Laos-EU Cooperation Facility

Restricted tender EC-INTPA/VTE/2026/EA-RP/0051 for a fee-based service contract (Laos-EU Cooperation Facility) to support implementation of EU-funded programmes in Lao PDR, estimated value €2,000,000 excluding VAT and maximum duration 36 months. Procedure is restricted two-stage with a request to participate deadline 07/05/2026 23:59 Asia/Vientiane and shortlisting of 4 to 8 candidates who will be invited to tender; submissions are electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission and must follow PRAG/NDICI rules. Selection requires minimum average turnover €1,300,000 (last three years), average staffing of at least 15 relevant personnel and at least three non-EU contracts in the last four years each of minimum €800,000; consortia are allowed and members are jointly and severally liable.

What it funds

Purpose

Provision of services to facilitate implementation of EU-funded programmes in Lao PDR, including all necessary support operations to position the EU as a partner of reference for Lao PDR and its population.

Funding available:Estimated total value: €2 000 000 (fee-based, single lot).

1. 1Who can apply: All eligible natural and legal persons and consortia (including permanent or ad hoc groupings); consortium members jointly and severally liable.
2. 2Submission: Electronic only via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; English language.
3. 3Contract duration and start: Maximum 36 months; provisional start circa 2 November 2026.

Selection highlights:average annual turnover over last 3 closed years >= €1 300 000; average staffing >= 15 relevant personnel; technical capacity requires at least three contracts in the last four years each valued at least €800 000 in relevant non-EU domains (public policy support, institutional capacity development, thematic studies, large events, private investment facilitation, etc.). For full eligibility, submission and documentary requirements consult the procurement documents Procurement documents ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement dossier, request to participate form and Additional Information about the Contract Notice are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal at the link above; all submissions must follow the instructions in those documents.

Opportunity summary

This is a restricted procurement (tender) to award a fee-based service contract titled Laos-EU Cooperation Facility (LECF). The contracting authority is the European Union, represented by the European Commission on behalf of and for the account of Laos. The contract aims to facilitate implementation of EU-funded programmes in Lao PDR by providing funding for necessary support operations and positioning the EU as a partner of reference for Lao PDR and its people. Estimated value: €2 000 000 (excluding VAT). Maximum contract duration: 36 months. Place of performance: Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Procedure: restricted procedure with a two-stage process (request to participate short-listing followed by invitation to submit tenders). Submissions are electronic via the eSubmission system on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. All communications and submissions must be in English. Procurement documents and the request-to-participate form are provided on the F&T Portal Procurement documents and attachments ¹.

Key deadlines:Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 07/05/2026 23:59:59 (Asia/Vientiane, UTC+07:00). Provisional date of invitation to tender (for short-listed candidates): 22/05/2026. Provisional commencement date of contract: 02/11/2026. TED publication date / notice dispatch: 07/04/2026 / 08/04/2026. Note: A second date (2026-01-01T16:59:59.000Z) appeared in metadata but the operative, published tender deadline is 07/05/2026 as stated in the procurement notice and A5f document.

Estimated contract value and duration:Estimated total value: €2 000 000 (excluding VAT). Maximum contract duration / period of implementation: 36 months.

Detailed procurement features

Nature of contract:services (main CPV 73000000 — Research and development services and related consultancy services). Award method: best price-quality ratio. Contract type: fee-based service contract; may be structured as a framework agreement. The contract will be performed in Lao PDR and is financed under NDICI (Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument) — budget line 14.020131 South and East Asia and the Asia and the Pacific programme. The procurement follows LocalLaw rules applying to EU external actions (Regulation 2024/2509) and the PRAG guidance (Practical Guide to contract procedures for EU external actions).

1. 1Procedure type: Restricted procedure (two-stage). Stage 1 = request to participate; stage 2 = invited tender submission.
2. 2Number of candidates to be short-listed: between 4 and 8. If fewer than 4 meet criteria, the contracting authority may invite those that do; if more than 8 meet criteria, a ranking using re-examination/comparative criteria will select the top 8.
3. 3Language of procedure: English.
4. 4Submission method: Electronic only via eSubmission (EU Login required). Address for submission: webgate.ec.europa.eu
5. 5Sub-contracting: permitted (subject to eligibility and declarations).
6. 6Electronic ordering and payment: yes (electronic means will be used).
7. 7Grounds for exclusion and requirements: candidates and any capacity-providing entities or subcontractors must provide signed declarations on honour and meet exclusion/selection criteria as set out in the PRAG and procurement documents.

Eligibility and who may apply

Candidature:All eligible natural and legal persons as per the legal basis (Regulation (EU) No 2021/947 establishing NDICI) may participate, either individually or as groupings (consortia). A consortium can be a permanent legal grouping or an informal grouping established for this procurement. All members of a consortium are jointly and severally liable. Participation by an ineligible person results in exclusion of that person and, if in a consortium, the whole consortium. PIC registration in the Participant Register is mandatory for each legal entity participating (including consortium members).

Eligible applicant types:Eligible applicant types include private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), consultancies, research organisations, universities, NGOs and non-profits, international organisations, public bodies, and consortia or public-private groupings, subject to NDICI eligibility and nationality rules. Individuals are not the primary contracting entities for this service contract. Capacity-providing entities and subcontractors may be used but must respect the same eligibility and selection rules when relied upon for financial or selection criteria.

Selection and award criteria

Selection criteria are detailed in the procurement documents (Additional information about the Contract Notice — A5f). They include economic/financial capacity, professional capacity (staff), and technical capacity (past contracts). Award criterion is best price-quality ratio; detailed weighting to be consulted in tender dossier.

Application process and templates

Requests to participate must be submitted using the provided request to participate form (b3_req_part_form_en_LECF_0051(1)_V1.docx) and must include signed declarations on honour and other attachments in specified eSubmission sections. Additional required templates and forms referenced in the procurement documents include the Declaration on Honour (form a14a) and, where applicable, the FS-PP form for notification/declaration of foreign financial contributions. Candidates relying on capacity-providing entities must include separate supporting documents for those entities. Any additional unsolicited documentation (brochures, letters) will not be considered.

Application stages and format:Two-stage restricted procedure: Stage 1 (single-stage for requests to participate): submit the request to participate form and mandatory declarations via eSubmission. Contracting authority will shortlist between 4 and 8 candidates. Stage 2: shortlisted candidates will be invited (provisionally 22/05/2026) to submit full tenders (technical and financial offers) according to tender dossier. Electronic submission only; eSubmission uses encrypted attachments, maximum file sizes and technical requirements as per the eSubmission System Requirements.

1. 1Prepare and register organisation in Participant Register and obtain PIC(s).
2. 2Complete request to participate form (use the provided docx template) and supporting documents: financial tables, personnel statistics, specialisations matrix, experience/project references, declarations (Declaration on Honour, Declaration referred to in point 7).
3. 3Upload documents in correct eSubmission attachment categories (Other documents, Declaration on Honour, etc.).
4. 4Submit request to participate via eSubmission before the deadline and retain submission receipt (timestamp).
5. 5If shortlisted, prepare full tender using tender dossier templates and submit by the subsequent tender deadline communicated to shortlisted candidates.

Technical and organisational expectations

The LECF is a facility contract requiring multi-disciplinary delivery capacity across public policy support, coordination and partnership mechanisms, institutional capacity building, sector/thematic studies, investment facilitation support and event organisation. Bidders must demonstrate experience delivering high-value contracts (>= €800 000) in non-EU contexts within the last four years in at least one of the listed domains and thematic fields. The tender will evaluate the proposed team, management arrangements, methodology, workplan and capacity to operate in Lao PDR and to liaise with EU Delegation and national stakeholders.

Mandatory systems and administrative requirements include:PIC registration, valid EU Login account for eSubmission, compliance with PRAG and NDICI rules, submission of signed declarations on honour and exclusion, and provision of documentary evidence for experience claims (reports, certificates, proof of payment). Financial statements must be provided in EUR (convert using InforEuro May 2025 if originally in other currency) and the average turnover test applies.

Risk, award likelihood and co-funding

Co-funding is not required because this is a fee-based procurement contract funded by the EU programme; the successful tenderer will be remunerated by the contracting authority according to the contract terms. Subcontractors and capacity-providing entities may be used but become subject to eligibility and declaration obligations, and entities relied on for financial capacity become jointly and severally liable for contract performance.

Consortium requirement and success rates:Consortia are allowed but not mandatory. The procedure is restricted: between 4 and 8 candidates will be short-listed from requests to participate; only short-listed candidates will be invited to submit full tenders. Estimated short-list probabilities: if many eligible candidates apply, short-list chance is roughly 12.5% to 25% (1 of 8 to 1 of 4) to be selected to tender; final award probability for an invited tender depends on the number of invited tenderers and evaluation outcome (commonly 1 winner). Exact success rates are not published and depend on the pool of applicants.

Procurement document and templates (structure overview)

The principal mandatory template to submit at stage 1 is the request to participate form. The procurement documents specify the format and the exact information to include. Key sections and pieces to prepare follow the request to participate form structure:

1. 1Submitted by: identity of legal entity or consortium members, nationality, PIC numbers, designation of leader/member roles.
2. 2Contact person: name, organisation, address, telephone, e-mail.
3. 3Economic and financial capacity: closed annual accounts and projections table covering last three years; annual turnover excluding this contract; current assets/current liabilities and current ratio if required.
4. 4Financial contributions from non-EU countries: FS-PP form if applicable (see procurement doc for thresholds).
5. 5Personnel statistics: annual manpower by overall and relevant fields for last two years and current year, permanent and other personnel.
6. 6Areas of specialisation: maximum 10 specialisations matrix, tick relevant fields for each legal entity in the request to participate.
7. 7Experience: list and description of up to 15 relevant projects/references carried out over last 4 years, including contract value, part performed, number of personnel, client, funding origin, dates and detailed description of services provided.
8. 8Declarations: signed declaration referred to in point 7 of the request to participate form and Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (form a14a).
9. 9Statement of intent and signature: authorised signatory declarations confirming intent to submit a tender if shortlisted and acceptance of rules.

Geographic and thematic scope

Place of performance:Lao (People’s Democratic Republic). Programme and financing: NDICI (Global Europe) — budget line for South and East Asia, financed under Asia and the Pacific programme. The facility supports EU-funded programmes across thematic areas listed in selection criteria (environment, renewable energy, digital, transport, trade/PSD, TVET, agricultural value chains, citizen engagement, human rights) and sectors requiring policy support, institutional capacity building and event organisation.

Mentioned countries / region:Explicitly mentioned country: Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos). Region: Asia and the Pacific; financing reference to South and East Asia budget line.

Project maturity, expected activities and deliverables

Project stage and expected tasks:This is an operational support facility to implement EU-funded programmes (implementation/operations stage). Expected activities include logistical and administrative support for programme implementation, coordination and partnership facilitation, institutional capacity development support, commissioning and delivery of thematic studies, facilitation of private investment linkages, organisation and management of large events and knowledge/communication services to position the EU as a partner of reference. Deliverables and performance metrics will be specified in the tender dossier and contract.

Practical notes and recommendations

Practical actions for applicants:register organisation and obtain PIC well in advance; ensure PIC data (legal and financial) are validated if requested; prepare audited/closed accounts for the three-year turnover test and convert amounts to EUR using InforEuro May 2025 if needed; compile documentary evidence for each project reference (approval of deliverable, client statement or proof of payment); prepare signed declarations on honour and the separate declaration referred to in point 7; ensure personnel statistics and specialisation matrix are accurate and consistent with references; map consortium responsibilities and ensure joint-and-several liability is understood; check eSubmission technical requirements (file size limits, naming conventions, supported browsers) and test uploads early.

Risk management:confirm eligibility under NDICI rules and that no member is included in EU restrictive measures lists at award time; be careful with conflicts of interest and prior involvement in project preparation (experts involved in project preparation may be excluded). If relying on capacity providers, secure written commitments and separate supporting documentation as required.

Summary — what this opportunity is about

The Laos-EU Cooperation Facility is a Europe Commission-led, NDICI-funded service procurement to provide operational, coordination, policy and communications support to EU-funded programmes in Laos. The facility will supply a broad set of services (policy support, institutional capacity development, thematic studies, investment facilitation, large event organisation and communication) over a 36-month period, with an estimated contract value of €2 million. The tender follows a restricted, two-stage procedure: interested organisations (including consortia) must submit a request to participate via the F&T Portal eSubmission system by 07/05/2026. Between 4 and 8 candidates meeting selection criteria will be invited to submit full tenders; award will be based on best price-quality ratio. Applicants must meet financial, personnel and technical capacity thresholds (including minimum average turnover €1.3 million and relevant project references of minimum €800 000 each). All submissions must comply with PRAG/NDICI rules and use the prescribed templates and declarations. This is a procurement contract (fee-based) rather than a grant; successful tenderer(s) will be contracted and paid by the EU for performance of the services in Laos.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents, invitation to submit a request to participate form and Additional Information about the Contract Notice are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under the tender details page: ec.europa.eu

This is a restricted tender procedure (EC-INTPA/VTE/2026/EA-RP/0051) for a fee-based service contract aimed at facilitating the implementation of EU-funded programmes in Lao PDR by providing funding for all necessary support operations, helping to position the EU as a partner of reference for Lao PDR and its people. The contract falls under CPV 73000000 (Research and development services and related consultancy services) and is financed through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe (NDICI), budget line 14.020131 South and East Asia.

Key Dates and Timeline

• TED publication date: 08/04/2026
• Deadline for requests to participate: 07/05/2026 23:59 Asia/Vientiane (UTC+07:00)
• Provisional invitation to tender: 22/05/2026
• Provisional contract commencement: 02/11/2026
• Maximum contract duration: 36 months

Contract Value and Scope

Estimated total value:€2,000,000 (excluding VAT). Place of performance: Lao PDR.

The contract is fee-based services under a framework agreement, awarded on best price-quality ratio. It supports EU activities across sectors aligned with Team Europe Strategy for Laos 2021-2027, including green and inclusive economy, human capital, and good governance.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

All eligible natural and legal persons or groupings (consortia) as per Regulation (EU) 2021/947 (NDICI-Global Europe). Consortia are jointly and severally liable. No more than one request per entity or per lot. Ineligible entities lead to exclusion of the entire consortium. Capacity-providing entities allowed, subject to same eligibility and criteria; data submitted separately.

Grounds for Exclusion

Candidates in situations listed in Section 2.4.2.1 of the Practical Guide (PRAG), including EU restrictive measures. Signed declarations required from all entities, including capacity providers and subcontractors.

Selection Criteria

Applied to consortium as a whole (except where specified). Reference periods:last 3 years for financial data; last 3 years for professional capacity; last 4 years for technical capacity. Not applied to natural persons/single-member companies as subcontractors.

Economic and Financial Capacity

• Average annual turnover (last 3 closed years): at least €1,300,000.

Professional Capacity

• Average of at least 15 personnel (permanent/non-permanent) in relevant fields over last 3 years.
• No professional conflicting interests.

Technical Capacity

• At least 3 contracts completed in last 4 years, each >= €800,000, in non-EU countries.
• Domains: public policy support; coordination mechanisms; institutional capacity development; thematic studies; enabling private investments; large-scale events (>=200 participants).
• Thematic fields: environment; renewable energy; digital; transport; trade/private sector; TVET; agricultural value chains; citizen engagement; human rights.

If >8 candidates meet criteria, ranked by:1) highest number of qualifying contracts; 2) highest cumulated value of qualifying services. 4-8 shortlisted for tender phase. Short-list alliances/subcontracting prohibited without authorisation.

Submission Requirements

Electronic submission only via EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). Requires EU Login and PIC registration (Participant Identification Code). Group submission for consortia. All in English.

1. 1Completed Request to Participate form (b3_req_part_form_en_LECF_0051(1)_V1.docx).
2. 2Signed declaration (Point 7 format).
3. 3Declaration on Honour on exclusion/selection (form A14a).
4. 4Upload: Request form and Point 7 declaration under 'Other documents'; DoH under 'Declaration on Honour'.

No additional docs considered. Max 15 experience references. Financial data in EUR (InforEuro May 2025 rates). Subcontracting allowed.

Procurement Documents and Resources

• Primary portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal
• Request to Participate form: b3_req_part_form_en_LECF_0051(1)
• Additional info (A5f): Tender specifications (requests to participate)
• Forms/templates: Annexes (PRAG/PRIF) ¹
• TED notice: 68/2026 236559-2026
• Contact: DELEGATION-LAOS-FCA-TENDERS@eeas.europa.eu

Questions via Portal Q&A (login required), min 21 days before deadline. Subscribe for updates. Late/incomplete submissions rejected.

Additional Applicant Considerations

Footnotes

1. 1Includes standard PRAG forms like A14a (Declaration on Honour) and FS-PP (if applicable for non-EU contributions).