimbursements evidencing transfer to participants). Reimbursable costs (third-party services such as flights, hotels, interpreter travel) are invoiced at cost and supported by supplier invoices. Payments are in EUR. Prices in bids are to be provided excluding VAT for EU suppliers; suppliers outside the EU must provide total prices including any applicable taxes if tax exemption does not apply.

Funding type:Procurement (service contract) — framework agreement without reopening of competition. Award method: best price-quality ratio (MEAT).

Application and submission

Submissions must be made exclusively via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system. Tenderers must be registered in the Participant Register and use a PIC. Tender dossier contains Invitation letter, Tender specifications (Annex I), Draft contract, Annexes A to G (templates for contact details, business partner forms, declaration on exclusion and selection criteria, technical capacity table, financial solvency table, minimum requirements, scenario for financial proposal), and appendices on greener events. Electronic submission requires an EU Login account and compliance with system requirements. Documents must be uploaded before the deadline; late submissions are rejected. The tender validity must be at least six months.

Application Stages and Evaluation process

Number of application stages:1 stage submission followed by evaluation and notification. Evaluation steps: administrative checks and compliance with minimum requirements; exclusion and selection criteria verification; technical evaluation against award criteria and threshold; financial evaluation based on Annex G scenario; calculation of combined MEAT score. Public virtual opening of tenders to confirm receipt, with limited public information announced. Tenderers may be asked for clarifications or missing documents during evaluation but clarifications cannot substantially change the tender.

Success rates and competition

Success rates are not published. This is a competitive open tender. The contract will be awarded to the tender achieving the highest combined score provided it meets selection and threshold criteria. Tenderers should ensure full compliance with administrative, exclusion and selection documentation to avoid disqualification.

Compliance, data protection and security

Tenderers must ensure compliance with applicable environmental, social and labour law obligations and data protection regulations (EUDPR Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and GDPR where applicable). The tender and contract include provisions on processing and storage location of personal data (data shall be processed and held within the EU/EEA and, where applicable, in ETF partner countries and countries where events take place; transfers to third countries require compliance with Chapter V of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725). Cybersecurity recommendations for hosting secure online meetings will be issued by ETF. Contractors must facilitate audits and controls and may be subject to EDES registration where applicable.

Templates and tender form structure

Mandatory templates provided in the procurement dossier (Annex A to G, Draft contract and Appendices) must be used and completed where indicated. Key templates include Annex A Tender Checklist and Contact Details, Annex B Business Partner Identification modules (B1 legal persons, B2 natural persons, B3 public law body), Annex C Declaration of exclusion and selection criteria (Declaration on honour), Annex D Professional and Technical Capacity table (list of similar services delivered in last three years), Annex E Financial Solvency table (financial ratios and turnover for last two years), Annex F Declaration on minimum requirements, Annex G Scenario for financial proposal (used to compute evaluated price). The Draft Framework Contract and Specific Contract model are in the tender documents and should be reviewed; comments should be included with the tender but significant post-award negotiation requests may lead to exclusion.

1. 1Technical proposal: must include declaration on minimum requirements; contract manager profile; core team description, country methodology and a simulation of organising a regional meeting (Cairo, 2-day High Level meeting) including green and inclusion measures.
2. 2Financial proposal: complete Annex G scenario and price tables for service fees (meeting organisation by size, travel booking fees, accommodation booking fees, handling reimbursements, interpretation/translation rates, consultancy daily rates, add-on handling percentage).
3. 3Administrative documents: Tender checklist, Business partner forms, Declaration on exclusion and selection criteria, proof of legal registration, bank details, and evidence for selection criteria upon request.

Risk management, sustainability and ETF policy alignment

ETF requires contractors to follow ETF green, inclusion and safety policies. Contractors must present methodology for reducing environmental impact of meetings, monitoring and reporting environmental KPIs, and ensuring accessibility and inclusion. Use of AI tools is permitted if coordinated with the ETF and compliant with Regulation (EU) 2024/1689. Contractors will be required to comply with ETF’s financial rules, VAT and reimbursement procedures and to support audits and on-site inspections if requested.

Success factors and recommended actions for tenderers

Tenderers should demonstrate:regional footprint or reliable local partners/subcontractors in all seven countries; proven experience in organising similar events and study tours in the region; strong participant management and travel/visa facilitation capacity; professional language service networks covering Arabic, French and English; robust IT and hybrid meeting technical capability; sound financial solvency and turnover; capacity to adhere to ETF reporting, data protection and financial requirements; and credible green and inclusion policies and measures. Provide clear team composition, backstopping arrangements, templates and tools proposed and a realistic, well-justified financial scenario in Annex G.

Concluding summary

This procurement seeks a single contractor or consortium able to deliver comprehensive in-country and regional support services across Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia for ETF activities. The contract is a 48-month framework agreement with a €700,000 ceiling covering fees and reimbursable costs. The award will be made on the basis of best price-quality ratio where technical quality (team, country methodology, and a realistic simulation with green/inclusion measures) carries 60% weight and price 40%. Submissions must be made electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the templates provided in the tender dossier. Tenderers must demonstrate operational capacity in each country, strong language services, sound financial standing and compliance with ETF data protection, environmental and procurement requirements. The tender dossier contains the Invitation, Tender Specifications, Draft Contract, Annexes A to G, Appendices I and II and related templates; these documents must be consulted and used to prepare the bid.

Footnotes

1. 1All official documents, clarifications and submission are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal where tenders must be uploaded. Access the procurement documents and submit through the Portal eSubmission facility Funding & Tenders Portal - ETF/2026/OP/0005.

This is a European Training Foundation services tender for a framework contract to provide in-country support services in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. The opportunity is open for electronic submission under procedure ETF/2026/OP/0005, with an estimated total value of €700,000 and an award based on the best price quality ratio.[1][2]

Opportunity overview

The contract is designed to support ETF activities across the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region, including meetings, logistics, reimbursements, language services, ad hoc consultancy and optional add-on services. The contractor must be able to provide services in each country covered by the contract, either directly or through a consortium, joint tender or subcontracting arrangement.[1][2]

Contracting authority:European Training Foundation ETF, an EU agency based in Turin, Italy.[1][2]

Procedure type:Open procedure for services, submitted electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.[1][2]

Main CPV:79952000 Event services.[1]

Who can apply

Participation is open to natural and legal persons established in the EU, the ETF partner countries, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, as well as international organisations. The tender specifications state that UK tenderers may not participate in this procurement.[1][2]

Tenderers may bid as a sole provider, through a joint tender with other providers, through subcontracting, or through a combination of joint tendering and subcontracting. The main contractor remains responsible for coordination and for managing subcontractors and country representatives.[1][2]

What the contract covers

• Organisation of meetings and events, including workshops, seminars, conferences, study tours and missions.
• Logistics organisation, including travel, accommodation, transfers, visa support and related arrangements.
• Handling and administration of reimbursements to participants, including per diems where applicable.
• Language services, including interpretation, translation, proofreading and editing.
• Ad hoc consultancy services, including facilitation, speakers and other expert support.
• Add-on services such as accessibility arrangements, publicity, livestreaming, video production and other supplementary services.

The tender documentation indicates that most services will be requested as specific assignments under the framework contract, with detailed budgets and timelines agreed before each task starts. The contractor is expected to use ETF templates, tools and workflows and to support digital and hybrid delivery where required.[1][2]

Key financial and contractual terms

This is a procurement contract, not a grant, so there is no funding rate in the usual EU grant sense. Payment will be based on the quoted service fees and reimbursable costs approved under the framework contract and subsequent specific contracts or order forms.[1][2]

Deadlines and milestones

The official portal shows a deadline for receipt of tenders on 24 September 2026 at 16:00 Europe/Rome, with public opening on 25 September 2026 at 10:00 Europe/Rome. Questions submitted after 16 September 2026 at 23:59 Europe/Rome are not guaranteed a reply.[1][2]

The metadata included with the opportunity also contains an additional deadline reference of 1 January 2026, but the portal and tender documents identify 24 September 2026 as the operative submission deadline.[1][2]

Eligibility and operational requirements

• The tenderer should have an office or permanent base in one of the capital cities of the countries covered by the contract.
• The team should have experience in complex meeting and logistics organisation, hybrid meetings and participant management.
• The contractor must have working knowledge of Arabic and French among team members, and excellent spoken and written English at minimum C1 level.
• The contractor must be able to cooperate with national stakeholders, suppliers and authorities in the countries covered.
• The contractor must be able to respond quickly, with the tender specs indicating that answers are usually expected within 24 hours.
• The contractor must comply with EU restrictive measures and the exclusion and selection criteria set out in the tender documentation.

The tender specifications also require compliance with ETF green, safety and inclusion policies, with attention to accessibility, sustainability, secure online meetings and personal data protection. The selected contractor must follow ETF data handling and cybersecurity requirements, including conditions for EU and EEA data storage and compliance with the EU data protection framework.[1][2]

What applicants should know

1. 1The framework contract ceiling is €700,000 and may be increased by up to 50 percent through a future negotiated procedure if the ETF later secures related regional funding.
2. 2The contract is meant to support recurring service requests, not a single fixed event.
3. 3The contractor is expected to manage both standard services and reimbursable third party costs with prior ETF approval.
4. 4Travel, accommodation, visas, catering and similar costs are generally treated separately from the service fees when the tender documents allow reimbursement.
5. 5The contractor must be able to operate in English with ETF and provide services in the main working languages for the region, especially Arabic and French.
6. 6The procurement documents include a declaration on exclusion and selection criteria, financial solvency and technical capacity annexes that will likely be central to eligibility assessment.

Practical assessment

This tender is best suited to established event management, logistics and international service providers with on-the-ground capacity in at least one covered capital city and a network able to deliver across the full SEMED region. A strong bid will likely need to demonstrate country coverage, language capability, hybrid event experience, financial robustness, and a clear methodology for sustainable, inclusive and secure service delivery.[1][2]

Application route

Tenders must be submitted exclusively through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using eSubmission. The invitation letter notes that all procurement documents are published in English and that tenderers should check updates regularly during the submission period.[1][2]

Official opportunity page:In-country Support Services Southern and Eastern Mediterranean[1][2]