Management Skills Assessment Centre

Open public procurement tender by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) for provision of a Management Skills Assessment Centre to support recruitments. Procedure is an EU-wide open procedure to award a framework agreement (reference EIOPA/2026/OP/0003) with an estimated overall value of €2,330,000. Publication date is 29 July 2026 and the electronic submission deadline is 10 September 2026, with questions by 2 September 2026 and an opening date of 11 September 2026. Tender documents, technical specifications and templates are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and enquiries may be sent to procurement@eiopa.europa.eu.

Opportunity type and purpose

Short description

Public tender to provide a Management Skills Assessment Centre to support recruitments for the contracting authority (EIOPA). Services include design and delivery of assessment centre activities as specified in the tender documents.

Who can apply:Service providers and consultancies able to deliver assessment centre services and meet the selection criteria in the procurement documents. Submission is electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission) ¹.

1. 1Lead contracting authority: European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA).
2. 2Procurement type: services, open framework contract (initial 12 months, renewable up to 3 times; planned total duration up to 48 months).
3. 3Lot: LOT-0001 (single lot).
4. 4CPV main code: 79635000 (assessment and testing services).
5. 5SME suitable: no.

Applicants must consult the tender specifications, draft contract, terms of reference and templates published with the call. The tender includes standard selection and award criteria (quality/price weighting 50/50); more detail in the procurement documents.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender page and documents: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity summary

Title:Management Skills Assessment Centre. Procuring authority: European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA). Purpose: Provision of Management Skills Assessment Centre services to support recruitments. Procurement nature: services via a framework contract. Estimated overall contract value: €2 330 000. Procedure: open public procurement published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; eSubmission required. Main CPV code: 79635000 (Recruitment services). Initial framework contract period: 12 months renewable up to three times for a total planned period of 48 months. Submission deadlines: two key dates listed — 2026-01-01T14:00:59.000Z and the formal closing / tender submission deadline 2026-09-10T16:00:59+00:00 (closing date 2026-09-10T16:00:59Z). An open tender event is scheduled for 2026-09-11 at 10:30 CET. For the official tender dossier and documents see the invitation to tender on the portal Invitation to tender ¹.

Estimated contract value:€2 330 000 (estimated overall contract amount as published).

Eligibility and who should apply

This is a public procurement tender issued by EIOPA for services. Eligible tenderers are legal entities able to enter into an EU public contract and to perform recruitment assessment services. Typical eligible applicant types include private sector consultancies and service providers (including SMEs and large enterprises), recruitment and assessment centres, human resources providers, professional training and assessment organisations, public bodies where permitted by procurement rules, research and education institutions with declared capacity to provide assessment services, nonprofit organisations or NGOs when they meet the legal and financial conditions, and consortia or economic operators formed by several entities where allowed by the procurement documents. Individuals cannot directly sign a framework contract unless they are legal entities registered and compliant with the procurement rules. Subcontracting is permitted and appendices require listing identified subcontractors and commitment letters for capacities relied upon.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):Listed and expected eligible applicant types: 1) SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) providing assessment or recruitment services, 2) Large enterprises/companies offering HR assessment and selection services, 3) Specialized recruitment or assessment centres and consultancies, 4) Universities or research institutes with assessment expertise (if structured as contracting legal entities), 5) Nonprofit organisations and NGOs with relevant service capacity, 6) Public bodies where allowed and aligned with procurement rules, 7) Consortia or joint bids of several entities, relying on capacities of partners and subcontractors as allowed in the procurement documentation.

Funding and contract model

Funding type:public procurement contract (payment for services under a framework agreement). This is not a grant, loan, equity or subsidy. The successful bidder(s) will enter a Framework Contract (FWC) with EIOPA, with calls-off/orders placed under that framework. The draft framework contract is included in the procurement documents.

Contract structure and duration

The framework contract initial duration is 12 months and is renewable three times (the procurement record indicates a planned period of 48 months). Contracting system types include framework agreement usage. The FWC may be used to award specific call-offs/orders; electronic ordering and payment usage is indicated. Tender validity period indicated: 6 months.

Geographic and legal eligibility

Beneficiary scope:EU-funded procurement. The contracting authority is an EU body (EIOPA). Eligible economic operators are those permitted under EU procurement rules; this typically covers organisations established in EU Member States and may include EEA states and other entities where specified in the tender documents. The procurement record uses eu-funded program codes and the contracting authority is located in the EU. Exact legal eligibility and required proof (where applicable) are specified in the Tender Specifications and the Declaration on Honour documents.

Target sector and services required

Target sector:human resources, recruitment and assessment services for management-level recruitments in a public/regulatory authority context. The Main CPV 79635000 confirms the procurement concerns recruitment services. The tender calls for a Management Skills Assessment Centre able to provide assessment centre design and operation, competency-based assessments, psychometric or other validated instruments, assessor training, report-writing, candidate feedback, logistics for assessment events, and potentially online/remote assessment capabilities as described in the Tender Specification and Terms of Reference.

Project stage and expected deliverables

Project stage:service delivery, implementation and operational support. The tender seeks an established provider able to deliver full assessment-centre services for recruitment processes. Expected deliverables (as deduced from annex titles and standard assessment-centre tenders): tailored assessment centre design aligned with EIOPA competency frameworks, development and administration of assessment exercises, assessor recruitment and training, scoring and moderation, individual candidate reports and aggregated analysis, logistical management of events (physical or virtual), quality assurance, and compliance with confidentiality and data protection requirements. Full details and performance requirements are in Annex I Tender Specification and Appendix I.1 Terms of Reference.

Key dates and process

Important dates:publication date on the portal: 29 July 2026. Submission deadline (closing date): 10 September 2026 at 16:00:59 (CEST/CET depending on portal timezone). An open tender event is scheduled on 11 September 2026 at 10:30. Additional information request period ends on 2 September 2026 (consult procurement documents for submission windows). Note that a preliminary date (2026-01-01T14:00:59.000Z) appears in metadata but the formal closing date is 2026-09-10T16:00:59Z as published.

1. 1Publication on EU portal: 29 July 2026
2. 2Deadline for requests for additional information: 02 September 2026 (end time as in dossier)
3. 3Tender submission deadline: 10 September 2026, 16:00:59 (portal time)
4. 4Open tender event (informational): 11 September 2026, 10:30 (portal event time)

Application method, templates and required documents

Application type:open public tender via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method: mandatory electronic submission (eSubmission) through the Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenderers must follow the portal submission rules and complete required eForms and attachments. The procurement dossier contains templates and mandatory annexes (listed below).

Tender dossier key documents and templates included:The procurement publication includes the following documents which must be studied and used where required: Annex I Tender Specification (Annex I Tender Specification _V1.pdf), Appendix I.1 Terms of Reference, Annex II Draft Framework Contract (Draft FWC_V1.pdf), Appendix I.8 Financial Offer Template (Financial Offer Template_V1.pdf), Appendix I.2 Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (docx), Appendix I.3 Declaration on Honour on Compliance with Environmental, Social and Labour Law Obligations, Appendix I.4 Power of Attorney, Appendix I.5 List of identified subcontractors, Appendix I.6 Commitment letter identified subcontractor, Appendix I.7 Commitment letter entity capacities relied. Tenderers should use the Financial Offer Template and complete declarations and commitment letters as required; failure to provide the required templates and declarations may lead to disqualification.

1. 1Invitation to tender (EN-Invitation_to_tender_V1.pdf)
2. 2Annex I Tender Specification (Annex I Tender Specification _V1.pdf)
3. 3Appendix I.1 Terms of Reference (Appendix I.1 Terms of Reference_V1.pdf)
4. 4Annex II Draft FWC (Annex II Draft FWC_V1.pdf)
5. 5Appendix I.8 Financial Offer Template (Appendix I.8 - Financial Offer Template_V1.pdf)
6. 6Appendix I.2 Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (Appendix I.2 ... .docx)
7. 7Appendix I.3 Declaration on Compliance with Environmental, Social and Labour Law Obligations (docx)
8. 8Appendix I.4 Power of Attorney (Appendix I.4 Power of Attorney_V1.pdf)
9. 9Appendix I.5 List of identified subcontractors (Appendix I.5 ... .pdf)
10. 10Appendix I.6 Commitment letter identified subcontractor and Appendix I.7 Commitment letter entity capacities relied (PDFs)

Evaluation and award

Awarding criteria:quality and price, each weighted 50% per procurement record. Detailed sub-criteria and scoring approach are in the Tender Specification. The award will be based on the best value for money considering technical quality of the proposed assessment services and the financial offer. Tender validity period: tenders must remain valid for the period indicated (6 months). An appeal receiver is identified in the procurement record; standard remedies under EU procurement law apply.

Consortium, subcontracting and reliance on capacities

Consortium requirement:the call allows single tenderers and consortia/economic operators. The procurement dossier contains commitment letter templates for entities whose capacities are relied upon (Appendix I.7) and commitment letters for identified subcontractors (Appendix I.6), and a template list of identified subcontractors (Appendix I.5). Tenderers must attach required commitment letters when relying on partners or subcontractors and comply with selection/exclusion declarations.

Financial and co-funding details

Funding amount and contract remuneration:the procurement is for a paid services contract (the successful tenderer will be paid under the framework contract according to the Financial Offer and contract terms). Estimated overall contract value: €2 330 000 (this is an estimate used for procurement and budget planning). Co-funding: not required — this is a fee-for-service procurement; bidders must propose their price using the provided Financial Offer Template. No grant co-financing from bidders is expected or required.

Application stages and timeline

Application/award stages (procedural overview):1) Preparation and electronic submission of tender (using portal eSubmission and required templates), 2) Administrative compliance and exclusion/selection check (Declarations on Honour and supporting documents), 3) Technical evaluation and scoring against quality subcriteria, 4) Financial evaluation and combined scoring (quality/price weighting), 5) Award decision and signature of Framework Contract with successful tenderer, 6) Call-offs/orders under the FWC and execution of services. The procurement record mentions an open tender event and specific windows for information requests. In practice the main tender selection steps are submission, eligibility check, technical evaluation, financial evaluation, and award (roughly a 4–6 stage process).

Number of formal stages:The tender process requires multiple stages: submission and administrative/eligibility checks, technical evaluation, financial evaluation, and award — typically 4 major stages.

Success rates and competition

Success rates:not published in the procurement notice. Public tenders' success rates vary with the number and quality of bids; the number of awards under the framework is determined by the contracting authority. No numerical success rate is provided in the tender documentation available in the portal metadata.

Co-funding and financial guarantees

Co-funding:not applicable. Financial guarantees or performance securities: any requirement for performance guarantees, advance payments, or retention would be specified in the Draft Framework Contract (Annex II). Bidders should consult Annex II Draft FWC and Tender Specifications for any required guarantees or insurance obligations.

Assessment, technical and compliance requirements

Technical requirements:bidders must demonstrate experience in delivering assessment centre services for management-level recruitment, present qualified assessors and tools, demonstrate quality assurance procedures, data protection compliance, and capacity to operate assessment events (in-person and/or remote if required). Selection/exclusion criteria and compliance with environmental, social and labour law obligations are handled via the Declaration on Honour templates. Specific minimum experience, staff CVs, references, and evidence of technical capacity are described in the Tender Specification and Terms of Reference.

Practical application checklist

1. 1Register and sign in to the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and confirm eSubmission access.
2. 2Download and read Invitation to Tender, Annex I Tender Specification, Appendix I.1 Terms of Reference and Annex II Draft FWC.
3. 3Complete the Financial Offer Template (Appendix I.8) and prepare technical offer according to specification.
4. 4Complete and sign Declaration on Honour (Appendix I.2) and Compliance Declaration (Appendix I.3).
5. 5If bidding as consortium or relying on other entities, include commitment letters (Appendix I.7) and identified subcontractors (Appendix I.5/I.6) as required.
6. 6Attach Power of Attorney (Appendix I.4) where signatory authority must be demonstrated.
7. 7Ensure all documents meet formatting and anonymisation (if required) rules and that the tender is submitted before 10 September 2026, 16:00:59 (portal time).

Mentioned countries and geographic references

No specific Member State is singled out in the tender notice text. The procuring authority is an EU-level body (EIOPA). Geographic eligibility follows EU procurement rules and the tender references EU-funded procurement and the EIOPA website. Therefore the relevant region is the European Union/EEA where applicable under the procurement rules.

Summary:This is an open public procurement tender published by EIOPA for the provision of a Management Skills Assessment Centre to support recruitment activities. The procurement will be implemented through a Framework Contract with an estimated total value of €2 330 000 over the planned duration (initial 12-month period, renewable up to three times). Eligible bidders are legal entities or consortia able to deliver recruitment assessment services, including consultancies, specialist assessment centres, HR providers, and other organisations meeting the procurement selection criteria. Submission is electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the provided templates and declarations. Award will be on the basis of best value for money applying a 50/50 weighting between quality and price. Tenderers must consult and fully comply with the Tender Specification, Terms of Reference and Draft Framework Contract included in the procurement dossier prior to submission ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full tender publication and all annexes are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at the tender details page: ec.europa.eu

This is a public procurement tender, not a grant, for the provision of management skills assessment centre services for recruitments. The searchable summary identifies the buyer as the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, the procedure as EU-wide open, and the contract form as a framework agreement.[1]

Key tender facts

What the notice suggests for bidders

The service appears to cover the design and operation of a management assessment centre used in recruitment processes, so bidders should expect to demonstrate experience in candidate assessment, recruitment support, or related human resources services.[1]

The summary does not disclose the technical specification, selection thresholds, or the weighting of the award criteria, so these must be checked in the tender documents before bidding.[1]

1. 1Verify whether your organisation has documented experience delivering assessment centre services for public or large institutional recruitment.
2. 2Prepare the administrative, legal, and financial evidence usually required in EU procurement procedures, even though the summary does not list the exact documents.
3. 3Check the submission date carefully; the searchable summary supports 10 September 2026, while the metadata contains an earlier inconsistent date that should not be relied on without confirmation.[1]

Data quality note

The provided metadata contains a deadline timestamp that conflicts with the searchable tender summary. On the available evidence, the 10 September 2026 deadline is the reliable bid date, and the earlier timestamp should be treated as a data inconsistency until the official notice is checked.[1]