Provision of ICT services: Project Management Support, Plone Maintenance and Microsoft Maintenance and Developments

EU‑OSHA is running an open procurement (OSHA/2026/OP/0022) for framework contracts to provide specialised ICT services split into three lots: Project Management Support, Plone (OiRA) maintenance, and Microsoft maintenance and developments, with an estimated total value of €4,650,000. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 28 October 2026 15:00 Europe/Madrid and will be evaluated on a best price-quality ratio with quality weighted 70 percent and price 30 percent. The contracts are framework agreements without reopening of competition, with lot durations of up to 48 months (60 months for Lot 2) and specific selection and minimum turnover and experience requirements set out in the tender specifications.

Opportunity type and contracting authority

Call identifier: OSHA/2026/OP/0022 (TED ref 176/2026)

Open EU tender from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) for specialised ICT services. The procurement is split into three independently awarded lots covering project management, Plone/OiRA maintenance and Microsoft-based development and support.

Who can apply:Any economic operator eligible under EU procurement rules (open to entities within the scope of the EU Treaties and certain third-country operators where permitted); joint bids and subcontracting are allowed subject to the tender specifications ¹.

1. 1What is funded: provision of services (framework contracts) for ICT project management support, maintenance/evolution of the Plone-based OiRA platform, and Microsoft 365/SharePoint/Dynamics/Power Platform/Azure development and support
2. 2How to apply: electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission); registration (PIC) and EU Login required
3. 3Selection and award: open procedure; award by best price-quality ratio (price 30%, quality 70%)

Key deadlines:deadline for receipt of tenders 28/10/2026 15:00 (Europe/Madrid); public opening 29/10/2026 15:00. Framework durations: Lot 1 and Lot 3 up to 48 months; Lot 2 up to 60 months.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents, tender specifications, draft framework contract and submission via eSubmission are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Opportunity snapshot

Title:Provision of ICT services: Project Management Support, Plone Maintenance and Microsoft Maintenance and Developments. Contracting authority: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Procedure: Open procedure leading to single framework contract per lot. Publication date: 11 September 2026. TED reference: 176/2026 626082-2026. Submission method: electronic via EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). Deadlines: two recorded system timestamps in metadata; official deadline for receipt of tenders 28 October 2026, 15:00 Europe/Madrid. Public opening: 29 October 2026, 15:00 Europe/Madrid. Questions cut-off: 20 October 2026, 23:59 Europe/Madrid. Estimated total value across all lots: €4,650,000. Framework agreement, awarded by best price-quality ratio. Main CPV: 72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ¹.

Lots and estimated ceilings:The procurement is divided into three lots with separate framework contracts and ceilings: Lot 1 Project Management Support estimated up to €2,600,000 (yearly €650,000); Lot 2 Plone Maintenance estimated up to €1,250,000 (yearly €250,000); Lot 3 Microsoft Maintenance and Developments estimated up to €800,000 (yearly €200,000).

Categorisation and eligibility — structured answers

Eligible Applicant Types:This tender is open to economic operators registered in the Participant Register and within the scope of the EU Treaties. Eligible applicant types include private companies of any size (startups, SMEs, large enterprises), consultants, specialised service providers, IT integrators, system houses, software houses, open-source service providers, universities and research organisations acting as contractors where allowed, nonprofit organisations, consortia / joint ventures. Joint tenders are explicitly allowed. Subcontracting is permitted subject to rules in the tender specifications. Entities must not be subject to EU restrictive measures; subcontractors and entities on whose capacities tenderers rely must also have access to procurement under the applicable rules.

Funding Type:This is a public procurement tender (framework service contract) with payments for services. The primary financial mechanism is procurement / service contract resulting in a framework contract; the contracting authority will award specific contracts or order forms under the framework.

Consortium Requirement:Other than allowing joint tenders, the procedure results in a single-award framework contract per lot. A single tenderer may bid; joint tenders (consortia) are permitted and must sign the model Agreement/Power of attorney. For Lot 1 independence rules apply: the entity awarded Lot 1 cannot be awarded Lot 2 or Lot 3 if the same tenderer ranks first for both; Lot 1 takes priority to avoid conflict of interest.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Participation is open to natural and legal persons within the scope of the EU Treaties and to international organisations. Participation is also possible for entities established in third countries only if a special agreement on public procurement exists with the EU. In practice the procurement is managed by EU-OSHA in Bilbao, Spain and requires EU Login and registration in the Participant Register (PIC).

Target Sector:ICT / Information and Communications Technology with specific sub-sectors: IT project management, web and CMS maintenance (Plone, Zope, Python, ZODB, Euphorie), Microsoft ecosystem services (SharePoint, Dynamics 365 / CRM, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Power BI, Azure, Entra ID), DevSecOps, CI/CD, security, accessibility and digital public services for occupational safety and health (OiRA platform).

Mentioned Countries:Spain is explicitly mentioned as the contracting authority location (Bilbao). The opportunity is EU-wide and targeted at EU Member States/participants in the EU Funding & Tenders environment. The OiRA platform is pan-European with national partners (18 national OiRA partners listed in annexes).

Project Stage:The required support covers operational and maintenance stages and continuous development: research and development where new features requested, development, validation, maintenance, evolution, deployment and long-term service delivery. Typical activities: corrective, preventive, adaptive and evolutive maintenance; development and modernisation; project management across lifecycles; support, helpdesk and training.

Funding Amount:Estimated total procedure value for all lots combined: €4,650,000. Lot ceilings: Lot 1 up to €2,600,000; Lot 2 up to €1,250,000; Lot 3 up to €800,000. Framework annual estimates given: €650,000 (Lot 1), €250,000 (Lot 2), €200,000 (Lot 3).

Application Type:Open call for tenders published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Electronic submission via eSubmission is mandatory and EU Login is required. The procurement is an open procedure with published tender specifications, draft framework contract and annexes. Questions are handled through the Portal Q&A.

Nature of Support:Money in exchange for services. Victors are paid under the framework contract for services delivered; no grants or equity. The contract is a framework service contract; specific contracts or orders are placed under it and paid on deliverables or time-and-means as specified.

Application Stages:Multi-stage administrative and evaluation flows occur within a single open procedure but the application process is effectively single-stage submission of tender packages. After submission the contracting authority performs eligibility checks, exclusion and selection checks, technical evaluation and award. For multi-lot bidders, technical ranking and potential reallocation rule for Lot 1 applies. Internally successful tenderer(s) will be requested to provide supporting evidence before contract signature. The procedure also contemplates post-award checks and signature of framework contract and subsequent specific contract(s).

Success Rates:Not specified in the documents. This is a competitive open procurement; success rate depends on number and quality of bids. Award uses best price-quality ratio with quality 70% / price 30% weighting. Minimum quality thresholds apply (minimum points per criterion and overall thresholds).

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding requirement is indicated. The tender is for paid service contracts; prices must be quoted in euros and inclusive of all costs, duties and taxes (excluding VAT where Union is exempt).

Eligibility, technical and administrative requirements (practical summary)

1. 1Registration: Tenderers must be registered in the EU Participant Register and have a PIC. EU Login account required for eSubmission.
2. 2Access to procurement: Participants must be established in jurisdictions that have access to EU procurement as set out in the tender specs; entities subject to restrictive measures are excluded.
3. 3Selection criteria (financial): F1 average turnover 3 years: Lot €1 1,000,000; Lot €2 300,000; Lot €3 400,000. F2 specific turnover related to similar services: Lot €1 500,000; Lot €2 250,000; Lot €3 200,000. F3 statements on absence of payment problems.
4. 4Selection criteria (technical): Minimum 3 years experience; submission of 3 to 5 PARFs per lot with minimum values for at least one PARF (€50,000 thresholds). Lot-specific PARF requirements: project management methodology evidence for Lot 1; large-scale Plone migrations for Lot 2; Power Platform, Power BI and Dynamics 365 experience for Lot 3.
5. 5Exclusion criteria: Standard Financial Regulation exclusions apply. Declaration on Honour required. EDES checks possible and documentary evidence may be requested from the presumed successful tenderer.
6. 6Tender content: Technical tender (recommended 9,000 words / 20 pages plus scenario) and financial tender using provided financial forms (Annex 6). CVs, role matrix, PARFs, commitment letters for subcontractors or relied-on entities, Annex 4 list of subcontractors, Annex 5 commitment letters, Annex 1 document checklist.
7. 7Language: Working and contractual language English; deliverables in English unless otherwise specified.
8. 8SLA: Draft SLAs provided in annexes; bidders must address SLA compliance and can propose measurable improvements.
9. 9Security and data protection: Strict ICT security measures, MFA, vulnerability scanning, incident reporting to EU-OSHA Cybersecurity Local Officer within 48 hours, personal data processing obligations under EU rules; contractor must host/process data within EU/EEA unless authorised.

Evaluation and award mechanics

Award method:Best price-quality ratio. Weighting: Quality 70%, Price 30%. Tenders scored on price index (lowest price receives 100) and technical index (weighted scores on quality criteria). Minimum scoring rules: each award criterion has a minimum pass mark and proposals must score at least 60% overall on quality and at least 50% for each criterion to be eligible for award. Detailed lot-specific award criteria and points distribution are in the tender specifications and annexes.

Key quality criteria for all lots include team CVs and profiles, coverage of services with a service matrix, SLA compliance and improvements, use and governance of Artificial Intelligence, and a scenario (practical exercise). Lot-specific technical approaches (Plone stack, Microsoft stack, PM methodology and independence) are separately scored.

Tender submission, documents and templates

Submission is electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission application. Tenderers must provide a technical tender and a financial tender per lot they apply for. Mandatory documents include the Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), Annex 4 list of identified subcontractors, Annex 5 commitment letters, PARFs mapped per Annex 7, CVs and role matrices. Financial offers must use the Financial Model (Annex 6). Signatures: QES/AdES preferred; handwritten accepted but originals must be retained for five years. Attachment size and format must follow system requirements and naming rules in the invitation letter and eSubmission Quick Guide.

1. 1Documents published with the call: Invitation to tender, Tender specifications and annexes (Annex I), Editable annexes (Word), Draft Framework Contract (Annex II).
2. 2Q&A: Portal public Q&A facility used; contracting authority sets a cut-off for questions (20 October 2026).
3. 3Submission technicalities: EU Login account and PIC required; maximum file limits and allowed browsers documented in eSubmission Quick Guide; attachments per submission limited to system limits (example: 200 files, max 50 MB each as guidance).

Templates and application form structure

The procurement package includes editable annexes and templates that must be used where indicated. Key templates and their roles are:

1. 1Annex 1 List of documents to be submitted: explicit checklist for sole tenderer, joint tender, subcontractor and entities relied upon; indicates where to attach in eSubmission.
2. 2Annex 2 Declaration on Honour: model statement for exclusion and selection criteria compliance. Must be signed by authorised representative.
3. 3Annex 3 Agreement / Power of attorney: mandatory for joint tenders to appoint group leader and allocate responsibilities.
4. 4Annex 4 List of identified subcontractors and proportion of subcontracting: identifies any subcontractor >10% or whose capacities are relied upon.
5. 5Annex 5 Commitment letters: model letter for identified subcontractors (5.1) and for entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (5.2).
6. 6Annex 6 Financial offer forms: separate financial models per lot; all prices in euro and follow provided templates.
7. 7Annex 7 PARF templates and mapping: Project/Activity Reference Forms and guidance to document technical experience; specific minimum criteria per lot are indicated.

Tenderers should download and complete the Editable annexes document provided on the Portal. The Invitation letter and Tender specifications include explicit instructions on naming and where to upload each document in eSubmission. Failure to upload required documents in the correct eSubmission sections may lead to rejection of the tender.

Procurement and contractual specifics to note

1. 1Framework contract structure: single framework contract per lot; signature of framework contract does not guarantee specific contracts; contracting authority may call-off specific contracts or negotiated procedure under specified conditions.
2. 2Lot 1 independence rule: tenderer awarded Lot 1 must remain independent and cannot be awarded Lot 2 or Lot 3 if ranked first for both; Lot 1 takes priority.
3. 3Duration and renewals: Lot durations published (48 months for Lots 1 and 3; 60 months for Lot 2). Draft contract states initial 12-month period renewable multiple times as defined in draft contract.
4. 4Ordering and specific contracts: requests for specific contracts are issued under the framework; contractor responds within set deadlines. Specific contracts may be fixed price, time & means, or quoted time & means with associated acceptance and invoicing rules.
5. 5Security and data location: personal data processing and data localisation rules require data centres and processing within the EU/EEA unless specifically authorised; Interconnection Security Agreements required for remote access in many cases.
6. 6Service Levels and SLAs: draft SLAs provided for each lot. SLA compliance, monitoring and continuous improvement is an award criterion.
7. 7IPR: The draft framework contract contains standard EU IPR clauses. The Union acquires ownership of results produced under the contract and obtains licences for pre-existing rights as described in the draft contract; contractor must list pre-existing rights and provide evidence at balance payment.
8. 8Payment and invoicing: invoicing rules and payment timelines set in draft contract; eInvoicing via Portal or interoperability networks is required if EES is activated; invoices accepted in euro; contracting authority is VAT-exempt.

Risk areas and common pitfalls observed in this procurement type:failing to meet PARF minimums or financial thresholds; unclear role split in joint tenders; insufficient independence safeguards for Lot 1; not uploading mandatory annexes; non-compliant or incomplete SLA proposals; inadequate security or data processing arrangements; missing signed commitment letters for subcontractors or entities on whose capacities tenderer relies. The tender specifications are strict about non-compliance and abnormally low tenders.

How to apply—practical checklist

1. 1Register organisation in Participant Register and obtain PIC; ensure EU Login account is active.
2. 2Download the Invitation letter, Tender specifications, Editable annexes and Draft framework contract from the F&T Portal call page.
3. 3Decide which lot(s) to bid for and prepare separate technical and financial tenders per lot following templates.
4. 4Complete Annex 1 checklist and ensure Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) is signed; include Agreement/Power of attorney (Annex 3) for joint tenders; include Annex 4 and Annex 5 as applicable.
5. 5Prepare PARFs and CVs, service coverage matrix, SLA compliance statement and proposed improvements, AI use statement and scenario deliverables as required in technical tender.
6. 6Complete financial model(s) in Annex 6 and ensure totals do not exceed the lot ceiling.
7. 7Ensure security, data protection and hosting arrangements meet requirements; prepare evidence of data localisation or request authorisation if needed.
8. 8Upload documents in the correct eSubmission fields well before the deadline; use recommended browsers and follow naming rules. Keep originals of signed documents for five years.
9. 9Monitor the Portal Q&A for clarifications and submit any questions before the cut-off date (20 October 2026).

Summary and recommendation:This is a procurement for multi-year framework services, split in three specialist lots. Suitable bidders are experienced ICT services suppliers with strong capabilities in project management, Plone-based CMS maintenance and Microsoft cloud/Power Platform/SharePoint/Dynamics engineering. Bidders must follow the templates precisely, meet the financial and technical minimums, address security and data protection thoroughly and prepare robust SLA and scenario responses to score well in the technical evaluation.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents and electronic submission are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

This is an EU-OSHA open procurement for specialised ICT services covering project management support, Plone maintenance, and Microsoft developments and maintenance. The contract is structured as a framework agreement without reopening of competition and is intended to support the agency’s ICT, web, business application, and digital services over multiple years.[12]

Opportunity summary

Lot structure

Who can apply

Because this is an open procedure, any economic operator that can meet the selection criteria and tender requirements in the procurement documents may submit a tender. The portal indicates that electronic submission is required and that an EU Login account is needed to access the submission area and manage the tender workflow.[12][10]

What the services cover

• Lot 1 is focused on governance and delivery support for ICT projects, including coordination, planning, monitoring, and reporting.[12]
• Lot 2 is focused on the OiRA platform and Plone environment, which is a critical digital infrastructure for occupational safety and health risk assessment.[12]
• Lot 3 is focused on Microsoft technology support across collaboration, CRM, low-code, analytics, identity, and cloud services.[12]

Commercial and contractual points

• Award is based on the best price-quality ratio, with quality weighted at 70 percent and price at 30 percent.[12]
• The framework contracts are concluded without reopening of competition.[12]
• The tender validity period is 6 months.[12]
• Each lot starts from an initial 12 month period and can be renewed several times according to the draft framework contract, namely 3 renewals for Lots 1 and 3 and 4 renewals for Lot 2.[12]

Applicant considerations

Applicants should review the tender specifications and draft framework contract carefully before submission, especially the exact selection criteria, technical requirements, and any obligations linked to the specific technologies in each lot. The public Q and A on the portal shows that the contracting authority has already clarified practical submission issues and a question on relying on a sister company’s capacity, so consortium and subcontracting arrangements should be checked early.[12]

The available documents include the invitation to tender, tender specifications and annexes, editable annexes, and the draft framework contract. These documents should be used to confirm the exact form requirements, evidence to be submitted, and any lot-specific conditions before preparing the bid.[12][10]