Provision of external audit services

Open call for tenders EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0010 to establish up to three framework contracts in cascade for external audit and legal analysis services to multiple European Commission Directorates-General, led by DG REGIO, covering audits of EU-funded programmes and projects across programming periods and follow-up of irregularities. The estimated total value is €14,000,000 and the maximum contract duration is 48 months, with award based on the best price-quality ratio (70% quality, 30% price). Eligible natural and legal persons, consortia and qualified subcontractors may apply via electronic submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, with tender deadline 14/04/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels and security, exclusion, selection and technical capacity requirements specified in the tender documents.

What it funds

Scope at a glance

Framework contract for external audit and legal analysis services to support multiple European Commission Directorates-General (REGIO and EMPL acting jointly under DAC, plus AGRI, HOME, ECFIN and EAC). Work covers audits and controls on programmes and projects financed from the EU budget (shared, direct and indirect management), including 2021-2027 and closure of earlier programming periods, and legal analysis for financial follow-up of irregularities.

Types of assignments:System and thematic audits, audits of operations, financial/accounting audits, IT audits, agreed‑upon procedures, on‑the‑spot checks, desk reviews, and legal analyses related to public procurement, state aid and eligibility.

1. 1Framework agreement (multiple in cascade; up to 3 contractors)
2. 2Maximum contract duration: 48 months
3. 3Estimated total value: €14,000,000

Who can apply

Eligibility highlights

Open procedure. Any economic operator (natural or legal persons), including consortia and subcontracting, may submit a tender provided they meet exclusion, selection and access-to-procurement rules. Participants must be registered in the EU Participant Register (PIC) and submit tenders electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key selection points:Technical capacity expected: recent track record of audits (minimum portfolio required), affiliation to professional audit bodies, certified auditors and a multi‑lingual team (English or French plus other Member State languages). Financial capacity and turnover minimums apply (see tender documents).

Practical details

Submission is electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal. The procurement will result in multiple framework contracts in cascade; specific contracts (orders) will be issued during implementation.

1. 1Tenders in one of the EU official languages; technical and financial offers required
2. 2Tenderers must provide declarations, evidence for selection/exclusion criteria and CVs for key experts
3. 3Security screening and baseline rules apply where access to Commission premises or IT systems is needed

Procurement documents (invitation to tender, draft ToR, administrative and technical specifications, annexes and templates) are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Use the official opportunity page to subscribe and access documents and the eSubmission system.

Official opportunity page and documents:Tender details (F&T Portal)

Footnotes

1. 1See the tender documents on the Funding & Tenders Portal for full eligibility, selection, award and submission rules, templates and the detailed financial model.

Call for tenders to set up multiple framework contracts in cascade (up to three contractors) for the provision of external audit and legal analysis services to European Commission Directorates-General: DG REGIO and DG EMPL acting jointly under the Joint Audit Directorate for Cohesion (DAC), DG AGRI, DG HOME, DG ECFIN, and DG EAC. Services span audits and related assignments on EU programmes and projects under shared, direct and indirect management across programming periods 2000–2006, 2007–2014, 2014–2020, 2021–2027 and potentially 2028–2034, including JTF, REACT-EU, Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, RRF, CAP (EAGF/EAFRD), AMIF, ISF, BMVI, EUSF, EGF and SCF.

Procedure identifier and references:Procedure: EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0010. TED reference: 48/2026 165698-2026. CPV: 79210000 Accounting and auditing services. Framework agreement without reopening of competition. Award method: best price-quality ratio (70% quality, 30% price). Contracting authority: European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy, Brussels, Belgium. Portal page: Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity.

Key scope and tasks:Audit and related services under the direct control and supervision of Commission officials, including: system/thematic audits; re-performance audits of audit authorities/certification bodies; audits of operations; agreed-upon procedures; IT audits (incl. performance and data reliability systems); performance audits; audits of accounts/financial statements; on-the-spot checks for direct management grants; financial audits/expenditure verifications; pillar assessments; audits on milestones and targets (e.g., RRF); compliance audits; fact-finding, procurement and State aid verifications, conflict of interest, fraud assessments, double-funding checks; FNLC and SCO reviews; desk reviews of audit opinions, annual control reports, system audits, accounts acceptance/closure packages; development/adaptation of audit tools and training; drafting of Commission decisions for financial corrections; legal analysis of audit findings against applicable EU/national rules.

Place of performance:Primarily at the Commission’s premises in Brussels (estimated 60% of volume), contractor’s premises (20%), and on-the-spot in EU Member States (20%). Limited probability of assignments in candidate countries, ENI/ENI CBC, and Schengen associated countries. Remote audit missions may be required where access is restricted.

Estimated value and duration:Estimated total value: €14,000,000 across the framework contracts. Maximum duration: 48 months from entry into force. Within 3 years of signature, the Commission may procure up to 50% of the initial FWC ceiling by negotiated procedure for repetition of similar services if justified by new risks.

Deadlines and milestones:Deadline for receipt of tenders: 14/04/2026 16:00 (Europe/Brussels). Public opening: 15/04/2026 10:00 (Europe/Brussels). Contracting authority not bound to reply to questions submitted after: 06/04/2026 23:59 (Europe/Brussels). TED publication date: 10/03/2026.

Who Can Apply and Under What Conditions

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible economic operators include natural or legal persons able to provide professional audit and legal analysis services. Typical eligible entities: audit and advisory firms, professional services providers, accounting and auditing companies, consortia of such firms, and affiliated entities meeting selection criteria. Universities, research institutes or NGOs may participate if they meet professional, technical and regulatory capacity and are authorised to perform audit services. Subcontractors and capacity-providing entities may be included under the rules set out below.

Rules on access to procurement:Participation is open to all natural and legal persons within the scope of the EU Treaties and to international organisations. It is also open to operators from countries that have a special procurement agreement with the EU and those that are parties to the WTO GPA under the conditions therein. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are not eligible. Rules on access do not apply to non-identifed subcontractors or capacity-providing entities; however, subcontracting cannot be used to circumvent access rules.

Consortium and subcontracting:Single tenderers or joint tenders (consortia with or without legal form) are allowed. All group members are jointly and severally liable and must appoint a group leader empowered to bind the group. Subcontracting is permitted without reserved critical tasks; identified subcontractors must be disclosed if relied upon for selection criteria or if their share exceeds 20%. Cross-subcontracting between competing tenders is prohibited as described in the administrative specifications.

Selection criteria (capacity requirements):Economic and financial capacity: Average yearly turnover over the last two closed financial years above €5,000,000 (consolidated across all involved entities). Technical and professional capacity: T1 Experience: At least 10 audits in the last 3 years in various EU countries with minimum value €10,000 each, including at least one of each type: system audit; audit of operations; agreed-upon-procedures audit; financial audit. T2 Security: Demonstrable standards and measures for physical/data security and virus protection per best industry practice and applicable legislation (e.g., ISA 4000); provide documentation/certificates. T3 Professional affiliation: Affiliation to professional audit bodies such as IFAC, IIA or equivalent. T4 Team capacity: Minimum profiles and experience — 2 Juniors (≥1 year, EN or FR), 5 Seniors (≥3 years, certified auditor, EN or FR), 1 Manager (≥10 years auditing, ≥5 years managing teams, certified auditor, EN or FR), 1 Partner/Director (≥15 years auditing, ≥10 years managing, certified auditor, EN or FR), 1 Specialist (≥3 years in specialized audit field, certified auditor, EN or FR). T5 Languages: Team capacity to audit across Member State languages at minimum CEFR C1; CVs provided must evidence at least five different Member State languages across the team.

Exclusion grounds and declarations:All involved entities must submit a signed Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria, and must not be in any exclusion situation under Article 138(1) of the Financial Regulation (e.g., bankruptcy, breach of tax/social obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal organisation, money laundering/terrorist financing, child labour/trafficking, significant deficiencies in prior contracts, irregularities, obstructing audits/investigations). Evidence must be provided as specified in the declaration template; the Commission may verify via EDES and national databases.

Funding, Contracting Mode and What Is Offered

Funding Type:Procurement — service framework contracts. Payments are made for services delivered under specific contracts or order forms. No grants, loans, equity or awards are offered.

Nature of Support:Money in exchange for services. Contractors will invoice for interim payments (where applicable) and the balance upon acceptance of deliverables. Travel and subsistence are embedded in unit daily rates; separate reimbursement is not foreseen for this FWC.

Consortium Requirement:Optional. Either single tenderers or consortia can apply. Framework will be awarded to up to three tenderers (cascade ranking) provided adequate competition and compliance.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU and GPA-compliant international eligibility per EU procurement rules. Operators from EU Member States, EEA, GPA countries and specific third countries with procurement agreements are eligible. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible.

Target Sector:Finance and auditing; public sector programme management; EU funds and compliance; IT audit; legal analysis related to public procurement, State aid, eligibility and financial corrections; performance audit; risk, fraud and controls; CAP certification; RRF milestones/targets verification; education/youth/sport programmes (Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps); home affairs funds; cohesion policy funds; just transition and social funds. Cross-cutting domains include data protection, information security, and regulatory compliance.

Project Stage:Service delivery and implementation. Activities include planning, execution, reporting and follow-up of audits, verifications and legal analyses across mature programmes and ongoing implementation periods; not research or early-stage development.

Financials and Pricing

Funding Amount:Estimated total value: €14,000,000 for all purchases under the framework. Price revision indexed per HICP (Euro area, 2015=100) after year 1 using the specified formula. The Commission may procure additional similar services up to 50% of the initial ceiling within three years, via negotiated procedure.

Pricing model and evaluation:Fixed unit daily rates per profile and work location feed an evaluation scenario comprising on-the-spot missions (Europe/ENI CBC), work at contractor premises, Commission premises (Brussels), and international/local experts. The financial score is combined with the quality score (70/30 weighting). Prices must include all costs, including travel and subsistence. VAT exempt per EU Protocol on Privileges and Immunities; invoices must follow the e-invoicing and VAT clauses. The financial offer must use Annex 6 Financial Tender Form unchanged.

Application and Evaluation Process

Application Type and Method:Open call for tenders; single-stage submission. Electronic submission only via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Registration in the Participant Register (PIC) is required for all tenderers and each member in a consortium. Submission must include the technical tender and the financial tender using the provided templates.

Application Stages:One submission phase followed by administrative check, exclusion and selection verification, quality and price evaluation, and award. Public opening session after the deadline is foreseen. Multiple framework contracts will be awarded in cascade to up to three top-ranked compliant tenderers.

Success Rates:No historical or target success rates are disclosed. Award is based on best price-quality ratio against the published criteria and thresholds (minimum 50% per quality sub-criterion and criterion, and 60% total quality score).

Co-funding Requirement:Not applicable. This is a procurement procedure. Contractors receive payment for services; no co-funding is required.

Compliance, Security and Data Protection

Security requirements:Contractors and personnel must comply with Commission security requirements, including Security Requirements for Commission’s Contractors and Security Baseline for External Connections (remote access, acceptable use). Security background checks and, exceptionally, national security clearance may be required for certain tasks. Costs of compliance (e.g., screening fees) are borne by the contractor. Confidentiality and conflict-of-interest controls must be embedded and evidenced.

Data protection:Personal data processing is governed by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. Contractors act under Commission instructions, must ensure appropriate technical and organisational measures, notify breaches within 48 hours, and limit data localisation and access to EU/EEA unless authorised. Data retention aligns with audit and contract record-keeping periods.

Documents and Templates

• Invitation to tender letter with submission and opening instructions
• Tender Specifications Part I: Administrative
• Tender Specifications Part II: Technical
• Annex 1: List of documents to be submitted
• Annex 2: Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria
• Annex 3: Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders
• Annex 4: List of identified subcontractors and proportion of subcontracting
• Annex 5.1/5.2: Commitment letters for subcontractors/capacity-providing entities
• Annex 6: Financial Tender Form (unit prices and evaluation scenario)
• Appendix 2: Security Requirements for Commission’s Contractors
• Appendix 3: Security Baseline for External Connections (including Acceptable Use Policy)
• Draft Framework Service Contract (FWC), including Special and General Conditions and Specific Contract model

Technical offer structure — guidance from award criteria:Tenderers should structure their technical offer to address: 1) Management and coordination: roles, profiles, reporting lines, internal and external communication, involving any consortium/subcontractors. 2) Organisation and continuity: staffing plans, resourcing model, surge capacity, multi-country coverage, remote/on-site modalities. 3) Methodology, planning and tools: work programmes for each audit type, sampling, re-performance, IT/data analysis tools, uniform approach across Member States, quality assurance checkpoints. 4) Quality control and deadlines: methods, internal reviews, conflict-of-interest checks, KPI monitoring. 5) Training and guidance: onboarding to acquis and programme rules, continuous training for experts. 6) Confidentiality arrangements: data handling, secure collaboration, document management, translation handling when required.

Financial offer template and pricing:Use Annex 6 exactly as provided. Quote daily unit prices per profile for four work settings: contractor premises; Commission premises (Brussels); international experts on mission; local experts on mission. Prices must include all travel, living and administrative expenses. Express in EUR, VAT-exempt. No alternative pricing structures or additional fee lines are accepted.

Operational Delivery and Reporting

Assignment governance:Each specific contract will define expertise required, tasks, days and location. An Audit Coordinator (partner/director) is mandatory to manage interface with the Commission, sign draft/final reports, plan and supervise audits, ensure quality and timelines, and coordinate audit teams. A Team Leader/Manager is responsible for executing assignments, managing the team, reviewing working papers, ensuring methodology adherence and discussing findings with auditees.

Deliverables and timelines:For audit engagements, a draft report must be submitted within 20 working days from the end of fieldwork; the Commission has 20 working days to approve or reject. If rejected, a revised draft is due within 10 working days. Following approval of the draft, a final report (unlocked electronic document) is due within 10 working days. Where applicable, a contradictory procedure with auditees may be conducted. For desk-based assistance, deliverables include filled checklists and workpapers, draft letters, legal analysis memos, and draft Commission decisions. For specific contracts over €80,000, interim payment with a progress report may be requested.

Submission Essentials

Submission channel and formats:Exclusively via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Use QES (qualified electronic signature) wherever signatures are required. Upload the technical tender and the financial tender; include all required annexes for the tenderer, each consortium member, identified subcontractors, and capacity-providing entities. Keep originals of hand-signed documents for five years.

• Obtain/verify PIC for each involved entity via Participant Register
• Include Declaration on Honour for all involved entities as required
• Provide evidence of authorisation to sign for signatories; include chain of delegations where applicable
• For joint tenders, include signed Agreement/Power of Attorney
• Identify subcontractors relied upon for selection criteria or with share >20% and attach commitment letters
• Prepare CVs evidencing T4 and languages for T5; include certifications (e.g., CIA or equivalent)
• Prepare T1 references with certificates or self-declarations as applicable
• Ensure the Financial Tender Form (Annex 6) is complete and unaltered
• Verify compliance with security requirements and acceptable use obligations, especially for remote service delivery

Mentioned Countries and Locations

Mentioned countries and regions:Belgium (Brussels). 27 EU Member States (not individually listed). Candidate countries. ENI/ENI CBC partner countries. Schengen associated countries. Council of Europe members in Europe/ENI CBC context. Cyprus (Turkish Cypriot community, in context of EU Aid Programme implementation). The opportunity’s geographic scope for performance is primarily the EU, with limited assignments in associated or neighbouring countries as specified.

Contacts, Links and Documents

• Opportunity page: Funding & Tenders Portal: Provision of external audit services — EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0010
• Invitation to tender PDF: Invitation letter
• Tender Specifications Part I: Administrative specifications
• Tender Specifications Part II: Technical specifications
• Framework contract draft: FWC terms and conditions
• Security Requirements: Appendix 2
• Security Baseline for External Connections: Appendix 3

Comprehensive Answers to the Required Categorisation

Eligible Applicant Types:Audit firms, professional services providers in accounting/auditing, legal and compliance advisory entities with audit capacity, SMEs and large enterprises, consortia of such firms, and eligible international organisations. Universities, research institutes, NGOs or nonprofits can participate if they are authorised to perform audits, meet the regulatory and professional criteria (including body affiliation) and can field the required expert profiles. Government audit bodies could participate if permitted under procurement rules and if they meet all capacity and independence requirements. Individuals cannot apply alone unless constituting an eligible economic operator under national law and meeting all criteria.

Funding Type:Procurement — framework agreement for services with subsequent specific contracts (no grants). Payment for delivered services per accepted deliverables and unit rates.

Consortium Requirement:Not required; both single and consortium tenders are accepted. Multiple framework contracts in cascade will be awarded to up to three tenderers. All consortium members are jointly and severally liable; a group leader is mandatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU, EEA and WTO GPA participants, and countries with EU procurement agreements, subject to access-to-procurement rules and absence of EU restrictive measures. Performance will occur mainly across EU Member States, with limited activities possibly in candidate, ENI/ENI CBC and Schengen associated countries.

Target Sector:Finance and auditing; public administration; EU funds management and control; IT audit; legal compliance; agriculture/rural development; migration and home affairs; economic and financial affairs; education, youth, sport and culture; cohesion policy; just transition and social funds; resilience and recovery facility. Cross-cutting: data protection, security, fraud prevention and detection.

Mentioned Countries:Belgium. Regions/entities referenced: EU Member States, candidate countries, ENI/ENI CBC partner countries, Schengen associated countries, Council of Europe member states, Cyprus (Turkish Cypriot community context).

Project Stage:Delivery/implementation of professional audit and legal analysis services, including planning, fieldwork, reporting and follow-up.

Funding Amount:€14,000,000 estimated total value for the framework(s). Duration up to 48 months. Potential additional procurement up to 50% of the ceiling via negotiated procedure for similar services within three years.

Application Type:Open call for tenders; electronic submission only (eSubmission) via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Money for services rendered under specific contracts at agreed unit prices; no non-monetary services.

Application Stages:Single submission stage with subsequent evaluation (administrative, exclusion, selection, quality/price) and award. Public opening session after the deadline.

Success Rates:Not specified. Success depends on meeting selection thresholds and achieving high scores against the weighted quality and price criteria.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding required; contractors are paid for accepted services. All security compliance and screening costs are borne by the contractor.

Evaluation Criteria — Quality and Price

• Quality (70%): 1.1 Management and coordination (max 20 points); 1.2 Organisation and continuity of service (max 20); 1.3 Methodology, planning and tools (max 20); 2.1 Quality control and deadlines, conflict checks (max 20); 2.2 Training and guidance (max 10); Confidentiality arrangements (max 10). Minimum 50% per (sub-)criterion and 60% overall quality score are required.
• Price (30%): Based on the mandatory weighted purchase scenario across profiles and work settings using Annex 6. Combined score formula: Score X = QualityX*70% + (CheapestPrice/PriceX)*100*30%.

What to Prepare — Practical Checklist

1. 1Register or verify PICs for all involved entities in the Participant Register.
2. 2Compile Declarations on Honour (Annex 2) for all required entities.
3. 3Prepare proof of authorisation to sign and, for joint tenders, the signed Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3).
4. 4Identify and document subcontractors relied on for T-criteria or with >20% share; obtain commitment letters (Annex 5.1).
5. 5If relying on other entities’ capacities (not subcontractors), obtain commitment letters (Annex 5.2).
6. 6Assemble T1 references with certificates or purchaser attestations; ensure coverage of required audit types and geographic spread.
7. 7Evidence T2 security standards and measures; attach relevant certificates/policies.
8. 8Provide T3 membership/affiliation certificates (IFAC, IIA or equivalent).
9. 9Submit CVs for all T4 profiles, including certifications (e.g., CIA or equivalent) and language skills; ensure T5 language coverage.
10. 10Draft the technical offer addressing each quality criterion; describe uniform approach across Member States and controls on conflicts and confidentiality.
11. 11Complete the financial offer strictly in Annex 6; ensure all-inclusive daily rates per profile and setting.
12. 12Plan for security compliance per Appendices 2 and 3; have acceptable use acknowledgements and remote access controls ready.
13. 13Submit via eSubmission before the deadline; use QES signatures where applicable.

General Summary

This tender establishes up to three framework contracts, in cascade, to provide the European Commission with high-quality, independent external audit and legal analysis services across a wide spectrum of EU-funded programmes and instruments. Assignments include system, operations, financial, IT and performance audits; re-performance of national audit work; RRF milestone/target verification; compliance checks on procurement/State aid; FNLC/SCO reviews; pillar assessments; on-the-spot checks for direct management; and desk-based analytical and advisory tasks. Contractors must demonstrate substantial multi-country audit experience, robust security and quality systems, affiliation to professional audit bodies, a multilingual expert team spanning junior to partner levels, and the capacity to cover audits across Member State languages. Award is by best price-quality ratio with rigorous technical thresholds and a prescribed pricing scenario. The framework ceiling is €14 million over up to 48 months, with clear rules on security, data protection, confidentiality and conflicts of interest. Applications are open internationally under EU and GPA public procurement access rules, submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, and must follow the provided templates and administrative requirements precisely. This opportunity is suited to professional audit firms and consortia capable of mobilising experienced, multilingual audit teams and delivering consistent, standards-compliant audit work across the EU and associated countries.

This is an open procedure call for tenders for a multiple framework contract in cascade with a maximum of three contractors to provide external audit services to several European Commission Directorates-General, including DG REGIO (lead), DG EMPL (joint audit directorate DAC), DG MARE, DG AGRI, DG HOME, DG ECFIN, and DG EAC. The services cover audits of EU co-financed programmes and projects across multiple programming periods, financial follow-up of irregularities, and direct management expenditure.

Key Opportunity Details

Procedure Identifier:EC-REGIO/2026/OP/0010

TED Reference:48/2026 165698-2026

Estimated Total Value:€14,000,000

Maximum Contract Duration:48 months

Award Method:Best price-quality ratio (70% quality, 30% price)

Framework Agreement Type:Framework agreement without reopening of competition

Scope of Services

The framework contract aims to provide audit services for programmes and projects co-financed under programming periods 2021-2027, 2014-2020, financial follow-up of irregularities for 2000-2006 and 2007-2014 periods, and direct management expenditure. It includes other EU-budget financed programmes such as JTF and REACT-EU managed by participating DGs. Services encompass system audits, audits of operations, agreed-upon procedures, financial audits, IT audits, performance audits, and legal analysis of findings.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Open to all natural and legal persons within the scope of EU Treaties, international organisations, and entities from third countries with relevant agreements or GPA signatories. Tenderers must not be subject to EU restrictive measures. Registration in the EU Participant Register (PIC required) is mandatory. Joint tenders and subcontracting permitted with specific rules.

Exclusion Criteria

• Bankruptcy, insolvency, or analogous situations
• Breaches of tax or social security obligations
• Grave professional misconduct
• Criminal offences (fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorism, child labour)
• Significant deficiencies in prior EU contracts
• Irregularities or circumvention of legal obligations
• Resistance to audits/investigations

Selection Criteria

• Legal/Regulatory: Proof of trade register, authorisation, professional body membership
• Economic/Financial: Average turnover > €5 million (last 2 years) ¹
• Technical/Professional: 10+ relevant audits (min €10K each, various types); security standards per ISA 4000; affiliation to IFAC/IIA or equivalent; team capacity (2 juniors, 5 seniors, 1 manager, 1 partner/director, 1 specialist with specified experience/certifications); linguistic coverage (C1 level, 5+ MS languages)

Key Dates and Deadlines

Submission is electronic only via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Register for PIC in Participant Register. Questions via portal Q&A section.

Financial and Pricing Details

Fixed unit prices (man/day) for profiles:Junior, Senior, Manager, Partner/Director, Specialist across locations (Contractor premises, CA premises Brussels, On-spot Europe/ENI CBC international/local experts). Prices include all costs (travel, subsistence). Evaluation scenario totals prices across weighted days. FWC ceiling €14M; indicative volumes in Annex 6 financial model.

Evaluation and Award

Exclusion/Selection first, then compliance with minimum requirements. Award:Best price-quality (70% quality: methodology 60pts, quality measures 30pts, confidentiality 10pts; min 50%/criterion, 60% total; 30% price). Top 3 ranked for cascade FWCs.

Documents Available

• Invitation to tender EC-REGIO2026OP0010
• Draft ToR Part I administrative
• Draft ToR Part II technical
• Declaration on Honour
• FWC service DAC
• Appendix 2 Security requirements
• Appendix 3 Security baseline

Download from EU Funding & Tenders Portal:EU Funding Portal. TED notice: TED Notice.

Security and Compliance Requirements

Strict security rules apply (Appendices 2-3):personnel screening, EU classified info handling, incident reporting within 48h, data localisation in EU/EEA. Compliance with Commission Decisions on security, NIS2-equivalent cybersecurity.

Implementation and Payments

• Cascade: Requests to ranked contractors sequentially
• Specific contracts: Up to 48 months, electronic submission
• Payments: Interim (40% for >€80K with progress report), balance post-final report approval (60 days)
• No pre-financing/performance guarantees

Lead DG:REGIO. Questions via portal before 06/04/2026. No Q&A yet published.

Footnotes

1. 1Consolidated assessment of involved entities (tenderer, group members, identified subs, capacity-relied entities). Evidence: Profit/loss, balance sheets last 2 years (recent within 18 months) or bank statements.