Provision of dark fibre links for audiovisual and data transmission between the European Parliament on one side, and the European Commission and the E...

Open tender EP-COMM/2026/OP/0018 issued by the European Parliament Directorate-General for Communication for the provision, installation, commissioning and operation of dark single-mode fibre links to transport audio, video and data between European Parliament sites and the European Commission (Berlaymont) and European Council (Justus Lipsius) technical rooms in Brussels. The framework contract is estimated at €300,000 for an initial 12 months renewable up to four times (maximum 60 months) and is structured in modules including a business-critical primary EP→EC dual-pair link (Module 1.1) with a 100-calendar-day delivery deadline and redundant/Council links with 240-calendar-day deadlines. Award is by best price-quality ratio (quality 30 points, price 70 points) with selection thresholds for turnover and technical experience and service-level requirements including a 24/7 SPOC and 8-hour restoration SLA; electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission is mandatory with tender deadline 20 May 2026 17:00 Brussels and a site visit on 7 May 2026.

What is being procured

Scope

Provision, installation, testing and operational lease of dark single-mode fibre links to transport live audiovisual signals, file-based video and data between European Parliament sites and: (a) the European Commission (Berlaymont) and (b) the European Council (Justus Lipsius). Links include a primary dual-pair path EP→EC, a geographically independent redundant path EP→EC and one EP→European Council link.

Estimated contract value:€300,000 (total estimated value for the framework) ¹

1. 1Contract type: services, open procedure; framework agreement without reopening of competition
2. 2Maximum total duration: 60 months (1 year + 4 renewals)
3. 3Award criterion: best price-quality ratio (quality 30 points, price 70 points)

Who may apply

Economic operators established in EU Member States; natural or legal persons from third countries may participate if covered by a public-procurement agreement with the EU. Joint tenders and subcontracting are permitted; groups must provide joint and several liability documentation.

Key technical & service requirements

Single-mode dark fibre pairs terminated to 19-inch patch panels; support for SMPTE 2110, SDI (SMPTE 297/292/424), IEEE 802.3 and CWDM multiplexing. Attenuation target indicated (example <0.4 dB/km at 1310 nm). Primary EP→EC link is priority for delivery; specified installation, measurement, commissioning and incident mitigation SLA (24/7 SPOC, 5-minute phone response, service restoration within 8 working hours; penalties apply).

Minimum selection thresholds (quality):Tenders must score at least 8 points on each quality criterion and at least 20/30 on combined quality to be evaluated for price.

Practical details & timeline

Submissions are electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Account (EU Login) required; e-invoicing via PEPPOL or the F&T Portal is preferred. A site visit is organised and access rules apply.

To subscribe to the call, consult the full procurement documents and submit tenders via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission (procurement details and all annexes available on the call page) F&T call page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents (invitation letter, tender specifications, technical annexes, draft framework contract and order form) and portal submission are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal call page: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity overview

The European Parliament Directorate-General for Communication, Directorate for Media (Audiovisual Unit) has published an open public tender (procedure identifier EP-COMM/2026/OP/0018; TED reference 73/2026 257025-2026) for the provision, installation, testing, commissioning and operation of leased dark fibre links to transport audio, video and data signals between European Parliament buildings and the European Commission and European Council technical rooms in Brussels. The procurement is structured as a framework contract with an initial duration of 12 months renewable up to four times (total possible duration 60 months). Estimated total contract value is €300,000. Key contracting documents and annexes (specifications, technical annex, environmental policy, declarations, financial identification, invoicing guidance and draft framework contract) are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the TED notice; electronic submission via the eSubmission facility of the F&T Portal is mandatory for tenders.

Important dates:Invitation published 13 April 2026; TED publication 15 April 2026; deadline for receipt of tenders 20 May 2026 17:00 Europe/Brussels; public opening (virtual) 21 May 2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Questions cut-off: 11 May 2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels. Site visit: 7 May 2026 10:00 Rue Wiertz 60, 1047 Brussels. Electronic submission only via F&T Portal eSubmission; EU Login (with PIC) required. See tender documents for full calendar and timestamps.

Scope and technical summary

The contract comprises three distinct dark-fibre connectivity modules in the Brussels area to support inter-institutional audiovisual (live contribution to EbS, SDI and IP video signals) plus data/file exchange. Module 1 (EP to EC primary): two single-mode dark-fibre pairs (4 fibres total) forming the primary bidirectional path from either ZWEIG or BRANDT European Parliament entry points to one of two BERLAYMONT European Commission entry points. Module 1.2 (EP to EC redundant): one single-mode dark-fibre pair forming a geographically redundant path that must not overlap the primary path and must use different building entry points (paths may intersect at a single point only). Module 2 (EP to European Council): one single-mode dark-fibre pair between EP (ZWEIG or BRANDT) and JUSTUS LIPSIUS EU Council building (two entry options). The fibres must be terminated on 19 inch rack-mounted patch panels in the technical rooms and support SMPTE 2110, SMPTE €297M/€292M/€424M, IEEE 802.3 and CWDM multiplexing scenarios. Indicative maximum attenuation: < 0.4 dB/km at 1310 nm; tenderers must provide measured attenuation for each offered link. The primary EP→EC link is business‑critical and required to be delivered first.

Delivery deadlines specified in the technical specifications:Module 1.1 (primary link) must be delivered within 100 calendar days after first order form; Module 1.2 (redundant EC link) and Module 2.1 (EP→Council link) within 240 calendar days after first order form. Installation works shall include testing, OTDR/attenuation measurements, geographical path maps, termination and commissioning; acceptance is via provisional and final acceptance procedures with commissioning reports and a signed acceptance document required to start the operational phase.

Incident mitigation and service restoration:Tenderers must provide an incident mitigation plan: assign a project leader; provide a 24/7 single point of contact (SPOC) reachable by phone; guarantee phone response within 5 minutes (07:00–20:00, 7 days/week) and email confirmation for each call; guarantee service restoration as soon as possible and within 8 working hours at the latest from first contact with the SPOC during working hours defined as 07:00–20:00 daily. The Contractor must ensure a dedicated incident mitigation team at all times. Penalties: €500/hour apply starting 8 working hours after sending the confirmation e‑mail to the contractor (see Technical Specifications section 4).

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: natural or legal persons and public entities established in an EU Member State; bidders from third countries that have specific public‑procurement agreements with the EU are eligible on the terms of those agreements; joint bids (groups of economic operators) and subcontracting are permitted subject to declarations and forms in Annexes V and VI.
2. 2Funding Type: procurement / service contract awarded under an open procedure; framework service contract without reopening.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: consortium (groups of economic operators) permitted but not mandatory; single entities may bid; groups must provide Annex V and prove legal form and joint and several liability where applicable.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope: geographic eligibility limited to EU Member States and third countries covered by relevant public procurement agreements; primary places of performance are Brussels (EP, EC, EC Council buildings listed in the technical specification).
5. 5Target Sector: telecommunications services, audiovisual infrastructure, ICT networking for media and data transport.
6. 6Project Stage: installation and operational service (deployment, testing, commissioning and ongoing operations/service restoration).
7. 7Funding Amount: estimated total value €300,000 for the entire framework; price schedule to be completed (modules A: 12‑month flat rate, B: monthly rate for shorter periods, C: one‑off installation/commissioning fees).
8. 8Application Type: open call for tenders with electronic submission only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission (EU Login, PIC required) and site visit opportunity.
9. 9Nature of Support: commercial procurement – money paid to contractor via service contract (payments against invoices).
10. 10Application Stages: single-stage submission, electronic opening and evaluation; clarifications may be requested during evaluation; award followed by standstill period.
11. 11Success Rates: not provided in documents; usual public procurement success rates are competitive and depend on number and quality of tenders. No historical success rate in the tender documentation.
12. 12Co-funding Requirement: no co‑funding required; tender price must be all‑inclusive and exclude VAT where applicable under EU institution rules.

Eligibility, selection and award details

Eligibility and exclusion:Participation is open to natural or legal persons and public entities in EU Member States and persons from third countries party to procurement agreements that give access. Tenderers must declare exclusion and selection information in Annex III and provide documentary evidence on request (within 5 calendar days) to demonstrate compliance with exclusion and selection criteria. The contracting authority will apply Financial Regulation Articles 138–143 exclusion provisions; tenderers subject to restrictive measures in relation to Russia/Ukraine must complete Annex VIII. Groups of economic operators must submit Annex V and prove legal form and joint and several liability if required. Subcontracting must be declared in Annex VI; subcontractors may be screened for exclusion/selection compliance.

Selection criteria:legal and regulatory capacity (registration in trade/professional register or authorisation), financial and economic capacity (minimum turnover €120,000 — the tender text requires a minimum turnover of €120,000 including €120,000 in the contract area — and appropriate professional liability insurance) and technical and professional capacity (minimum 5 years’ similar services; dedicated fibre‑optics and IT team of at least 3 people with the project leader having at least 5 years’ proven experience and other members at least 3 years; ownership/operation of a fibre network in the Brussels‑Capital region able to support the services). Documentation to substantiate capabilities includes financial statements, insurance evidence, list of similar contracts in last five years with certificates of successful execution, CVs (Europass) and a description of the optical fibre network to be used.

Award methodology:Award is based on best price-quality ratio. Quality carries 30 points (Criterion 1 Technical quality 15 points; Criterion 2 Incident mitigation and restore time 15 points). Price carries 70 points and is scored proportionally against the lowest priced compliant tender. To pass to price evaluation tenders must reach at least 8 points on each quality criterion and 20/30 combined. Price formula and modular price schedule are provided in the draft framework contract and Annex III price schedule.

Tender preparation and submission:Tenders must be submitted electronically via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal. EU Login and a Participant Identification Code (PIC) are mandatory. Tenderers must upload all requested annexes (Invitation, Tender Specifications, Annex I Technical Specifications, Annex II Environmental Policy, Annex III Declaration on exclusion and selection criteria, Annex IV Financial Identification Form, Annex V Groups, Annex VI Subcontractors, Annex VII Financial data sheet, Annex VIII Restrictive measures declaration, Annex IX/X invoicing guidance/forms, Draft Framework Contract and price schedule). The tender must include evidence of compliance with selection criteria; the contracting authority may ask for supporting documents and set tight deadlines (typically 5 calendar days).

1. 1How to obtain documents and updates: subscribe to the call for tenders on the F&T Portal to receive notifications; all procurement documents are published in English and Annexes available in the portal.
2. 2Site visit arrangements: attendance is optional; requests to attend must provide representatives’ personal details and be sent in advance to media-tenders@ep.europa.eu; access to EP buildings requires identity data and prior clearance.
3. 3Submission constraints: only electronic submission accepted; attachments must comply with eSubmission system requirements (supported browsers Chrome/Firefox; attachment size limits; max 200 files per submission; supported file types).
4. 4Invoicing and payment: the European Parliament prefers electronic invoicing via PEPPOL or the F&T Portal; Annex IX/X provide registration and invoicing instructions; invoices must reference the order number and be submitted in the prescribed formats.

Documents available and procurement management

Sixteen documents are published with the call:invitation letter, tender specifications, Annex I Technical Specifications, Annex II European Parliament environmental policy, Annex III Declaration on exclusion and selection criteria, Annex IVa Financial identification form and IVb guide, Annex V groups of economic operators, Annex VI subcontractors, Annex VII financial data sheet, Annex VIII restrictive measures declaration, Annex IX PEPPOL registration guide, Annex X electronic invoicing forms, draft framework contract and model order form, price schedule template and other administrative annexes. Questions must be submitted via the F&T Portal Questions & Answers; the contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after the Q&A cut-off date. The contracting authority may cancel the procedure at any time before contracting without compensation.

All tenderers are recommended to read the full tender specifications, Annex I technical specifications and the draft framework contract before preparing a submission. Tenderers should ensure compliance with environmental policy and EMAS principles where required, confirm availability of entry points and rights of way to deliver geographically diverse paths in Brussels, and document their network ownership/operation or formal access agreements for the offered fibre routes.

Summary and recommended next steps:Prepare Annex III declaration and evidence, Annex VII financial data sheet and financial statements for the last three financial years, proof of professional indemnity insurance, technical references and execution certificates for similar fibre infrastructure projects (last five years), CVs of the proposed fibre/IT team (Europass format), a detailed technical design and maps of proposed fibre paths and entry points, attenuation estimates and OTDR values, an incident mitigation plan compliant with the 8‑hour restore requirement, and the completed financial identification form. Register in the Participant Register (PIC), create an EU Login account (two‑factor authentication will be required in future), subscribe to the call on the F&T Portal and upload the tender via eSubmission prior to the deadline.

Where to apply and find documents:tender documents, invitation letter, draft contract and annexes are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal call page; tender submission must be made exclusively via the F&T Portal eSubmission facility F&T Tender Page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Access the full procurement record and download all procurement documents from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender details page: ec.europa.eu

This is an open procedure call for tenders (EP-COMM/2026/OP/0018) issued by the European Parliament's Directorate-General for Communication (COMM). The contract involves providing dark fibre links to transport audio, video, and data signals between the European Parliament (EP) buildings and the European Commission (EC) and European Council facilities in Brussels. These links support inter-institutional live audiovisual transmission, data exchange, and EP contributions to the European Broadcasting Service (EbS), covering events like plenary sessions, committee meetings, press conferences, and special events.

Key Contract Details

Estimated Total Value:€300,000.

Duration:1 year, renewable up to 4 times (maximum 60 months). Performance begins after framework contract signature.

Nature:Services under CPV 64200000 - Telecommunications services. Framework agreement without reopening of competition. Award based on best price-quality ratio.

Technical Requirements

Dark fibre links connect specific Brussels buildings:EP Zweig (Rue d’Ardenne 2), Brandt (Rue de Trèves 5); EC Berlaymont (Rue de la Loi 200); Council Justus Lipsius (Rue de la Loi 175). Links support SMPTE 2110, SMPTE €297M/€292M/€424M, IEEE 802.3, CWDM standards for IP-based AV, SDI over fibre, data transmission. Fibres terminate on 19-inch rack-mounted patch panels with attenuation <0.4 dB/km at 1310 nm.

Modules

• Module 1.1: Two dark fibre pairs (primary link, EP to EC) + installation/commissioning (Module 1.1.1). Priority delivery within 100 calendar days of first order.
• Module 1.2: One dark fibre pair (geographically redundant to primary, different entry points) + installation/commissioning (Module 1.2.1). Delivery within 240 days.
• Module 2.1: One dark fibre pair (EP to Council) + installation/commissioning (Module 2.1.1). Delivery within 240 days.

Primary EP-EC link (Module 1.1) is business-critical. Paths:EP single entry per building; EC/Council two entries each. Contractor selects entry points, confirmed at site visit (7 May 2026, Rue Wiertz 60, Brussels; max 2 reps per operator, register via media-tenders@ep.europa.eu).

Eligibility and Participation

Open to natural/legal persons/public entities from EU Member States or third countries with EU procurement agreements. Must comply with restrictive measures (no Russian entities per Regulations 833/2014, etc.). Groups allowed (joint/several liability; Annex V). Subcontracting permitted (Annex VI; EP approval for changes).

Exclusion Criteria

Per Financial Regulation Articles 138-143:bankruptcy, tax/social security breaches, grave misconduct, fraud, corruption, etc. Declaration on honour (Annex III). Documentary proof requested from winner (within 5 days).

Selection Criteria

• Legal/regulatory: Trade register enrolment or authorisation.
• Financial/economic: Min turnover €120,000 (last 3 years, incl. telecoms); professional risk indemnity insurance. Statements/financials (Annex VII).
• Technical/professional: 5+ years similar services; team of 3+ fibre/IT experts (project leader 5+ years, others 3+); Brussels optical fibre network. Lists/CVs/network description.

Award Criteria (Best Price-Quality Ratio)

Price (70 points):Lowest qualifying tender = 70; others = (lowest price / your price) * 70. Formula: Price = 5*(1.1A+1.2A+2.1A) + 6*(€1.1B+€1.2B+€2.1B) + 1.1.1C + 1.2.1C + 2.1.1C (A=12mo flat; B=monthly <12mo; C=one-off install).

Timeline and Submission

1. 1TED publication: 15/04/2026
2. 2Questions deadline: 11/05/2026 23:59 Brussels
3. 3Tenders deadline: 20/05/2026 17:00 Brussels (electronic via eSubmission; EU Login req'd; PIC mandatory)
4. 4Opening: 21/05/2026 10:00 Brussels (virtual; max 2 reps)
5. 5Site visit: 07/05/2026 10:00 Rue Wiertz 60 (register 2 days prior)

Electronic submission only via F&T Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal. 16 documents available (Tender specs, Annex I Technical Specs, etc.). Validity period per contract notice. No variants.

Service Levels and Penalties

Incident mitigation:24/7 SPOC (response <5 min 07:00-20:00 daily); restore within 8 working hours (07:00-20:00, 7 days/week). Penalties: €500/hour after 8 hours (post-confirmation email). EP facilitates emergency access.

Additional Considerations

Prices exclude VAT (Protocol privileges). Electronic invoicing preferred (PEPPOL/F&T Portal). Comply with EP environmental/equal opportunities policies (Annex II). SME self-declaration (Annex III). Validity binding; no multiple tenders.

Dark fibre market growing (13.3% CAGR Europe); supports EU Digital Networks Act push for fibre transition. Full docs at primary URL.

Footnotes

1. 1All data from official tender documents on EU F&T Portal (TED 73/2026 257025-2026). Technical details per Annex I. Market context from search results [1][2].