Pact for Skills and European Alliance for Apprenticeships Support Services

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) has issued a call for tenders identified as EC-EMPL/2025/OP/0012, focusing on providing support services for the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. This is a service procurement contract aimed at assisting the Commission in the implementation of policies related to upskilling, reskilling, and apprenticeship programs across the EU. The contract is designed for a maximum duration of 48 months, with an initial period of 24 months, and can be renewed once. It operates on an open procedure basis, allowing any qualified organization to apply.

Eligible applicants include organizations with expertise in policy implementation, technical assistance, upskilling, reskilling, and apprenticeships, likely encompassing consulting firms, research institutes, and educational organizations. Although there is no explicit requirement for a consortium, single applicants are encouraged, with the possibility of subcontracting parts of the project.

The opportunity covers an EU-wide scope, permitting participation from entities across member states, with no specified geographic limitations mentioned in the data. The primary sector targeted is employment, skills development, and training, encompassing various aspects of labor market policies and apprenticeships. The classification code for the tender falls under CPV code 79400000, relating to business and management consultancy and associated services.

The tender emphasizes that financial compensation will be based on a best price-quality ratio, with quality being prioritized at 70 percent and price at 30 percent. The exact budget for the contract is not disclosed. Key milestones include a public opening of tenders on February 5, 2026, and a final deadline for submission on February 4, 2026. Participants must register for a Participant Identification Code (PIC) to submit their proposals through the electronic submission system. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and ensures the confidentiality and integrity of submissions through encryption.

Prospective bidders should prepare their proposals meticulously, adhering to the guidelines outlined in the available tender documents, which include an invitation letter, tender specifications, and a financial offer form. The evaluation process involves multiple stages, including submission reviews and technical and financial assessments. This opportunity represents a significant open call for organizations capable of delivering high-quality support services to enhance EU employment initiatives and apprenticeships for a diverse European workforce.

The European Commission, DG EMPL - Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, has published a call for tenders, EC-EMPL/2025/OP/0012, for Pact for Skills and European Alliance for Apprenticeships Support Services. The TED reference for this call is 224/2025 771422-2025. This is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The call was published on 20/11/2025.

The purpose of the contract is to support the European Commission services (DG EMPL in the lead and other relevant services) with high-quality policy implementation by providing joint policy support and technical assistance for upskilling and reskilling actions and apprenticeships by signatories of the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. The aim of the contract is to assist the contracting authority in 1) supporting stakeholders’ development of and wide participation in upskilling and reskilling initiatives designed for the EU working age population, 2) promoting the supply, quality and image of apprenticeships and mobility of apprentices.

The main classification (CPV) is 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. This is not a framework agreement.

Key milestones include:
TED publication date: 20/11/2025
Date and time of public opening: 05/02/2026 11:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 04/02/2026 15:00 Europe/Brussels
Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after: 27/01/2026 07:00 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:
EN01. Invitation EC-EMPL2025OP0012 VT2025022 Pact for Skills EAfA Invitation letter, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN02. VT-2025-022 OP tender-specifications DIr B FINAL Tender specifications, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN03. Annex 6- financial offer form Financial offer form, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN04. DoH VT2025022 Pact for Skills EAfA EC-EMPL2025OP0012 Declaration on honour (tender), published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN05. DRAFT - contrat-direct-service-2024 FR Recast-en Draft contract, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN06. draft Annex III Draft contract annex, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN07. draft Annex IV-statements-ipr-en Draft contract annex, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN08. Appendix 2 Security requirements en 2025 Draft contract annex, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN09. Appendix 3 Security baseline en Draft contract annex, published on 20/11/2025, Version 1, No translations available

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

FAQ regarding the eSubmission system:
How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies.
Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Refer to the System Requirements link for technical recommendations.
Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content is not accessible after the deadline due to system encryption.
Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’.
Which size should attachments have? Attachments must be less than 50 MB in size.
How should I name attachments in eSubmission? Follow the System Requirements for attachment names.
Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported? Check the System Requirements.
I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents. Select an organisation in “My Invitations”.
Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission? Yes, a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory.
I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? Ensure the file follows the technical requirements of the system.
How many attachments can I upload per submission? The system allows a maximum of 200 files per tender.
Why do tenderers need a PIC? A PIC is mandatory to submit a tender or request to participate.
How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)? Check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool.
How many languages does the system support? The system supports all 24 official EU languages.
Which is the character set encoding in the system? The character set encoding is UTF-8.
Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information? Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents.
Which file types does the system support? The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements.
Can I view and edit my draft submission? Yes, until the submission deadline.
In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission? No, it is just a display issue.
I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent? No, this is an auto-generated notification.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG EMPL, seeking support services for the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. The goal is to improve policy implementation related to upskilling, reskilling, and apprenticeships across the EU. The tender is open to organizations that can provide business and management consultancy services. The selected contractor will assist in developing and promoting initiatives that enhance the skills of the EU workforce and improve the quality and accessibility of apprenticeships. The submission process is electronic, and interested parties must register for a PIC and adhere to the technical requirements of the eSubmission system. The deadline for submitting tenders is February 4, 2026.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include organizations with expertise in policy implementation, technical assistance, upskilling, reskilling, and apprenticeships. This could include consulting firms, research institutes, educational organizations, and other entities with relevant experience.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is described as "services."

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the description mentions "joint policy support," which could imply that a consortium with diverse expertise might be advantageous or even necessary. The FAQ section mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. However, given that it is an EU funding opportunity related to the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, it is highly likely that the beneficiary scope includes EU member states and possibly EEA countries or other countries participating in EU programs.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily education, employment, and social affairs, with a focus on upskilling, reskilling, and apprenticeships. It also touches upon business and management consultancy, as indicated by the CPV code 79400000.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is related to the European Union and its initiatives like the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, implying a focus on the EU region.

Project Stage: The project stage is policy implementation and technical assistance. The tender seeks support for existing initiatives (Pact for Skills and European Alliance for Apprenticeships), suggesting a need for organizations capable of providing services to further develop and implement these policies.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not specified in the provided text. The text only mentions the maximum contract duration is 48 months.

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 services. The call is for a service contract, meaning the selected tenderer will be paid for providing the specified services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it is likely to involve at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation of the tender.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders (EC-EMPL/2025/OP/0012) issued by the European Commission, DG EMPL, focusing on providing support services for the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. The purpose of the contract is to assist the Commission in implementing policies related to upskilling, reskilling, and promoting apprenticeships across the EU working-age population. The selected contractor will provide policy support and technical assistance to signatories of the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. This is an open procedure, meaning any eligible organization can apply. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is February 4, 2026. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. Tenderers must register for a Participant Identification Code (PIC) to participate, and submissions must adhere to the eSubmission system requirements, including file size limits (under 50 MB per file) and naming conventions. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. The tender documents include an invitation letter, tender specifications, a financial offer form, a declaration on honour, a draft contract, and annexes related to contract details and security requirements. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio.