Provision of business coaching and consultancy services.

Provision of business coaching and consultancy services is an open EU procurement (tender reference EC-DEFIS/2026/OP/0004) issued by the European Commission Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) to establish a framework contract. The framework is divided into two lots: Lot 1 for sourcing and managing coaching services for start-ups and SMEs in the European Defence Fund, and Lot 2 for research, evaluation and analysis services for the space, aerospace and defence ecosystem. The estimated total value is €10,000,000 and submission is via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal with a deadline of 9 September 2026. This is a service procurement (not a grant) and bidders must be legal entities that meet the participation, selection and security requirements in the tender dossier.

What it funds

Scope summary

Framework contract to support the European Commission (DG DEFIS) for Space, Aerospace and Defence actions. Two lots: Lot 1 sourcing and management of coaching services for start-ups and SMEs in the European Defence Fund; Lot 2 research, evaluation and analysis services for the SASD ecosystem.

Estimated budget:Total estimated value €10,000,000 (Lot €1 4,000,000; Lot €2 6,000,000) for up to 48 months ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities (companies, consultancies, research organisations) able to deliver the required services and meeting the procurement selection criteria.
2. 2Contract type: Framework contract with calls for services; procurement procedure requires electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
3. 3SME suitability: procurement documents indicate not SME-targeted; bidders must consult participation conditions in the tender documents.

Key deadline:tender submission closes 2026-09-09 16:00:59 (Brussels time). See procurement documents and corrigenda for full requirements and how to apply ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official tender page and documents: Tender details.

Summary

The European Commission (DG DEFIS - Defence Industry and Space) published an open competitive procurement to establish a Framework Contract (FwC) to support Commission implementation of Space, Aerospace and Defence related actions. The procedure is divided into two lots: Lot 1 Sourcing and management of coaching services targeting support to start-ups and SMEs participating in the European Defence Fund, and Lot 2 Research, evaluation and analysis related services covering research, evaluation and analysis for the Space, Aerospace and Defence (SASD) ecosystem. The estimated total value of the FwC is €10,000,000 (Lot €1 4,000,000; Lot €2 6,000,000) for an envisaged performance period of 48 months. Submission is by electronic eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Further procurement documentation (ITT, consolidated specification, draft contracts, annexes, templates and corrigenda) is published on the portal Tender Notice and Documents ¹.

Published deadlines:Primary closing date: 9 September 2026, 16:00:59 (Europe/Brussels). An open tender event is scheduled on 10 September 2026 (14:00 local time). A corrigendum and additional documents were published 29 July 2026. ¹

Eligibility and Applicants

This is a public procurement procedure open through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Eligible economic operators should consult the published Participation conditions (Specification Annex 8 and Annex 8BIS) and the Declaration on Honour. The procurement is not flagged as SME-suitable, so both SMEs and larger organisations may apply, subject to the formal participation requirements and selection criteria in the tender dossier.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Startups, SMEs, large enterprises, consultancy firms, management and business coaches, research institutions and universities, independent experts, non-profit organisations and NGOs, public bodies (where permitted by participation conditions), and consortia or joint ventures formed to submit a tender. Exact eligibility and exclusions (such as security clearance requirements) are set out in the participation conditions in the specification documents.
2. 2Consortium Requirement: Multiple forms of tendering are accepted; a single economic operator may submit or parties may form a consortium / joint venture or rely on subcontracting. A formal lead tenderer must be identified and any subcontracting or consortium details must comply with the participation conditions in Annex 8.
3. 3Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): This is a European Commission procurement. Applicants from EU Member States and countries eligible to participate in EU public procurement and programmes (including EU associated countries where permitted) should consult the tender documents for exact eligibility. Activities and contract execution are expected to support EU-level SASD activities.
4. 4Funding Type: This is a procurement / service contract under a Framework Contract (non-grant). The Commission will remunerate the contractor(s) under the terms of the contract.
5. 5Nature of Support: Monetary payment to contractors for delivered services under the Framework Contract. The award will result in a contract providing fees for services (coaching, consultancy, research, evaluation, analysis).

Scope, Lots and Target Sectors

The procurement targets activities across the Space, Aerospace and Defence (SASD) ecosystem. It comprises two separate lots with different scopes and award weights for quality versus price.

Both lots are service contracts under the FwC mechanism, planned duration for each lot is 48 months. Awarding criteria and weighting differ by lot: Lot 1 uses quality 70% / price 30%; Lot 2 uses quality 80% / price 20% (consult the procurement documents for full breakdown and subcriteria).

Project Stage and Expected Activities

Targeted project maturity differs by lot:Lot 1 focuses on downstream business support to start-ups and SMEs (validation, commercialisation and scale-up support, coaching and go-to-market activities). Lot 2 focuses on research, evaluation and analysis activities (research, validation, evaluation, policy analysis and evidence-based recommendations). Contractors must be able to mobilise personnel with sector-specific expertise and deliver reports, evaluations, market intelligence, coaching interventions and project management services.

Financials and Contract Value

Estimated overall contract value:€10,000,000 in total for the framework (€4,000,000 allocated to Lot 1 and €6,000,000 to Lot 2). These are estimated totals for the full duration of the Framework Contract. Actual call-offs and budgets per task will be defined in task-specific orders under the FwC.

The FwC operates as a contracting mechanism allowing the Commission to issue specific work orders. The tender documentation includes draft FwC contracts, draft appendices (security requirements, VAT share, IPR statements) and templates for project charters and declarations.

Application and Selection Process

This is an open competitive tender with eSubmission required via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants must complete administrative and selection documentation and submit a technical and financial offer in accordance with the Invitation To Tender and Specification annexes.

1. 1Application Type: Open tender via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (submissionMethodCode: ESUBMISSION).
2. 2Application Stages: 1) Submission of administrative, selection and award documentation; 2) Evaluation of tenders (quality and price) and selection; 3) Award and contract signature including security and legal checks. The procedure therefore effectively has 2 to 3 sequential stages (submission -> evaluation -> award/contracting).
3. 3Success Rates: The tender dossier does not publish historical success rates. As an EU-wide procurement with a limited estimated contract capacity, the competition is expected to be selective and competitive. No specific probability of success is provided in the documents.
4. 4Co-funding Requirement: No co-funding is required because this is a procurement for paid services. Contractors will be remunerated under the contract for delivered services. Any costs related to proposal preparation are borne by the tenderer.

Evaluation and Award

Awarding criteria are quality and price with the quality/price weights specified per lot (Lot 1: quality 70% / price 30%; Lot 2: quality 80% / price 20%). Tenderers must consult the tender specifications for the detailed sub-criteria (methodology, staff, relevant experience, understanding of needs, workplan, risk mitigation, security arrangements etc.). Administrative compliance, exclusion and selection criteria will be verified as part of the evaluation. Post-award, call-offs will be ordered against the FwC via task orders or calls for tender under the framework terms.

Key Application Documents and Templates

The procurement record includes an ITT document, consolidated specification, draft FwC contracts for each lot, contract annexes (security requirements, IPR statements, VAT share), Declaration on Honour (tender), Participation conditions (Annex 8), Project Charter template for Lot 1 (RD1-Project-Charter Template), Annexes 3 to 6 in editable format, and a Corrigendum published on 29 July 2026. Tenderers must use the published templates and complete all required annexes and declarations as specified in the tender dossier ¹.

1. 1ITA / Invitation To Tender (ITT) PDF - contains submission instructions and deadlines.
2. 2FWC consolidated specification - full terms of the framework and technical specifications for both lots.
3. 3Draft FwC Contract Lot 1 and Lot 2 - contains contractual clauses, durations and conditions.
4. 4Contract Appendix 2 Security requirements - sets out security and possibly clearance obligations.
5. 5Specification Annex 2 Declaration on Honour (DoH) - mandatory for tender submission.
6. 6Specification Annex 7 and Annex 8 Participation conditions - administrative eligibility and documentation requirements.
7. 7Specification Lot 1 RD1-Project-Charter Template - required template for project work orders under Lot 1.
8. 8Annex 3 to 6 Word formats - editable annexes for completion during submission.
9. 9Corrigendum N1 - published updates to the specification documents on 29 July 2026.

Procurement Procedure and Administrative Notes

Procedure type is a competitive procurement to establish a framework agreement (framework-agreement). Tender validity period is indicated as 6 months for initial offers. Electronic ordering and payment are expected in the post-award process. The tender uses the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission facility and specifies open tender event and information request deadlines (Q&A window until 1 September 2026 as per the tendering timeline).

CPV and Relevant Codes

Main CPV codes include 79411100 (business and management consultancy services), 73200000 (research and development services), 72224000, 80510000, 73410000, 34710000 and 34712000. These reflect consultancy, research, analysis, testing and technical services relevant to SASD themes.

Mentioned Countries and Geographic Indicators

The contracting authority is the European Commission, DG DEFIS - Defence Industry and Space. No individual Member States are singled out in the tender summary; the procurement is published at EU level and applies to entities eligible under EU procurement rules and the participation conditions. Potential tenderers should check Annex 8 for precise rules on nationality, subcontracting and participation from third countries. ¹

Practical Advice for Applicants

1. 1Carefully read the ITT, FWC consolidated specification and Participation Conditions (Annex 8 and 8BIS) to confirm eligibility, required declarations, and any security requirements (Appendix 2).
2. 2Use the provided editable annex templates (Annex 3 to 6 Word formats) and the RD1 Project-Charter Template where requested to ensure compliance with formatting and requested content.
3. 3Prepare a clear technical offer addressing the award criteria sub-criteria (methodology, team, past performance, detailed workplan and deliverables) and provide CVs of key staff with relevant SASD experience.
4. 4Provide a transparent and compliant financial offer aligned with the pricing rules in the FwC draft contract and note the relative weighting of quality vs price for your chosen lot.
5. 5If forming a consortium, supply a consortium statement or JV agreement as required by Annex 8 and define the role of each partner and subcontractors.
6. 6Check security and confidentiality requirements early: some tasks for SASD may require security clearances or specific handling of classified information; Annex 2 and Contract Appendix 2 specify such conditions.
7. 7Submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal before the stated deadline using eSubmission. Late submissions will be excluded per portal rules.

Templates: Application Form Structure and Required Sections

Application forms and templates present a standard procurement structure. Tenderers should prepare the following sections and documents aligned with the provided templates in the tender dossier:

1. 1Administrative package: signed Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), proof of legal status, registration documents, evidence on exclusion grounds, financial capacity statements (if requested), and completed Participation Conditions Annex 8 forms.
2. 2Selection information: evidence of technical and professional capacity, references of relevant contracts/projects, staff CVs and organisational chart, and any certificates demonstrating capability.
3. 3Technical offer: methodological approach, detailed workplan, risk management, quality assurance, deliverables and timeline, and organisational capacity to mobilise experts.
4. 4Financial offer: priced rates and lump sums per deliverable as requested in the pricing schedule; clear description of price calculation and any assumptions.
5. 5Security and confidentiality: declarations and evidence related to security clearances, if required for specific tasks, and acceptance of Contract Appendix 2 security requirements.
6. 6Consortium / Subcontracting: consortium agreement or lead partner declaration, roles of subcontractors, and subcontracting plan.

Co-funding and Contractual Terms

There is no co-funding requirement for tenderers because the opportunity is a paid service procurement. Contractors will be remunerated for services delivered as set out in the FwC and subsequent task orders. The draft contract and annexes contain standard EU contractual clauses, intellectual property provisions and VAT handling rules (see Contract Annex V - VAT share).

Concluding summary

This tender establishes a Framework Contract to provide business coaching and consultancy (Lot 1) and research, evaluation and analysis services (Lot 2) for the Space, Aerospace and Defence ecosystem under the European Commission DG DEFIS. The procurement is an EU-level open eSubmission tender with an estimated overall value of €10 million and a planned duration of 48 months for delivered services. The tender dossier contains full technical specifications, draft contracts and a set of templates and annexes that tenderers must use. Applicants should be experienced service providers, consultancies, research organisations or consortia capable of delivering sector-specific coaching, consultancy and analytical services in the SASD area and must follow the submission instructions, selection and award criteria as published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. For full documents and to submit a bid, use the official tender page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender Notice and Documents ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement dossier, including ITT, FWC consolidated specification, draft contracts, Annexes 2, 7, 8 and other templates and corrigenda are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal at the opportunity page: ec.europa.eu

This is an open procurement for a framework contract under DG DEFIS to support Commission actions in space, aerospace and defence, with an estimated total value of €10 million.[3][1] The accessible sources show it as a service contract rather than a grant, so funding rates or aid intensity do not apply.[3]

Tender at a glance

Scope of work

The call is divided into two lots. Lot 1 focuses on sourcing and managing coaching services for start ups and SMEs in the European Defence Fund. Lot 2 covers research, evaluation and analysis related services for the space, aerospace and defence ecosystem.[3][1]

• Lot 1, Sourcing and management of coaching services for start ups and SMEs in the European Defence Fund.[3]
• Lot 2, Research, evaluation and analysis related services for the space, aerospace and defence ecosystem.[3]

Who can apply

The accessible listing identifies the eligibility category as organisation, which indicates the opportunity is aimed at legal entities able to deliver business coaching, consultancy, research, evaluation and analysis services.[3] The detailed admissibility rules, including any consortium requirements, financial capacity checks and technical selection criteria, should be confirmed in the official tender documents on the portal.[3]

Commercial and procedural notes

The accessible results do not provide the framework contract duration, the number of contractors to be awarded, the award criteria or any split of budget between the lots, so those points remain to be checked in the tender specifications.[3] The only firm commercial figure visible in the search results is the estimated total value of €10 million.[3][1]

Because this is a procurement procedure, there is no grant co financing rate or funding percentage. Any successful bidder would be paid under the terms of the framework contract, subject to the final contract documents.[3]