Modernising DG REGIO’s training programme for authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy – Concept and Feasibility Assessment (2024CE16BAT188)

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) has released a call for tenders seeking contractors for the project titled "Modernising DG REGIO’s training programme for authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy – Concept and Feasibility Assessment." This initiative aims to enhance the administrative capacity of authorities in EU Member States responsible for managing cohesion policy funds. The contract value is estimated at €300,000, with a maximum duration of 18 months.

Eligible applicants include organizations with expertise in business and management consultancy, particularly focused on EU cohesion policy and training program design. While the documentation does not specify whether a single applicant or consortium is required, it is anticipated that either could qualify as long as they meet the selection criteria. The project is labeled as a procurement opportunity, indicating that funding is tied to service delivery rather than grants.

The project is in the early stages, focusing on designing and assessing the feasibility of a future training program intended for the post-2027 programming period. The geographical eligibility pertains to EU Member States, but no specific countries are mentioned.

The application process is classified as an open call, requiring electronic submissions. The evaluation criteria will weigh quality at 70% and cost at 30%. While the specific success rates of prior tenders are not provided, they generally range between 10%-39%. There is no co-funding requirement involved, as the payment will be made for the services rendered.

Key deadlines include the tender publication date on May 20, 2025, with a submission deadline set for July 3, 2025, at 16:00 Brussels time. Interested bidders must ensure their submissions meet specific suitability, economic and financial requirements, and technical competency as outlined in the tender documents.

Overall, this call for tenders invites qualified entities to contribute to revitalizing training resources, thereby improving the efficiency of fund management in line with future EU policies.

The European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy, has published a call for tenders with procedure identifier EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0016. The call, titled "Modernising DG REGIO’s training programme for authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy – Concept and Feasibility Assessment (2024CE16BAT188)", is an open procedure with electronic submission. The TED reference is 96/2025 323577-2025.

The general objective of the project is to contribute to supporting the administrative capacity of authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy in EU Member States. This will be achieved by modernising and increasing the impact of the DG REGIO “Strategic training programme on Cohesion Policy”, in view of the next programming period post-2027. The specific objectives of this call for tender are to design the future training programme for the next programming period of EU funds.

The estimated total value of the contract is 300,000 EUR. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 18 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is mentioned.

Selection criteria include:
1. Suitability to pursue the professional activity (consult the procurement documents).
2. Economic and financial standing (consult the procurement documents).
3. Technical and professional ability (consult the procurement documents).

Key milestones are:
TED publication date: 20/05/2025
Date and time of public opening: 03/07/2025 16:30 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 03/07/2025 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Contracting authority will not reply to questions submitted after: 25/06/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:
1. Invitation to tender Invitation letter (Published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available)
2. Tender Specifications-Part I-Admin final Tender specifications - adm. part (Published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available)
3. Tender Specifcations-Part II-technical final Tender specifications (Published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available)
4. contrat-direct-service-2024 FR Recast-en Draft contract (Published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available)
5. Appendix 2 Security requirements en Draft contract annex (Published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available)
6. declaration-of-honour-tenders Modernising training prog for CP MAs EC-REGIO2025OP0016 Declaration on honour (tender) (Published on 20/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available)

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

A clarification regarding Paragraph 1.7 of the Tender Specification (Part I) is available. It clarifies that the volumes/values of the purchases over the total duration of the contract are specified in the Technical specifications document (Tender specifications – part 2). This clarification was published on 27/05/2025 at 14:04.

In summary, this call for tenders seeks a contractor to design a modernised training programme for authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy, in preparation for the post-2027 programming period. The project aims to enhance the administrative capacity of these authorities by updating and improving the impact of DG REGIO's existing strategic training programme. The selected contractor will be responsible for developing the concept and assessing the feasibility of the future training programme. The tender is open to all eligible economic operators who meet the specified selection criteria related to professional suitability, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. The deadline for submitting tenders is July 3, 2025. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely open to organizations or companies with expertise in business and management consultancy, specifically related to training program design and feasibility assessment. This could include consulting firms, research institutes, or other entities with relevant experience. The selection criteria mention "Suitability to pursue the professional activity," which implies that applicants must demonstrate they are professionally capable of delivering the services.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a call for tenders. The European Commission is seeking to procure services related to the design and feasibility assessment of a training program.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope of the project, both single applicants and consortia could potentially be eligible, provided they meet the selection criteria and can demonstrate the necessary expertise and capacity.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity aims to support administrative capacity of authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy in the EU Member States. Therefore, the geographic eligibility is likely focused on entities based in EU Member States, although this is not explicitly stated.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily focused on business and management consultancy, specifically within the context of EU cohesion policy, regional and urban development, and training program design. It also touches upon the education and training sector, as the project involves modernizing a training program.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions "EU Members States" as the beneficiaries of the training program.

Project Stage: The project is focused on the design and feasibility assessment of a future training program. This suggests that the project is in the early stages of development, specifically the concept and planning phase. The project stage is idea and research.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 300,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries of this opportunity (the winning tenderer) will receive money in exchange for services rendered.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it is likely a multi-stage process involving submission of a tender, evaluation of the tender based on selection criteria (suitability, economic and financial standing, technical and professional ability), and contract award.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not mentioned.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG REGIO, seeking a contractor to modernize its training program for authorities managing EU funds for cohesion policy in EU Member States. The project involves designing the future training program for the next programming period post-2027 and conducting a feasibility assessment. The estimated contract value is 300,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 18 months. The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 03/07/2025 at 16:00 Brussels time. The tender is open to entities with expertise in business and management consultancy, particularly in the context of EU cohesion policy and training program design. The successful tenderer will be responsible for designing the future training program and assessing its feasibility. The project aims to enhance the administrative capacity of authorities managing EU funds, ensuring the effective implementation of cohesion policy in the next programming period.