Maintenance of scientific laboratory equipment in 3 lots (Perkin Elmer Instruments, Agilent Instruments and Applied Biosystems Instruments)

The European Commission DG JRC (JRC‑Ispra) is procuring framework contracts for preventive and corrective maintenance of chemical and biological laboratory instruments. The procedure is divided into three lots covering Perkin Elmer (€500,000), Agilent (€1,250,000) and Applied Biosystems (€500,000) with a total estimated value of €2,250,000 (net of VAT) and a 48‑month contract period. Contracts will be executed at JRC Ispra, Italy, and the award criterion is price with 100 percent weighting. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 30 July 2026 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Rome time).

What is funded

Scope summary

Framework contracts for preventive and corrective maintenance of laboratory instruments at JRC Ispra. Three separate lots cover: Perkin Elmer instruments, Agilent instruments and Applied Biosystems (Life Technologies) instruments. The contracts ensure continuity of service for chemical and biological instrumentation used in JRC research.

Contracting authority:European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre (JRC Ispra) ¹

1. 1Who can apply: economic operators (companies/suppliers) able to provide maintenance services for the specific instrument brands; tender documents specify selection and qualification criteria.
2. 2Procedure: open eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; award mainly on price (check procurement documents).
3. 3Contract type and duration: framework agreement(s) for services; planned period 48 months (possible conditions in tender).
4. 4Key deadlines: tender submission deadline 30 July 2026, 16:00:59 (CEST); open tender event 31 July 2026, 14:00 (CEST).

Submission is electronic only through the portal; tender specifications, draft contract and financial offer forms are published with the notice. See procurement documents for technical and security requirements, submission instructions and evaluation method ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full tender page and downloadable documents: Tender details - Maintenance of scientific laboratory equipment.

Opportunity identification and purpose

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) Ispra is publishing a public procurement procedure to award framework service contracts for preventive and corrective maintenance of laboratory scientific instruments. The procedure is divided into three separate lots: Lot 1 Maintenance services for Perkin Elmer Scientific Instruments; Lot 2 Maintenance services for Agilent Scientific Instruments; Lot 3 Maintenance services for Applied Biosystems (Life Technologies) Scientific Instruments. The contracts will ensure uninterrupted, reliable operation of instruments across multiple JRC-Ispra scientific units and continuity when existing maintenance contracts expire at the end of 2026.

Key administrative facts

Call identifier EC-JRC/IPR/2026/OP/2016. Publication date 22 June 2026. Submission method mandatory electronic eSubmission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (Funding and Tenders Portal). Two deadline timestamps appear in metadata: an earlier system timestamp 2026-01-01T14:00:59Z and the official closing date 30 July 2026, 16:00:59 CEST (30/07/2026 16:00:59). An open tender event / possible clarification session is scheduled for 31 July 2026 at 14:00 (local time). The procedure type is a public tender for framework agreements and the contracts are services (CPV main codes 50430000, 50400000). The tendering entity (lead contracting authority) is European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre (JRC).

Estimated financial envelope:Total estimated overall procedure value €2 250 000. Estimated amounts by lot: Lot 1 (Perkin Elmer) €500 000; Lot 2 (Agilent) €1 250 000; Lot 3 (Applied Biosystems) €500 000. Planned contract duration for each framework agreement: 48 months. ¹

Detailed eligibility and applicant types

Eligible applicant types:this is a public procurement for services so eligible applicants are legal entities capable of concluding public contracts under EU procurement law. Typical eligible applicant types include private companies (SME or large enterprise) offering instrument maintenance and repair services, authorised service agents or distributors of the instrument manufacturers, specialised technical service providers, and approved third-party maintenance organisations. The procurement documentation references selection criteria and tenderer qualification requirements; tenderers must meet financial, technical and professional capacity rules set out in the tender documents (see Annexes and Technical Specifications). Public bodies or research institutes can participate if permitted under EU procurement rules and if they fulfil the selection criteria. Individuals are not the standard form of tenderer for these service contracts. The tender documentation includes a Declaration on Honour and other selection documentation that defines exact eligibility.

Funding type and nature of the opportunity

Funding type:procurement / tender for service contracts (framework agreements). This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument. Successful bidders will enter a paid contract with the JRC to provide maintenance services and will be remunerated according to contract unit prices and financial offers. Nature of support: monetary compensation for delivered maintenance services (service contract).

Consortium, partnerships and contract model

Consortium requirement:procurement is organized per-lot and each lot will be awarded as a framework agreement. The documentation does not explicitly forbid consortia or joint tenders; EU procurement rules generally permit joint ventures, consortia or subcontracting where the tender documents specify capacity and responsibility. Tenderers should consult the tender specifications and selection criteria in Annex 1 TS and related documents to confirm whether joint tenders or consortia are accepted and how to present shared liability and capacity. Each lot is awarded separately; a bidder may submit offers for one or more lots (subject to the tender rules).

Beneficiary geographic scope

Beneficiary scope:this is an EU institution procurement for the JRC site in Ispra (Italy). Tenderers established in EU Member States are the primary candidates; in practice economic operators from the European Economic Area and other countries eligible under EU procurement rules may participate (the tender documents and procurement notices specify applicable geographic eligibility and any government agreement constraints). The service location is JRC Ispra (Italy) and contracts will be executed there; successful tenderers must be able to provide on-site maintenance and rapid corrective interventions at that site.

Target sectors and technical scope

Target sector:laboratory technical services supporting scientific research. The technical scope covers maintenance (preventive and corrective) of chemical and biological laboratory instruments manufactured by Perkin Elmer, Agilent and Applied Biosystems (Life Technologies). Instruments include analytical chemistry instrumentation, chromatography systems, mass spectrometers, spectroscopy and detectors, molecular biology platforms (PCR/qPCR, sequencing instruments or other life science equipment referenced in technical specifications). Tenderers must follow the detailed Technical Specifications in Annex 1 TS part 2 for each lot which list instrument models, required maintenance schedules, response times, spare parts policies, calibration and documentation requirements, safety and radiation protection rules where applicable, environmental contractual clauses, site access procedures and health & safety appendices.

Project maturity and expected deliverables

Project stage:operational and maintenance stage. The contracts are for continuing operational support (preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, spare parts supply where applicable, calibration, periodic inspections and reporting). Planned start: after tender award and contracting; framework duration 48 months, covering the period after existing contracts expire at end of 2026.

Application and submission details

Application type:open electronic call for tenders published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method required: eSubmission via the Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenderers must submit documentation electronically by the closing date and time listed in the portal. The portal entry and tender documentation pages provide the link to submit and to access the eForms and templates.

Deadlines and process milestones:Official closing date: 30 July 2026 at 16:00:59 CEST. Additional information request cut-off: 22 July 2026 (end of day as stated). Open tender event (possible information/clarification) scheduled for 31 July 2026 at 14:00. Consideration/change window for some documents shows updates until 15 July 2026. Tenderers must consult the Portal for the authoritative timetable. ¹

Estimated contract value and lot breakdown

1. 1Estimated overall contract amount (procedure): €2 250 000
2. 2Lot 1 (Perkin Elmer): €500 000 (estimated)
3. 3Lot 2 (Agilent): €1 250 000 (estimated)
4. 4Lot 3 (Applied Biosystems / Life Technologies): €500 000 (estimated)
5. 5Planned contract duration per lot: 48 months (framework agreement)

Selection, award criteria and evaluation

Awarding criterion indicated in procurement metadata:price (weighting 100). The procurement documents instruct tenderers to consult the procurement documents for full evaluation methodology and applicable subcriteria. Selection criteria (technical and professional capacity, financial capacity) are specified in the tender specifications and related annexes. Tenderers must pass selection/qualification to be considered for award and must submit the required supporting documents, Declaration on Honour and the financial offer form (Annex 1-6 per lot).

Application stages and likely procurement flow

Application stages:this procurement follows a standard single-stage open tender process comprising: 1) submission of full tender (selection documents, technical offer, and financial offer) by the closing date; 2) administrative/selection eligibility check and evaluation of technical compliance; 3) financial evaluation and award decision; 4) contracting (signature of framework agreement) and post‑award ordering under the framework. The metadata lists a scheduled open tender event and an additional information request period; clarifications may occur between publication and award. Overall applicants will usually pass through 1 main application submission stage and subsequent evaluation stages leading to award.

Success rates:not specified in the call documentation. As a competitive public procurement, success rates depend on the number and quality of bids received. No historical success rate or number of expected awards is given beyond that each lot will be awarded to the best economically advantageous tender according to the stated criteria (price).

Co-funding and financial obligations

Co-funding requirement:none. This is a fee‑for‑service procurement: the contracting authority will pay the contractor for services provided under the framework agreement in accordance with the contract terms and the financial offer. Tenderers must meet any financial guarantee, bank account, invoicing, VAT and tax requirements set in the contract model, but no external co‑funding contribution from tenderers is required.

Templates, forms and required documents (available annexes)

A comprehensive set of procurement documents and templates is published with the call. Tenderers must use and complete the provided forms. Key documents and templates listed in the portal include:

1. 1Invitation to Tender (published 22/06/2026)
2. 2Annex 1 TS part 1 - Tender specifications
3. 3Annex 1 TS part 2 - Technical specifications for each lot (Lot1, Lot2, Lot3 separate PDFs)
4. 4Annex 1-6 Lot 1 / Lot 2 / Lot 3 - Financial offer forms (Excel) (revised versions V2 published 01/07/2026 for each lot)
5. 5Annex 1-2 Declaration on honour (tender)
6. 6Annex II Draft Contract and multiple Annex II contract annexes (security requirements, procedure to introduce goods, safety clauses, environmental clauses, radiation protection, access to JRC Ispra site, joint inspection report, etc.)
7. 7Annex II-IX DUVRI and Appendices A, B, C, D (risk sheets, activity sheets, site map, emergency info) and other health & safety documentation
8. 8Annex XI - Model Technical Report
9. 9Annex II-III Model annex - VAT; Annex II-part III and other contract-specific annexes

Structure of application forms:the financial offer is provided in Annex 1-6 (Excel) specific to each lot and requires completion of unit prices, totals and possible options; the technical offer must follow the Technical Specifications (Annex 1 TS part 2) and provide evidence of technical capacity, proposed maintenance plans, response times, certified engineers, references for similar contracts, spare parts availability and calibration traceability. Selection and exclusion evidence (legal, financial, tax, social security, professional liability insurances) is supplied through the Declaration on Honour and supporting certificates as required. Tenderers must also accept the Draft Contract and its annexes or state specific deviations only where allowed by the procurement rules.

Technical and operational requirements (high-level)

The technical specifications require:preventive maintenance schedules, corrective maintenance response and resolution times, certified and trained engineers for the specific instrument types, spare parts provisioning and replacement policies, calibration and performance verification services with traceable certificates, maintenance reporting using the model technical report, compliance with JRC health & safety, radiation protection and site access procedures, environmental contractual clauses, and adherence to security requirements. Tenderers must be able to operate on the JRC Ispra site and comply with site-specific access and emergency procedures.

Administrative and legal provisions

The draft contract and annexes set out the contractual and legal framework, including security requirements, VAT and invoicing clauses, contract performance conditions, safety contractual clauses, environmental obligations and DUVRI (risk assessment) appendices. The procurement metadata shows government agreement constraints and that electronic ordering and payments will be used post-award. Tender validity period indicated is 6 months.

Practical recommendations for bidders

1. 1Download and examine all annexes (technical specifications, draft contract and the financial offer Excel for the lot(s) of interest).
2. 2Confirm instrument model lists and ensure availability of certified engineers and spare parts for the specific equipment on the lot instrument lists.
3. 3Prepare selection evidence: financial statements or bank references if requested, professional and technical references for similar maintenance contracts, CVs/certifications of assigned technicians and quality/certification documents.
4. 4Complete the financial offer Excel exactly as requested and check for revised versions (V2 versions were published 01/07/2026 for Annex 1-6 per lot).
5. 5Respect the eSubmission requirements and submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal before the stated deadline; allow time for portal upload and validations.
6. 6Use the additional information request period to raise clarifications by the stated cut-off date (22/07/2026) and attend or review materials from the open tender event (31/07/2026) if relevant.
7. 7Review draft contract annexes for safety, access and insurance requirements and ensure ability to comply with them during contract execution.

Mentioned countries and site

Explicitly mentioned location:JRC Ispra (Italy). The contracting authority is the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (EU institution). The tender is published on EU portals and is primarily targeted at economic operators established in the EU/EEA or countries eligible under EU procurement rules.

Success probability and competition

Success rates are not provided in the procurement notice. As a standard open tender with price as the sole stated awarding criterion, success depends on meeting selection criteria, fully complying with technical specifications and offering the most competitive price. The tender is likely to attract specialised service providers and authorised manufacturer service agents, increasing competition for each lot.

Co-funding and subcontracting

No co-funding by the bidder is required. Subcontracting is generally allowed under EU procurement rules, subject to limits and the obligation to declare subcontractors in the tender; contractors remain fully liable for subcontracted work. The tender specification and contract annexes explain subcontracting rules and disclosure obligations.

How to access the full procurement dossier

All procurement documents, annexes and submission forms are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender details page for this call. Tenderers must use the portal link and eSubmission tools to download annexes and to submit tenders. Financial offer forms Annex 1-6 and other templates were published and a revised financial offer version (V2) was made available on 01/07/2026 for each lot. ¹

Comprehensive summary

This public procurement by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) Ispra seeks qualified service providers to enter framework agreements for preventive and corrective maintenance of laboratory instruments across three distinct lots (Perkin Elmer, Agilent, Applied Biosystems). The objective is to secure continuous, reliable laboratory instrument availability to support high-quality research and policy-relevant evidence. The procedure is an open electronic tender (eSubmission) with a total estimated value of €2 250 000 and individual lot estimates of €500 000 (Lot 1), €1 250 000 (Lot 2) and €500 000 (Lot 3) over a 48-month framework. Awarding is based principally on price, subject to passing selection and technical compliance criteria. Tenderers must submit full technical and financial offers using the provided annex templates, comply with draft contract conditions (including safety, environmental and access requirements), and meet deadlines and electronic submission rules. The work is executed on-site at JRC Ispra (Italy) and is targeted at companies and authorised service providers able to perform on-site maintenance, calibration, spare parts supply and emergency interventions for the specified instrument families. For precise model lists, service levels, safety obligations and the required forms, consult the Tender Specifications (Annex 1 TS part 1 and part 2), the Draft Contract and the Annex 1-6 financial templates on the Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Tender dossier and submission portal: Maintenance of scientific laboratory equipment in 3 lots (Perkin Elmer Instruments, Agilent Instruments and Applied Biosystems Instruments) on the European Commission Funding & Tenders Portal. Access the tender details and annexes via the Portal: Tender details

Tender Overview and Purpose

This tender is issued by the European Commission, DG JRC (Joint Research Centre) for the JRC-Ispra scientific laboratories in Ispra, Italy, to establish a framework contract for the preventive and corrective maintenance of chemical and biological laboratory instruments ¹. The primary objective is to ensure uninterrupted, reliable operation of critical scientific instrumentation, which is fundamental for delivering high-quality research outputs and policy-relevant evidence ¹.

The procedure addresses an imminent risk of service interruption, as three existing framework contracts governing these instruments are set to expire at the end of 2026 ¹. This new contract will provide continuity of service and prevent a fragmented maintenance environment ¹.

Lot Structure and Scope

The tender is divided into three distinct lots, each covering specific instrument brands ¹.

The total estimated overall contract amount for all three lots is €2,250,000 (net of VAT) ¹. The planned contract duration is 48 months (4 years) ¹.

Eligibility and Submission Requirements

Who Can Apply:Qualified service providers with expertise in maintaining precision scientific instruments, specifically Perkin Elmer, Agilent, and Applied Biosystems equipment, are eligible to submit tenders ¹.

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹. The deadline for submission is 2026-07-30 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Rome time) ¹.

Additional information requests can be made until 2026-07-22 at 23:59:59 ¹. The tender validity period is 6 months ¹.

Key Contractual and Operational Details

1. 1Location of execution: JRC-Ispra, Via Enrico Fermi 2749, I-21027 Ispra (VA), Italy ¹
2. 2Award criterion: Price (100% weight) ¹
3. 3Electronic ordering and payment: Mandatory ¹
4. 4Safety and environmental clauses: Included in draft contract annexes ¹
5. 5Radiation protection requirements: Specific annex included ¹
6. 6DUVRI (Risk Assessment Document): Required with activity and risk sheets ¹

The contract includes specific annexes for security requirements, safety contractual clauses, environmental clauses, and radiation protection ¹. A Joint Inspection Report and Model Technical Report are also part of the draft contract ¹.

Total Estimated Value:€2,250,000 (net of VAT) for the 48-month framework period ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official tender details available at EU Funding & Tenders Portal and OpenProcurement. Reference number: EC-JRC/IPR/2026/OP/2016.