Provision of interim support services for the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre in Bucharest, Romania

The European Commission has announced a call for tenders aimed at establishing a framework contract for interim staffing services to support the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) located in Bucharest, Romania. The call is identified as ECCC/BUH/2025/OP/0002, and the framework agreement is valued at approximately 4.5 million euros.

The estimated total value is specified as between 1 million and 5 million euros, with an overall maximum contract duration of 48 months. The contract entails the provision of necessary interim staff promptly, ensuring alignment with requested profiles. The main classification for the service required is designated under CPV code 79620000, which pertains to the supply services of personnel including temporary staff.

The procurement procedure is classified as an open procedure, with tenders required to be submitted electronically. The submission deadline is set for July 16, 2025, at 13:00 Europe/Bucharest time, with a public opening scheduled for July 17, 2025, at 14:00. The contracting authority will not respond to questions posed after July 8, 2025, at 04:00.

Eligible applicants are likely to include large enterprises or specialized staffing agencies as the tender specifically excludes small and medium-sized enterprises. All participants must possess a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to engage in the tender process, whether acting as a sole candidate or as part of a consortium. The evaluation of submitted tenders will be based on a quality-to-price ratio, with quality weighted at 60% and price at 40%.

The tender documentation is comprehensive and includes various forms such as an invitation letter, financial offer form, a draft contract, and related models for service requests and confidentiality declarations. Submissions must adhere to strict electronic submission guidelines, including a cap of 200 document uploads per tender with each file not exceeding 50 MB. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and enforces security through encryption of submitted documents.

This procurement opportunity is significant for companies specializing in staffing services within the cybersecurity domain, looking to assist the ECCC with interim operational support over a multi-year period. Interested parties are encouraged to review all related documents, FAQs, and guidelines thoroughly to ensure compliance and increase the likelihood of submission success.

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, has announced a call for tenders for the provision of interim support services for the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) in Bucharest, Romania. The call identifier is ECCC/BUH/2025/OP/0002. The TED reference is 112/2025 382092-2025.

This is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically via the address provided. The overall objective of the framework contract is to provide the ECCC with necessary interim staff in a timely manner and in line with the profiles requested. The ECCC may require interim staff, in addition to its statutory staff, to perform tasks of an interim nature. The estimated total value of this framework agreement is 4,500,000 EUR. The main classification (CPV) code is 79620000, which refers to the supply services of personnel including temporary staff. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. It is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

Key milestones include a TED publication date of June 13, 2025. The date and time of the public opening is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at 14:00 Europe/Bucharest time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is July 16, 2025, at 13:00 Europe/Bucharest time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after July 8, 2025, at 04:00 Europe/Bucharest time.

There are 11 documents available for download related to this tender:

1. ENEN-INV~1 Invitation letter, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
2. ENTS ECCC BUH 2025 OP 0002 Tender specifications, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
3. ENAnnex 06 - Financial Offer Form, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
4. ENAnnex 07 - Model FWC Draft contract, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
5. ENAnnex 08 - Model Request for service, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
6. ENAnnex 09 - Model OrderForm, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
7. ENAnnex 10 - Declaration on conf, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
8. ENAnnex 11 - Confidentiality interim, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
9. ENAnnex 12 - Technical tender model, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.
10. ENAnnex 13 - Financial turnover list, published on June 13, 2025, Version 1, no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic means through the provided access submission link.

A public Q&A section is available, but currently, there are no public questions and answers posted.

Some frequently asked questions (FAQ) are provided regarding the eSubmission system:

1. How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.
2. Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Refer to the System Requirements link for the most up-to-date technical recommendations.
3. Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline: No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender, as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload.
4. Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal: Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’.
5. Which size should attachments have: eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size.
6. How should I name attachments in eSubmission: Follow the System Requirements for attachment names.
7. Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported: Check the System Requirements of eSubmission.
8. I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents: Select an organisation in the F&T Portal under “My Invitations”.
9. Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission: A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory.
10. I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do: Ensure the file follows the technical requirements of the system.
11. How many attachments can I upload per submission: The system allows a maximum of 200 files per tender.
12. Why do tenderers need a PIC: It is mandatory to register for a PIC to submit a tender or a request to participate.
13. How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC): Check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.
14. What is the validity period of a PIC: A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.
15. How many languages does the system support: The system supports all 24 official EU languages.
16. Which is the character set encoding in the system: The character set encoding is UTF-8.
17. Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information: Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.
18. Which file types does the system support: The supported file types depend on the type of submission. Refer to the system requirements.
19. Can I view and edit my draft submission: Until the submission deadline, submissions in draft status can be edited, viewed, and deleted.
20. In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission: No, it is just a display issue and is not blocking for submission.
21. I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent: No, this is an auto-generated notification.

In summary, this tender opportunity is for organizations to bid on a framework contract to provide interim staffing services to the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre in Bucharest. The ECCC needs temporary staff to supplement their permanent employees for various tasks. The contract is valued at approximately 4.5 million euros and will last for a maximum of 48 months. The selection will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by July 16, 2025, and should consult all provided documents and FAQs for detailed requirements and submission guidelines. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The eSubmission system supports various file types and encrypts uploaded documents for security.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given the nature of the tender, it is likely that the eligible applicants include companies, service providers, and other organizations capable of providing interim staff.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a framework agreement for services.

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). Therefore, either a single applicant or a consortium is acceptable.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU tender related to the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), it is likely open to entities within the EU and possibly EEA countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is cybersecurity, specifically the provision of interim support services for the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre.

Mentioned Countries: Romania (Bucharest) is explicitly mentioned as the location of the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational, as the tender is for the provision of interim staff to support the ongoing activities of the ECCC.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the framework contract is 4,500,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing interim support services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there are multiple stages, including submission of the tender, evaluation, and award of the framework contract.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not mention any co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders by the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre (ECCC) located in Bucharest, Romania. The tender, identified as ECCC/BUH/2025/OP/0002, seeks to establish a framework agreement for the provision of interim support services. The overall objective is to provide the ECCC with necessary interim staff in a timely manner and in line with the profiles requested. The estimated total value of the framework contract is 4,500,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months.

The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically. The TED publication date was 13/06/2025, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 16/07/2025 at 13:00 Europe/Bucharest. The date and time of the public opening is 17/07/2025 at 14:00 Europe/Bucharest. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 08/07/2025 at 04:00 Europe/Bucharest.

The main classification (CPV) is 79620000 Supply services of personnel including temporary staff. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio.

To participate, tenderers need a Personal Identification Code (PIC), which is mandatory whether participating as a sole candidate/tenderer or as part of a consortium. Subcontractors also require a PIC. The system supports 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files, and attachments should be less than 50 MB in size.

Several documents are available for download, including the invitation letter, tender specifications, financial offer form, draft contract, model request for service, model order form, declaration on confidentiality, confidentiality interim, technical tender model, and financial turnover list.