Policy Support Facility (PSF III)

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation is inviting tenders for the Policy Support Facility (PSF III), a procurement initiative focused on assisting EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe in developing and implementing reforms in their national research and innovation (R&I) systems. This opportunity involves a service contract valued at €13 million, with a maximum duration of 48 months.

Eligible applicants for this tender include large consulting firms, research institutions, and other organizations experienced in research and innovation policy. The tender is open and will be evaluated based on the best price-quality ratio. It is structured as a framework agreement without reopening competition for specific orders.

The services sought under this tender are designed to deliver high-level expertise and tailored advice on R&I reforms, signaling that applicants should have a strong track record in policy advisory services. The contract will be executed in multiple EU Member States and associated countries, which include those linked to the Horizon Europe program.

The deadline for submitting tenders is November 6, 2025, with an opening date for public bids set for November 7, 2025. Interested bidders must register for a Participant Identification Code (PIC) and submit their proposals electronically. Applications must be completed and filed by the specified deadline, and organizations are advised to ensure that their submissions adhere to the technical requirements of the eSubmission system, including document size and format specifications.

The procurement process encourages the participation of organizations capable of providing comprehensive consulting services aimed at transforming research and innovation ecosystems to foster economic growth and sustainable transitions across Europe. Successful tenderers will not only provide analytical assessments but also strategic planning and implementation support to enhance the effectiveness of national R&I policies.

Overall, this tender presents a significant opportunity for qualified organizations to engage in high-impact advisory work with European governments, thereby contributing to the advancement of research and innovation across the continent.

The European Commission, DG RTD Research and Innovation, has published a call for tenders for the Policy Support Facility (PSF III) with procedure identifier EC-RTD/2025/OP/0005. The TED reference for this call is 181/2025 618470-2025. This is an open procedure with electronic submission.

The Policy Support Facility (PSF) assists Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe in developing and implementing policy reforms of national Research and Innovation (R&I) systems. It offers high-level expertise and tailor-made advice to national public authorities on a voluntary basis. This call is a follow-up to PSF II.

The estimated total value of this tender is 13,000,000 EUR. The main classification (CPV) code is 73200000 Research and development consultancy services. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. It will be a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

Key milestones for this tender are:
TED publication date: 22/09/2025
Date and time of public opening: 07/11/2025 11:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 06/11/2025 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline after which the Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions: 29/10/2025 07:00 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:
EN invitation to tender Invitation letter, published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENTS PSF III Tender specifications, published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available
ENDoH-Annex 2 Declaration on honour (tender), published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN Editable Annexes 3,4&5 of Tender Specifications Other invitation to tender document, published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN Annex 6 of Tender Specifications Financial offer form, published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN PSF III Draft fwc Draft contract, published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available
EN Appendix 2 of FWC-Security requirements Draft contract annex, published on 22/09/2025, Version 1, No translations available

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission at the address provided.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to 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 on the Internet browser. Published on 13/02/2025 21:52
Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, click on the link System Requirements. Published on 13/02/2025 21:52
Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload. Thus, the system will not allow decryption after the upload. Published on 13/02/2025 21:50
Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Depending on the type or step of procedure, you can find the submissions in one of these sections: In ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to. Published on 17/10/2024 21:40
Which size should attachments have? eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size. Any larger sizes will not be accepted by the system. Published on 17/10/2024 21:36
How should I name attachments in eSubmission? Name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements. See the following conditions: The. Published on 03/10/2024 17:39
Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported? Check the System Requirements of eSubmission. Published on 03/10/2024 17:37
I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents. Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation. Go to F&T Portal, “My Invitations”. Click on “Select Organisation” from the “Action”. Published on 03/10/2024 17:37
Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission? The 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). For subcontractors PIC is. Published on 03/10/2024 17:36
I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? Make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system. A) For procurement procedures: B) For req. Published on 03/10/2024 17:36
How many attachments can I upload per submission? The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files. Check the eSubmission System Requirements in the documentation. Published on 03/10/2024 17:35
Why do tenderers need a PIC? It is mandatory to register for a PIC if you intend to submit a tender or a request to participate. Only one PIC per organisation must be used. Therefore, if your organisation already. Published on 23/04/2024 18:14
How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)? First, check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register. If your organisation is a bigger. Published on 23/04/2024 17:07
How many languages does the system support? The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages. Published on 01/04/2024 20:56
Which is the character set encoding in the system? The character set encoding is UTF-8. Published on 23/02/2024 00:58
Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information? Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism. Published on 23/02/2024 00:57
Which file types does the system support? The supported file types depend on the type of submission you want to make. The allowed file types are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure in question. M. Published on 22/02/2024 00:55
Can I view and edit my draft submission? Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed and deleted. Published on 24/03/2023 22:32
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. This is not blocking for you: you can submit. Published on 03/08/2021 23:07
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 sent when the time limit of receipt defined for the call for tenders has been reached. Until then, you had the possibility of withdrawing. Published on 03/08/2021 23:05

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG RTD Research and Innovation, for the Policy Support Facility (PSF III). The goal is to assist Member States and associated countries in reforming their national R&I systems by providing expertise and advice. The contract is worth 13 million EUR and will run for a maximum of 48 months. The tender process is an open procedure, and submissions must be made electronically. The deadline for submitting tenders is November 6, 2025. The call aims to identify a contractor who can provide research and development consultancy services to support the Commission's policy support activities in the area of research and innovation. Tenderers will need to demonstrate their expertise and experience in this field, as well as their ability to deliver high-quality services within the specified timeframe and budget. A key requirement is the mandatory registration for a PIC (Participant Identification Code) for tenderers.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include consultancy firms, research institutions, universities, and other organizations with expertise in research and innovation policy. The tender is aimed at providing high-level expertise and tailor-made advice to national public authorities, suggesting that applicants should have a proven track record in this area.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is explicitly stated as "services". The framework agreement is without reopening of competition.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of the services required, it is possible that both single applicants and consortia are eligible. The tender documents should be consulted for specific requirements. The FAQ 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 beneficiaries are Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe. This suggests that the geographic eligibility for applicants includes entities from EU Member States and countries associated with the Horizon Europe program.

Target Sector: The target sector is research and innovation (R&I) policy. The tender focuses on assisting Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe in developing and implementing policy reforms of national R&I systems. The CPV code 73200000 also confirms that the target sector is research and development consultancy services.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on policy implementation and reform. The Policy Support Facility (PSF) aims to assist in developing and implementing reforms, indicating that the projects are beyond the initial research phase and are geared towards practical application and policy changes.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 13,000,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries, which are the Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe, will receive non-monetary services in the form of high-level expertise and tailor-made advice. The tender is for a service contract, meaning the selected contractor will provide services, not direct funding, to the beneficiaries.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it can be inferred that there will be at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation of the tender. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio, suggesting a detailed evaluation process.

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

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

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders for the Policy Support Facility (PSF III), a European Commission initiative aimed at assisting EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe in reforming their national research and innovation (R&I) systems. The Commission, through DG RTD Research and Innovation, is seeking expert consultancy services to provide high-level, tailor-made advice to national public authorities on a voluntary basis. This tender follows up on the PSF II program.

The estimated total value of the framework agreement is 13,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The procedure type is an open procedure, meaning any eligible organization can submit a tender. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The deadline for receipt of tenders is November 6, 2025, at 16:00 Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after October 29, 2025, at 07:00 Brussels time.

The submission method is electronic, and tenderers must submit their proposals through the designated eSubmission portal. Tenderers must register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to participate, either as a sole candidate or as part of a consortium. The eSubmission system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents to ensure integrity and confidentiality. Attachments must be less than 50 MB in size, and the maximum number of documents allowed per tender is 200.

The tender documents, including the invitation letter, tender specifications, declaration on honour, editable annexes, financial offer form, draft framework contract, and security requirements, are available for download. Potential tenderers are advised to use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for optimal performance of the eSubmission system and to consult the system requirements for detailed technical specifications.