Laos EU Cooperation Facility

The European Commission, through its Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), has issued a call for tenders identified as EC-INTPA/VTE/2025/EA-RP/0081. This tender seeks to facilitate the implementation of EU-funded programmes in Laos, specifically targeting consulting services and technical assistance, with an estimated contract value of €2,000,000. The contract duration is set for a maximum of 36 months. The project falls under the Asia and the Pacific initiative, with the main objective of positioning the EU as a significant partner for Lao PDR.

Eligible applicants primarily include companies and organizations with expertise in business services, such as consulting firms and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Both individual submissions and consortiums are allowed, although the tender documents do not explicitly require consortium formation. Applicants can come from EU member states, European Economic Area (EEA) countries, and other international entities capable of operating within Laos.

The application process is an open call, necessitating electronic submissions by the deadline of June 30, 2025, at 23:30 local time in Vientiane. The submission arrangements emphasize the best price-quality ratio in evaluating proposals, where quality accounts for 80% of the evaluation criteria and cost 20%. The award does not require co-funding, as the EU will cover the contracted amount.

The tender submission involves a single stage process, where candidates will submit their proposals electronically without pre-qualification requirements. Successful candidates will only be able to access procurement documents once they have been selected. Participants must obtain a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to submit their tenders, which requires registration in advance.

In terms of logistical requirements, the eSubmission system supports file sizes below 50 MB and allows a maximum of 200 documents per tender. The submission process is secured through encryption, ensuring confidentiality and integrity of the documents.

This call for tenders is part of a larger goal to enhance the EU's engagement in supporting sustainable development and capacity building within Laos, aligning with broad strategic objectives in the region.

The European Commission, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), has published a call for tenders, EC-INTPA/VTE/2025/EA-RP/0081, for the Laos EU Cooperation Facility. The TED reference for this call is 101/2025 341854-2025. This is a restricted procedure with an estimated total value of 2,000,000 EUR. The contract is for services and has a maximum duration of 36 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is specified.

The objective of this call for tenders is to facilitate 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 place of delivery or performance is Lao (People's Democratic Republic), identified by the code 20000937. The relevant programme is Asia and the Pacific, identified by the code 44995882.

The TED publication date is 27/05/2025, and the deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 30/06/2025 at 23:30 Asia/Vientiane time. Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

Two documents are available for download: a "Request to Participate Document" (Invitation to submit a request to participate) and "Additional Information About Contract Notice" (Information for candidates and tenderers), both published on 27/05/2025, Version 1, and available only in English.

Regarding the eSubmission system, the following information is provided:

The system supports the latest versions of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. If the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents, clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.

The content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload.

Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’ within the Funding & Tenders portal.

Attachments must be less than 50 MB in size.

Attachment names must follow the System Requirements.

The system supports video submissions, and the specific formats are detailed in the System Requirements.

Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation in the F&T Portal, under “My Invitations”.

A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders.

When uploading a file in eSubmission, ensure it follows the technical requirements of the system.

The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files.

It is mandatory to register for a PIC to submit a tender or a request to participate. Only one PIC per organisation must be used.

To register an organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC), check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.

A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.

The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.

The character set encoding is UTF-8.

The system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.

The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements.

Until the submission deadline, draft submissions can be edited, viewed, and deleted.

A display issue showing "Legal form: UNKNOWN" in the submission report is not a blocking issue for submission.

An automatic email informing that the deadline has been reached does not mean that the submission was not correctly sent.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission to establish a cooperation facility in Laos. The goal is to support the implementation of EU-funded programs within the country. The tender is aimed at organizations that can provide the necessary support operations to enhance the EU's role as a key partner in Laos. The application process involves electronic submission of documents, and applicants must adhere to specific technical requirements for file sizes, formats, and naming conventions. A key requirement is obtaining a Participant Identification Code (PIC) for the organization submitting the tender. The selection process will prioritize the best price-quality ratio. The overall budget is 2 million EUR and the project duration is 36 months.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants could include businesses (including SMEs and large enterprises), consulting firms, and organizations with expertise in business services, law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing, and security.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the FAQ section mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium), suggesting that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on Lao (People's Democratic Republic), as the place of delivery or performance is specified as such. The program also falls under the scope of "Asia and the Pacific".

Target Sector: The target sector is broad, encompassing business services, law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing, and security. The main classification (CPV) code 79000000 reinforces this.

Mentioned Countries: Lao (People's Democratic Republic)

Project Stage: The project stage is implementation, as the tender aims to facilitate the implementation of EU-funded programs in Lao PDR.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 2,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with a restricted procedure. Submissions must be electronic.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services.

Application Stages: The procedure type is "Restricted procedure" which implies at least two stages: a request to participate and then a full proposal for those who are selected after the first stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, INTPA - International Partnerships, with the procedure identifier EC-INTPA/VTE/2025/EA-RP/0081. It aims to facilitate the implementation of EU-funded programs in Lao PDR by providing funding for necessary support operations. The estimated total value of the tender is 2,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 36 months. The procedure type is a restricted procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically. The deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 30/06/2025 at 23:30 Asia/Vientiane. The tender targets a broad range of business services, including law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing, and security. The place of delivery or performance is Lao (People's Democratic Republic), and the program falls under the scope of Asia and the Pacific. Applicants must register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to participate, and the system supports all 24 official EU languages. The eSubmission system accepts files less than 50 MB in size, and the maximum number of documents allowed per tender is 200. The system encrypts all uploaded documents to ensure integrity and confidentiality.