Multi – category vehicle acquisition for Frontex operational activities

Frontex is issuing an open tender (call identifier FRONTEX/2026/OP/0031) for four separate 4-year framework contracts to procure multi-category vehicles and related equipment across four lots (off-road vehicles, mid-size SUVs, passenger vans, and EV passenger vans) with an estimated total value of €17,000,000. The contracts require vehicles capable of operating from Arctic to Mediterranean conditions, off-road and SUV types to carry five fully equipped officers, and passenger vans to support return operations in line with Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896. Submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 31 July 2026 16:00:59 (Europe/Warsaw) and award criteria are weighted 60% quality and 40% price. Eligible applicants include vehicle manufacturers, authorised dealers or suppliers able to meet the technical specifications and to submit the required Annex I–XII documentation and templates.

What is funded

Scope summary

Frontex will award one framework contract per lot to purchase vehicles, related equipment, consumables and optional maintenance for operational use across external EU borders (climates from Arctic to Mediterranean). Vehicles will serve border guard transport (five fully equipped officers per vehicle for off-road and SUVs) and return operations (passenger vans). Four lots cover off-road vehicles, mid-size SUVs, passenger vans and electric passenger vans.

Who can apply:Suppliers of vehicles and related services able to meet the tender specifications and selection criteria published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; submission is electronic via the portal.

1. 1Open procedure for suppliers (eSubmission via Funding & Tenders Portal)
2. 2One framework contract awarded per lot, contract duration up to 4 years (initial 24 months renewable up to two times)

Deadlines and procedure:Submission deadline 31 July 2026 16:00:59 (portal time). Open tender event scheduled 3 August 2026. See procurement documents for Q&A and clarification deadlines.

Estimated total procedure value €17,000,000; contracting authority is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) Funding & Tenders Portal ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call identifier FRONTEX/2026/OP/0031. Full tender documents, annexes and submission templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal link above.

Opportunity summary

Type:Open tender / procurement issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). Purpose: establish four separate framework contracts (one per lot) for the supply of vehicles and related equipment, consumables and optional maintenance for Frontex operational activities. The framework agreements will be used to procure vehicles for transport of fully equipped border guard officers, to support return operations and to operate across a wide climate range from Arctic to Mediterranean conditions. Overall FWC duration limited to 4 years; initial period 24 months with two possible renewals as described in the draft framework contract.

Key dates and administrative facts

Call identifier:FRONTEX/2026/OP/0031. Publication date on portal: 29 June 2026. Tender submission deadline (final closing date): 31 July 2026 at 16:00:59 (Europe/Warsaw timezone). Additional information request cut-off: 23 July 2026. Open tender event / clarification meeting scheduled for 03 August 2026 at 11:00 (local time) as indicated in the procurement metadata. Submission method: electronic (eSubmission) through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Estimated overall procedure value: €17,000,000.

Deadlines (explicitly provided):Initial date listed 2026-01-01T14:00:59Z (metadata). Official closing date and deadline for submissions: 2026-07-31T16:00:59+00:00 (see procurement metadata). Additional information request period ends 2026-07-23.

Tender scope and lots

Overview:Frontex divides the tender into four lots. Each lot will produce a separate framework contract. Suppliers may bid for one or multiple lots depending on eligibility and tender documentation.

1. 1Lot 1: Off-road vehicles. Purpose: vehicles capable of regular use in rough terrain (unsurfaced roads/tracks including sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks). These vehicles must be capable of carrying five fully equipped border guard officers. Estimated value for Lot 1: €10,000,000 (procurement metadata).
2. 2Lot 2: Mid-size Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). Purpose: transport of five fully equipped border guard officers primarily on paved roads with limited access to unsurfaced tracks. Estimated value for Lot 2: €5,000,000.
3. 3Lot 3: Passenger transportation vans. Purpose: support Agency return activities (transportation of returnees from detention centres to airports or other departure points in line with Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896). Primarily on paved roads; limited off-road access. Estimated value for Lot 3: €1,800,000.
4. 4Lot 4: EV Passenger transportation vans. Purpose: electric passenger vans for return operations and passenger transport with the same operational profile as Lot 3 but electrically powered. Estimated value for Lot 4: €200,000.

Technical and operational requirements

Vehicles will be required to operate across a broad range of climates and terrains (from Arctic to Mediterranean) and to meet the specific operational profiles described for each lot. Off-road vehicles must be designed for rough terrain; SUVs and passenger vans (including EVs) are expected to operate mainly on paved roads but must be capable of limited unsurfaced access. Vehicles must be able to transport five fully equipped border guard officers for off-road and SUV categories. Passenger vans and EV vans are specified for return activity transport and must comply with legal and operational standards related to such activities. Full technical specifications, mandatory equipment lists, performance characteristics, environmental and safety requirements, and any required options or maintenance responsibilities are provided in Annex II Technical Specifications and the Tender Specifications (Annex I).

Contract duration and renewals:Planned overall duration of each framework contract: up to 48 months (4 years). Draft FWC indicates initial 24-month period renewable two times; see draft FWC Annex III for exact renewal mechanics and conditions.

Procurement procedure details and evaluation

Procedure type:public procurement by framework agreement. Submission: mandatory eSubmission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Tender validity period requested: 6 months. Awarding criteria: quality 60% and price 40% (weighting provided in metadata; tenderers must consult procurement documents for detailed sub-criteria and scoring matrices). Electronic ordering and payment are intended post-award. The open tender event / clarifications and deadline dates are recorded in the procurement metadata.

Selection, award and supporting documents (templates included)

A comprehensive set of annexes and templates accompany the invitation to tender. Bidders must complete technical and financial proposal templates and the administrative declarations/forms. Key downloadable procurement documents (newly published) include financial offer forms, technical proposal templates per lot, tender specifications, draft framework contract, draft contract annex (privacy notice), and multiple declarations and administrative templates. These are required to be submitted as part of the tender package and must be completed exactly as requested in the portal documents Invitation to tender ¹.

• Annex I - Tender Specifications (PDF)
• Annex II - Technical Specifications (PDF)
• Annex III - draft FWC (PDF)
• Annex III to FWC - Privacy Notice (PDF)
• Annex IV.A/B/C/D - Financial proposal templates per Lot (XLSX)
• Annex V - Declaration on honour (DOCX)
• Annex VI - Tender Submission Form (DOCX)
• Annex VII - Power of attorney / Commitment Letter (DOCX)
• Annex VIII.A/B/C/D - Technical Proposal templates per Lot (XLSX)
• Annex IX - Declaration of Confidentiality (DOCX)
• Annex X - Declaration on warranty and delivery (DOCX)
• Annex XI - Selection Criteria T2 template (DOCX)
• Annex XII - List of dealerships (XLSX)

Tenderers must consult the Annex VIII technical proposal templates relevant to each lot for the exact structure and required technical evidence. Financial proposals must be provided using the Annex IV.X spreadsheets specific to each lot. Administrative forms (Annex V, VI, VII, IX, X and XI) constitute mandatory documentation for tender completeness and eligibility verification.

Eligibility, applicant types and geographic scope

Eligible applicant types:commercial vehicle manufacturers, authorised dealerships, vehicle importers, approved vehicle system integrators, vehicle leasing firms (if compliant with procurement rules), maintenance service providers where maintenance is offered as optional part of the lot, and other legal entities capable of fulfilling supply and contractual obligations. Bidders may be single entities or economic operators forming a consortium or joint venture where permitted by the procurement documents and national law. The procurement metadata indicates SME suitability is false for the lots, but SMEs may still bid if they meet selection criteria and capacity requirements. Public bodies are typically excluded unless explicitly allowed in the tender documents; bidders should consult Annex I and selection criteria templates for precise eligibility restrictions.

Geographic eligibility / beneficiary scope:The contracting authority is the EU Agency Frontex; the tender is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. As standard for EU agency procurement, eligible economic operators are generally those established in the EU and EEA and potentially in third countries that comply with the conditions set out in the tender documents and EU procurement rules. Tenderers must check Annex I and the procurement notice for exact nationality and establishment requirements and any references to participation of economic operators from third countries.

Funding type, financials and co-funding

Funding type:Procurement (framework agreement) — the opportunity is a contract award, not a grant or loan. Contract value: estimated overall procedure value €17,000,000. Lot-level estimated values: Lot €1 10,000,000; Lot €2 5,000,000; Lot €3 1,800,000; Lot €4 200,000 (figures from procurement project lots metadata). Payment model: purchase / supply contract conditions in draft FWC (Annex III) and financial proposal templates (Annex IV.X) will define invoicing, payment terms and guarantees. Co-funding: not applicable; beneficiaries receive contract payments under the awarded framework agreement. No requirement for tenderers to provide project co-funding, although certain financial guarantees or performance securities may be required per the draft contract.

Contracting, award process and stages

Consortium requirement:The procurement allows bidders to participate as single legal entities or, where allowed by specific tender provisions, as consortia or joint ventures. Tender documentation (Annex I and Annex VI-VIII) will specify whether joint tendersare accepted and the required power of attorney or commitment letters (Annex VII).

Application stages:Primary stage is submission of a complete tender dossier (administrative forms, technical proposal and financial proposal). After submission the contracting authority will perform eligibility/selection checks (T2 templates), evaluate technical quality and price according to the published weighting (quality 60/price 40), may request clarifications, and then award the framework contract(s). Typical stages therefore: 1) Expression of interest / download of documents and preparation, 2) Electronic submission, 3) Administrative and selection checks, 4) Technical and financial evaluation, 5) Award decision and standstill, 6) Contract conclusion. Practically, bidders should prepare for 3 to 5 interaction points including potential clarification exchanges. The procurement metadata references an open tender event date and an additional information request period.

Success rates:Not published. As a competitive EU procurement, success rate depends on number and quality of bids per lot and compliance with mandatory requirements; no explicit historical probability is provided in the tender documents. Bidders should assume a competitive process and ensure full compliance with selection and award criteria.

Submission format and templates

Method:eSubmission using the Funding & Tenders Portal eforms and document upload. All technical and financial annex templates provided in the procurement documents must be used. The following templates are explicitly provided and must be completed as part of the submission: Annex IV.A/B/C/D Financial proposal templates (per lot); Annex VIII.A/B/C/D Technical proposal templates (per lot); Annex VI Tender Submission Form; Annex V Declaration on honour; Annex VII Power of attorney / Commitment Letter; Annex IX Declaration of Confidentiality; Annex X Declaration on warranty and delivery; Annex XI Selection Criteria T2 template; Annex XII List of dealerships (informative). Tenderers must ensure that file formats and naming conventions comply with the portal requirements and that mandatory declarations are signed or electronically certified as requested.

Award criteria and evaluation weighting

Awarding criterion:combined quality and price assessment. Metadata indicates awarding criteria are divided into quality (weight 60) and price (weight 40). Tenderers must consult the procurement documents for the detailed breakdown of quality sub-criteria, the scoring methodology, pass/fail thresholds and documentation required to substantiate claimed technical characteristics and service levels.

Main CPV codes

Primary CPV codes listed in the tender metadata include 34100000 General motor vehicles, with additional relevant codes 34113000, 34113200, 34113300 and 34144900 (for EV passenger vans).

Who should apply and preparatory checklist

This procurement is aimed at economic operators able to supply and service vehicles to specific operational requirements: vehicle manufacturers, authorised vehicle dealers and importers, mobility integrators, and maintenance providers with technical capacity to deliver vehicles for harsh environmental conditions and to provide warranty/delivery commitments. Bidders should prepare the following at minimum: corporate registration and proof of legal capacity, technical datasheets and conformity evidence demonstrating compliance with Annex II technical specifications, completed Annex VIII technical proposal template, completed Annex IV financial template per lot, signed administrative declarations (Annex V, VI, VII, IX, X), evidence of financial and operational capacity if requested by selection criteria, and any requested dealerships / distribution network information (Annex XII).

Specific operational and legal references

Return operation transport reference:passenger vans are specified to support return activities including transportation of returnees from detention centres to airports or other departure points, in line with Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896. Tenderers must ensure compliance with applicable legal, safety and data protection obligations described in the draft contract and privacy notice (Annex III).

Risks, attention points and recommendations

Important points for bidders:ensure strict compliance with mandatory technical specifications in Annex II; use the provided Annex VIII and Annex IV templates without modification; upload all required administrative declarations; verify nationality/establishment eligibility and any exclusion grounds in Annex I; pay attention to warranty, delivery, maintenance and spare parts obligations described in Annex X and the draft FWC; prepare evidence of ability to operate across the climatic range and to deliver vehicles to multiple EU external borders; and allow time for eSubmission validation and possible clarifications before the 31 July 2026 deadline.

Categorisation answers

Eligible Applicant Types:Vehicle manufacturers, authorised dealerships/importers, vehicle suppliers, integrators, maintenance/service providers, legal entities capable of signing EU procurement contracts; single economic operators or consortia (joint ventures) where permitted. SMEs may participate but the lots are not indicated as SME-suitable in the metadata.

Funding Type:Procurement / contract award (framework agreement) — supplies (vehicles) and optional services (maintenance).

Consortium Requirement:Not strictly required; bids may be submitted by a single entity. Consortium/joint venture participation may be allowed subject to the rules in the tender documents and must be evidenced with appropriate power of attorney / commitment letters (Annex VII).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Published by Frontex on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; typically economic operators established within the EU/EEA and other countries as permitted by the procurement documents and EU procurement rules. Tenderers must check Annex I for definitive participation/nationality rules.

Target Sector:Transport / automotive supplies, defence/security support (border agency operations), procurement of specialised vehicles and associated services.

Mentioned Countries:No individual countries are specified in the descriptive text beyond references to the EU territory and its external borders and climatic zones from Arctic to Mediterranean; contracting authority is an EU agency (FRONTEX).

Project Stage:Commercial supply / procurement for operational deployment (supply, delivery and optional maintenance) — mature, market-ready products.

Funding Amount:Estimated overall €17,000,000 with lot breakdowns: Lot €1 10,000,000; Lot €2 5,000,000; Lot €3 1,800,000; Lot €4 200,000.

Application Type:Open call tender — electronic submission (eSubmission) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the provided templates.

Nature of Support:Contractual payments for supply and optionally services (money paid under the awarded contract).

Application Stages:Multi-stage administrative and technical evaluation process with likely steps: document download and clarification, electronic submission, eligibility/selection checks, technical and financial evaluation, award decision and contract conclusion (approximately 3 to 5 interaction stages).

Success Rates:Not specified — typical for public tenders where success depends on number and quality of compliant bids per lot.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding is required from tenderers; this is a procurement contract. Tenderers should note potential requirements for financial guarantees or performance securities as per the contract (see draft FWC Annex III and Annex X).

Templates and application form structure

Structure of submission:1) Administrative section: completed Annex VI Tender Submission Form, Annex V Declaration on honour, Annex IX Declaration of Confidentiality, Annex VII Power of Attorney/Commitment Letter (if consortium), Annex XI Selection Criteria T2 templates, company registration / eligibility evidence. 2) Technical section: Annex VIII.X Technical Proposal template for the relevant lot(s) including detailed compliance table against Annex II Technical Specifications, vehicle technical datasheets, test evidence or certificates, service and maintenance proposals (if offered), delivery schedule and after-sales support. 3) Financial section: Annex IV.X Financial proposal spreadsheet for the relevant lot(s) with unit prices, total prices, optional maintenance pricing and any life-cycle or warranty cost lines as required by the financial template and tender specifications. 4) Supporting attachments: declarations, proof of dealerships or distribution network (Annex XII if relevant), insurance and warranty statements (Annex X), and any requested financial capacity documents.

Detailed guidance:Bidders must complete the supplied Annex VIII technical template per lot and Annex IV financial template per lot without alterations; any deviation or substituted format may render the offer non-compliant. Follow file naming and eSubmission instructions in the Portal and Annex I. Ensure signatures or authorised electronic attestations for declarations. For joint bids, include Annex VII power of attorney / commitment letter to demonstrate each member's rights and responsibilities.

Final summary and recommendation

This opportunity is a public procurement (framework agreement) by Frontex to acquire four categories of vehicles and associated optional services for EU external border operations and return activities. It is structured into four lots covering off-road vehicles, mid-size SUVs, passenger transportation vans, and electric passenger vans. The tender requires full electronic submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal using the provided technical and financial templates and administrative declarations. The award will be based on quality (60) and price (40). Estimated aggregate contract value is €17 million across all lots. Bidders should carefully review Annex I (Tender Specifications), Annex II (Technical Specifications), the draft framework contract (Annex III) and all annex templates (Annex IV–XII) before preparing their offer, ensure compliance with eligibility and selection criteria, and submit complete documentation prior to the 31 July 2026 16:00:59 deadline. Early preparation of vehicle technical evidence, supply/delivery timelines, warranty and maintenance arrangements, and properly completed templates will be critical to competitiveness and compliance.

Source:EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender notice FRONTEX/2026/OP/0031 and associated annex documents published on 29 June 2026; see official tender page for download of all annexes and for final authoritative requirements Tender details ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documentation (Annex I–XII, draft FWC and all technical and financial templates) are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender page and are the authoritative source of requirements and templates. Bidders must use the documents and templates available on the portal for submissions.

Tender Overview and Scope

This is a tender for a 4-year framework contract to acquire multi-category vehicles and related equipment for Frontex operational activities, with an estimated total value of €17,000,000 ¹.

The contract is divided into four lots:Lot 1 (Off-road vehicles), Lot 2 (Mid-size SUVs), Lot 3 (Passenger transportation vans), and Lot 4 (EV Passenger transportation vans) ².

Lot Breakdown and Estimated Values

Operational Requirements and Usage

Capacity Requirement:Off-road and SUV vehicles must transport five fully equipped border guard officers per vehicle ³.

Return Activities:Passenger vans support return activities, transporting returnees from detention centers to airports per Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 ³.

Climate/Terrain Range:Vehicles must operate from Arctic to Mediterranean regions; off-road vehicles for rough terrain (sand, mud, snow, rocks), while SUVs and vans primarily for paved roads with limited unsurfaced access ³.

Key Tender Details

1. 1Deadline: July 31, 2026, 16:00:59 (Europe/Warsaw)
2. 2Contract Duration: 4 years (initial 24 months, renewable twice)
3. 3Submission Method: Electronic via EU Funding & Tenders Portal
4. 4Award Criteria: 60% Quality, 40% Price
5. 5Optional Maintenance: Equipment, consumables, and maintenance services may be included

Who Should Apply

Applicants must be vehicle manufacturers, dealers, or suppliers with proven capacity to deliver vehicles meeting Frontex's technical specifications across diverse European climates and terrains ⁴.

Tenders may be submitted for any lot, and the same contractor may be awarded multiple lots ⁴.

Required Documentation

1. 1Annex I - Tender Specifications
2. 2Annex II - Technical Specifications
3. 3Annex III - Draft FWC (Framework Contract)
4. 4Annex IV.A-D - Financial Proposals (per lot)
5. 5Annex VIII.A-D - Technical Proposals (per lot)
6. 6Annex V - Declaration on Honour
7. 7Annex VI - Tender Submission Form
8. 8Annex XII - List of Dealerships

All documents are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under the tender reference FRONTEX/2026/OP/0031 ⁵.

Footnotes

1. 1Estimated overall contract amount: €17,000,000 (source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal, Call Identifier FRONTEX/2026/OP/0031).
2. 2Lot breakdown and values: Lot 1 (€10M), Lot 2 (€5M), Lot 3 (€1.8M), Lot 4 (€200K) (source: Procurement Project Lots data).
3. 3Operational requirements: 5 officers per vehicle, return activities per Article 48, Arctic-Mediterranean range (source: Tender Description).
4. 4Applicant eligibility: Manufacturers/suppliers with capacity for diverse climates; multiple lots allowed (source: Tendering Terms).
5. 5Document access: EU Funding & Tenders Portal, Tender Details page (source: Primary URL).