Provision of genotoxicity data using ToxTracker assay

Planned negotiated procedure by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) for provision of genotoxicity testing services using the ToxTracker in vitro assay. The estimated total value is €93,000 and the maximum contract duration is two months, with test chemicals selected by EURL-ECVAM and purchased by the contractor. Expression of interest opens 27 March 2026 and closes 16 April 2026 23:59 Europe/Rome, and submissions must be made via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using an EU Login account.

What it funds

Scope summary

Contracted laboratory services to perform in vitro genotoxicity testing using the ToxTracker assay on chemicals selected by EURL-ECVAM. Tests must include genotoxic potential readouts and additional endpoints for oxidative stress and protein damage. Test chemicals will be purchased by the contractor.

Who can apply:Laboratories or service providers able to deliver in vitro genotoxicity testing (ToxTracker) and associated reporting; bidders must be eligible to enter an EU public procurement procedure (legal entities able to contract with the European Commission). ¹

1. 1Procedure type: planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract
2. 2Contracting authority: European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre
3. 3Contract nature: services (research laboratory services, CPV 73111000)
4. 4Maximum contract duration: 2 months

Submissions of expressions of interest are electronic via the EU Login system; this publication announces the intention to launch a future negotiated procedure and is not itself the call for tenders ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full notice and future procurement documents will be available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender details.

Basic opportunity description

This is a planned negotiated procedure (middle/low value) tender published by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) for the provision of genotoxicity data using the ToxTracker in vitro assay. The contracting authority will select test chemicals (via EURL-ECVAM) and the successful tenderer will purchase those chemicals, perform ToxTracker assays, and evaluate genotoxic potential and related modes of action including oxidative stress and protein damage. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/IPR/2026/MVP/1741-EXA and the estimated total value is €93,000.

Procedure type and timing:Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract with an indicative launch date of 20/04/2026. Expression of interest start date is 27/03/2026 and deadline for expression of interest is 16/04/2026 23:59 Europe/Rome. Submission of expression of interest is electronic and requires an EU Login account.

Scope of work and technical requirements

Tasks to be performed by the contractor:acquire the test chemicals selected by EURL-ECVAM, implement the ToxTracker in vitro assay according to accepted protocols, generate reproducible genotoxicity data, and include additional assay outputs or follow-up analyses that assess oxidative stress and protein damage as possible modes of action. Work is research laboratory services in nature and must be completed within the maximum contract duration of 2 months.

Main classification (CPV) and nature:CPV code 73111000 Research laboratory services. Nature of the contract: services. Framework agreement: none explicitly indicated; this is a single contract valued at an estimated €93,000.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: research laboratories and testing service providers, public research organisations, universities and research institutes, private contract research organisations (CROs), SMEs and large enterprises that operate accredited in vitro/genotoxicity testing laboratories, nonprofit laboratories engaged in scientific testing. Government laboratories may also participate if allowed under procurement rules. Individual natural persons are not appropriate due to service nature and purchase responsibilities.
2. 2Funding Type: procurement contract (services). This is a tender (procurement), not a grant, loan, or equity instrument.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: single tenderer or economic operator submitting the offer. The tender is a negotiated procedure for a single contract; formation of a consortium is possible if permitted under the contracting rules, but a consortium is not mandatory.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU contracting authority (DG JRC) — applicants should be able to contract with the European Commission. Eligible bidders generally include entities established in EU Member States or countries eligible under EU procurement rules; submission requires EU Login for electronic expression of interest. No specific non-EU participation details are provided in the published notice.
5. 5Target Sector: laboratory research and testing, specifically toxicology, genotoxicity testing, in vitro assay services, chemical safety assessment.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: no specific countries were named for bidders; timeline and deadlines reference Europe/Brussels and Europe/Rome timezones. The contracting authority is the European Commission (JRC) based in the EU.
7. 7Project Stage: experimental testing and data generation (development/validation/demonstration stage at laboratory scale). This is applied laboratory testing rather than basic research or commercialization.
8. 8Funding Amount: estimated total contract value €93,000. This is the total budget for the service contract.
9. 9Application Type: open planned negotiated procedure with an expression of interest window. Method of expression of interest is electronic via EU Login on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
10. 10Nature of Support: monetary payment via a service procurement contract for delivery of laboratory testing services. The contractor will be paid to deliver services and will be responsible for purchasing test chemicals from the market (costs to be included in the tender price or addressed per procurement documents).
11. 11Application Stages: single-stage expression of interest followed by negotiated procedure; effectively 2 administrative stages (expression of interest; then negotiated call and award).
12. 12Success Rates: not published. For small/middle value negotiated procurements success rate depends on number of bidders responding to the negotiated call; historical success rates are typically low (one award) but the notice does not provide explicit statistics.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: none indicated. The contracting authority expects the contractor to price all required activities and purchase costs within their tender price; no co-funding from the contracting authority is required beyond contract payment.
14. 14Templates: procurement documents and technical specifications are to be published with the formal negotiated procedure launch. At publication stage bidders must use the EU F&T Portal procedures and the standard tender submission forms available through the portal; no bespoke templates were attached to this notice. An EU Login account is required to access the tender documents and to submit expressions of interest.

Essential administrative requirements and notes:bidders must hold relevant laboratory accreditation, have proven experience executing in vitro genotoxicity assays (ideally ToxTracker or equivalent reporter-based assays), be able to procure chemicals as required by EURL-ECVAM selection, maintain appropriate biosafety and chemical handling compliance, meet delivery timelines within a 2-month contract, and submit an electronic expression of interest via EU Login by the specified deadline. The notice explicitly states that this publication is an announcement of intent and not the final call for tenders; the formal negotiated procedure documents will be published later.

Documentation and submission:Access to full procurement documents, technical specifications, tender submission templates, and Q&A will be possible once the negotiated procedure is launched on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. An EU Login account is required to express interest and later to submit full tender documents. Public Q&A functionality is available on the portal to ask contract-specific questions during the procurement process EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Evaluation and award criteria (summary):the formal procurement documents will set the award criteria, but typical criteria for this type of laboratory services contract include technical capacity and methodology (quality of ToxTracker implementation and data handling), past performance and relevant experience, personnel qualifications, quality assurance and laboratory accreditation, delivery schedule, and price. Bidders should be prepared to describe sample handling, positive and negative controls, replicate strategy, data analysis pipelines, quality control metrics and reporting format compatible with EURL-ECVAM/JRC needs.

1. 1Technical capability requirements to present in the tender (recommended): description of ToxTracker assay workflows, SOPs and references; evidence of prior ToxTracker or comparable reporter assay work; list of laboratory equipment and biosafety level; accreditation certificates (ISO 17025 or equivalent) if available.
2. 2Personnel and experience: CVs and roles of key scientific staff, experience with genotoxicity and oxidative stress assays, data analysis expertise.
3. 3Procurement responsibilities: plan to purchase chemicals specified by EURL-ECVAM, supply chain and chemical source validation, chemical safety data sheets handling and storage procedures.
4. 4Data deliverables: raw and processed assay data, QC metrics, final report addressing genotoxicity outcomes and mechanistic indicators (oxidative stress and protein damage), and any recommended follow-up.

Timing and next steps for potential bidders:register or confirm EU Login credentials, mark the expression of interest window (27/03/2026 to 16/04/2026), subscribe to the tender on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to receive notices, and prepare capability documentation and proposed pricing model that covers assay execution, chemical procurement, consumables, personnel time, data analysis, and reporting within the €93,000 estimated budget.

Risk and compliance considerations:bidders must ensure compliance with EU procurement and contracting rules, chemical procurement and transport regulations, biosafety and ethical standards for in vitro testing, and any supplier restrictions for controlled substances. Any national export/import restrictions relevant to the chemicals must be addressed within the tender offer.

Success rate and selection likelihood:The notice does not publish historical success rates. Being a negotiated middle/low value procurement, award goes to a single contractor meeting requirements and offering best value under published award criteria. Competition may be limited due to the specialized nature of the ToxTracker assay and the short contract timeline; well-prepared laboratories with direct experience are likely to have higher selection chances.

Contact and Q&A:questions about the future tender must be submitted through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Q&A tools once the procedure is launched. All communication and document access requires an EU Login account. Public Q&A content will be published on the portal for transparency, and tenderers should monitor updates closely. JRC homepage Portal opportunity page.

Summary:This procurement opportunity is a planned negotiated middle/low value contract by the European Commission Joint Research Centre to obtain genotoxicity testing services using the ToxTracker in vitro assay. It targets qualified research laboratories or CROs capable of purchasing specified chemicals and delivering data-rich genotoxicity and mechanistic assessments (oxidative stress and protein damage) within a two-month contract for an estimated €93,000. Interested organisations should prepare accreditation, assay SOPs, personnel CVs, procurement plans for chemicals, and costed workplans and should register via EU Login to submit an electronic expression of interest within the stated timeframe ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1This notice is an announcement of intent to launch a negotiated procurement and is not itself an invitation to tender. The estimated value, timeline and requirements are indicative and subject to change in the formal tender documents published at the time of the negotiated procedure launch.

This is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value service contract issued by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (DG JRC). The opportunity involves genotoxicity evaluation of chemicals selected by EURL-ECVAM using the specific ToxTracker in vitro assay, including assessments of oxidative stress and protein damage as modes of action. Test chemicals will be purchased by the successful tenderer.

Key Opportunity Details

Procedure Type:Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract (not an open call for tenders, but an announcement of intent to launch a future negotiated procedure).

Estimated Total Value:€93,000.

Nature of Contract:Services (CPV code 73111000 - Research laboratory services). Maximum duration: 2 months.

Contracting Authority:European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre. EURL-ECVAM (EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing) will select the test chemicals.

Timeline and Participation Process

1. 1Start date for expression of interest: 27 March 2026 (Europe/Brussels time).
2. 2Deadline for expression of interest: 16 April 2026, 23:59 (Europe/Rome time).
3. 3Indicative launch of negotiated procedure: 20 April 2026 (Europe/Rome time).

Participation requires submission of an expression of interest electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. An EU Login account is mandatory (create one using email and password if needed). Submissions must be sent exclusively through the designated 'Express interest' address on the portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Questions can be submitted via the Q&A section after logging in; currently no public Q&As are available.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

This is a negotiated procedure, meaning the contracting authority will invite a limited number of candidates based on expressions of interest to participate. Eligible applicants are expected to be specialized laboratories or service providers with expertise in the ToxTracker in vitro assay for genotoxicity testing. Experience with EURL-ECVAM protocols, in vitro toxicology, and handling chemical procurement for testing is advantageous. No specific eligibility criteria are detailed yet, as this is a planned notice; full requirements will be in the future negotiated procedure documents.

Technical Scope and Background

The ToxTracker assay is an advanced in vitro method for genotoxicity evaluation, aligning with EURL-ECVAMs focus on alternatives to animal testing ¹. It assesses DNA damage pathways, oxidative stress, and protein damage. This supports EU efforts in non-animal toxicity testing, as promoted by EURL-ECVAM, which validates methods like in vitro genotoxicity assays to reduce animal use ².

Important Notes for Applicants

• This is NOT a live call for tenders; it announces a future negotiated procedure. Monitor the portal for updates.
• Successful tenderer must purchase and handle test chemicals selected by EURL-ECVAM.
• Short contract duration (2 months) implies need for rapid execution capacity.
• Consult EU Login help and F&T eProcurement wiki for submission guidance.
• JRC operates over 50 laboratories focused on policy-relevant science, including toxicology ³.

Applicants should prepare evidence of ToxTracker assay validation, GLP compliance (if applicable), and prior genotoxicity service delivery. For general genotoxicity regulatory context, refer to ICH S2(R1) guidelines on testing batteries.

Footnotes

1. 1EURL-ECVAM strategy emphasizes validated in vitro methods for genotoxicity, including alternatives to traditional tests.
2. 2EURL-ECVAM, part of JRC in Ispra, Italy, coordinates validation of non-animal methods.
3. 3JRC provides science for EU policy, with focus on alternatives to animal testing via EURL-ECVAM.