Regional Maritime cooperation ‘Assistance mechanism for the European Sea basins strategies in the Atlantic, Western Mediterranean, Black and North Sea...

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has released an invitation to tender designated CINEA 2026 OP 0001 for the establishment of a Sea Basin Strategy Assistance Mechanism. This initiative aims to secure a service contract valued at approximately €7.7 million to provide technical assistance for the implementation of four specific EU sea basin strategies, namely the Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Western Mediterranean, and North Sea. The services expected include expertise related to the blue economy, maritime spatial planning, smart specialization partnerships, support for coastal communities, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and logistical support for public authorities and committees. Eligible applicants include organizations capable of delivering significant technical assistance services; this may encompass consulting firms, research institutions, and possibly larger enterprises, while SMEs are less likely to be competitive given the complexity and scale of the project. The contracting authority seeks a primary contractor, but consortia are allowed, with detailed requirements specified in the tender documentation. The application process is open and will involve electronic submissions, with the deadline set for March 20, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. A public opening of tenders will occur shortly thereafter on March 23, 2026. The project is not an early-stage research initiative but rather focuses on providing ongoing operational support within established frameworks over an initial contract duration of 27 months, extendable to a total of 54 months. The selection criteria will prioritize the quality of submissions (80%) over cost considerations (20%), highlighting the importance of relevant expertise and strategic approach. All proposals must remain valid for a period of nine months following the submission. Key activities outlined in the contract include disseminating information about project outcomes, defining new project opportunities, and hosting workshops and annual events—all aimed at fostering cooperation among EU Member States and third countries. The e-Submission system will handle submissions, ensuring confidentiality, with specific technical requirements noted to support the process effectively. This tender represents a vital opportunity for organizations specializing in maritime cooperation and blue economy to engage in substantial, ongoing support for critical European policy initiatives.

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has published an invitation to tender CINEA 2026 OP 0001 for a Sea Basin Strategy Assistance Mechanism. This is a request for offer published on 20/01/2026, version 1, with no translations available. The TED reference is 13/2026 39259-2026.

The procedure identifier is CINEA/2026/OP/0001. The submission method is electronic and the call is open for submission.

The purpose of this procedure is to conclude a single contract to continue providing technical assistance services for the implementation of four EU sea basin strategies: the Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Western Mediterranean, and North Sea. The European Ocean Pact recognizes the benefit of sea basins cooperation and indicates that the EU will continue supporting it and developing tailored strategies for each European sea basin.

The service contract will support the European Commission, Member States, and third countries involved in the implementation of the agreed policy objectives and priorities through specific activities at the national and regional level, tailoring the specificities of each regional sea basin.

Activities include:

Provision of specific expertise on the blue economy

Regional work on maritime spatial planning

Support to smart specialisation partnerships

Support to coastal communities at the sea basin level

Blue skills

Capacity building

Administrative support to relevant public authorities

Stakeholder community

National hubs and thematic working tracks

Dissemination and communication activities

Partnership building and match-making

Project definition and identification of funding opportunities

Organisation of annual events and workshops

Reporting

Logistic support to the SBS Steering Committee meetings, among others.

The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value is €7,700,000. The lead contracting authority is the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The main classification (CPV) code is 73100000, which refers to research and experimental development services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 52 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement.

Key milestones include:

TED publication date:20/01/2026

Date and time of public opening:23/03/2026 12:00 Europe/Brussels

Deadline for receipt of tenders:20/03/2026 17:00 Europe/Brussels

Deadline after which the Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions:13/03/2026 05:59 Europe/Brussels

The following documents are available for download:

Invitation to tender CINEA 2026 OP 0001 Sea Basin Strategy Assistance Mechanism (Invitation to tender / request for offer)

ENTS SBS AM 2026 (Tender specifications)

Annex 1 List of documents - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Tender specifications - adm. part)

Annex 2 Declaration-honour- CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Declaration on honour (tender))

Annex 2.1-Technical Professional capacity - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Tender specifications - adm. part)

Annex 3 Agreement - Power of attorney - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Tender specifications - adm. part)

Annex 4 List of subcontractors - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Tender specifications - adm. part)

Annex 5.1 Commitment letter Identified subctr - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Tender specifications - adm. part)

Annex 5.2 Commitment letter Third party - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Tender specifications - adm. part)

Annex 6 - Financial tender - DELIVERABLES - CINEA 2026 OP 0001 (Financial offer form)

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission at the address provided.

Regarding the eSubmission system, the following information is provided:

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The maximum number of documents allowed per tender is 200 files.

This tender is for providing technical assistance to support the implementation of EU sea basin strategies in the Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Western Mediterranean, and North Sea. The European Commission seeks a contractor to provide expertise and support for various activities, including blue economy initiatives, maritime spatial planning, stakeholder engagement, and project development. The contract aims to facilitate cooperation among Member States and third countries in these sea basins to achieve agreed policy objectives. The tender is open to all eligible organizations, and the award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Interested parties should submit their tenders electronically by the specified deadline, ensuring they meet all technical and administrative requirements.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely open to organizations, companies, research institutions, and other entities capable of providing technical assistance services. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, research institutes, consulting firms, and public-private partnerships with relevant expertise.

Funding Type:The funding type is a service contract, which falls under procurement.

Consortium Requirement:The description indicates that this procedure is to conclude one single contract, suggesting that a single applicant or a consortium can apply. The documentation includes annexes related to subcontractors, implying that consortia are permissible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is likely focused on entities within the EU, but may also include entities from third countries involved in the implementation of the EU sea basin strategies. The strategies mentioned are for the Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Western Mediterranean, and North Sea, implying that entities from countries bordering these sea basins are particularly relevant.

Target Sector:The target sector is regional maritime cooperation, specifically focusing on the implementation of EU sea basin strategies. This includes the blue economy, maritime spatial planning, smart specialisation partnerships, coastal communities, blue skills, capacity building, and related areas. The CPV code 73100000 indicates a focus on Research and experimental development services.

Mentioned Countries:The opportunity mentions regions rather than specific countries: Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Western Mediterranean, and North Sea.

Project Stage:The project stage is implementation and continuation of existing technical assistance services. It is not focused on early-stage research or development, but rather on providing support for the execution of established strategies.

Funding Amount:The estimated total value of the contract is €7,700,000.

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 services.

Application Stages:The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it is likely a multi-stage process involving submission of a tender, evaluation, and contract award.

Success Rates:The success rates are not mentioned.

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

Summary:

This is an invitation to tender, CINEA 2026 OP 0001, for a Sea Basin Strategy Assistance Mechanism. The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) is the lead contracting authority. The tender aims to establish a service contract to provide technical assistance for the implementation of four EU sea basin strategies: the Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea, Western Mediterranean, and North Sea. The contract has an estimated total value of €7,700,000 and a maximum duration of 52 months.

The selected contractor will support the European Commission, Member States, and third countries in achieving the policy objectives and priorities of these sea basin strategies. This support will involve activities at the national and regional levels, tailored to the specific needs of each sea basin. Key activities include providing expertise on the blue economy, maritime spatial planning, supporting smart specialisation partnerships, assisting coastal communities, developing blue skills, capacity building, administrative support to public authorities, engaging with stakeholders, supporting national hubs and thematic working tracks, dissemination and communication, partnership building, match-making, project definition, identifying funding opportunities, organizing events and workshops, reporting, and providing logistical support to SBS Steering Committee meetings.

The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The TED publication date was 20/01/2026, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 20/03/2026 at 17:00 Europe/Brussels. The date and time of the public opening is 23/03/2026 at 12:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 13/03/2026 at 05:59 Europe/Brussels.

The tender documentation includes the invitation to tender, tender specifications, a list of documents, declaration on honour, information on technical and professional capacity, agreement and power of attorney forms, a list of subcontractors, commitment letters for subcontractors and third parties, and a financial offer form.

The eSubmission system supports various file types and has specific requirements for attachment sizes and naming conventions. The system is multilingual, supporting all 24 official EU languages, and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information. The maximum number of documents allowed per tender submission is 200 files, and each file should be less than 50 MB in size. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation.