Learning by doing – Science and IT equipment for the Turkish Cypriot schools

Open public tender EC-REGIO/2026/EA-OP/0024 (TED ref. 57/2026 199079-2026) issued by the European Commission DG REGIO to procure IT, AV and science laboratory equipment for schools in the northern part of Cyprus under the EU Aid Programme (Regulation 389/2006). The procurement is divided into two lots: Lot 1 for IT and photography equipment for vocational schools and Atatürk Teachers Academy, and Lot 2 for science laboratory equipment and experiment kits for primary schools, with DDP delivery, installation, commissioning, training, one-year warranty and two-year spare parts support. Submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission, award is by lowest compliant price, tender guarantees are required (Lot €1 51,000; Lot €2 25,000) and the tender submission deadline is 26 May 2026 at 14:00 Brussels time. Contract implementation provides 180 calendar days from commencement, with payments of 40 percent pre-financing (with guarantee) and 60 percent on provisional acceptance.

What is being procured

Scope (short)

Open public tender (EC-REGIO/2026/EA-OP/0024) for supply contracts in two lots:Lot 1 IT and photography equipment for vocational education and training (desktop PCs, monitors, interactive displays, cameras, software); Lot 2 science laboratory equipment and experiment kits for primary schools and trainers. Delivery, installation, commissioning, training and one-year warranty/after-sales service are required.

Who can apply:Eligible bidders are legal persons established in EU Member States or in countries/territories authorised under Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006; consortia and subcontracting are allowed subject to the tender rules. Participation requires registration in the Participant Register (PIC) and electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Funding and Tenders Portal. ¹

1. 1Procedure: Open tender, electronic submission via eSubmission
2. 2Two lots, and bidders may bid for one or both lots
3. 3Award criterion: lowest price (compliant tenders)

Key commercial points:delivery DDP to sites in the northern part of Cyprus; maximum contract duration and delivery timetable set in the tender dossier; origin rules and VAT/customs exemptions for the areas are detailed in the tender documents.

Deadlines and procedure timings:Deadline for receipt of tenders: 26 May 2026, 14:00 Europe/Brussels. Public tender opening: 27 May 2026, 10:30 Europe/Brussels. Deadline for questions: 5 May 2026. Tender validity: 90 days.

1. 1Tender guarantee required: Lot €1 51 000; Lot €2 25 000
2. 2Payments and invoicing in Euro; Incoterm DDP
3. 3Performance guarantee normally 10% of contract value

Where to find full procurement documents and submission portal:all procurement documents, templates and the eSubmission link are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (see footnote). Bidders must follow the Instructions to Tenderers and submit via eSubmission.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender dossier, documents and electronic submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Tender notice and documents.

Learning by doing – Science and IT equipment for the Turkish Cypriot schools (EC-REGIO/2026/EA-OP/0024)

Basic facts

Type:Open procedure call for tenders published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and TED (TED ref. 57/2026 199079-2026). Lead contracting authority: European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy (Cyprus Settlement Support). Two lots: Lot 1 IT equipment for VET schools; Lot 2 Science laboratory equipment for primary schools and Atatürk Teachers Academy. Nature of contract: supplies. Submission method: electronic via the EU F&T eSubmission system (EU Login required). Publication date: 23/03/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 26/05/2026 at 14:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 27/05/2026 10:30 Europe/Brussels. Maximum contract duration: 12 months indicated for lots in notices; implementation period specified in contract documents: 180 calendar days from commencement order.

Where to get the full procurement dossier:Procurement documents (Invitation letter, Instructions to Tenderers, Annex II+III Technical Specifications, Annex IV Financial offer templates, Declaration on Honour, draft contract and special conditions and appendices) are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender page for EC-REGIO/2026/EA-OP/0024 Funding & Tenders Portal tender page. Full download of annexes and templates available at that address Funding & Tenders documents ¹

Opportunity classification and eligibility (extracted and interpreted from the tender dossier)

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants:legal persons and groupings of legal persons (companies, consortia, joint ventures) established in an EU Member State or in countries/territories eligible under Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006 (Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community). International organisations may participate. Natural persons participation rules are governed by the regulation. Subcontractors and capacity‑providing entities may be used; all involved entities must satisfy eligibility and selection/exclusion criteria and submit Declarations on Honour and supporting evidence where requested.

Funding Type

Primary financial mechanism:procurement contract (supply contract) funded by the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community. This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument: it is a public procurement for supplies with payments made under commercial contract conditions.

Consortium Requirement

Consortium allowed but not mandatory. Tenders may be submitted by single legal entities or by consortia (permanent or ad hoc). If a consortium submits, all members are jointly and severally liable. Tenderers may rely on capacity‑providing entities and subcontractors; if so, commitments and documentary evidence must be provided.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Geographic eligibility:participants established in EU Member States and in countries/territories eligible under Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006; procedure is implemented by DG REGIO on behalf of the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community. Delivery and performance place(s): northern part of Cyprus (listed schools and Atatürk Teachers Academy) and contracting authority in Brussels for administrative matters.

Target Sector

Sectors targeted by the procurement:education supplies for vocational education & training and primary education. More specifically: information and communications technology (computer equipment and software), photography equipment and accessories, interactive displays and AV equipment, and science laboratory equipment, laboratory glassware, pipettes, consumables, experiment box sets, microscopes and educational science models. CPV main code 30200000 Computer equipment and supplies; additional CPV codes include laboratory glassware, pipettes, digital cameras and educational software packages.

Mentioned Countries

Explicitly mentioned country:Cyprus (delivery place / place of performance: northern part of Cyprus). Contracting authority location: Belgium (Brussels). Eligibility also covers EU Member States and countries/territories authorised under Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006 (Aid Programme) – i.e. participants from eligible third countries as defined in the procurement documents. The tender documentation and special conditions explain origin rules and eligibility in detail.

Project Stage / Expected Maturity

Project stage:procurement and supply implementation (procurement for delivery, installation, commissioning, training, warranty and after‑sales). This is a delivery / deployment stage aimed at operational implementation in schools (installation and training included).

Funding Amount

Estimated total value:the TED / call pages show 'Estimated total value' placeholder but do not publish a single aggregated ceiling in the public summary. Financial templates and tender guarantees are specified by lot: tender guarantee required €51,000 for Lot 1 and €25,000 for Lot 2. Financial offer templates (Annex IV) are provided for itemised unit prices. No single overall budget ceiling is published in the scraped excerpts; bidders must complete Annex IV templates and submit DDP unit prices for all items. VAT is to be quoted separately if applicable.

Application Type

Method of application:open call for tenders (electronic submission only) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission functionality. EU Login and Participant Register PIC are required. Tenderers must upload technical and financial offers and supporting documents according to the eSubmission structure.

Nature of Support

Nature of support:procurement of physical supplies and associated ancillary services (installation, commissioning, training, warranty and after‑sales). The contracting authority will pay the contractor for delivered supplies and services. Beneficiaries (Turkish Cypriot schools and Atatürk Teachers Academy) will receive the physical supplies and non‑financial services (installation, training, warranty).

Application Stages

Stages of the procurement:single‑stage tender submission (one step). Process steps are: publication and tender dossier release; clarification period (questions via Portal Q&A until deadline); public site visit / information meeting; electronic tender submission by the deadline; public tender opening session; administrative compliance, technical evaluation and financial evaluation; possible request for documentary evidence on exclusion/selection criteria; notification of award and contract signature; delivery order, delivery and installation, provisional acceptance, warranty period and final acceptance. No separate pre‑qualification stage is used; selection criteria are assessed as part of the tender evaluation and documentary evidence may be requested after evaluation.

Success Rates

Success rate:Not published. Public procurement success rates vary strongly by competition and bidders per lot; the contracting authority will award by lowest price criterion among tenders that are administratively compliant and technically conforming. The award criterion for these lots is lowest price for compliant tenders as stated in the Instructions to Tenderers.

Co‑funding Requirement

Co‑funding:No co‑funding from tenderers is required in the sense of matching funds. Tenderers must submit tenders priced on DDP basis and provide tender guarantees and performance guarantees. The contracting authority funds the procurement under the Aid Programme; contractors receive payment under the contract for delivered supplies and services.

Eligibility, selection and tender preparation practicalities

Selection and exclusion documents required

Key documents to submit at tender stage:completed Tender Form and Declaration on Honour (Annex A14.a), technical offer (Annex II+III technical offer template), financial offer (Annex IV budget breakdown template), tender guarantee (original to be sent by post to DG REGIO in Brussels with scanned copy in eSubmission unless QES used), duly authorised signature evidence, evidence of legal status and registration, evidence of compliance with selection criteria (economic/financial and technical capacity), and the other templates listed in the Instructions to Tenderers. Documentary evidence for exclusion and selection criteria may be requested during evaluation and must be dated within one year of request.

1. 1Mandatory electronic submission through the F&T Portal eSubmission system. EU Login account and PIC for each organisation required.
2. 2Tender must include technical and financial offers uploaded to the corresponding eSubmission tabs and all administrative documents in the Parties/Attachments sections under the prescribed file names.
3. 3Original tender guarantee must be delivered by post / hand to DG REGIO address (details in Instructions to Tenderers) and a scanned copy uploaded in eSubmission.
4. 4Tender validity: 90 days from submission deadline. Tender guarantees must remain valid for 45 days beyond the tender validity period (per Instructions).
5. 5Tender guarantees and performance guarantee levels: €51 000 for Lot 1 and €25 000 for Lot 2 (tender guarantees); performance guarantee 10% of contract price (performance).

Evaluation and award

Award method:lowest price among tenders that are administratively compliant and technically compliant. Evaluation stages: administrative compliance (including completeness of documents and eligibility), technical admissibility (conformity with technical specifications, including mandatory yes/no checks for after‑sales and training), potential request for clarifications, arithmetic checks and final price ranking. If technically compliant tenders are found, financial evaluation selects lowest price. Partial provisional acceptance possible but not automatic. Documentary evidence for exclusion/selection criteria will be requested from the proposed contractor prior to award.

Templates and application form structure (what bidders will complete)

The procurement dossier provides standard templates and a clear folder structure for eSubmission. Bidders must complete and upload the following main documents as per the Instructions to Tenderers and Annex templates:

1. 1Tender form for a supply contract (C4.l). This includes contractual declarations, offer summary and confirms tender validity period and commitment to provide performance guarantee if awarded.
2. 2Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (A14.a). All members of consortium, subcontractors and capacity providers must submit this. Templates and guidance are in the tender dossier.
3. 3Annex II + III Technical Specifications and Contractor’s Technical Offer template. Column 3 must be completed in detail, providing exact model/brand, technical datasheets and evidence for each requested item. Generic 'compliant' responses are insufficient.
4. 4Annex IV Financial Offer (budget breakdown / model financial offer). Itemised DDP unit prices for every catalogue item required by the lot, plus line items for delivery, installation, training, warranty, spare parts lot and other services. All amounts excluding taxes; VAT to be stated separately if applicable.
5. 5Annex IV Appendix 2 spare parts and consumables template. Unit prices and indicative quantities for recommended spare parts and consumables to cover two years of normal operation.
6. 6Tender guarantee form (C4.n) and original tender guarantee delivered to DG REGIO office in Brussels. Scanned copy uploaded in eSubmission.
7. 7Main contract and Special Conditions (C4.c and C4.d) will be accepted by bidders. Duly authorised signature proof for signatory is required.
8. 8Administrative compliance grid and other checklists provided to facilitate evaluation; full list of required uploads and eSubmission folder mapping is in Instructions to Tenderers (Section 11 and List of documents).

Procurement technical summary by lot

Lot 1 – IT equipment for VET schools (summary of technical requirements)

Scope:supply, delivery, unloading, siting, installation, commissioning, maintenance and after‑sales service for IT and photography equipment for 11 VET schools and 1 teacher training academy, plus spare parts/consumables lot. Key items and quantities (indicative): 361 high‑spec desktop PCs for graphic/design (Windows 11 Pro, 6‑core CPU, 16 GB RAM, NVMe SSD, 4 GB GPU with CUDA or equivalent and performance threshold), 142 general desktop PCs, 8 full‑frame mirrorless cameras with accessories, 17 interactive displays (min 55 inches €4Kinteractive with multi‑touch), software licences including 51 CorelDRAW education licences (or equivalent with same functionality). Delivery DDP to multiple school addresses in northern Cyprus. Training, 2‑year after‑sales and 1‑year warranty on collect & return basis with 48‑hour response for repairs during warranty. Detailed item lists, distribution by school and technical specs are in Annex II+III.

Lot 2 – Science equipment for primary schools (summary of technical requirements)

Scope:supply of science laboratory equipment, experiment kits and educational models, laboratory glassware, pipettes and consumables for 16 primary schools and Atatürk Teachers Academy plus spare parts and consumables lot. Items are highly detailed with quantities in Annex IV Financial offer template and technical lists in Annex II. Delivery DDP, installation where required, training for teachers and after‑sales service with warranty as per special conditions. Spare parts list to cover two years of normal operation must be supplied with itemised DDP unit prices; the spare parts lot value is not used in award ranking but must be firm for contract duration.

Practical tips and compliance highlights for tenderers

1. 1Strictly follow the eSubmission folder structure and file naming conventions in the Instructions to Tenderers. Missing files or misplacement can cause administrative rejection.
2. 2Complete Column 3 of the Technical Offer template with precise model references, datasheets and manufacturer guarantees. Generic statements like 'compliant' are insufficient and may lead to technical non‑compliance.
3. 3Supply all financial data in Euro and provide DDP unit prices as requested. Ensure the numeric totals in eSubmission fields match the uploaded financial offer document; the uploaded financial offer prevails in case of discrepancy.
4. 4Submit the original tender guarantee to the DG REGIO Brussels postal address before the submission deadline; a scanned copy must be uploaded in eSubmission. The tender guarantee amounts are specified: €51,000 for Lot 1 and €25,000 for Lot 2.
5. 5Ensure availability of technical support and spare parts in northern Cyprus. The tender requires spare parts stock for two years and collect & return warranty service with 48‑hour response times.
6. 6Attend the information meeting / site visit (dates in Instructions to Tenderers) and consult the minutes and clarifications published on the Portal. Questions must be submitted by the Q&A deadline indicated in the tender documents.
7. 7Prepare documentary evidence of past contracts that meet the selection thresholds (Lot 1 reference contracts >= €290,000 each; Lot 2 >= €140,000 each) carried out during the last three years and provide supporting certificates of performance or payment if requested.
8. 8If relying on capacities of third parties, upload the written commitments and ensure the capacity‑providing entities submit Declarations on Honour and the requested evidence upon request.

Apply the visibility rules and logos required by EU external action projects for labelling of equipment and project communication output; drafts of visibility elements must be submitted for approval in advance. Failure to comply with visibility/communication obligations may be treated as contractual breach.

What is this opportunity about and how would you explain it?

This is an EU‑funded procurement launched by the European Commission (DG REGIO, Cyprus Settlement Support) under the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community. It is an open public tender, divided into two lots: Lot 1 supplies IT, AV and photography equipment and associated software licences for vocational education and training schools and Atatürk Teachers Academy; Lot 2 supplies science laboratory equipment, educational experiment kits and consumables for primary schools and teachers’ training. The procurement covers supply, DDP delivery to multiple school sites in the northern part of Cyprus, unloading, installation, commissioning, teacher training, warranty and after‑sales service, and provision of a spare parts and consumables list for two years. The award criterion is lowest price among administratively and technically compliant tenders. Tenderers must submit electronic tenders through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the provided templates (technical offer, financial offer, declarations) and provide specified tender guarantees and performance guarantees. Detailed technical specifications, distribution lists, contractual clauses and templates are all included in the tender dossier on the Portal and tenderers should follow the Instructions to Tenderers closely to avoid rejection.

Footnotes

1. 1All procurement documents, annexes and Q&A are available on the opportunity page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details URL. Tenderers must register and use eSubmission via the Portal to submit tenders.

This is an open procedure call for tenders (EC-REGIO/2026/EA-OP/0024) launched by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), to supply science laboratory and IT equipment to schools in the northern part of Cyprus (Turkish Cypriot community). The tender supports the EU Aid Programme under Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006, aiming to enhance teaching, learning, and skill development in vocational and primary schools.

Tender Overview

TED reference:57/2026 199079-2026. Published on 23/03/2026. Procedure type: Open. Submission method: Electronic via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Award method: Lowest price. Nature of contract: Supplies. Maximum contract duration: 12 months. Place of delivery: Cyprus (northern part, specific schools listed in technical specifications). CPV codes: 30200000 (main), plus 33793000, 38437000, 38651600, 48190000.

Lots and Scope

• Lot 1: Learning by doing – IT equipment for Turkish Cypriot schools. Includes high-spec and general desktop computers (361+142 units), photography cameras (8 units), interactive displays (17 units) for 11 vocational schools and 16 primary schools plus Atatürk Teachers Academy. Detailed specs in Annex II+III.
• Lot 2: Science equipment for Turkish Cypriot schools. Includes laboratory ware, reagents, physics/geology equipment, life sciences models, experiment kits for primary schools. Over 100 items detailed in Annex IV financial offer template.

Tenderers may bid on one or both lots. Each lot forms a separate contract, but a single contract may cover multiple lots if awarded to one bidder. Supplies must include delivery, unloading, installation, commissioning, training, warranty (1 year), spare parts (for 2 years normal use), and after-sales service. All on DDP Incoterms 2020 basis.

Key Dates

Implementation period:180 calendar days from commencement order (issued up to 3 months post-signature). Tender validity: 90 days.

Eligibility and Participation

Open to legal persons from EU Member States or countries authorised by Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006, including those established in northern Cyprus (without implying recognition of other authorities). International organisations and natural persons also eligible per regulation. Consortia allowed (jointly liable). Subcontracting permitted with prior approval. One tender per lot per entity.

Selection Criteria (per Lot)

Capacity-providing entities allowed (must meet criteria). Exclusion criteria apply (bankruptcy, fraud, etc.). Declaration on Honour required from all (Annex A14a).

Financial Aspects

Tender Guarantees:Lot 1: €51,000; Lot 2: €25,000. Valid 45 days beyond tender validity. Performance guarantee: 10% of contract value.

Payments:40% pre-financing (with guarantee); 60% balance post-provisional acceptance. All in EUR, tax-exempt. No price revision.

Prices exclude taxes/VAT (EU exempt; local exemptions apply in northern Cyprus per Green Line Regulation). Origin: Any country (Lot 1); Eligible sources per Reg 389/2006 (Lot 2).

Submission Requirements

1. 1EU Login account and PIC registration required.
2. 2Technical offer (Annex II+III): Detailed compliance with specs.
3. 3Financial offer (Annex IV): DDP unit prices, totals excluding spares.
4. 4Declaration on Honour (Annex A14a) from all parties.
5. 5Tender guarantee (original + scan).
6. 6Authorised signature proof, origin statement, warranty details.

Submit exclusively via eSubmission on Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding Portal. 21 documents available (invitation letter, instructions, specs, forms). Q&A section for clarifications. Site visit/clarification meeting at EUPSO Nicosia (details in docs).

Key Conditions and Risks

• Insurance: Full coverage (transport, installation, etc.) with international insurers.
• Training: Hands-on for users/maintenance staff (in Cyprus, English/Turkish).
• Warranty: 1 year 'collect & return' (48h response).
• Spares: 2-year supply (prices fixed, not evaluated).
• Visibility: EU labels on all supplies ¹.
• Access: Sites require Beneficiary clearance (10 days notice). Waste/WEEE management by contractor.
• Ethics: Strict code (no conflicts, anti-corruption, human rights, environment). Breach = termination.
• Political note: No implication of recognition beyond Republic of Cyprus govt.

Evaluation and Award

Administrative compliance, technical evaluation (min specs), financial (lowest compliant price). Variants not allowed. Award lot-by-lot, possible overall discount.

Portal:EU Funding & Tenders Portal. TED: TED Notice. Practical Guide: ePRAG.

Footnotes

1. 1See Communication and Visibility Manual for EU External Actions and Practical Guidance for northern Cyprus.