Multiple Framework Service Contract ‘in cascade’ for Audit Services of EU Funded Programmes or Actions Managed by DG ECHO

The European Commission's DG ECHO has announced a call for tenders for a Multiple Framework Service Contract for Audit Services related to EU-funded programs and actions managed by DG ECHO. The planned contract, designated EC-ECHO/2025/OP/0004, has a total estimated value of 6 million EUR and is structured as a framework agreement that allows for multiple audit assignments. The contract will last for a maximum of 48 months and involves conducting approximately 120 audits per year.

Eligible applicants are likely to include audit firms, consultancy firms, and potentially NGOs with relevant auditing expertise. The nature of this tender emphasizes auditing services, particularly related to the assurance of EU-funded humanitarian aid programs.

Submissions must be made electronically through the Funding and Tenders Portal, with the deadline for receipt of tenders set for July 9, 2025, at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Document submissions should adhere to specific requirements, including file size limits and naming conventions. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation.

The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The tendering process is open, with no explicit requirement for consortia, though it is permitted. The project will focus on post-implementation audits, ensuring compliance and validating expenditures of recipients who benefit from EU funding.

Additional details include a TED publication date of June 5, 2025, and a public opening scheduled for July 10, 2025. Tender documents contain specifications and templates for preparation and submission, with precise guidelines provided for the electronic submission process.

The European Commission, DG ECHO European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), has published a call for tenders for a Multiple Framework Service Contract ‘in cascade’ for Audit Services of EU Funded Programmes or Actions Managed by DG ECHO. The procedure identifier is EC-ECHO/2025/OP/0004. The TED reference is 107/2025 363753-2025.

The submission method is electronic, and the call is currently open for submission. DG ECHO carries out audits of the funds spent within the framework of the managed EU programmes. DG ECHO intends to carry out around 120 audits per year on average (indicative figures), either under the form of batch or individual assignments. The contractor will be requested to perform financial audits and/or other assurance engagements and/or related services at the premises of the recipients of financial contributions of the EU programmes and actions funded by DG ECHO.

This is an open procedure with an estimated total value of 6,000,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 05/06/2025. The main classification (CPV) code is 79212000 Auditing services. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. It is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

Key milestones include:
TED publication date: 05/06/2025
Date and time of public opening: 10/07/2025 10:30 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 09/07/2025 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after: 03/07/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:
EN01. Invitation to tender (ITT) Invitation letter Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN02. Annex I to ITT - Tender Specifications (TS) Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN03. Annex 2 to TS Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN04. Annex 6 to TS Financial Offer form Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN05. Annex 8 to TS Working Practice Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN06. Ann. 8 to TS, App. 8 7.1 NGO HQ Audit report templ. Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN07. Ann. 8 to TS, App. 8 7.2.1 Annex - NGO HQ Audit multi-partner report templ. Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN08. Ann. 8 to TS, App. 8 7.2 NGO HQ Audit multi-partner report templ. Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN09. Ann. 8 to TS, App. 8 7.3 ECHO UN HQ templ. Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available
EN10. Ann. 8 to TS, App. 8 7.4 HQ CP Report templ. Tender specifications Published on 05/06/2025 Version 1 No translations available

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

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In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission's DG ECHO for audit services related to EU-funded programs. The goal is to establish a framework agreement with contractors who can perform financial audits and related services for recipients of EU funding. The estimated value of the contract is 6 million EUR, and the maximum duration is 48 months. The tender process is electronic, and the deadline for submissions is July 9, 2025. Interested parties need to register for a PIC and comply with the eSubmission system's technical requirements. The tender documents provide detailed specifications and templates for the required submissions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include audit firms, consultancy firms, and potentially NGOs with relevant auditing capabilities. The tender documents should be reviewed to confirm specific eligibility criteria.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a service contract. The contracting authority, DG ECHO, is seeking to procure auditing services.

Consortium Requirement: The tender details do not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the presence of documents related to "multi-partner report templ." suggests that consortia are potentially permissible or even encouraged. The tender documents should be consulted to confirm whether consortia are allowed or required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. Given that it is an EU funding opportunity managed by DG ECHO, it is likely that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and potentially other countries participating in EU programs. The specific eligibility criteria should be confirmed in the tender documents.

Target Sector: The target sector is auditing services. Specifically, the tender focuses on auditing services related to EU-funded programs and actions managed by DG ECHO. The CPV code provided (79212000) confirms this.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. However, the opportunity is related to EU-funded programs, implying that activities could take place in various countries where DG ECHO provides funding. The mention of "ECHO UN HQ templ" suggests potential involvement of UN entities and locations.

Project Stage: The project stage is not applicable, as this is a service contract for auditing existing projects and programs. The contractors will be involved in the execution/validation stage of the projects they audit.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 6,000,000 EUR. This is the overall budget for the framework service contract, and individual assignments will likely vary in value.

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

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing auditing services. This is a service contract, so the support is financial compensation for services rendered.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it is likely to involve at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation of the tender. Further details on the evaluation process and potential additional stages should be available in the tender documents.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not applicable, as this is a procurement contract where the contracting authority pays for the services rendered.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission's DG ECHO for a Multiple Framework Service Contract for Audit Services of EU Funded Programmes or Actions Managed by DG ECHO. The procedure identifier is EC-ECHO/2025/OP/0004. The estimated total value of the contract is 6,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 09/07/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The contract involves performing financial audits and other assurance engagements at the premises of recipients of financial contributions from EU programs funded by DG ECHO. The contracting authority intends to carry out around 120 audits per year on average. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The TED reference for this tender is 107/2025 363753-2025. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in this call for tenders. The system supports 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents. Attachments should be less than 50 MB in size, and the maximum number of documents allowed per tender is 200 files. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 03/07/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels.