ManagEnergy IV - Capacity building for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities

EU tender CINEA/2026/OP/0028 (ManagEnergy IV) seeks a service provider to continue and further develop the ManagEnergy support facility for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities. The procurement is a service contract (not a grant) with an estimated value of €2,300,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months. Eligible bidders are legal entities or consortia able to deliver EU-wide capacity building, training, networking and technical assistance, and the award weighting is quality 70 / price 30. Submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with a deadline of 9 September 2026, 17:00:59 (Brussels time).

Opportunity type and contracting authority

EU tender (CINEA Call Identifier CINEA/2026/OP/0028)

Continuation and further development of the ManagEnergy support facility providing capacity building, networking and advisory services for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities across the EU.

Who can apply:Public and private legal persons or consortia (economic operators) able to deliver EU-wide capacity building and advisory services; the contracting authority is the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). SMEs flag indicates the procurement is not marked as SME-suitable.

1. 1What it funds: operation and further development of the ManagEnergy support facility (capacity building, training, guidance, networking for local/regional energy actors).
2. 2Contract type and duration: service contract, planned execution period 48 months.
3. 3Estimated contract value: €2,300,000 (estimated overall contract amount).
4. 4Submission: electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal; key deadline 9 September 2026 (17:00:59 Brussels time).
5. 5Lead authority: CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency).

Procurement documents, tender specifications and draft contract are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal; consult those for detailed eligibility, selection and award criteria ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documentation and application instructions are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender page for this call: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity summary

Type:Public procurement tender (services). Contracting authority: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Objective: Continuation and further development of the ManagEnergy support facility to provide capacity building and support services for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities. Call identifier: CINEA/2026/OP/0028. Main CPV: 80531200. Estimated overall contract value: €2,300,000. Planned contract duration: 48 months. Submission method: mandatory eSubmission via the Funding and Tenders Portal (Funding & Tenders Portal eForms extension). Deadlines: submission deadline 9 September 2026, 17:00:59 (Brussels time). An earlier timestamp 1 January 2026 15:00:59 appears in metadata but the official closing date recorded in the tender details is 9 September 2026 17:00:59. Open tender event (indicative): 10 September 2026 at 11:30 (Brussels time).

What this contract covers:Continuation and development of the ManagEnergy support facility: provision of services to build capacity of local and regional energy agencies and public authorities across EU-funded zones, including training, technical assistance, networking, communication, and facilitation activities to accelerate local/regional energy transition.

Eligible applicant types

This is a service tender published by a European Commission agency and therefore the principal eligible tenderers are legal entities able to conclude public contracts with CINEA. Based on the tender type and documents provided (tender specifications, technical capacity annexes and requirement templates), eligible applicant types include: consultancies and professional service providers, consortia and joint ventures of service providers, non-profit organisations and NGOs experienced in energy capacity building, national, regional or local public authorities or agencies acting as bidders where permitted under procurement rules, research institutes and universities (if offering the required services), and combinations thereof (lead contractor with subcontractors). The procurement is not SME-targeted (smeSuitableIndicator=false) so large enterprises are eligible as well. Individuals cannot be the contracting party unless they are registered legal entities able to sign the contract.

Funding type and contract nature

Primary financial mechanism:public procurement (service contract) awarded by CINEA. This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument: the successful bidder will sign a direct service contract (draft contract provided) and receive payment under the contract terms for delivered services.

Consortium and participation requirements

The procedure allows tenderers to participate individually or as a group (group members/share VAT annex provided). The tender documentation includes templates for commitment letters for identified subcontractors and third parties (Annexes 5.1 and 5.2), a list of subcontractors (Annex 4), and power of attorney/agreement templates (Annex 3). The procurement allows and expects subcontracting and group bids when necessary. Therefore both single entities and consortia (groups of economic operators) are acceptable, subject to the submission of the required supporting documents.

Beneficiary geographic scope

Beneficiaries/contractors:entities eligible to contract with an EU Agency implementing EU-funded programmes. The procurement is EU-funded and administered by CINEA. The scope is EU-level and covers local and regional energy agencies and public authorities across EU Member States and other zones covered by CINEA-managed EU funds. The documentation and portal context indicate EU/Europe as the operational area; the contracting authority link is CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency).

Target sectors and topics

Primary sector:Clean energy / energy transition and capacity building. Cross-cutting topics: public sector capacity building, regional and local energy agency support, training and facilitation services, communication and outreach. Related administrative/operational components: stakeholder engagement, technical assistance, policy support, knowledge sharing and networking.

Project maturity / expected stage

The activity targets operational implementation and service delivery (capacity building and support). Expected maturity: demonstration / deployment / operational delivery rather than basic research — the contractor must deliver practical training, assistance, and facilitation services to local and regional stakeholders across the contract period (48 months).

Estimated funding and contract value

Estimated overall contract amount:€2,300,000 (currency EUR). This figure is provided in the tender metadata as the estimated total procedure value and the estimated overall contract amount.

Application and submission method

Application type:open public tender (non-restricted) published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method: mandatory electronic submission (eSubmission) through the Funding and Tenders Portal eForms system. Key dates: additional information request period ends 1 September 2026 (end date specified in tenderingProcess). The official tender documents and templates are published on the portal and must be used for submission.

Nature of support for the successful contractor

Nature of support:monetary payments under a service contract (procurement). The contractor will receive contract payments for the supply of services defined in the contract and deliverables; non-financial support is not the primary mechanism, though the contract may include access to Commission networks or stakeholders as part of service delivery.

Application stages and procurement process

High-level stages implied by the tender metadata:1) Publication and submission of tenders (electronic). 2) Opening/administrative check and evaluation (technical and price evaluation using awarding criteria quality:70 and price:30). 3) Award decision and contract signature. 4) Possible clarifications and post-award procedures (contract finalisation, security baseline, and annex completion). The open tender event was scheduled for 10 September 2026 (occurrence date), which typically corresponds to opening or e-certification steps. Therefore anticipate 3 to 4 stages in practice (submission, evaluation, award, contracting).

Awarding criteria and evaluation weighting

Awarding criteria are split into quality and price. The metadata shows a weighting model:quality 70 points and price 30 points. Tenderers must therefore prioritise the technical quality of their proposals while providing a competitive financial offer. The tender specifications instruct bidders to consult the procurement documents for full details of quality sub-criteria and scoring.

Co-funding requirement

As this is a procurement/service contract, no co-funding from the tenderer is required in the sense of co-financing grant projects. The bidder must propose a price for services and will be paid under the contract. Any requirements for financial guarantees, bank sureties, or security requirements are specified in the draft contract and Appendix 2/Appendix 3 security documents. Tenderers should consult the draft contract and security annexes for obligations related to performance guarantees.

Success rates and competitiveness

No historical success rate is provided in the tender metadata. Public procurement competitions for high-value EU agency contracts are typically competitive with a limited number of awards (single contractor for this lot). Success depends on meeting administrative, legal and technical selection criteria and scoring highly on the quality criteria, then achieving a competitive price. Exact probability of success cannot be determined from the published data.

Templates and documents available

The tender package supplied on the Funding & Tenders Portal contains a comprehensive set of templates and annexes that bidders must use or complete. Key documents published (names and file types as provided):

1. 1EN-Invitation_to_tender_CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (Invitation letter)
2. 2Tender Specifications CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (Tender specifications; main document describing the requirements and evaluation rules)
3. 3Draft Contract-direct-service- CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (Draft contract)
4. 4Appendix 2 Security requirements - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (Security requirements annex)
5. 5Appendix 3 Security baseline_ CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (Security baseline annex)
6. 6Annex 1 List of documents - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (List of required submission documents)
7. 7Annex 2 Declaration-honour - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.docx (Declaration on honour template for tenderers)
8. 8Annex 2.1-Technical Professional capacity-CINEA2026OP0028_V1.doc (Technical and professional capacity template)
9. 9Annex 3 Agreement_Power of attorney - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.docx (Power of attorney / agreement template)
10. 10Annex 4 List of subcontractors - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.docx (Subcontractors listing template)
11. 11Annex 5.1 Commitment letter Identified subctr - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.doc (Commitment letter for identified subcontractors)
12. 12Annex 5.2 Commitment letter Third party - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.doc (Commitment letter for third parties)
13. 1304_Annex 6-Financial tender-CINEA2026OP0028_V1.xlsx (Financial offer form)
14. 14Annex III Declaration on list pre-existing rights CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (IP / pre-existing rights declaration)
15. 15Annex IV Group members share VAT - CINEA2026OP0028_V1.pdf (Group members VAT sharing info)

These templates indicate that bidders must supply:completed financial offer form; declaration on honour; technical capacity documentation; declarations and commitment letters for any subcontractors or third parties; group formation documents and VAT sharing details if bidding as a group; and comply with security and draft contract terms. Bidders should use the exact templates provided and follow the submission checklist in Annex 1.

Administrative and contractual conditions (high-level)

Key administrative and contractual elements noted in the tender metadata and documents:planned contract period 48 months; tender validity period 12 months; electronic ordering and payment indicated; procurement is for services under EU funds; security requirements and baseline apply as per appendices; award based on quality (70) and price (30). The procurement is not SME-targeted. Tender submission and communication must be via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Appeal receiver party ID is provided for appeals.

Mentioned countries and contracting authority

Explicit country mentions in the tender metadata are limited to EU institutional context. The contracting authority is the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), an EU agency. Operational scope is Europe / EU Member States and zones covered by CINEA-managed programmes. No individual Member States are singled out in the scraped text.

Practical recommendations for applicants

1. 1Download and study carefully: Tender Specifications, Draft Contract, Annex 1 List of documents, Financial offer form, Technical capacity template and security appendices.
2. 2Prepare the financial offer in the exact Excel template (Annex 6). Ensure price realism and compliance with price evaluation rules.
3. 3Assemble technical submission demonstrating capacity in capacity building for local/regional energy agencies, examples of previous projects, staffing and project management approach using Annex 2.1 template.
4. 4If bidding as a group or planning to subcontract, complete Annex 4, Annex 5.1/5.2 and Annex 3 as applicable and include VAT sharing documentation for group bids.
5. 5Comply with security requirements and the draft contract clauses; be prepared to provide any performance or security guarantees if required by the contract.
6. 6Submit electronically before the deadline through the Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission system; respect the tender validity period and mandatory submission format.

For the authoritative tender documents, forms, templates and the contract notice, consult the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page and the documents published with this call CINEA ManagEnergy IV Tender page. ¹

Detailed categorical answers

Eligible Applicant Types:consultancies and professional service providers, consortia/joint ventures, non-profit organisations/NGOs, public authorities/regional energy agencies, research institutes and universities acting as legal entities, and other legal persons able to sign EU agency contracts. SME indication is false but SMEs may bid as part of groups.

Funding Type:public procurement / service contract (procurement), not a grant, loan or equity instrument.

Consortium Requirement:either single tenderer or consortium/group of economic operators is allowed; subcontracting is explicitly catered for via annex templates. The procurement includes forms for groups and subcontractors, so consortium bids are permitted but not mandatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU-level, CINEA-managed EU-funded zones. Operational coverage targets local and regional energy agencies/public authorities across the EU; specific Member States are not separately listed in the scraped metadata.

Target Sector:clean energy / energy transition capacity building, public authority support, knowledge transfer and stakeholder engagement.

Mentioned Countries:none explicitly listed by name; contracting authority is EU-level (CINEA) and operational scope is Europe/EU.

Project Stage:implementation / operational delivery (capacity building and service delivery over the contract period).

Funding Amount:estimated overall contract amount €2,300,000.

Application Type:open tender published on the Funding & Tenders Portal; eSubmission required.

Nature of Support:monetary payments under a service contract (money).

Application Stages:typically 3 stages (submission, evaluation on administrative/selection/award criteria, award & contracting) with potential post-award steps and clarifications (so 3 to 4).

Success Rates:not provided; single-award competitive procurement — success depends on meeting selection criteria and ranking highest on quality/price scoring.

Co-funding Requirement:no co-funding required as this is a procurement contract. Tenderers must propose a commercial price for services and comply with any performance/security requirements stated in the contract and appendices.

Templates:full set published. Key templates include Declaration on honour (Annex 2), Technical Professional capacity template (Annex 2.1), Financial tender form (Annex 6 Excel), Annex 1 list of required documents, Annex 3 power of attorney/agreement, Annex 4 subcontractor list, Annex 5.1/5.2 subcontractor/third party commitment letters, Annex III pre-existing rights declaration, Annex IV group members share VAT. Bidders must complete and return these templates as part of the electronic tender submission.

Summary

This is a public procurement tender (CINEA/2026/OP/0028) to contract a service provider to run and evolve the ManagEnergy IV support facility for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities. The procurement value is estimated at €2.3 million for a 48-month service contract. The call is open to legal entities and groups able to perform EU-funded capacity building activities; the tender documents include detailed templates for technical, financial and contractual submissions. Evaluation is based mainly on quality (70) and price (30). Submission is electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal; bidders must use the provided templates (Annexes 1-6 and draft contract appendices) and comply with security and contractual terms. For full requirements, deadlines and official documents consult the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page and download the published tender specifications, draft contract and annexes CINEA ManagEnergy IV Tender page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents published on 20 July 2026 include: Invitation to tender, Tender Specifications, Draft Contract, Security requirements (Appendix 2 and Appendix 3), Annexes 1-6 and templates for declarations, technical capacity, financial offer and subcontractor commitments. All documents are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal call CINEA/2026/OP/0028 (ManagEnergy IV).

This is a planned EU service contract to continue and further develop the ManagEnergy support facility for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities. The official prior information notice states an estimated total value of €2,300,000 and a maximum contract duration of 48 months.[4]

Opportunity snapshot

What the contract is about

ManagEnergy is an EU initiative dedicated to helping European regional and local energy agencies become leaders in the energy transition, while supporting sustainable energy investments, local project development and innovation.[9] The wider ManagEnergy platform also emphasizes information, know-how, visibility and networking for energy agencies, including support to deliver new services or strengthen existing ones.[10]

On that basis, the tender is best understood as procurement of an operating and support facility rather than direct financing for local authorities or agencies.[4] The end users are the local and regional energy agencies and public authorities that will benefit from the facility's services.[4][9]

Who can apply

The available official source does not yet publish the full bidder eligibility rules, so the precise applicant profile is not visible in the material reviewed.[4] However, because this is a service contract tender, the likely bidders are specialised companies, non-profit organisations, consultancies, or consortia that can deliver an EU-wide capacity building and support programme for public-sector energy actors.[4]

A competitive bid would most likely need demonstrated experience in energy transition support, training and facilitation, stakeholder collaboration, communications, and network management for local or regional public authorities and energy agencies.[9][10]

Key conditions and what is known so far

• No grant funding rate applies because the opportunity is structured as a procurement tender for services.[4]
• The contract value is estimated at €2.3 million and the maximum duration is 48 months.[4]
• The notice available in the search results is a prior information notice, so final procurement rules, award criteria and submission requirements may still be updated when the full contract notice is published.[4]
• The estimated publication date for the contract notice is 14 July 2026, indicating that the competition is a forthcoming service procurement and not yet fully documented in the reviewed source snapshot.[4]

What applicants would likely want to know

Potential bidders should expect a contract focused on capacity building, facilitation, networking and support services for local and regional energy agencies and public authorities.[4][9][10] The most important commercial question is therefore whether the bidding organisation can prove it has the operational capacity to run a European support facility over a four-year period within the estimated €2.3 million budget.[4]

The main uncertainty is that the accessible official source is still only a prior information notice, so the detailed technical specifications, selection thresholds, award methodology, and any consortium rules are not yet visible in the material reviewed.[4]