Quality assurance in formal continuing vocational education and training (CVET)

This opportunity is a call for tenders from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) under the identifier CEDEFOP/2025/OP/0005. The project focuses on researching quality assurance mechanisms in formal continuing vocational education and training (CVET) across 12 selected EU countries. The estimated total value of the contract is €350,000, and the contract duration is set for a maximum of 24 months.

Eligible applicants include private companies, research institutions, and consulting firms capable of delivering evidence-based research and analysis. The procurement type is classified as a service contract under EU public procurement rules. It is an open call procedure with a submission deadline of June 20, 2025.

The project stages involve open submission, followed by evaluation based on predefined criteria, which emphasizes quality (70%) over cost (30%). The application process is considered competitive, and default success rates generally range between 10 to 39%. There is no co-funding requirement, and submissions must be made electronically through the designated submission address.

As part of the requirements, applicants must demonstrate their professional capabilities, economic and financial standing, and technical abilities. Field research will entail conducting at least 264 one-on-one interviews in the designated countries. The aim is to provide new insights into quality assurance practices within the specified CVET systems.

Overall, this is a significant research contract that seeks to deepen the understanding of existing quality assurance frameworks and methodologies in vocational education across the EU, thus supporting the development of effective educational policies and practices.

This is a call for tenders with procedure identifier CEDEFOP/2025/OP/0005. It is an open procedure and submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission method is electronic. The TED reference is 91/2025 305560-2025.

The aim of this framework contract is to provide new evidence that will deepen the understanding of quality assurance approaches and mechanisms in formal Continuing Vocational Education and Training (CVET) in 12 selected EU countries.

The estimated total value of the contract is 350,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 13/05/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, CEDEFOP. The main classification (CPV) code is 73000000, which refers to research and development services and related consultancy services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 24 months. The award method is the best price-quality ratio. It is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

The selection criteria include:
Suitability to pursue the professional activity (consult the procurement documents).
Economic and financial standing (consult the procurement documents).
Technical and professional ability (consult the procurement documents).

Key milestones include:
TED publication date: 13/05/2025
Date and time of public opening: 24/06/2025 12:00 Europe/Athens
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 20/06/2025 15:59 Europe/Athens
Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after: 11/06/2025 04:00 Europe/Athens

The following documents are available for download:
EN1. Invitation-to-tender Invitation letter, published on 13/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN2. Tender specifications QA in CVET Tender specifications, published on 13/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN Annexes to the Specifications Other invitation to tender document, published on 13/05/2025, Version 1, No translations available.

Two questions and answers (Q&A) have been published:
Question 65558: According to the tender specifications, field research in the 12 selected countries should involve "at least 264 interviews." Is the number of interviews referring to one-on-one interviews or does it also include focus groups participants?
Answer: Yes, the 264 interviews refer to one-on-one interviews, whereas focus groups participants are not included in this number. As per point 2.7 of the Tender Specifications: "The contra... Published on 27/05/2025 20:32

Question 65557: According to the tender specifications, most experts need to have authored publications. It is explained that “accepted publicat...
Answer: Yes, if the expert has been involved in reports commissioned and published by the European Commission (or similar bodies) and his/her contribution has been acknowledged in the report. Published on 27/05/2025 20:30

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In summary, this is a call for tenders from CEDEFOP seeking a contractor to provide research and analysis on quality assurance in vocational education and training across 12 EU countries. The project aims to deepen the understanding of existing quality assurance mechanisms. The total estimated budget is 350,000 EUR, and the contract duration is 24 months. The deadline for submitting tenders is 20 June 2025. The tender will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio. Applicants must meet specific selection criteria related to their professional, economic, financial, and technical capabilities. Field research will involve at least 264 one-on-one interviews across the selected countries. Experts involved should ideally have authored publications, including contributions to reports published by the European Commission or similar bodies.

Eligible Applicant Types: The tender specifications and selection criteria mention "Suitability to pursue the professional activity," "Economic and financial standing," and "Technical and professional ability," suggesting that eligible applicants could include companies, research institutions, consulting firms, or other organizations with the relevant expertise and capacity in vocational education and training and research. The specific types are not explicitly defined and should be consulted in the procurement documents.

Funding Type: Procurement. This is indicated by the terms "invitation-to-tender," "tender specifications," "call for tenders," and "framework contract."

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the nature of the project involving research and data collection in multiple countries, a consortium with expertise in different national contexts might be advantageous. The tender documents should be consulted for definitive information.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The description mentions that the framework contract aims to deepen the understanding of quality assurance approaches and mechanisms in formal CVET in 12 selected EU countries. While the specific countries are not listed, the geographic scope is clearly within the European Union.

Target Sector: Education, specifically vocational education and training (VET), and quality assurance. The tender focuses on "Quality assurance in formal continuing vocational education and training (CVET)."

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions that the research will be conducted in 12 selected EU countries. However, the specific countries are not named in the provided text.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on research and development, specifically to "provide new evidence that will deepen the understanding of quality assurance approaches and mechanisms in formal CVET." This suggests a research or development stage, potentially leading to validation or demonstration of best practices.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the framework contract is 350,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open call. The procedure type is explicitly stated as an "Open procedure."

Nature of Support: Money. The selected contractor will receive financial compensation for the services provided under the framework contract.

Application Stages: The application process involves at least one stage, submission of a tender, and evaluation based on selection criteria. The exact number of stages may be detailed in the procurement documents.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). The project aims to gather new evidence and deepen the understanding of quality assurance approaches and mechanisms within formal continuing vocational education and training (CVET) systems across 12 selected EU countries. The procedure is an open call, meaning any eligible organization can submit a tender. The estimated total value of the framework contract is 350,000 EUR. The selected contractor will conduct field research, including at least 264 one-on-one interviews, and produce reports based on their findings. The contract duration is a maximum of 24 months. The deadline for submitting tenders is June 20, 2025. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio. Applicants must demonstrate their suitability to pursue the professional activity, their economic and financial standing, and their technical and professional ability. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after June 11, 2025. The tender specifications require that most experts involved have authored publications, including reports commissioned and published by the European Commission or similar bodies.