Methodological Framework for estimating and reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions avoided or removed by EU-Funded interventions under the 2028-2034 MFF

The European Commission DG BUDG has published tender EC-BUDG/2026/OP/0011 for a methodological framework to estimate and report annual greenhouse gas emissions avoided or removed by EU-funded interventions under the proposed 2028–2034 MFF. The contract is an open procedure for a single framework services agreement with an indicative ceiling of €500,000 and a maximum duration up to 48 months. Evaluation will follow a best price-quality ratio with quality weighted at 70 percent and price at 30 percent, and submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Deadline for receipt of tenders is 05/10/2026 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels.

Opportunity type and reference

EC-BUDG/2026/OP/0011 — Call for tenders (framework contract)

What it funds:development and consolidation of a coherent methodological framework to estimate and report annual greenhouse gas emissions avoided or removed as a result of EU‑funded interventions (based on Annex I of the proposed Performance Regulation for the 2028–2034 MFF). Tasks include reviewing/updating existing NGEU methods, developing new calculation methodologies for output indicators, assessing additional intervention fields, and producing technical factsheets and implementation-ready calculation templates and examples.

Estimated contract value:Indicative maximum framework ceiling €500,000; framework duration up to 48 months ¹

1. 1Who can apply: legal persons and consortiums (EU public procurement rules). Joint tenders allowed; group leader must be appointed.
2. 2Key deliverables: methodological documents per indicator, schematic presentations, structured calculation templates (IT‑tool ready), and matching assessment of existing NGEU methodologies.

Price model:tenderers must complete the financial model (Annex 6). The framework sets unit prices used to calculate specific contracts; contracting authority may order only some tasks. See tender specifications for eligibility, exclusion and selection criteria; technical team requirements are specified in the tender documents.

Submission details and documentation:submissions exclusively via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission); EU Login and Participant Register (PIC) required. Procurement documents, Annexes and draft framework contract are published on the Portal F&T tender page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents, including Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications (Annex I), Financial model (Annex 6), Example tasks and draft framework contract, are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page Tender dossier.

High-level opportunity facts

Reference:EC-BUDG/2026/OP/0011. Contracting authority: European Commission, Directorate-General for Budget (DG BUDG - Budget). Tender type: Open procedure (call for tenders). Procedure published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method: electronic only via eSubmission (EU Login and Participant Register PIC required). Estimated overall framework contract ceiling: €500,000. Maximum contract duration: up to 48 months. Framework type: single framework contract (one contractor) with specific contracts awarded under it. Award method: best price-quality ratio.

Key dates:TED publication date: 03/09/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 05/10/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening (virtual): 06/10/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Contracting authority will not be bound to reply to questions submitted after 25/09/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels. All dates and times are local to the contracting authority. See portal for Q&A and document updates F&T Portal. ¹

What the contracting authority wants

Objective:to engage a contractor to support the European Commission in developing a coherent methodological framework to estimate and report annually greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided or removed as a result of EU-funded interventions (based on Annex I of the proposed Performance Regulation for the 2028–2034 MFF). Scope of work includes: review and update of existing methodologies developed for reporting on NGEU green bonds; development and finalisation of new calculation methodologies for relevant output indicators; assessment of other intervention fields where such methodologies could be applied; preparation of technical factsheets and methodology documents that fully document formulas, assumptions, data sources, emission-factor selection logic, treatment of uncertainty, and scientific justification; and production of structured calculation templates designed for direct implementation in a future IT tool.

High-level tasks:(a) review and update ~40 existing methodologies used for NGEU green bonds, including updating underlying data and supplementing country-level data for third countries; (b) develop up to c.180 calculation methodologies where relevant (contracting authority will order specific methodologies as needed); (c) propose indicators for other intervention fields (approx. 120 fields) that could support GHG calculation and prioritise them; (d) develop methodologies for indicators identified under (c). Deliverables: methodology documents, schematic presentations, structured calculation templates/worked examples; a list of proposed indicators and brief approaches; mapping and assessment of matches between existing methodologies and Annex I indicators.

Expected outputs and format:All deliverables in electronic formats (PDF, XLS, DOC, PPT or equivalent). Methodology documents must be sufficiently precise and structured for direct digital implementation: explicit equations and rule logic; input definitions (units, formats, ranges); conditional logic/decision trees; outputs; parameter tables with versioning; handling of missing data and defaults; assumptions and scientific justification; data source references and QA/QC procedures. Contractor must be available to present results to DG BUDG working groups and up to two seminars/workshops in Brussels.

Eligibility and applicants

Eligible applicant types:any economic operator (legal or natural person) established in the scope of the EU Treaties; participation is open to international organisations and to persons established in third countries where access to procurement applies (GPA signatories and other applicable agreements). Tenderers must be registered in the Participant Register (PIC) and submit via eSubmission. Joint tenders (consortia) are permitted; a single framework contract will be concluded with one contractor. Subcontracting is allowed but identified subcontractors and those above 20% share or relied-on for selection criteria must be declared and provide commitment letters.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):Eligible types include: research and university teams, consultancies, SME and large enterprises, non-profit research institutes, think-tanks and NGOs, multi-entity consortia (joint tenders). Individual natural persons may submit where permitted. Applicants must not be subject to exclusion grounds (bankruptcy, fraud, serious professional misconduct, tax/social security breaches, irregularities, etc.). Declarations on honour and supporting evidence will be required as set out in Annex 2 (DoH).

Procurement and financial characteristics

Funding type and contract nature:service contract procured by public procurement (tender). The contracting authority will conclude a framework service contract (without reopening of competition). The estimated overall value/ceiling of the framework contract is €500,000 (exclusive of VAT). Award criterion: best price-quality ratio with quality weighted at 70% and price at 30%.

1. 1Quality criteria: technical approach (60 points; minimum pass 30), resource management (20 points; min 10), quality management (20 points; min 10). Overall quality minimum: 50/100.
2. 2Price: tenderers must complete financial model (Annex 6) specifying prices for (P1) updating methodologies, (P2) developing new methodologies (units: up to 80 units), and (P3) proposing indicators for other intervention fields; prices are treated as ceilings for future specific contracts.
3. 3Award formula: best price-quality ratio combining normalised quality and price scores; tie-breakers favour higher quality.

Consortium and contracting model

Consortium requirement:single framework contract with one contractor (single winner). Joint tenders are permitted; group members sign an Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3) appointing a group leader. All group members assume joint and several liability. Subcontracting permitted; identified subcontractors above 20% or relied on for selection must be listed (Annex 4) with commitment letters (Annex 5.1). Entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (not subcontractors) must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.2).

Geographic & beneficiary scope

Beneficiary scope / geographic eligibility:EU institutions open to economic operators established in Member States and in countries covered by procurement access agreements (e.g. GPA). The methodologies must also be supplemented with country-level data for third countries where Union-funded interventions are implemented; the contractor will be provided with the list of third countries as set out in Annex I of the Global Europe proposal and must update deliverables if that list changes.

Countries explicitly mentioned in procurement documents:EU Member States explicitly listed in Annex example tables and reference data include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. The documents also reference third countries generically (Global Europe third countries) and candidate countries where applicable; tenderers must account for third-country data where required.

Target sector and technology focus

Target sector:climate mitigation across multiple policy areas covered by Annex I of the Performance Regulation. The work is thematic across energy, transport, buildings/efficiency, renewable fuels, smart energy systems, waste and broader environment-related intervention fields. Technology/sector examples in annexes: solar PV (electricity generation), smart electricity meters, renewable fuels (non-biological SAF / maritime fuels), zero-emission vehicles. Methodologies must align with IPCC, EEA, Eurostat, JRC, IEA, UNFCCC, and other recognised sources and apply to EU and relevant third-country contexts.

Expected project stage and maturity

Project stage:methodological development, research-to-validation stage. The contracting authority expects the contractor to review existing methodologies, develop and validate calculation approaches and produce templated calculation modules suitable for digital implementation and for use in reporting. The work is not operational GHG inventory compilation or primary data collection for operational monitoring, except where worked examples and templates demonstrate implementation logic.

Application procedure and stages

Application type:open call for tenders (open procedure) via electronic submission (eSubmission) on the F&T Portal. Required registration in Participant Register (PIC). Tenders may be sole or joint. Declarations and supporting evidence (Declaration on Honour, legal evidence, financial statements, project references, CVs) are required as set out in Annex 1 and Annex 2. EU Login account required to subscribe and access documents F&T Portal.

1. 1Stage 1: electronic tender submission (technical and financial tender + annexes) before the deadline.
2. 2Stage 2: administrative checks, exclusion and selection criteria verification (Declarations on Honour, EDES checks, evidence requests).
3. 3Stage 3: evaluation of tenders (quality evaluation and price scoring) and ranking by best price-quality ratio, award decision and signature of framework contract.
4. 4Stage 4: deployment of framework and issuance of specific contracts / order forms based on request for specific contracts; separate competitive replies within framework for specific contracts where applicable.

Number of application stages:3 main evaluation stages prior to award (submission, selection/exclusion checks, award evaluation). Additional administrative evidence requests may occur between selection and award.

Funding, co-funding and financial conditions

Funding amount and scale:framework contract estimated overall ceiling €500,000. This is the maximum amount the Commission expects to spend under the framework. Specific contracts will be ordered under this ceiling. Prices must be quoted in EUR, free of VAT. Prices tendered become maximum ceilings for specific contracts; tenderers may offer discounts. Currency: EUR. No pre-financing or interim payments are specified in the tender; payment of balance and invoices are governed by the draft framework contract and specific contracts.

Co-funding requirement:Co-funding: not required. This is a procurement (service contract) where the Commission pays the contractor under contractual terms. No requirement for matching funds is specified in the tender documents.

Eligibility, selection and evaluation specifics

Selection and exclusion:tenderers must complete the Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) on exclusion and selection criteria. Exclusion grounds follow Article 138 of the Financial Regulation. Selection criteria include economic/financial capacity (average annual turnover over last two financial years above €250,000) and technical/professional capacity: minimum three similar projects of at least €50,000 each in the last four years; team with at least three members including at least one expert with five years’ experience in evaluating impacts on climate change and two members with at least three years’ experience. Evidence required: profit and loss / accounts, project lists, client references, CVs. Professional conflicting interests must be declared; restrictive measures lists apply.

Templates and application structure

Tender documentation and templates provided:Invitation letter; Tender specifications (Annex I) and annexes; Declaration on Honour template (Annex 2); Agreement/Power of Attorney model for joint tenders (Annex 3); List of identified subcontractors template (Annex 4); Commitment letter templates for subcontractors and third-party capacities (Annex 5.1 and 5.2); Financial offer / financial model (Annex 6, spreadsheet); Example task (Annex 7); Example methodology workbook (Annex 8); Draft framework contract and security appendix. The contracting authority requires tenders to follow Annex 1 upload structure in eSubmission and to name and place attachments as specified there.

1. 1Structure of technical tender: executive summary; understanding of task; detailed technical approach and methodology; task-by-task workplan; deliverable descriptions and templates; quality assurance procedures; data source and uncertainty treatment approach; staff roles, CVs and time allocation (person-days); description of subcontractors and their roles.
2. 2Structure of financial tender: completed Annex 6 financial model (prices per package/unit per task), clear currency and VAT statement, breakdown by price items where requested (P1 update, P2 new methodology units, P3 proposals).
3. 3Administrative attachments: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for each involved entity, evidence for selection criteria (accounts, references), legal identity documents or database links, agreement/power of attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), identified subcontractors (Annex 4) and commitment letters (Annex 5).

Project management, security and IP

Security:contractors must comply with applicable Commission security requirements in Appendix 2. Where work handles non-public or sensitive Commission information, hosting and processing requirements and incident reporting apply. Intellectual property: Commission acquires ownership of results produced specifically for the Union. Contractor must list pre-existing rights and license pre-existing materials to the Union on a royalty-free, non-exclusive and irrevocable basis for Union use; documentary evidence of pre-existing rights must be provided with the final payment claim.

Checks, audits and liability:The Framework Contract and specific contracts include audit and check provisions. The Commission, OLAF, Court of Auditors, EPPO and EDPS have rights to audit and investigate. Contractor liabilities for breach, damages and remedies (price reduction, liquidated damages, termination) are stated in the draft contract. Contractors must keep records and supporting documents for five years after final payment.

Other practical and technical submission details

eSubmission technical constraints:EU Login required; accepted browsers and file types listed in system requirements; attachments must be <50 MB each; max 200 attachments per submission. Participant Register PIC mandatory. Submissions encrypted on upload and not decryptable after deadline. Draft contract and tender specifications are published in English and constitute the authoritative texts. Tender validity, withdrawal and replacement rules are described in the Invitation to Tender.

Success prospects and competition

Success rates:not published. This is a competitive open tender for a single contractor to hold a framework contract. Evaluation is based on a 70% quality / 30% price weighting with minimum thresholds applied. The contracting authority will award to the most economically advantageous tender that meets minimum requirements, is not excluded and fulfils selection criteria.

Co-funding and follow-on work

No co-funding requirement. The framework contract allows the Commission to issue specific contracts. Within three years following signature, the Commission may use a negotiated procedure to procure additional services from the contractor up to 50% of the initial framework ceiling for repetition of similar services, under conditions in the tender specifications.

How to prepare a compliant tender (practical checklist)

1. 1Register organisation in Participant Register and obtain PIC; ensure EU Login account is ready for eSubmission.
2. 2Download and study Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications (Annex I), Draft Contract (Annex II), Annexes 2-8 and the Financial Model (Annex 6).
3. 3Prepare technical offer: methodology approach, workplan, deliverables, templates, QA procedures, CVs of key experts, capacity evidence (projects). Use Annex 7 and 8 examples to mirror required detail and structure.
4. 4Prepare financial offer using Annex 6 financial model; ensure prices in EUR, free of VAT and are the ceilings applicable to specific contracts.
5. 5Complete administrative attachments: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for all required entities, proof of legal representation, accounts for past two years, Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), Annex 4/5 for subcontractors and commitment letters where applicable.
6. 6Upload all documents in eSubmission following Annex 1 upload plan and naming conventions. Test file sizes and format (max 50 MB per attachment).
7. 7Submit before the deadline and keep the eSubmission receipt. Monitor the F&T Portal for Q&A and any corrigenda during the submission period.

Summary: What is this opportunity about and how to explain it?

This is a public procurement for expertise in climate mitigation accounting:the European Commission (DG BUDG) seeks a contractor to develop, update and package a coherent methodological framework (methodology documents, calculation templates and factsheets) to estimate annual greenhouse gas emissions avoided or removed linked to EU-funded interventions under the proposed 2028–2034 Performance Regulation. The supplier will review around 40 existing methodologies developed for NGEU green bonds, develop new calculation methods for relevant output indicators (subject to ordering), propose further intervention fields where GHG methodologies could be applied, and deliver all products in machine-implementable formats suitable for integration into an IT tool. The procedure is an open tender, evaluated on quality (70%) and price (30%), and will result in a single framework service contract with an overall estimated ceiling of €500,000 and maximum duration of 48 months. Tenderers must submit electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission) and comply with the administrative, selection and exclusion requirements in the tender documentation. The work requires solid scientific and methodological expertise in GHG accounting and reporting, familiarity with EU reporting practices and data sources, and capacity to produce structured, auditable method documents and templates that can be automated.

Footnotes

1. 1All procurement documents, Q&A and submission portal access are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu. Use eSubmission (EU Login and PIC) to submit tenders and to subscribe for updates.

This is an EU procurement opportunity issued by the European Commission, DG BUDG, for services under procedure EC-BUDG/2026/OP/0011. The contract seeks a methodological framework to estimate and report annual greenhouse gas emissions avoided or removed by EU-funded interventions under the proposed 2028 to 2034 Multiannual Financial Framework.

The assignment is strongly aligned with existing EU climate accounting practice, which typically estimates greenhouse gas avoidance by comparing a project scenario with a credible baseline or reference scenario, then documenting formulas, assumptions, data sources, and scientific justification for the calculations.[1][3][9][10]

What the Contract Is About

The Commission is looking for expert support to review and update existing methodologies, develop new calculation methods for relevant output indicators, assess where additional intervention fields can be covered, and prepare technical factsheets that explain the calculation logic and evidence base. In practical terms, this is a technical and analytical assignment focused on methodological design rather than direct implementation of climate projects.

The work is intended to support reporting under Annex I of the proposed Performance Regulation for the 2028 to 2034 MFF. The broader policy context suggests a strong need for robust baseline setting, emission factor selection, annual quantification, and consistent reporting across intervention types, similar to approaches already used in other EU greenhouse gas avoidance methodologies.[1][3][9][10]

Who Can Apply

This is an open procedure, so eligible economic operators can submit tenders if they meet the exclusion and selection requirements in the tender documents. The portal indicates electronic submission, a mandatory EU Login account for submission access, and a mandatory PIC for the organisation participating as tenderer, consortium member, or in some cases subcontractor.

The opportunity is marked as not SME suitable, which suggests the Commission expects capacity beyond a typical small standalone bidder or that the contract scope may favor larger or highly specialized teams. Consortia are generally possible in open EU tenders if the tender documents allow them and the required administrative forms are completed correctly.

Commercial Terms and Award Conditions

The framework contract is described as starting with an initial period of 12 months and renewable three times, which aligns with the stated maximum duration of 48 months. The contract is therefore likely structured as a multi-year expert support framework rather than a one-off study.

Key Tasks and Expected Deliverables

• Review and update existing greenhouse gas emissions avoidance or removal methodologies
• Develop new calculation methodologies for relevant output indicators
• Assess additional intervention fields where methodologies could be applied
• Prepare technical factsheets for each methodology or indicator
• Document formulas, assumptions, data sources, and scientific justification
• Support coherent annual reporting for EU funded interventions under the proposed performance framework

Deadlines and Submission Requirements

Submissions must be made electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The tender documents available from the portal include the invitation letter, tender specifications, declaration on honour, financial offer form, example task, example methodology, draft contract, and security appendix.

Practical Assessment for Applicants

The strongest bidders are likely to be firms or consortia with expertise in climate accounting, greenhouse gas inventory methods, impact evaluation, public policy reporting systems, statistical methodology, and technical drafting for EU institutions. Demonstrated experience in annual emissions accounting, baseline and scenario analysis, and methodology documentation will be especially relevant.

A public clarification in the question and answer section states that participation in this project would not constitute a conflict of interest with respect to a potential future tender for the design work, which may be relevant for organisations considering involvement in both methodological support and later implementation-related opportunities.

Overall Opportunity Summary

This is a specialised EU procurement for technical advisory and methodological work with a moderate estimated value but high policy relevance. Applicants should treat it as a niche climate analytics and public sector methodology contract, requiring strong technical credibility, careful compliance with eSubmission rules, and a precise proposal that balances scientific rigor with implementation practicality.