Provision of comprehensive reports on establishment of National Coordination Centers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia

This document outlines a planned procurement opportunity by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) to create comprehensive reports on the establishment of National Coordination Centers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The initiative aims to assess the legal and policy frameworks, technical and operational capacities, and compliance with the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) in these six Western Balkan countries. Each report will be expected to identify potential obstacles to establishing effective National Coordination Centers and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.

The procurement is classified under the type of service contracts and is not suitable for small and medium enterprises, indicating that it targets organizations with robust capabilities and experience in border management consulting. The main classification for this opportunity falls into research and development consultancy services with relevant CPV codes provided.

The total value of this contract has not been specified, though it is suggested it could potentially be in the range of €200k to €1M, according to the scale of analysis needed. The duration for the contract is set at approximately six months, indicating a rigorous schedule for the production of the reports.

The timeline for expressing interest in this procurement starts on October 10, 2025, and closes on October 24, 2025, with the indicative launch date for the negotiated procedure being the same day. Interested parties will be required to submit applications electronically through the relevant EU portal, and they will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the tender process.

The strategic context of this procurement is significant, as it supports the EU's enlargement policy and security cooperation with Western Balkan nations. These reports are critical for aligning these countries with EU border management and surveillance standards as they progress towards EU accession.

The entire procedure represents a proactive step in bolstering the EU's external border security by enhancing the operational effectiveness of the National Coordination Centers in the selected countries, enabling more effective coordination of border surveillance operations in line with EU standards. The expected deliverables will contribute substantially to the knowledge base of both the national governments involved and EU institutions concerning necessary reforms and investments in border security infrastructure.

This is a pre-information notice, announcing the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX)'s intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. This is not a call for tenders.

The procedure identifier is FRONTEX/2025/LVP/0052-EXA.

The title of the planned call for tenders is "Provision of comprehensive reports on establishment of National Coordination Centers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia".

The scope of the services needed is to create six separate reports, one for each Western Balkan partner (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). These reports will assess their legal/policy framework, technical/operational capacities, and compliance with the European Border Surveillance system (EUROSUR) requirements. Each report will identify potential hindrances and include a chapter with recommendations for improvement.

The procedure type is 47396214.

The estimated total value is not specified.

The lead contracting authority is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

The main classification (CPV) code is 73200000, which falls under the category of business services: research and development.

The nature of the contract is for services.

The maximum contract duration is 6 months.

There is no framework agreement associated with this procedure.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-10-10 Europe/Brussels.

The deadline for expression of interest is 24/10/2025 05:59 Europe/Warsaw.

The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-24 Europe/Warsaw.

The method of expression of interest is electronic.

To express interest, applicants should use the "Express interest" option.

Regarding questions and answers, interested parties can log in to create questions. Public Q&A, FAQs, and My Q&A sections are available. It is also possible to download Q&As in xls format.

A frequently asked question is: "Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference?". The answer clarifies that references featuring ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders but publications announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch a low or middle negotiated procedure in the future. This answer was published on 03/10/2024 at 17:32.

In summary, FRONTEX plans to launch a negotiated procedure (not a call for tenders yet) to procure services for creating six reports on the establishment of National Coordination Centers in six Western Balkan countries. These reports will evaluate the countries' legal and policy frameworks, technical and operational capacities, and compliance with EUROSUR requirements. The reports should also identify potential obstacles and provide recommendations for improvement. The expression of interest phase begins on October 10, 2025, and closes on October 24, 2025. The indicative launch date for the negotiated procedure is October 24, 2025. Interested parties should express their interest electronically. This announcement serves as an advance notice, allowing potential bidders to prepare for the upcoming opportunity.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the contract as a service to create reports, eligible applicants are likely to be service providers, consulting firms, research institutions, or other organizations with expertise in legal/policy framework assessment, technical/operational capacities, and European Border Surveillance system (EUROSUR) requirements.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, as the contracting authority seeks to procure services to create reports.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. It is possible that either a single entity or a consortium could apply, depending on the size and complexity of the required services.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity focuses on providing reports for Western Balkan partners. While the location of the applicants is not explicitly stated, it can be inferred that entities from EU member states, Western Balkan countries, or other countries with relevant expertise could be eligible.

Target Sector: The target sector is related to border security, law enforcement, and policy assessment, specifically focusing on the European Border Surveillance system (EUROSUR). This includes aspects of legal and policy frameworks, technical and operational capacities, and compliance with EU standards.

Mentioned Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Project Stage: The project stage involves the creation of comprehensive reports, which suggests a development or assessment stage. The reports will assess existing frameworks and capacities and provide recommendations for improvement.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not specified in the provided text. However, the announcement indicates that it is a "low or middle value procedure," suggesting the funding amount is likely in the range of under €50k to €200k, or possibly up to €1M, but this is speculative.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. The announcement is a preliminary notice to express interest before the launch of the negotiated procedure.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services, specifically the creation of six reports.

Application Stages: The application process appears to involve at least two stages: first, expressing interest, and second, participating in the negotiated procedure after it is launched.

Success Rates: The success rates cannot be determined from the provided information. As this is a negotiated procedure, the success rate will likely depend on the number of entities invited to negotiate and the quality of their proposals.

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

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement of a planned low or middle value negotiated procedure by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). The purpose of this procedure is to contract a service provider to create six comprehensive reports, one for each of the following Western Balkan partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. These reports will assess the legal and policy frameworks, technical and operational capacities, and compliance with the European Border Surveillance system (EUROSUR) requirements in each of these countries. The reports should also identify potential hindrances and provide recommendations for improvement. The contracting authority, FRONTEX, intends to launch the negotiated procedure after an initial expression of interest phase. The start date for expression of interest is planned for 2025-10-10, with a deadline of 2025-10-24. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-24. Interested parties should express their interest electronically via the provided address. This is not a call for tenders but a preliminary notice for a future negotiated procedure.