Online ordering Qiagen Consumables for DNA/RNA extraction (Qiacube) and for dPCR (Qiacuity)

The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel, Belgium invites tenders for a single-supplier framework contract for online ordering and supply of Qiagen consumables compatible with QIAcube and QIAcuity systems. The framework contract has a ceiling value of €190,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months (initial 12 months with up to three automatic 12-month renewals). Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system by 14 April 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time and will be awarded to the lowest priced compliant tenderer. Bidders must meet standard EU exclusion rules and minimum selection criteria including an average turnover threshold and evidence of relevant prior contracts.

What is procured

Scope

Framework contract for the supply and online ordering of Qiagen consumables for DNA/RNA extraction (Qiacube) and for digital PCR (QIAcuity). Supplies include kits, reagents, plates, tubes and related consumables as listed in the financial model and tender specifications.

Estimated contract value:€190,000 (total ceiling for the framework contract).

Contract type and duration:Single framework contract, award by lowest price, maximum duration 48 months. Framework without reopening of competition; supplies ordered via online ordering system or order forms.

Who can apply

Open to economic operators (sole tenderer or joint tender). Bidders must register in the Participant Register (obtain PIC), must not be subject to EU restrictive measures or exclusion grounds, and must meet the legal, financial and technical selection criteria set out in the tender specifications.

How to submit

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system. Required documents include the technical offer, completed financial offer form (Annex 6), Declaration on Honour and any commitment letters or subcontractor lists as applicable.

Key dates and process

1. 1Deadline for receipt of tenders: 14 April 2026, 16:00 Europe/Brussels
2. 2Public opening (virtual): 16 April 2026, 14:00 Europe/Brussels
3. 3Contracting authority may not reply to questions submitted after 1 April 2026, 23:59 Europe/Brussels

Award criteria:lowest price based on the total net price in the submitted financial model. The framework foresees online catalogue/pricelist management and catalogue update rules; deliveries DDP to JRC-Geel central store. Tender documents and templates are published in English.

Further details, full tender specifications, templates (Declaration on Honour, power of attorney, commitment letters, financial offer form, draft framework contract and order form) and submission are available on the portal Tender details (F&T Portal). ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Access the procurement page for documents, downloads and the eSubmission link: F&T Portal tender page.

This is an open procurement procedure run by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F — Health and Food, Food and Feed Compliance, to conclude a single-supplier framework contract for the supply and online ordering of Qiagen-manufactured consumables for DNA/RNA extraction compatible with Qiacube, and for digital PCR (dPCR) consumables compatible with QIAcuity. The framework contract will cover deliveries to JRC-Geel (Belgium) and includes online ordering arrangements, pricing via public catalogue with fixed discounts, and deliveries under Incoterms DDP. Award will be made to the lowest priced compliant offer.

Official portal and documents:Opportunity page and full documents: EU Funding & Tenders Portal — Tender EC-JRC/GEE/2026/OP/0669. Contract notice reference on TED: 47/2026 — 163500-2026.

Key Facts

• Procedure identifier: EC-JRC/GEE/2026/OP/0669
• Procedure type: Open procedure (supplies), framework agreement without reopening of competition (single-supplier FWC)
• Award method: Lowest price
• Main CPV: 24960000 — Various chemical products
• Nature of contract: Supplies
• Estimated total value / FWC ceiling: €190,000 for the entire framework duration
• Maximum contract duration: Up to 48 months (initial 12 months, automatically renewable three times for 12 months each unless notified otherwise)
• Lead contracting authority: European Commission, DG JRC — Joint Research Centre, Directorate F (Health and Food), Food and Feed Compliance
• Place of delivery: JRC-Geel Central Store, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium (Incoterms 2020: DDP — Delivered Duty Paid)
• Online ordering: Mandatory use of contractor’s online ordering system; order forms used only if online ordering is impossible
• Acceptance of orders: Contractor must confirm or explain rejection within 3 working days of order receipt
• Delivery hours (JRC-Geel): Mon–Thu 08:30–12:00 and 13:00–16:00; Fri 08:30–12:00 and 13:00–15:30

Timeline and Milestones

• TED publication date: 09/03/2026
• Deadline for receipt of tenders: 14/04/2026, 16:00 (Europe/Brussels time)
• Date and time of public opening: 16/04/2026, 14:00 (Europe/Brussels) — virtual opening; up to two representatives per tenderer (request via jrc-geel-procurement@ec.europa.eu at least 3 hours before opening, with submission receipt)
• Last date the authority is bound to reply to questions: 01/04/2026, 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)
• Submission method: Electronic only via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal

What is Being Purchased (Scope of Supply)

Supply, via online ordering, of chemicals and consumables manufactured by Qiagen for:

• DNA/RNA extraction compatible with Qiacube platforms (e.g., DNeasy Blood & Tissue kits, QIAamp Viral RNA Mini QIAcube kits, Qiacube tubes, rotor adapters, buffers, enzymes like RNase A and Proteinase K, and related sample handling accessories).
• Digital PCR (dPCR) on QIAcuity (e.g., QIAcuity Nanoplates in various formats, QIAcuity Probe PCR kits, OneStep Advanced Probe kits, strip tubes and caps, and related consumables).
• Additional Qiagen consumables cited in the Financial Offer Form (Annex 6) and relevant public catalogue items necessary for Qiacube and QIAcuity workflows.
• Equivalents: Tenderers may propose equivalent products to those itemized in Annex 6, subject to full technical and functional equivalence and compliance with the minimum requirements set in the Technical Specifications.

Pricing is based on the contractor’s public catalogue (online and/or paper) in force at the time of order, with fixed general discount rates as offered in the tender, not to be reduced during the entire FWC. Catalogue updates require prior approval by the contracting authority and take effect the month after acceptance.

Eligibility and Participation

Eligible Applicant Types

Any economic operator may tender, including natural persons and legal entities such as distributors, resellers, manufacturers, startups, SMEs, large enterprises, and consortia (joint tenders). Subcontracting is permitted. Entities must have access to EU procurement and not be subject to EU restrictive measures or exclusion grounds.

Consortium / Subcontracting

• Single tenderers or joint tenders are allowed. No consortium is required.
• In joint tenders, members are jointly and severally liable; a group leader must be appointed as the single point of contact, with a signed Power of Attorney (Annex 3).
• Subcontracting is permitted; identified subcontractors must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.1) and must be listed (Annex 4) where thresholds/conditions apply.
• Capacity reliance on other entities (not subcontractors) is permitted for selection criteria, with commitment letter (Annex 5.2).

Geographic Eligibility

Participation is open on equal terms to economic operators within the scope of the EU Treaties and to international organisations. It is also open to operators established in third countries with special agreements in public procurement with the EU, to signatories of the WTO GPA under the agreement’s conditions, and to third countries eligible for funding under Horizon Europe (including those with association agreements effective at award time). Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible.

Selection and Exclusion Requirements

Exclusion Criteria

Standard EU exclusion grounds apply (bankruptcy/insolvency, tax/social security breaches, grave professional misconduct, fraud/corruption/organised crime/money laundering/terrorism/child labour/trafficking, significant deficiencies in prior EU contracts, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent legal obligations, resistance to audits/checks) and entities under EU restrictive measures. Evidence may be requested from the presumed winner before award. All involved entities must submit a Declaration on Honour (Annex 2).

Selection Criteria (Minimum Capacity Levels)

• Legal and regulatory capacity: Proof of enrolment in a relevant trade or professional register (upon request).
• Economic and financial capacity: Average yearly turnover for the last two closed financial years above €95,000 (consolidated assessment across involved entities). Evidence may include profit and loss accounts and balance sheets or equivalent bank statements (upon request).
• Technical and professional capacity: At least 3 similar projects (in scope and complexity) completed within the last 3 years before the tender deadline. Provide list with dates, amounts, scope, role, and amounts invoiced. Ongoing projects count pro-rata for the completed portion (upon request).

Award and Evaluation

Tenders must comply with all minimum requirements in the procurement documents. The sole award criterion is price (100%). The contract will be awarded to the lowest-priced compliant tenderer who has access to procurement, is not in an exclusion situation, is not subject to EU restrictive measures, and fulfils all selection criteria. Variants are not allowed. Abnormally low tender rules per the Financial Regulation may be applied.

Pricing and Financial Conditions

• FWC ceiling: €190,000 total across the full duration (including renewals). No obligation to spend the full amount.
• Catalogue pricing + fixed discounts: Purchases are based on the contractor’s then-current public pricelist plus tendered general discounts. Discounts cannot be reduced during the FWC.
• No price revision of current pricelist prices on order date; catalogue updates require prior approval.
• Financial Offer: Use Annex 6 (Excel) to complete unit prices, official list prices, discounts, net totals, and catalogue rebate; include freight/handling and dry/wet ice additional cost tiers and estimate total yearly amount.
• VAT and taxes: The Commission is tax-exempt. Invoices must reflect VAT exemption per EU Protocol and Belgian VAT Code Article 42 §3.3 where applicable.
• Payments: In euros; 30 days from receipt of a compliant invoice; e-invoicing via the Portal or PEPPOL is encouraged (Buyer reference: JRC.GEEL). No pre-financing or interim payments. Payment of balance after approval.

Contract Implementation Highlights

• Framework: Single-supplier FWC; specific contracts/order forms placed by JRC through the contractor’s online ordering system (fallback to paper order form if online ordering is impossible).
• Order confirmation: Within 3 working days, contractor must accept or explain rejection.
• Delivery terms: DDP JRC-Geel (Belgium) within specified delivery hours. Consignment note required; certificate of conformity within 1 month after delivery.
• Packaging and labelling: Strong packaging; pallets considered one-way unless stated; max weight including content 500 kg; each box labelled with authority and contractor details, contents, delivery date, specific contract number, and EC code.
• Guarantee: Minimum 2-year guarantee against defects from delivery date; replacement/repair free of charge within reasonable time.
• Non-conformity or delay: Price reduction and/or liquidated damages may apply; authority may substitute performance by a third party at contractor’s expense in case of failure.
• Personal data: Processing under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725; tenderers must indicate if any personal data processing/storage would occur outside EU/EEA, otherwise it is assumed to be within EU/EEA.
• Law and jurisdiction: Union law complemented by Belgian law; exclusive jurisdiction of courts of Turnhout (Belgium).

Submission Instructions

• Method: Electronic only via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Portal home.
• PIC registration: Each economic operator (and each group member) must be registered in the Participant Register and use a valid PIC.
• Language: Any official EU language. Procurement documents are provided in English; the English version prevails.
• One tender rule: Only one tender per tenderer (the latest counts if multiple submitted before deadline).
• Public opening participation: Send request to jrc-geel-procurement@ec.europa.eu including submission receipt and representatives’ details.

What to Include in Your Tender

Technical Tender (mandatory upload)

• General catalogue and pricelist (online and/or paper) covering the Qiagen consumables in scope, with clear referencing to items relevant to Qiacube and QIAcuity (as per Tender Specifications Part 2).
• A clear description of the practical implementation of the framework contract, detailing the online ordering process, user access, order confirmation flows, catalogue and discount application, and service levels.
• If any personal data will be processed or stored outside EU/EEA, specify the location and compliance measures with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 (Chapter V).

Financial Tender (mandatory upload)

• Complete Annex 6 — Financial Offer Form (Excel), including for each listed reference: article reference, description, official list price, discount, net price, and totals.
• Populate catalogue rebate, additional cost tiers (freight/handling for order value brackets and dry/wet ice per order), and compute total estimated yearly amount (basis for price evaluation).
• Encode the total amount from the Excel (cell G55 “Total amount of the tender”) into the eSubmission “Total amount” field; in case of mismatch, the amount in the uploaded financial tender prevails.
• All prices must be in euros and quoted free of taxes and duties including VAT.

Administrative and Capacity Documents

• Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria for all involved entities (Annex 2).
• Evidence of authorisation to sign for each signatory (e.g., appointment extracts, power(s) of attorney).
• For joint tenders: Power of Attorney using Annex 3.
• List of identified subcontractors (Annex 4), if applicable, and commitment letters (Annex 5.1).
• Commitment letter(s) from any entities on whose capacity is being relied (Annex 5.2), if applicable.
• Evidence for selection criteria (turnover documents, list of similar projects) will be requested from the presumed winner and may be requested at any time.

Opportunity Categorisation and Structured Information

Eligible Applicant Types:Natural persons and legal entities acting as economic operators, including distributors, resellers, manufacturers, startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities or research institutes with trading arms, and consortia (joint tenders). Subcontractors and capacity-providing entities are allowed subject to conditions.

Funding Type:Procurement — framework contract for supplies; the contractor receives payments for delivered goods against approved invoices.

Consortium Requirement:Single applicant or joint tender (consortium) permitted; no consortium is mandatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU and countries within the scope of the EU Treaties; international organisations; third countries with EU procurement agreements; WTO GPA signatories; and third countries eligible under Horizon Europe where applicable. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible.

Target Sector:Chemicals and laboratory consumables for genomics and molecular biology workflows; biotech/medtech; research supplies for DNA/RNA extraction and digital PCR (dPCR); life sciences and analytical testing.

Mentioned Countries:Belgium (delivery location JRC-Geel; jurisdiction courts of Turnhout); Luxembourg (public holidays reference for EU institutions). Region: European Union.

Project Stage:Operational delivery of commercial supplies; no R&D development phase. The contractor must be ready for catalogue-based supply and logistics execution.

Funding Amount:Framework contract ceiling of €190,000 across up to 48 months; no minimum purchase obligation; award on lowest evaluated total price.

Application Type:Open call for tenders with electronic submission via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Money — payments for delivered supplies upon acceptance and invoice approval; EU VAT/tax exemptions apply.

Application Stages:Single-stage open procedure: submission, opening, evaluation (exclusion, selection, compliance), and award based on lowest price.

Success Rates:No success rate information is provided in the tender documents.

Co-funding Requirement:Not applicable. This is a procurement contract; the contractor is paid for supplies delivered. No co-funding from the contractor is required.

Templates and Document Package (to guide your submission)

• Invitation to Tender (procedural instructions, submission rules, opening session details, contacts).
• Draft Framework Contract for Supplies (Special and General Conditions, order of precedence, implementation rules, DDP delivery, pricing via catalogue and discounts, payment terms, warranties, liquidated damages, price reduction, termination, jurisdiction).
• Tender Specifications Part 1 — Administrative Specifications (scope; non-division into lots; access rules; consortium/subcontractor rules; selection and exclusion; evaluation and award; form and content of tenders; data protection).
• Tender Specifications Part 2 — Technical Specifications (minimum technical requirements for Qiacube and QIAcuity consumables, online ordering expectations, and service requirements).
• Annex 1 to Admin Specs — List of documents to submit (what, who, when, and where to upload in eSubmission).
• Annex 2 — Declaration on Honour (exclusion, selection, restrictive measures, conflicts, independence of tender).
• Annex 3 — Power of Attorney (for joint tenders; joint and several liability; group leader responsibilities).
• Annex 4 — List of Identified Subcontractors (identification details, tasks, proportion of subcontracting).
• Annex 5.1 — Commitment Letter by Identified Subcontractor (resource availability, no conflicts, acceptance of checks and audits).
• Annex 5.2 — Commitment Letter by an Entity on Whose Capacity Is Relied (financial/economic capacity support, resources availability).
• Annex 6 — Financial Offer Form (Excel): itemized Qiagen references and spaces for equivalents; list price, discount, net price; catalogue rebate; additional cost tiers; computed total.
• Model Order Form (for specific contracts placed under the FWC).
• List of official holidays at JRC-Geel site for 2026.

Additional Practical Notes

• Online ordering is the default mechanism. If temporarily impossible, JRC may issue a paper order form by email.
• Order acceptance must be timely; repeated refusals or delays in signing order forms may be considered a breach.
• Data exchange and e-invoicing may occur via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal or via supported interoperability networks (e.g., PEPPOL).
• Formal communications follow the contract’s rules on electronic exchange systems, email, and registered mail; keep accurate points of contact.
• For questions during submission: use the Portal Q&A feature on the tender page; the authority is not obliged to answer questions received less than six working days before the deadline.

Contacts and References

• Contracting authority: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F — Health and Food, Food and Feed Compliance.
• Delivery address: JRC-Geel — Central Store, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium.
• Generic procurement mailbox: jrc-geel-procurement@ec.europa.eu
• Invoices (if not using e-invoicing): JRC-GEE-INVOICES@ec.europa.eu
• Portal tender link: EU Funding & Tenders Portal — Tender EC-JRC/GEE/2026/OP/0669

Summary: What This Opportunity Is About and How to Explain It

The European Commission’s JRC seeks a single supplier to provide Qiagen consumables for DNA/RNA extraction compatible with Qiacube instruments and dPCR consumables compatible with QIAcuity, with ordering primarily through the supplier’s online system. This is a four-year, single-supplier framework contract, capped at €190,000, with deliveries on a DDP basis to JRC-Geel in Belgium. The competition is simple and price-driven: among fully compliant offers meeting all administrative, technical, and capacity requirements, the lowest total price wins. Tenderers must supply their public catalogue and commit fixed discounts across the FWC, detail how online ordering will work in practice, and complete the financial model including any catalogue rebates and logistics cost tiers. Participation is open broadly across the EU, GPA signatories, and eligible third countries under Horizon Europe, provided access and non-restrictive-measures rules are met. Suppliers need to show basic financial robustness (€95,000 average yearly turnover) and relevant track-record (three similar supplies in the last three years). Standard EU exclusion criteria and data protection duties apply. The contract enforces timely order acknowledgment, delivery windows, and a two-year guarantee, and includes remedies like price reduction or liquidated damages in case of non-performance or delayed delivery. Submissions are electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 14 April 2026, 16:00 Brussels time, with a virtual public opening on 16 April 2026 at 14:00.

This is a European Commission procurement opportunity for the supply of Qiagen consumables used in DNA/RNA extraction (Qiacube) and digital PCR (Qiacuity) equipment. The contracting authority is the European Commission, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre (JRC), located in Geel, Belgium. The opportunity is structured as a single framework contract for supplies with an estimated total value of €190,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months.

Key Opportunity Details

Procedure Type:Open procedure for a single framework contract for supplies. The contracting authority is not obligated to purchase the maximum amount and may order supplies through an online ordering system or order forms.

Estimated Budget:€190,000 maximum covering all purchases under the framework contract including all renewals. This represents the ceiling amount and does not bind the contracting authority to spend the full amount.

Contract Duration:Maximum 48 months from the date of entry into force. The framework contract is concluded for an initial period of 12 months and is renewed automatically three times for 12 months each, unless one party provides formal notification to the contrary at least three months before the end of the ongoing duration.

Delivery Location:European Commission Joint Research Centre, JRC-Geel Central Store, Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium. Deliveries must be made Monday to Thursday between 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:00, and Friday between 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-15:30.

Award Criterion:Lowest price. Tenders are ranked in ascending order of total price, with the lowest price tender ranked first. The contract is awarded to the compliant tender with the lowest price submitted by a tenderer not subject to restrictive measures, having access to procurement, not in an exclusion situation, and fulfilling selection criteria.

Tender Deadlines and Key Dates

Tender Submission Deadline:14 April 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time (Europe/Brussels timezone). Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the eSubmission electronic submission system. Tenders received after the deadline will be rejected.

Deadline for Questions:01 April 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to requests for additional information received less than six working days before the tender submission deadline.

Public Opening Session:16 April 2026 at 14:00 Brussels time. A maximum of two representatives per tender may attend the virtual opening session. The public opening will verify submission compliance, announce tenderer names, and announce total prices.

TED Publication Date:09 March 2026. The notice was published in the Tenders Electronic Daily system.

Scope of Supplies

The procurement covers online ordering of Qiagen consumables and chemicals for DNA/RNA extraction equipment (Qiacube) and for digital PCR (Qiacuity) systems. The financial offer form specifies 32 product lines including DNA extraction kits, RNA extraction kits, buffers, enzymes, sample tubes, rotor adapters, and Qiacuity nanoplates and probe PCR kits. Tenderers may propose equivalent products to those indicated in the list. The contracting authority will place orders through the contractor's online ordering system or via order forms, with the contractor required to confirm acceptance within 3 working days.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who Can Apply

Any natural or legal person may submit a tender, either as a sole tenderer or as a group of economic operators (joint tender). Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons coming within the scope of the EU Treaties, as well as to international organisations. It is also open to natural and legal persons established in third countries provided they have a special agreement with the European Union in the field of public procurement or have ratified the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement. Participation is also open to natural and legal persons established in third countries eligible for funding under Horizon Europe.

Exclusion Criteria

Tenderers found to be in any exclusion situation listed in Article 138(1) of the EU Financial Regulation will be rejected. These include situations such as bankruptcy, insolvency, breach of tax or social security obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal offences, significant deficiencies in contract performance, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent legal obligations, and resistance to investigations. Tenderers must submit a Declaration on Honour confirming non-exclusion. Evidence of non-exclusion will be requested only from the presumed successful tenderer before the award decision.

Selection Criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum selection criteria:

• Legal and regulatory capacity: Proof of enrolment in a relevant trade or professional register demonstrating legal capacity to perform the contract and regulatory capacity to pursue the professional activity necessary to carry out the work.
• Economic and financial capacity (Criterion F1): Average yearly turnover of the last two financial years above €95,000. This is assessed on a consolidated basis across all involved entities. Evidence includes profit and loss accounts and balance sheets for the last two years, or appropriate statements from banks. The most recent year must have been closed within the last 18 months. This evidence does not need to be provided with the tender but may be requested by the contracting authority at any time during the procedure.
• Technical and professional capacity (Criterion T1): At least 3 similar projects completed in the last three years preceding the tender deadline. Projects must be similar in scope and complexity. Evidence includes a list of projects with start and end dates, total project amount and scope, role and amount invoiced. For ongoing projects, only the completed portion during the reference period is considered. This evidence does not need to be provided with the tender but may be requested by the contracting authority at any time during the procedure.

All involved entities and subcontractors must not be subject to professional conflicting interests that may negatively affect contract performance. The presence of conflicting interests is examined during evaluation based on declarations of honour and commitment letters.

Submission Requirements

All tenders must be submitted exclusively via the eSubmission electronic submission system available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenders submitted by any other means will be disregarded. Each economic operator (or each member of a group in case of a joint tender) must be registered in the Participant Register and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) before submission.

Required Documents

• Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (signed by authorised representative)
• Evidence of authorisation to sign documents (for representatives)
• Agreement/Power of attorney (for joint tenders, signed by all group members)
• List of identified subcontractors (if applicable)
• Commitment letters from identified subcontractors and entities on whose capacity the tenderer relies
• Technical tender including general catalogue and pricelist (online and/or paper version) and description of how online ordering is practically implemented
• Financial tender using the provided Financial Offer Form (Annex 6) with complete price breakdown

The total amount of the tender must be encoded in the eSubmission field Total amount and must correspond to the amount indicated in the uploaded financial tender. In case of discrepancies, only the amount in the financial tender will be taken into account.

Technical Tender Requirements

The technical offer must provide all information needed to assess compliance with technical specifications and award criteria. It must include the general catalogue and pricelist (which can be online and/or paper version) and a clear description of how the practical implementation of the framework contract online ordering is achieved. Tenderers are free to choose where personal data will be processed or stored as long as they comply with contractual data protection obligations and requirements for transfer of personal data to third countries. If personal data will be processed or stored outside the EU or European Economic Area, this must be specified in the technical tender. If no location is specified, the contracting authority will assume processing and storage only within the EU or EEA territory.

Financial Tender Requirements

A complete financial tender with price breakdown must be submitted using the Financial Model in Annex 6. Prices must be expressed in euros. Tenderers from countries outside the euro zone must quote prices in euro, and the quoted price may not be revised in line with exchange rate movements. Tenderers bear the risks or benefits deriving from any variation. Prices must be quoted free of all duties, taxes and other charges, including VAT. The European Union is exempt from such charges under Articles 3 and 4 of the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the European Union.

Contract Terms and Conditions

Framework Contract Structure

A framework contract establishes a mechanism for future repetitive purchases by the contracting authority to be awarded in the form of specific contracts or order forms. The signature of a framework contract does not impose an obligation on the contracting authority to conclude specific contracts or place orders. The single framework contract will be concluded with one contractor. Specific contracts shall be awarded on the basis of the terms laid down in the framework contract, refined or supplemented to reflect particular circumstances.

Payment Terms

Pre-financing and interim payments are not applicable to this framework contract. The contractor may claim payment of the balance in accordance with the contract terms. The contracting authority must approve submitted documents or supplies and pay within 30 days from receipt of the invoice. Contractors are strongly encouraged to submit invoices electronically using either the F&T portal or the Peppol network, including the department code JRC.GEEL in the buyer reference field. Invoices may alternatively be sent in PDF format to JRC-GEE-INVOICES@ec.europa.eu. Invoices should include detailed information about the supplies, framework contract number, order form number, item description, quantity, unit price, discount, total price, name of the JRC-GEEL officer who placed the order, and delivery reference.

VAT Treatment:In Belgium, use of this contract constitutes a request for VAT exemption No. 450, Article 42, paragraph 3.3 of the VAT code (circular 2/1978), provided the invoice includes the statement: Exoneration de la TVA, Article 42, paragraphe 3.3 du code de la TVA (circulaire 2/1978). The VAT exemption registration number is L/01/00000/2755.

Delivery and Quality Requirements

Supplies must be delivered at the specified location in Geel, Belgium, during specified hours. The contractor must bear all costs and risks involved in delivering supplies to the place of delivery (Incoterm 2020 DDP - Delivered Duty Paid). Each delivery must be accompanied by a consignment note in duplicate, duly signed and dated by the contractor or its carrier. Conformity of supplies delivered must be evidenced by the contracting authority's signature on a certificate of conformity no later than one month after the date of delivery. Supplies must be guaranteed by the contractor against all defects in manufacture or materials for two years from the date of delivery. The contractor must replace at its own expense any items that become damaged or defective during normal use within the guarantee period.

Price Revision

Prices are fixed and not subject to revision during the first year of the framework contract. At the beginning of the second and every following year, each price may be revised upwards or downwards at the request of one of the parties. A party may request price revision in writing no later than three months before the anniversary date of entry into force. The contractor must provide the contracting authority with its pricelist (public catalogue) applicable on the date the contract is signed. The contracting authority shall purchase on the basis of pricelist prices in force on the date online orders are placed or order forms are signed. Such prices shall not be subject to revision. The general discount rates as presented in the tender shall apply. Discounts given in the tender shall not be revised downwards throughout the duration of the framework contract. At each update, the contractor must send the general public catalogue for prior approval to the contracting authority, which has 10 working days to approve or reject the update.

Liquidated Damages and Price Reduction

If the contractor fails to perform contractual obligations within applicable time limits, the contracting authority may claim liquidated damages for each day of delay using the formula: 0.3 x (V/d), where V is the price of the relevant purchase or supply and d is the duration specified in the relevant specific contract for delivery. If the contractor fails to deliver supplies in accordance with the framework contract or fails to deliver in accordance with expected quality levels specified in tender specifications, the contracting authority may reduce the price. The price reduction will be directly proportional to the difference between the value of unperformed obligations or low quality delivery and the value of the agreed supply.

Termination

The contracting authority may terminate the framework contract or any ongoing specific contract in various circumstances, including if the contractor fails to implement the framework contract in accordance with tender specifications, is materially in breach of another contractual obligation, repeatedly refuses to sign specific contracts, is in an exclusion situation, breaches data protection obligations, or if the contracting authority's needs change and it no longer requires supplies. The contractor may terminate if the contracting authority materially fails to comply with its obligations or in the event of force majeure where resuming implementation is impossible. Either party must formally notify the other of its intention to terminate and the grounds. The other party has 15 days to submit observations. After receiving observations or the expiry of the deadline, the party intending to terminate must formally notify either withdrawal of the intention or final decision to terminate.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation of compliant tenders will consist of the following elements in the order the contracting authority considers most appropriate: verification of access to procurement; verification of administrative compliance; verification of non-exclusion based on exclusion criteria; selection of tenderers based on selection criteria; evaluation of tenders for compliance with requirements and award criteria; and verification that the tenderer is not subject to restrictive measures or other rejection grounds. If evaluation of one or more elements demonstrates grounds for rejection, the tender will be rejected and not subjected to full evaluation. Rejected tenderers will be informed of the ground for rejection without feedback on non-assessed content. Ranked tenderers who request so in writing after being informed of the procedure result will have access to information on the relative advantages of the successful tenderer and its total financial offer amount. The contracting authority may withhold certain information assessed as confidential, particularly where release would prejudice legitimate commercial interests or distort fair competition.

Important Conditions and Restrictions

• Variants are not allowed. The contracting authority will disregard any variants described in a tender.
• Tenders must be drawn and submitted in complete independence and autonomously from other tenders. A declaration in this regard is required.
• A natural or legal person cannot participate at the same time as a member of two or more groups or as a sole tenderer and member of another group. All such tenders will be rejected.
• Cross subcontracting among tenderers is forbidden. An entity may participate as tenderer and subcontractor to another tenderer, but the other tenderer cannot simultaneously be a subcontractor to the first tenderer.
• Subcontracting is permitted. Identified subcontractors on whose capacities the tenderer relies to fulfil selection criteria or whose individual share exceeds 20% must be identified and provide commitment letters.
• The contracting authority is not bound to award the contract and may cancel the procedure without compensation to tenderers.
• Abnormally low tenders may be rejected in accordance with Point 23 of Annex I to the Financial Regulation.
• All costs incurred for tender preparation and submission are borne by tenderers and will not be reimbursed.
• Tenderers must ensure no involved entities or subcontractors are subject to EU restrictive measures consisting of prohibition to make available or transfer funds or economic resources or asset freeze.
• The framework contract is governed by Union law, complemented where necessary by Belgian law. The courts of Turnhout have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute.

Contact Information and Resources

Contracting Authority:European Commission, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre (JRC), JRC.F - Health and Food, Food and Feed Compliance, Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel, Belgium

Administrative Contact:JRC-GEEL-PROCUREMENT@ec.europa.eu

Data Protection Contact:JRC-GEE-DATA-PROTECTION@ec.europa.eu

Invoice Submission:JRC-GEE-INVOICES@ec.europa.eu

Tender Opening Request:jrc-geel-procurement@ec.europa.eu

Official Portal:EU Funding and Tenders Portal at [[ec.europa.eu

Procedure Reference:EC-JRC/GEE/2026/OP/0669

TED Reference:47/2026 163500-2026

Key Applicant Considerations

Applicants should note that this is a framework contract for supplies with no obligation for the contracting authority to place orders. The estimated volumes provided in the financial model are indicative only. Applicants must be prepared to provide online ordering capability or accept orders via email. The contracting authority may use an electronic exchange system for all exchanges during contract implementation. Applicants should ensure they can meet the specified delivery location and hours in Geel, Belgium. The award is based solely on lowest price, so competitive pricing is critical. Applicants must carefully review all tender specifications and technical requirements, as tenders deviating from minimum requirements may be rejected. Early submission is strongly recommended to avoid technical issues with the eSubmission system. All required documents must be submitted with the tender or the tender may be rejected. Applicants should prepare evidence of selection criteria in advance as it may be requested within short deadlines. The framework contract includes automatic renewal provisions, so applicants should be prepared for long-term supply relationships.