Preparation for Sectoral Operational Programme 2024-2027 Employment and Social Inclusion

The European Commission, through the ENEST (Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood), has announced a call for tenders identified as EC-ENEST/TGD/2025/EA-RP/0105, with TED reference number 162/2025 556543-2025. This is classified as a restricted procedure aimed at procuring technical assistance services to support the Sector Operational Program Employment and Social Inclusion in Montenegro for the period 2024-2027. The contract, valued at €2,100,000, is intended to help ensure the maturity of activities under the program, which includes regulatory and procedural preparatory measures, policy development, institutional and stakeholder coordination, and capacity building efforts within the employment and social policy sectors.

Eligible applicants include large enterprises, consulting firms, and professional service providers with expertise in EU policy implementation, social policy, and employment frameworks, as the procurement is not suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The procedure accommodates both single applicants and consortium bids, although a consortium may be advantageous due to the complex nature of the technical assistance required.

Geographically, the focus is on Montenegro, and the assistance is primarily aimed at enhancing capacities of stakeholders involved in employment and social policy implementation, including civil society organizations and social partners. The project spans multiple sectors including social entrepreneurship, de-institutionalization, and implementation of the Youth Guarantee.

Regarding the process, participants must submit a request by September 26, 2025, at 16:00 local time. Those who qualify will be invited to submit a comprehensive proposal. The maximum duration of the contract is 72 months, with evaluations conducted based on a price-quality ratio.

Overall, the call seeks to build strong technical support for Montenegro as it prepares for EU accession, emphasizing substantial expertise in employment and social inclusion policies. The call for tenders is open for electronic submissions, and additional documents may be available for download, providing further details about the application process and requirements.

The European Commission, specifically ENEST Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, has published a call for tenders with procedure identifier EC-ENEST/TGD/2025/EA-RP/0105. The TED reference number is 162/2025 556543-2025. This is a restricted procedure.

The call is for Technical Assistance to ensure the maturity of activities foreseen to be implemented under the Sector Operational Program Employment and Social Inclusion (SOP ESI) in Montenegro 2024-2027, including through regulatory and procedural preparatory measures. The assistance will also provide support to policy, institutional and stakeholder coordination within the ESP sector and policies such as de-institutionalization, social entrepreneurship and the Youth Guarantee implementation. It also aims to enhance capacities of relevant Employment and Social Policy stakeholders in charge of the policy implementation, including social partners and civil society organisations.

The estimated total value of the contract is 2,100,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 26/08/2025. The deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 26/09/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Podgorica time.

The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 72 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is mentioned. The place of delivery or performance is Montenegro, specifically identified by the code 20001058. The programme associated with this call is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, identified by the code 42921320.

Submissions must be sent electronically via the address for submission provided.

One document is available for download: "ENa5f additional information contract notice en (2)Invitation to submit a request to participate," published on 26/08/2025, Version 1. No translations are available.

In summary, this is a call for tenders from the European Commission for technical assistance to support the implementation of the Sector Operational Program Employment and Social Inclusion in Montenegro. The project aims to improve the maturity of activities, enhance policy coordination, and build the capacity of stakeholders in the employment and social policy sectors. The contract is worth 2.1 million EUR and will run for a maximum of 72 months. The deadline for submitting requests to participate is September 26, 2025. The tender will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given the nature of the call for tenders (Technical Assistance) and the focus on Employment and Social Inclusion, eligible applicants could include consulting firms, research institutes, NGOs, public sector organizations, and other entities with expertise in project management, social policy, employment, and related fields. The call mentions enhancing capacities of relevant Employment and Social Policy stakeholders in charge of the policy implementation, including social partners and civil society organisations, which suggests that these types of organizations are also potential applicants or could be involved in the proposed activities.

Funding Type: Procurement. This is a call for tenders, indicating a procurement process where the European Commission is seeking to purchase services.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope of the technical assistance which includes regulatory and procedural preparatory measures, policy, institutional and stakeholder coordination, de-institutionalization, social entrepreneurship, Youth Guarantee implementation, and capacity building, a consortium might be advantageous to cover the breadth of expertise required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary beneficiary scope is Montenegro, as the technical assistance is specifically aimed at supporting the Sector Operational Program Employment and Social Inclusion (SOP ESI) in Montenegro 2024-2027. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, ENEST - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, suggesting that the call is open to entities from the EU and potentially from countries within the Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood region, provided they can deliver services in Montenegro.

Target Sector: The target sector is Employment and Social Inclusion. This includes areas such as social policy, employment policy, de-institutionalization, social entrepreneurship, and youth employment (Youth Guarantee implementation).

Mentioned Countries: Montenegro.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on ensuring the maturity of activities foreseen under the Sector Operational Program. This includes regulatory and procedural preparatory measures, suggesting a development and preparation stage. The technical assistance aims to support policy implementation and enhance capacities, indicating activities that span from development to implementation support.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is 2,100,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open call. The submission method is electronic and the call is described as "Open For Submission". Given the "Restricted procedure" type, there will be at least two stages: a request to participate and a full proposal for those who are selected.

Nature of Support: Non-monetary services. The beneficiaries will receive technical assistance in the form of project management services, policy support, capacity building, and other related services.

Application Stages: At least 2. The procedure type is "Restricted procedure" which implies a multi-stage application process. The first stage is the "request to participate", and those who are successful will be invited to submit a full proposal.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, ENEST - Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, for Technical Assistance to support the Sector Operational Program Employment and Social Inclusion (SOP ESI) in Montenegro for the period 2024-2027. The total estimated value of the contract is 2,100,000 EUR. The call aims to ensure the maturity of activities under the SOP ESI through regulatory and procedural preparatory measures, policy support, institutional and stakeholder coordination, and capacity building of relevant stakeholders, including social partners and civil society organizations. The focus areas include de-institutionalization, social entrepreneurship, and the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. The procedure type is a restricted procedure, meaning that applicants must first submit a request to participate, and only those selected will be invited to submit a full proposal. The maximum contract duration is 72 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The call is open for electronic submissions, and the deadline for receipt of requests to participate is September 26, 2025. The primary geographic focus is Montenegro, and the call is relevant to organizations with expertise in employment, social inclusion, project management, and related fields.