Provision of services in the areas of evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring of implementation and other related services in relation to health and food policies

The European Commission, specifically DG SANTE related to Health and Food Safety, has released a call for tenders identified as EC-SANTE/2025/OP/0006. This initiative seeks service providers in the sectors of evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring, and related services concerning health and food policies, aligned with the EU's "Better Regulation Agenda."

The total estimated financial value of this tender is €30 million, and the duration of the contract is capped at 48 months. The procurement process is categorized as an open procedure, necessitating electronic submission of tenders.

Eligibility to submit a proposal is not strictly defined, but it is inferred that a variety of organizations, including consulting firms, research entities, and universities, with expertise in health and food policy analysis, may participate. The tender aims for a high-quality service provider capable of adhering to the evaluation and monitoring standards set forth by the EU.

The evaluation process will utilize a best price-quality ratio method, with a weighting of quality at 70% and cost at 30%. Specific selection criteria include the ability to undertake the offered services, economic and financial stability, as well as relevant technical and professional qualifications.

Key dates in the tender process include its publication on March 26, 2025, and the deadline for submissions, which is set for May 26, 2025, at 16:00 Brussels time. A public opening event will occur on May 27, 2025. Following the deadline, the contracting authority will not respond to inquiries submitted beyond May 16, 2025.

Further details, including the submission forms and additional documents, emphasize that the framework may involve reopening of competition for specific contracts among selected contractors. Bidders are advised to review all relevant attachment specifications and the Q&A section, which covers clarifications and guidelines essential for the tender submission process.

This tender is significant as it involves not just a substantial budget but also a pivotal role in shaping effective and evidence-based health and food policies within the EU framework.

The European Commission, DG SANTE Health and Food Safety, has announced a call for tenders EC-SANTE/2025/OP/0006 for the provision of services in the areas of evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring of implementation, and other related services in relation to health and food policies. This call is linked to the "Better regulation agenda" of the European Commission.

The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The estimated total value of the tender is 30,000,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 26/03/2025. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio, and the framework agreement will involve reopening of competition.

Selection criteria include: Suitability to pursue the professional activity, Economic and financial standing, and Technical and professional ability. Specific details for each of these criteria are available in the procurement documents.

Key milestones include: TED publication date on 26/03/2025, a public opening scheduled for 27/05/2025 at 11:00 Europe/Brussels time, and a deadline for receipt of tenders on 26/05/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 16/05/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels.

The available documents include: EN1. Invitation to tender EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Invitation letter (Published on 26/03/2025, Version 1, No translations available), EN3. Annexes to the tender specifications Tender specifications (Published on 26/03/2025, Version 1, No translations available), EN4. Annex 2 Declaration-of-honour EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Declaration on honour (tender) (Published on 09/04/2025, Version 3, No translations available), EN5. Annex 6 Financial Tender form EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Financial offer form (Published on 15/05/2025, Version 2, No translations available), EN6. Framework contract EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Draft contract (Published on 26/03/2025, Version 1, No translations available), EN7. Framework contract Appendix 2 Security requirements EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Draft contract annex (Published on 26/03/2025, Version 1, No translations available), EN8. Framework contract Annex IV Annex-VAT EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Draft contract annex (Published on 26/03/2025, Version 1, No translations available), EN9 Framework contract Annex V statements-ipr EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Draft contract annex (Published on 26/03/2025, Version 1, No translations available), and EN2. Tender specifications EC-SANTE2025OP0006 Tender specifications (Published on 28/04/2025, Version 2, No translations available).

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below. The submission method is electronic.

There are 51 items in the Questions and Answers (Q&A) section, covering various aspects of the tender. Some key points addressed in the Q&A include:

Clarification on the nature of information published on 15th May, which was deemed clarifying rather than substantial.

Assessment criteria for case studies, emphasizing the importance of information provided in the case studies analysis.

Page limits for technical tenders, excluding figures, diagrams, and visuals.

Details regarding the financial offer template and pricing for experts in Category III.

Flexibility in profile requirements during contract implementation.

Possibility of modifying banking details after tender submission.

The use of Annex 10 and its adaptability for clarity.

The rejection of deadline extensions due to the importance of timely procedure completion.

Acceptance of grant projects as evidence for selection criteria T1, T2, and T3, provided they comply with defined requirements.

Conditions for involving cloud-based service providers and affiliated companies regarding data processing.

Clarification on the prohibition of using subcontractors in relation to confidential information.

Modification of Criterion T4, specifying that contract managers cannot be subcontractors, while project managers can be.

Non-negotiability of contractual conditions.

Budget considerations for case studies, referencing Question and Answer 63104, which specifies a budget of 200,000 EUR for case study A and 100,000 EUR for case study B.

Inclusion of annexes within the page limit for technical tenders, excluding figures, diagrams, and visuals.

Eligibility of UK entities to participate as Consortium Partners.

Confirmation that project references do not need to be contracts within the public sector.

Removal of highlighted text and specific points from the Declaration on honour.

Guidance on the number of experts required for Criterion T4 and the areas they must cover.

Reference to Better regulation toolbox - European Commission Tool #28 Digital-ready policymaking, the ITC impact assessment guidelines, and Case studies for Criterion T4.

Eligibility for organizations outside the EU27 to participate as partners or subcontractors.

The tender EC-SANTE/2025/OP/0006 is an invitation for companies to bid on a framework contract to provide evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring, and related services for the European Commission's health and food policies. The total estimated value is 30 million EUR, and the contract will last for up to 48 months. Companies will need to demonstrate their suitability, financial stability, and technical expertise. The tender documents, including annexes and specifications, provide detailed information on the requirements and selection criteria. The deadline for submitting tenders is May 26, 2025. Potential bidders should carefully review all documents and Q&A to ensure their proposals meet the specified requirements. A new Financial offer form (Annex 6) was published on May 15, 2025, and a revised Declaration on honour (Annex 2) was published on April 9, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include organizations capable of providing services in evaluation, impact assessment, and monitoring. This likely encompasses a range of entities such as consulting firms, research institutes, universities, and other organizations with expertise in health and food policy analysis. The tender specifications documents should be consulted for precise eligibility criteria.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a framework agreement with reopening of competition. This means that multiple contractors may be selected to a framework agreement, and specific service contracts will be awarded through mini-competitions among the framework contractors.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity is open to both single applicants and consortia. The tender specifications documents should be consulted for precise requirements.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated in the provided text, but a question and answer section indicates that participation is open on equal terms to all nations. The tender specifications documents should be consulted for precise eligibility criteria. A UK entity can access this call for tenders as Consortium Partner.

Target Sector: The target sector is services in the areas of evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring of implementation, and other related services in relation to health and food policies. This includes the "Better regulation agenda" of the European Commission.

Mentioned Countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom are explicitly mentioned in the opportunity details. The EU is also implicitly mentioned as the governing body.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly stated, but it is implied that the services required are related to the implementation and monitoring phases of health and food policies. Therefore, the expected maturity is likely validation, demonstration, commercialization, or scale-up.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 30,000,000 EUR. Individual service contracts awarded under the framework agreement may vary in value. Case study A and B have a budget of 200,000 EUR each.

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered under the framework contract.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there are multiple stages, including: submission of a tender, evaluation of the tender, selection of framework contractors, and subsequent mini-competitions for specific service contracts.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders EC-SANTE/2025/OP/0006 issued by the European Commission, DG SANTE Health and Food Safety, for the provision of services in the areas of evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring of implementation, and other related services in relation to health and food policies. The procedure type is an open procedure with electronic submission. The estimated total value is 30,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is best price-quality ratio, and the contract will be a framework agreement with reopening of competition. The TED publication date was 26/03/2025, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 26/05/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 16/05/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels.

The call for tenders involves the establishment of a framework agreement under which contractors will provide services related to the "Better regulation agenda" of the European Commission in the areas of health and food policies. These services include evaluation, impact assessment, monitoring, and other related activities. The selected contractors will then compete for specific service contracts through mini-competitions.

To participate, tenderers must meet certain selection criteria related to their suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. The tender documents provide further details on these criteria.

The tender process involves several key milestones, including the TED publication date, the date and time of the public opening, and the deadline for receipt of tenders. Tenderers must submit their proposals electronically by the specified deadline.

The call for tenders is open to a wide range of organizations, including consulting firms, research institutes, universities, and other entities with expertise in health and food policy analysis. Participation is open on equal terms to all nations.

The European Commission, DG SANTE, is seeking qualified contractors to support its efforts in ensuring effective and evidence-based health and food policies through this framework agreement.