Provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound - HR/7265

This is a call for tenders issued by Eurofound for comprehensive canteen and catering services at its Dublin headquarters. The estimated total contract value is €762,000, with a maximum duration of 48 months which includes options for renewal. The services required include weekday breakfast and lunch, all-day beverages, conference and event catering, and on-demand catering services. The successful contractor will be expected to provide fresh, healthy, and culturally diverse food, while adhering to high standards of food safety, hygiene, and sustainability.

The tendering process is classified as an open procedure, and submissions must be made electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The deadline for receipt of tenders is February 5, 2026, at 14:00 UTC, with the public opening scheduled for February 6, 2026, at 10:00 UTC. To participate, bidders must have a Personal Identification Code (PIC) registered. The evaluation will prioritize quality over price, with a 60 percent weighting on quality criteria and 40 percent on price.

The geographical scope is primarily focused on service delivery at Eurofound's Dublin location, but it may be open to providers from across the EU/EEA. The contract is structured as a framework agreement without the reopening of competition, meaning once awarded, the contractor will provide services as outlined in the bid without competing bids for the duration of the contract.

The overall expectation is for bidders to be established service providers capable of managing comprehensive catering operations, and all submissions must align with the requirements set forth in the tender specifications, which detail the necessary documentation and criteria for participation.

This is a call for tenders, reference number EUROFOUND/2025/OP/0018, for the provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound's Dublin premises. The TED reference is 244/2025 843683-2025. The submission method is electronic, and the call is currently open for submission.

The contract involves providing comprehensive canteen and catering services at Eurofound’s Dublin premises, catering to staff, visitors, and events. The services include weekday breakfast and lunch, all-day beverages, conference and meeting catering, and other on-demand catering services. The contractor is expected to deliver fresh, healthy, and culturally diverse food, while adhering to high food safety, hygiene, and sustainability standards. They will also be responsible for managing the canteen facilities and ensuring efficient and reliable service aligned with Eurofound’s operational needs.

The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value of the contract is 762,000 EUR. The TED publication date was 18/12/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The main classification (CPV) code is 55500000, which refers to canteen and catering services. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The framework agreement is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

Key milestones include: TED publication date: 18/12/2025, Date and time of public opening: 06/02/2026 10:00 Europe/Dublin, Deadline for receipt of tenders: 05/02/2026 14:00 Europe/Dublin, Deadline after which the Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions: 27/01/2026 08:00 Europe/Dublin.

The following documents are available for download: ENHR7265 - Part A - Invitation to tender Specifications - Provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound (Invitation letter, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available), ENHR7265 - Part B - Tender Specifications - Provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound (Tender specifications, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available), ENHR7265 - Part C - Standard Reply Form - Provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound (Other invitation to tender document, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available), ENHR7265 - Part D - Draft Framework Contract - Provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound (Draft contract, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available), ENHR7265 - Part E Total Reference Price Calculator - Provision of canteen and catering services at Eurofound (Other invitation to tender document, published on 18/12/2025, Version 1, No translations available).

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

Some frequently asked questions (FAQ) and their answers are provided:

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.

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.

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.

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 participate.

Which size should attachments have? eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size.

How should I name attachments in eSubmission? Name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements.

Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported? Check the System Requirements of eSubmission.

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”.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

How many languages does the system support? The system is multilingual and 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, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In summary, this tender opportunity is for companies specializing in canteen and catering services to provide comprehensive services to Eurofound's Dublin premises. This includes daily meals, beverages, and catering for meetings and events. The selected contractor will need to meet high standards for food quality, safety, and sustainability. The tender process is electronic, and interested parties must submit their proposals by February 5, 2026. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The contract is a framework agreement with a maximum duration of 48 months and an estimated total value of 762,000 EUR. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely open to companies or organizations with experience in providing canteen and catering services. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, or other entities with the relevant capabilities.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders to provide canteen and catering services.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. It is possible that either a single applicant or a consortium of applicants could be eligible, depending on the specific requirements outlined in the tender documents.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that Eurofound is located in Dublin, Ireland, it is likely that the tender is open to entities based in the EU or EEA, or those that can demonstrate the ability to provide services in Dublin.

Target Sector: The target sector is catering and food services. Specifically, it targets the provision of canteen and catering services.

Mentioned Countries: Ireland (specifically Dublin, where Eurofound is located) is implicitly mentioned as the location where the services are to be provided.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The tender is for the provision of ongoing canteen and catering services.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 762,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing canteen and catering services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it is likely to involve at least one stage of submitting a tender, followed by an evaluation process. There may be additional stages such as contract negotiation.

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 is a call for tenders by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) for the provision of comprehensive canteen and catering services at its Dublin premises. The contract covers a range of services, including weekday breakfast and lunch, all-day beverages, conference and meeting catering, and other on-demand catering services. The selected contractor will be responsible for delivering fresh, healthy, and culturally diverse food while meeting high standards of food safety, hygiene, and sustainability. The estimated total value of the contract is 762,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 05/02/2026 at 14:00 Europe/Dublin. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio, and the framework agreement is without reopening of competition. Tenderers must register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to participate. The system supports 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files, with each file being less than 50 MB in size.