Multiple framework service contract in cascade for Better Regulation related activities on Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) 2026-3...

The European Commission (DG MARE) has launched an open call for tenders (EC-MARE/2026/OP/0001) for a multiple framework service contract in cascade to support Better Regulation activities related to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) for 2026–2030. The framework has an estimated ceiling of €3,000,000, a maximum duration of 48 months, and will award up to three ranked contractors who will be called sequentially for specific contracts. Scope includes retrospective evaluations (fitness checks), prospective impact assessments, stakeholder consultations and assessment of costs and administrative burdens, with services delivered in EU Member States and partner third countries. Electronic tenders must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 15 June 2026 10:00 Brussels time and will be evaluated on a best price-quality ratio (quality 70%, price 30%).

Who can apply

Eligibility highlights

Open procedure for economic operators (legal persons or natural persons). Joint tenders and subcontracting allowed. Tenderers must register in the EU Participant Register (PIC), use EU Login/eSubmission to submit, and meet exclusion and selection requirements in the tender specifications.

Scope of services:Retrospective evaluations including fitness checks; prospective evaluations and impact assessments; stakeholder consultations; assessment of costs and benefits and administrative burdens related to SFPAs.

1. 1Retrospective evaluations and fitness checks
2. 2Ex ante evaluations and impact assessments
3. 3Stakeholder consultation and cost/administrative burden analysis

Award is by best price-quality ratio; framework contracts will be concluded in cascade (up to 3 contractors). Specific contracts will be issued against the framework for task-by-task delivery.

Deadlines and procedure

TED publication date 17/04/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders:15/06/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Electronic submission via eSubmission is mandatory; questions must be submitted through the F&T Portal Q&A tool before the cut-off in the tender documents.

How prices are evaluated:Tenders are evaluated on quality (70%) and price (30%); financial offer must use the Annex 6 financial form and follow the provided volume hypothesis tables ¹.

Tender documentation includes the Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications, Draft FWC, Financial Offer Form, Declaration on Honour and Quality Assessment checklist. Contractors should review the Appendix on security requirements for remote work and screening requirements for personnel working on Commission premises.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documentation and electronic submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal F&T Portal.

Key facts and administrative overview

Procurement identity and basic data

Title:Multiple framework service contract in cascade for Better Regulation related activities on Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) 2026-30. Reference: EC-MARE/2026/OP/0001. Procedure type: Open procedure (single-stage electronic submission). TED reference: 75/2026 263819-2026. TED publication date: 17/04/2026. Nature of contract: services. CPV classification: 79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services. Award method: best price-quality ratio. Framework: multiple framework contracts in cascade (up to three contractors ranked in a list). Date and time of public opening: 16/06/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 15/06/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Electronic submission through eSubmission requires EU Login (EU Login two-factor auth required from 30 June 2026). The Commission (DG MARE) is the contracting authority.

Contract value, duration and volume

Estimated total value (framework contract ceiling):€3,000,000.00. Maximum contract duration: 48 months from entry into force. The framework establishes multiple identical framework contracts (cascade) with a maximum of three contractors: the contracting authority will rank retained tenders and call contractors in sequence to offer specific contracts. The framework ceiling is the maximum spend; specific contracts draw down resources against that ceiling. Financial model and indicative volume hypotheses are provided in Annex 6 (financial offer form) and Table B (volume hypothesis) for evaluation only; actual volumes are not guaranteed.

Where to find the procurement dossier:All procurement documents are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Tenderers must submit tenders electronically via eSubmission and be registered in the Participant Register (PIC required) ¹.

Scope of work and technical requirements

Subject:The FWC covers Better Regulation activities in the field of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs). Main tasks include: 1) retrospective evaluations, including fitness checks; 2) prospective evaluations including impact assessments and ex-ante evaluations; 3) stakeholder consultations and consultation design/execution; 4) assessment of costs and benefits associated with existing and future policies and regulatory measures, with particular attention to administrative burdens and cost modelling. Services may include desk-based analysis, fieldwork, expert workshops, production of draft and final reports, executive summaries in required languages and support to the Inter-Service Group (quality assessment) and possibly Regulatory Scrutiny Board submission support.

Deliverables (examples):inception report, interim/progress reports, draft final report, final report and executive summaries, datasets and annexes, stakeholder consultation reports, quality assessment checklists and minutes. The draft contract and tender specifications set minimum requirements, deliverable formats and language requirements. Quality assessment by the ISG (Annex 8) is mandatory for evaluation deliverables.

Methodology and technical expectations

Evaluations and impact assessments must follow Commission Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox: evidence-based analysis, triangulation of data, causal analysis, clear evaluation questions against criteria (effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence, EU added value), clear methodology for quantitative and qualitative analysis, sensitivity/uncertainty analysis, and explicit treatment of administrative burden using the EU Standard Cost Model where appropriate. Fitness checks must assess cumulative effects across grouped interventions. Stakeholder consultation must follow Commission minimum standards and be adequately reported (synopsis reports). Reports must be logically structured, clear, and available in English (minimum) and often in French per contracting authority requirements; the tender specifications require evidence of report drafting quality in English and French.

Who should bid and eligible applicant types

Eligible applicant types include consultancy firms and consultancies (large companies and SMEs), evaluation specialists, economic consultancies, research institutes, universities, think tanks, policy consultancies, NGOs and non-profits with relevant technical capacity, multidisciplinary teams, and public-private partnerships. Individual experts can participate as personnel supplied by a contractor. The Commission accepts sole tenderers and joint tenders (consortia). Subcontracting is permitted but must be declared (Annex 4) and certain subcontractors identified and commitment letters provided (Annex 5.1). Entities on whose capacity the tenderer relies (not subcontractors) must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.2). Participation is open to legal persons from EU Member States, participating EEA states and, where applicable, third countries subject to public procurement rules (see tender notice on access to procurement).

Eligibility, selection and exclusion rules

Tenderers must submit the Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) addressing exclusion grounds (bankruptcy, tax/social security breaches, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist offences, trafficking etc.). The contracting authority may request supporting evidence. Selection criteria include legal/regulatory capacity, consolidated economic/financial capacity (minimum average annual turnover of last two years above €500,000) and detailed technical and professional capacity requirements (project references, language and report production evidence, and staff CVs). Specific team profiles are required (Project Manager: senior consultant with minimum 10 years’ experience including 5 years project management; Experts in CFP & SFPAs, fisheries economics and biology; Experts in Better Regulation including impact assessments, fitness checks, stakeholder consultations and administrative burden assessments). Evidence and CVs (preferably Europass) must be supplied. Professional conflicting interests must be declared and may be assessed as grounds for disqualification.

Award evaluation and scoring

Award method:best price-quality ratio. Evaluation is two-part: quality (70%) and price (30%). Quality maximum is 100 points; minimum thresholds apply at sub-criterion level and an overall minimum quality score of 60/100 is required for financial evaluation. Quality sub-criteria and weightings: I. Quality of proposed method for international fisheries and cooperation with third countries (max 32 points; min 16) with sub-criteria integration of biology/eco/tech/economy (16) and socio-economic/governance/market analysis (16). II. Quality of methods for evaluations/impact assessments, stakeholder consultation and administrative burden assessment (max 32; min 16) with sub-criteria retrospective evaluation/fitness checks (10), prospective evaluations/impact assessments (10), stakeholder consultation (6), administrative burden assessment (6). III. Case study offering ex-post and ex-ante evaluations (max 10; min 5) based on Annex 7 case study. IV. Proposed organisation, quality control, risk management and delivery arrangements (max 16; min 8). V. Mechanisms assuring academic/editorial quality and language coverage (max 10; min 5). Only tenders meeting all minimum sub-criteria and the overall 60/100 quality minimum proceed to financial scoring. Price scoring: lowest-price index used: (lowest price / tender price) x 100. Final ranking uses combined score: (Quality score x 0.70) + (Price index x 0.30). Ties broken by higher quality score and then by descending order of quality sub-criteria.

Submission, format and templates

Submission method:electronic eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required). Tenderers must register in the Participant Register and provide a PIC. Deadline: 15/06/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Mandatory documents (see Annex 1 to Tender Specifications): Invitation to tender, Tender specifications (Annex I), Draft contract (Annex II of dossier), Annex 2 Declaration on Honour, Annex 6 Financial Offer Form (excel), Annex 8 Quality Assessment checklist, Annex 7 Case study (for technical evaluation), list of documents to be submitted (Annex 1). Templates and structures required in the tender dossier: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), List of identified subcontractors (Annex 4), Commitment letters (Annex 5.1 and 5.2), Financial offer form (Annex 6) with Table A.1 daily rates per staff category and Table A.2 travel/DSA/local travel costs by country group and Table B volume hypothesis (for financial evaluation only). The Financial Offer form requires daily rates for Senior Consultants, Consultants, Junior Consultants and Support staff, travel and DSA tables by country groups (EU, Northern & Western Africa, Indian Ocean, Pacific, Nordic), and a volume hypothesis (Table B) used to compute a grand total for comparison. The tender must include a technical offer with methodology, organisation, CVs and sample reports, and a completed financial offer form. The contracting authority provides a Quality Assessment checklist (Annex 8) to guide quality assurance of evaluation reports.

1. 1Submission portal and method: eSubmission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal; EU Login and PIC required EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹
2. 2Documents to upload with tender: Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications (Annex I), Draft Contract, Annex 2 Declaration on Honour, Annex 6 Financial Offer Form (completed), Annex 7 Case Study, Annex 8 QA Checklist, CVs and supporting evidence for selection criteria, Annex 4 List of identified subcontractors and Annex 5.1/5.2 commitment letters where applicable
3. 3Language and formatting: tender may be submitted in any official EU language but dossier and essential documents are in English; provide report samples in English (and French where required). CVs preferably in Europass format.
4. 4Electronic signature: QES recommended for Declaration on Honour and other signed documents; hand signature acceptable but increases administrative burden.
5. 5Q&A and clarifications: questions must be submitted via Portal Questions & Answers; contracting authority not bound to reply to questions submitted after 05/06/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels.

Administrative and security requirements

Security:Appendix 2 (Security Requirements) and Appendix 3 (Security Baseline for External Connections) define obligations for contractors and service providers accessing Commission premises and networks. Contractors must implement the baseline controls (NIST-based control families) including access control, personnel screening (background checks and third country national screening where applicable), incident reporting (notify contracting authority within 48 hours), secure handling rules (no storage of non-public Commission data on non-Commission devices unless explicitly authorised), and acceptable use policy signed by each service provider. Where required, a security screening/SECEM certificate and access card issuance process applies; third-country nationals may be subject to extra screening and screening fees paid by the contractor.

Where service provider work can be performed:Place of performance includes contractor or Commission premises, EU Member States (estimated 5-10% Brussels, 70-80% other EU Member States, 15-20% third countries). Remote work from contractor premises or home offices in EU Member States is permitted under the Security Baseline rules. Travel to third countries for fieldwork is possible and must be budgeted and justified in the financial offer (DSA and travel tables in Annex 6).

Geographic and country scope

Beneficiary geographic eligibility:principally EU (EU Member States) and EEA where applicable; participation open to entities from countries with procurement agreements where relevant. The SFPA subject-matter specifically involves partnerships and fieldwork in Third Countries, notably Northern and Western African countries and Indian Ocean, Pacific and certain Nordic territories. Annex A2 travel/DSA tables explicitly list countries and regional groups for travel budgeting and DSA calculation: EU Member States; Northern and Western African countries including Cabo Verde, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, The Gambia; countries of the Indian Ocean including Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles; Pacific countries including Cook Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia; Nordic territory example: Greenland. The tender is focused on Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements between the EU and third countries (ACP and other partner countries) and analysis across these regions.

1. 1Explicit country/region mentions in procurement documentation: EU Member States (general), Brussels (BE), Northern & Western Africa (Cabo Verde; Gabon; Guinea Bissau; Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Liberia; Mauritania; Morocco; São Tomé and Príncipe; Senegal; The Gambia), Indian Ocean countries (Comoros; Madagascar; Mauritius; Mozambique; Seychelles), Pacific countries (Cook Islands; Kiribati; Solomon Islands; Federated States of Micronesia), Greenland (Nordic example).

Financial model and invoicing

The Financial Offer (Annex 6) requires daily rates by staff category (Senior Consultant, Consultant, Junior Consultant, Support staff) and travel/DSA/local travel unit prices for country groups. Tenderers must apply unit prices to the volume hypothesis in Table B to produce a total used for evaluation. The volumes in Table B are for comparison only and do not create a commitment. Currency: euro. VAT: Commission is exempt; specific rules for intra-community purchases and local VAT handling appear in the tender specifications. Invoicing: submit invoices electronically through the Portal (if enabled) or to the functional mailbox indicated in the specific contract. Payment terms: typically 60 days from receipt and approval of compliant invoices; interim payments may be specified in the specific contract (the tender specifications indicate up to two interim payments of 30% each and balance payment, with documentary deliverables required).

Typical financial form structure:Annex 6 contains: Table A.1 Daily rates per staff category; Table A.2 Travel costs, DSA and local travel cost per country or country group; Table B.1 Volume hypothesis (man/days per staff category and travel/DSA trips). Tenderers enter unit prices and apply to volumes to compute a Grand Total for financial evaluation. Note: the Grand Total is used for ranking but actual orders will use unit rates and real volumes.

Consortia, subcontracting and teaming

Consortium requirement:the procedure allows single tenderers and joint tenders (consortia). Joint tenders must appoint a group leader and provide an Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3). Subcontracting is permitted but the tender must indicate identified subcontractors where: i) subcontractors’ capacities are relied upon for selection criteria or ii) subcontractor share exceeds 20%. Identified subcontractors must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.1). Entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (not subcontractors) must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.2) and may be required to sign the contract or provide guarantees. Cross-subcontracting rules apply; cross-dependency that distorts competition is prohibited. Subcontracting changes after tender submission require written approval from the contracting authority and must not modify essential selection/award conditions.

Application and evaluation process: practical stages and advice

Application type:open call for tenders with set deadline and single-stage submission via eSubmission. Electronic submission receipt (timestamp) is proof of timely submission. Stages: 1) administrative compliance check and exclusion grounds; 2) selection criteria verification (economic/financial, technical/professional; consolidated and individual assessments); 3) quality evaluation (70% weighting) including mandatory case study and methodology demonstration; 4) financial evaluation (30% weighting); 5) ranking and award decision; 6) signature of framework contract and possible invitation to sign specific contracts under cascade procedures. The contracting authority may request evidence and supporting documents during evaluation and prior to award. Tenders must be valid for the period stated in the contract notice (check F&T portal). Tenderers may withdraw or replace a tender before the deadline. A virtual public opening session is scheduled and attendance rules are published in the Invitation letter.

1. 1Application stages: 1) submit tender via eSubmission before deadline; 2) administrative/exclusion checks; 3) selection criteria verification (may request supporting documents); 4) quality evaluation (technical offer assessed against award sub-criteria and case study); 5) only tenders meeting quality minima are financially evaluated; 6) ranking via best price-quality formula; 7) award of up to three framework contracts in cascade; 8) signing and implementation of framework contract; 9) award of specific contracts following cascade rules.
2. 2Number of stages to obtain contract: effectively 1 electronic submission plus sequential administrative and evaluation stages (evaluation steps are internal but applicants must pass exclusion/selection and quality/price assessments).

Success rates and competition

Success rates:the FWC will be awarded to up to three contractors ranked on the best price-quality ratio. The exact success rate cannot be predetermined and depends on the number and quality of tenders received; typical EU DG service contract open calls are competitive and success rates vary widely (single-digit to low double-digit percentage depending on sector and complexity). The contracting authority will award up to three framework contracts provided there are at least three sufficiently compliant tenders.

Co-funding and financial contributions

Co-funding requirement:none. This is a procurement for services where the Commission pays the contractor for services performed. No co-financing from the contractor is required, though the contractor bears its own costs for mobilisation, security clearances, and delivery. Projects and fieldwork costs must be included in the financial offer as required (travel, DSA, daily rates).

Specific tender templates and application structure (what you must prepare)

Primary templates and forms to include in your tender:1) Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) addressing exclusion and selection criteria; 2) Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3); 3) List of identified subcontractors (Annex 4); 4) Commitment letters from subcontractors/entities on whose capacity the tenderer relies (Annex 5.1 and 5.2); 5) Financial Offer Form (Annex 6) with Tables A.1 and A.2 and Table B volume hypothesis; 6) Case study response (Annex 7) demonstrating ex-post and ex-ante evaluation approach; 7) Quality assessment checklist reference (Annex 8) for evaluators; 8) CVs of proposed team members (preferably Europass) and copies of publications/reports referenced; 9) Draft technical offer (method, work plan, risk management, quality control measures, editorial and language review process, stakeholder consultation plan), not exceeding limits set in tender specifications (page limits apply for certain sub-criteria). Tenderers should be ready to provide supporting evidence for selection criteria (financial statements, bank references, project references) on request and must maintain original documents for five-year retention for audits.

• Annex 2 Declaration on Honour covers exclusion and selection declarations; QES preferred signature.
• Annex 6 Financial Offer Form details daily rates, travel/DSA tables, and volume hypothesis to calculate Grand Total for financial comparison.
• Annex 7 Case Study must be completed and is scored (10 points).
• Annex 8 Quality Assessment checklist is used by Inter-Service Group for evaluation of draft/final reports.

Risk management, audits and compliance

The contracting authority may perform compliance verification and on-site audits (including security audits) during the contract and up to five years after the payment of the balance of the last specific contract. The contractor must retain original documents and records for five years and cooperate with OLAF, the Court of Auditors, EPPO, EDPS and other authorized bodies. The contractor must implement incident reporting and preserve evidence; the contractor must notify security incidents without undue delay and within 48 hours of becoming aware.

Practical tips and recommended bid content

Recommended contents of a competitive bid:a clear and tailored methodology addressing all technical sub-criteria (biology, economic analysis, governance, REFIT/costing and administrative burdens), a realistic and clear work plan and staffing (including named CVs meeting selection profiles), institutional capacity and relevant references (three or more projects in fisheries/international cooperation in last five years), quality assurance mechanisms (editorial/native speaker proofreading in English and French), stakeholder consultation strategy and logistics, strong project management and risk mitigation plan, competitive and transparent financial offer following Annex 6 tables with daily rates and travel/DSA assumptions, completed Declaration on Honour, and timely submission via eSubmission.

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

This is an open EU service procurement by the European Commission’s DG MARE seeking up to three framework contractors to deliver Better Regulation activities relating to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) for the 2026-2030 period. The framework will be used to commission specific evaluation, impact assessment, stakeholder consultation and administrative burden/cost assessment tasks as needs arise. The contract is time-limited (up to 48 months) with an overall ceiling of €3,000,000. The procedure is an open, competitive electronic tender via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and uses best price-quality ratio (70% quality, 30% price). Mandatory tender documents and templates are provided in the procurement dossier (Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications/Technical Specifications, Draft Contract, Annexes including the Financial Offer Form, Declaration on Honour and QA checklist). Bidders must demonstrate relevant fisheries and Better Regulation expertise, credible team composition (Project Manager, CFP/SFPA experts, Better Regulation experts), language capability in English and French, and capacity to carry out fieldwork in relevant third-country regions. Security baseline, personnel screening and acceptable-use obligations apply where service providers access Commission premises or IT systems. Successful bidders will be ranked in a cascade and called to execute specific contracts on a best-value basis.

Footnotes

1. 1Portal registration, eSubmission instructions, system requirements and helpdesk are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. eSubmission technical and account guidance (EU Login and PIC) are required to submit tenders.

Opportunity Overview

This is an open procedure call for tenders (EC-MARE/2026/OP/0001) launched by the European Commission, DG MARE - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, for a multiple framework service contract (FWC) in cascade. The FWC will support Better Regulation activities related to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) covering the period 2026-2030. Services include retrospective evaluations (including fitness checks), prospective evaluations (including impact assessments), stakeholder consultations, and assessments of costs and benefits, particularly administrative burdens, for existing and future SFPA policies and regulatory measures.

SFPAs are bilateral agreements between the EU and third countries providing EU vessels access to surplus fish stocks in partner countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in exchange for financial compensation and sectoral support for sustainable fisheries development. They promote resource conservation, environmental sustainability, monitoring, control, transparency, and human rights compliance. Current active protocols include tuna and mixed agreements with countries in Africa, Indian Ocean, Pacific, and Nordic regions.

Key Dates and Procedure Details

TED Publication:17 April 2026

Deadline for Questions:5 June 2026, 23:59 Brussels time

Tender Submission Deadline:15 June 2026, 10:00 Brussels time (electronic submission required)

Public Opening:16 June 2026, 10:00 Brussels time

Procedure type:Open procedure. Award method: Best price-quality ratio (price 30%, quality 70%). CPV code: 79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services. TED reference: 75/2026 263819-2026. Primary portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Financial Details

Estimated Total Value:€3,000,000 (maximum ceiling for all framework contracts combined)

Multiple FWCs (maximum 3 contractors) in cascade without reopening competition. Pricing based on daily rates for staff categories (Senior Consultants, Consultants, Junior Consultants, Support staff) and travel/DSA/local travel costs for specified regions (EU countries, Northern/Western Africa, Indian Ocean, Pacific, Nordic). Volume hypothesis in financial offer form for tender comparison: 100 man-days staff, specific trip/DSA volumes. Actual volumes not guaranteed.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

• Open to all natural/legal persons within EU Treaties scope, international organisations, and third-country entities under applicable agreements (e.g. WTO GPA).
• No lots. Joint tenders allowed (group leader single contact point). Subcontracting permitted (identify those >20% share or for selection criteria).
• Participant Identification Code (PIC) required via Participant Register.
• Tenderers must not be subject to EU restrictive measures, exclusion situations, or professional conflicting interests.

Exclusion Criteria

Mandatory Declaration on Honour covering bankruptcy, tax/social security breaches, grave professional misconduct, fraud/corruption/criminal offences, deficiencies in prior EU contracts, irregularities, shell entities, resistance to audits. Remedial measures possible for some situations. Supporting evidence required (e.g. judicial extracts, tax certificates).

Selection Criteria (Consolidated for Tenderer as a Whole)

• Economic/Financial: Average turnover last 2 years > €500,000 (profit/loss accounts/balance sheets).
• Technical T1: 3+ similar fisheries projects (€40K each, last 5 years); at least 1 international fisheries/trade, 1 third-country cooperation.
• Technical T2: 1+ project each in retrospective evaluation, prospective evaluation, stakeholder consultation, administrative burden assessment (€40K each, last 5 years).
• Technical T3: 2+ published reports/studies in English and 2+ in French (last 5 years).
• Team P1: Project Manager (senior consultant, 10+ years exp., 5+ project mgmt incl. team of 6+).
• Team P2: CFP/SFPAs experts (consultants, higher degree + 5 years exp., 3+ in specified fields covering statistics/economics/biology/cooperation/governance/processing/market).
• Team P3: Better Regulation experts (consultants, higher degree + 5 years exp., 3+ in evaluations/consultations/burden assessment).
• Team P4: Collective C2 English/French, B2 Spanish/Portuguese.

Award Criteria (Quality 70%, Price 30%)

Minimum 60/100 total quality score required. Best price-quality ratio:(Quality x 0.70) + (Price index x 0.30). Top 3 ranked tenders awarded FWCs in cascade (1st priority for specific contracts).

Contract Implementation and Duration

• Maximum duration: 48 months.
• Cascade: Requests sent sequentially to ranked contractors; non-response advances to next.
• Specific contracts: Up to 30-day reply; binding 90 days. Services at contractor/EC premises (70-80% EU MS, 5-10% Brussels, 15-20% third countries).
• Deliverables: Inception/interim/draft final/final reports per specific ToR; quality assessment via checklist.
• Payments: 2 interim (30% each), balance (40%); 60-day approval/payment.
• Security: Compliance with DG MARE rules, background checks, no EU classified info.

Submission Requirements

1. 1Electronic via eSubmission (EU Login required; PIC mandatory).
2. 2Documents: Declaration on Honour, tender specs compliance, financial offer form, CVs/lists for selection, technical proposal (max pages per criterion).
3. 3Max 200 attachments (<50MB each). QES preferred.
4. 48 key docs available: Invitation, Tender Specs, Financial Form, Declaration Honour, Draft FWC + security annexes, Quality Checklist.

Risks and Considerations for Applicants

• Cascade prioritisation: Lower rank reduces specific contract chances.
• No volume guarantee; prepare for variable demand.
• Strict selection: Consolidated capacity proof essential; evidence with tender.
• Travel-heavy: Detailed rates for diverse regions; volumes hypothetical.
• Security compliance: Background checks, data localisation EU/EEA, incident reporting 48h.
• IP: EU owns results; pre-existing rights licensed royalty-free.

Tender specs emphasise EU Better Regulation Guidelines/Toolbox, CFP external dimension. SFPAs focus sustainability, governance, sectoral support (e.g. monitoring IUU, small-scale fisheries). Evaluation supports REFIT 'one in, one out' burden reduction.

Apply via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Documents downloadable. No Q&A yet. EU Login/2FA required by June 2026.

Footnotes

1. 1Key details from tender portal scraping and docs (Invitation, TS, FWC draft, financial form). Volumes hypothetical per Annex 6. SFPAs context from EU sites.Tender Specs