Risk Assessment study to support the implementation of Regulation 1143/214 on invasive alien species

The European Commission DG Environment (tender EC-ENV/2026/OP/0012) is procuring services to prepare and peer-review regulation-compliant risk assessments and risk management notes to support implementation of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on invasive alien species. The contract has an estimated total budget of €850,000 (initial 12-month allocation €283,333) and covers revision of up to 10 existing assessments, development of a shortlist and at least six new risk assessments with accompanying management notes, and a two-day quality assurance workshop. Eligible economic operators must demonstrate substantial technical capacity in invasion biology, multilingual reporting and project experience meeting specified financial and reference thresholds, and bids will be evaluated on a 50/50 price-quality basis with a minimum quality threshold of 65/100. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 22 April 2026, 16:00 Europe/Brussels.

What it buys

Scope in one line

Provision of scientific risk assessments and accompanying risk management notes for priority invasive alien species to support updates to the Union list under Regulation (EU) 1143/2014; includes revision of up to 10 existing assessments, prioritisation of species and organisation of a quality-assurance workshop.

Estimated budget:Maximum total contract value €850,000; initial 12-month allocation €283,333; contract renewable up to 36 months (two 12-month renewals).

Who can apply

Open procedure for economic operators (consultancies, research organisations, consortia). Tenderers must register in the Participant Register and use the eSubmission system (PIC required). The contracting authority is the European Commission, DG Environment (ENV).

Key contract features

1. 1Service contract, nature: services (environmental services CPV 90700000).
2. 2Award method: best price-quality ratio; quality and price weighted in evaluation.
3. 3Deliverables include at least 6 new peer-reviewed risk assessments, risk management notes, up to 10 revised assessments and a two-day quality workshop.

Important dates

Deadline for receipt of tenders:22 April 2026 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 23 April 2026 10:30 Europe/Brussels. (Contract documents published 17 March 2026.)

How to apply:Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission; tenderers must be registered (PIC) and follow the tender specifications and annexes available on the portal Tender page ¹.

Quick checklist for applicants

1. 1Register organisation in Participant Register and obtain PIC.
2. 2Prepare technical offer demonstrating relevant invasive species risk assessment experience and proposed team (project manager and experts).
3. 3Submit technical and financial tenders via eSubmission before the stated deadline and attach required declarations and evidence.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents, invitation letter, tender specifications and draft contract are on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page Tender page.

DG Environment of the European Commission is procuring specialised services to draft and revise risk assessments and associated risk management notes that underpin decisions to add species to the Union list under Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on invasive alien species. The contract will deliver peer-reviewed, regulation-compliant risk assessments and evidence-based risk management notes for priority species across terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments, and conduct a quality assurance workshop to ensure methodological consistency.

Contracting authority and procedure:European Commission, DG ENV – Environment; Procedure type: Open procedure; Nature of contract: Services; CPV: 90700000 Environmental services; Award method: Best price-quality ratio; Submission method: Electronic via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal Funding & Tenders Portal listing ¹.

Key dates and value:Estimated total value: €850,000 (excl. VAT). Contract duration: initial 12 months, renewable twice to a maximum of 36 months on identical terms. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 22/04/2026, 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 23/04/2026, 10:30 Europe/Brussels. TED publication date: 17/03/2026. Questions deadline: the contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 14/04/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels.

Technical scope and tasks

Purpose:To produce robust, regulation-compliant risk assessments and risk management notes that support Commission proposals to list invasive alien species (IAS) of Union concern under Regulation (EU) 1143/2014. The contractor will strictly align to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/968 on the content and format of IAS risk assessments and integrate peer review.

• Task 1 – Revise risk assessments: Revise up to 10 risk assessments in response to Scientific Forum checks and stakeholder evidence, ensuring compliance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/968.
• Task 2 – Develop the list of species to be risk assessed: Produce an initial longlist and a prioritised shortlist of at least 6 species (from a list of at least 10 candidates) for new risk assessments, based inter alia on the 2025 IAS horizon scanning outcomes, existing literature and expert judgement, while avoiding duplication with ongoing assessments.
• Task 3 – Prepare risk assessments: Develop at least 6 full, peer-reviewed risk assessments using the Commission template (adjustments allowed only with prior Commission approval). Risk assessments must precisely meet Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/968 requirements, including simultaneous submission of drafts to both the Commission and peer reviewers.
• Task 4 – Prepare risk management notes: Draft peer-reviewed notes on risk management to accompany each shortlisted species, including information on prevention and management techniques, their effectiveness, costs and cost-effectiveness, and preliminary implementation costs for Member States, plus full bibliographies. Use the Commission template; any adaptation requires prior approval.
• Task 5 – Quality assurance workshop: Organise a two-day workshop around month 10 post-signature with authors to streamline revisions and ensure methodological consistency across risk assessments and management notes. The contractor covers participant costs and delivers workshop minutes within two weeks.

Inputs, deliverables and timing:The Commission will provide relevant previous studies, horizon scanning outputs (including 2025 results), and facilitate Member State contact identification. All reports are in English; texts, tables and figures must meet publication standards. Key meetings and reports include: a kick-off in Brussels within two weeks of signature with minutes; an inception report one month after kick-off including any proposed template changes and the draft list of species to be risk assessed; an interim report seven months after kick-off with drafts of all new risk assessments and risk management notes and up to 10 revised risk assessments, after which a 40% interim payment may be claimed; quality assurance workshop around month 10; and the final study report 12 months after signature with annexed sets of updated and peer-reviewed documents and any approved template revisions. Final deliverables must be provided as a consolidated publication-ready PDF for the Publications Office and as separate annex files for each risk assessment and management note. Graphic and identity rules per the European Commission Visual Identity Manual apply.

Eligibility, participation and selection

Who may participate:Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons and international organisations within the scope of the EU Treaties, entities in countries covered by the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, and third countries eligible under the LIFE Programme (pending association agreements apply if in force at award). Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are excluded. Tenders may be submitted by a single economic operator or a joint tender (consortium with or without legal form). Subcontracting is allowed, including reliance on third-party capacities, subject to documented commitments and the rules below.

Registration and submission:All tenderers and each consortium member must register in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC (9-digit Participant Identification Code) before using eSubmission. Tenders must be submitted exclusively via eSubmission by the deadline; late tenders are rejected. Variants are not allowed. Only the latest submission is considered if multiple are submitted by the same tenderer prior to the deadline. Tender validity and all communications follow the Invitation Letter and the Funding & Tenders Portal guidance.

Exclusion criteria and declarations:Each tenderer (and each group member in case of a joint tender) must submit a signed Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (Annex 2). Evidence may be requested at any point and will be required from the presumed winner prior to award. All involved entities must not be subject to restrictive measures and must avoid professional conflicting interests.

Economic and financial capacity:Minimum average annual turnover over the last two closed financial years: above €560,000. Evidence: profit and loss accounts and balance sheets (or bank statements if not available) for the last two closed years; most recent year must be closed within the last 18 months. Consolidated assessment applies across involved entities contributing to this criterion.

Technical and professional capacity (tenderer-level):The combined capacities of all involved entities must demonstrate recent, relevant experience, with client statements confirming execution according to contractual terms:

• Criterion A1 – Invasion biology and peer-reviewed risk assessments: References for 3 projects in the last 10 years, each ≥ €100,000, covering at least three of the following: species description and taxonomy, distribution and spread dynamics, pathway assessment; risk of introduction, establishment and spread under current and foreseeable climate change; assessment of adverse impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, human health/safety and economy; assessment of damage costs; assessment of uses/benefits and potential future spread, range and impacts considering climate scenarios.
• Criterion A2 – IAS management information: References for 3 projects in the last 10 years, each ≥ €50,000, covering assessment of species and pathway management techniques, their effectiveness, costs and cost-effectiveness.
• Criterion A3 – Capacity to work in EU official languages: References for 2 projects in the last 10 years showing work capacity in three EU official languages including at least English, plus knowledge of French or German.
• Criterion A4 – Capacity to draft in English: Provide one 10+ page document (report/study) authored and delivered to a client within the last two years; verification may be performed on 5 pages.
• Criterion A5 – International reach: References for 3 projects in the last 10 years evidencing work in international projects/groups across 5 EU countries.

Technical and professional capacity (team profiles):Provide CVs and evidence meeting at least the following minimum profiles:

• Project Manager: ≥ 10 years of project management; oversight of delivery, quality control, client orientation and conflict resolution; experience with projects of similar size (≥ €200,000) and coverage (≥ 3 countries) and teams of ≥ 5 people.
• Language capabilities: at least 3 team members with minimum C1 level in English, French, German and Spanish (combination across individuals acceptable); evidence via certificates or relevant past experience.
• Experts in invasive biology: relevant higher education and ≥ 10 years’ professional experience in IAS and invasion biology, including risk assessment and management; collectively cover marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, with proven taxa-wide biological and ecological expertise.

Evaluation and award

Only tenders compliant with all minimum requirements will be evaluated. Tenders must reach at least 65/100 technical points and meet sub-criterion thresholds to be retained for financial comparison. The contract is awarded to the economically most advantageous tender based on best price-quality ratio (price 50%, quality 50%). The price-quality ratio is computed as total price divided by total quality points; the lowest ratio ranks first. Ties are broken by higher quality score, then by the next qualitative criterion in order.

Financial and contractual terms

• Maximum budget: €850,000 excluding VAT, inclusive of fees, travel and subsistence, and all other costs; travel and subsistence are part of the lump sum and not reimbursed separately.
• Initial 12-month budget envelope: €283,333.
• Within three years following signature, the contracting authority may award, via negotiated procedure, new services up to 50% of the initial contract value, consisting in repetition of similar services.
• Payments: no pre-financing; interim payment of 40% after approval of the interim report; balance after approval of final report and required lists. Standard 60-day payment period after invoice receipt via the electronic exchange system.
• Intellectual property: the Union acquires ownership of the results and exclusive exploitation rights as specified in the contract; pre-existing rights are licensed royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable to the Union for all exploitation modes described.
• Security and data: comply with EC security requirements and applicable data protection; no access to EU classified information is foreseen; communications under implementation may be via the Funding & Tenders Portal electronic exchange system.
• Language: all reports in English; final publication-ready outputs must comply with Commission publishing and visual identity requirements.

Submission package and templates

Tenders are submitted via eSubmission. The package must include:a complete technical offer covering all minimum requirements and quality criteria; a financial offer using Annex 6 Financial tender form; administrative documents and signed forms as per Annex 1 checklist.

• Annex 1: List of documents to submit with the tender or during the procedure.
• Annex 2: Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria.
• Annex 3: Agreement/Power of attorney for joint tenders.
• Annex 4: List of identified subcontractors and proportion of subcontracting.
• Annex 5.1: Commitment letter by an identified subcontractor.
• Annex 5.2: Commitment letter by an entity on whose capacities is being relied (not subcontractor).
• Annex 6: Financial tender form with price and estimated budget breakdown.
• Annex 7: Travel and subsistence cost ceilings (informative; not reimbursed separately in this contract).
• Annex 8: Administrative Information Form.
• Annex 9: Content, structure and graphic requirements for final deliverables.

Categorisation and structured information

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible as economic operators in EU procurement:SME, large enterprise, university, research institute, nonprofit, NGO, international organisation, public or private consulting and expert firms, consortia of the above. Individuals can participate only if they qualify as economic operators able to contract and meet criteria. Subcontractors and capacity-providing entities are permitted under documented commitments.

Funding Type

Procurement service contract. The contractor is paid for deliverables and services rendered under the contract; no grant, subsidy, or co-financing.

Consortium Requirement

A single applicant or a consortium (joint tender with or without legal form) may apply. Consortia must appoint a group leader and sign an Agreement/Power of Attorney. Subcontracting and reliance on third-party capacities are allowed per tender rules.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Open to entities within the EU and those covered by the WTO GPA; also open to third countries eligible under the LIFE Programme, subject to applicable association agreements at the time of award. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are excluded.

Target Sector

Environment, biodiversity, invasive alien species (IAS), policy and regulatory support, risk analysis and management, climate change considerations across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.

Mentioned Countries

Belgium (Brussels, address of DG ENV). Regional scope is the European Union and Member States.

Project Stage

Implementation of expert services:development, validation and peer review of scientific-technical risk assessments and risk management notes to inform regulatory decision-making. It includes consolidation, quality assurance and publication-ready finalisation.

Funding Amount

Estimated total value €850,000 excluding VAT; initial 12-month phase indicative budget €283,333; potential negotiated follow-on up to 50% of initial value within 3 years for similar services.

Application Type

Open call for tenders with electronic submission via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal. No variants allowed. Public opening of tenders as scheduled.

Nature of Support

Money. Payments for services delivered under interim and final milestones in accordance with the contract.

Application Stages

Single-stage submission and evaluation under an open procedure, comprising administrative compliance, exclusion and selection checks, technical quality evaluation, and financial comparison.

Success Rates

Not specified in the procurement documents.

Co-funding Requirement

No co-funding. This is a service contract; the contractor proposes a total fixed price covering all costs (including travel and subsistence).

Science, technology and regulatory specifics

• Regulatory basis: Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on IAS; Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/968 on risk assessment content and format; Commission Implementing Regulations updating the Union list.
• Scientific Forum review: Risk assessments must withstand scrutiny for robustness, fitness for purpose, and compliance with 2018/968, including addressing stakeholder-submitted evidence.
• Methodological requirements: Multi-language evidence sourcing; quantitative and qualitative analysis of introduction pathways, establishment, spread; impact assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services, human health and economy; consideration of foreseeable climate change scenarios when assessing risk, range expansion and impacts.
• Management evidence base: Identification of prevention and management techniques, their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness; preliminary implementation costs for Member States; fully referenced bibliographies.
• Peer review: Mandatory for both risk assessments and risk management notes; drafts to be submitted to the Commission at the same time as to peer reviewers.
• Templates: Use Commission templates for risk assessments and risk management notes; changes only with prior Commission approval to better reflect applicable provisions.
• Quality assurance: Two-day expert workshop to align revisions and ensure cross-document consistency; language quality checks; continuity plans.

How to apply

1. 1Obtain a PIC by registering your organisation in the Participant Register; ensure SME status and legal data are accurate.
2. 2Download the procurement documents: Invitation Letter, Tender Specifications, Draft Contract from the Funding & Tenders Portal listing.
3. 3Prepare the technical offer covering all tasks, methodology, organisation and quality controls, and address each award sub-criterion explicitly.
4. 4Complete the financial offer using Annex 6 Financial tender form; quote in EUR, exclusive of all duties and taxes (including VAT).
5. 5Compile administrative forms and evidence: Declarations on Honour (Annex 2) for all relevant entities; Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3); subcontractor list and commitments (Annex 4 and Annex 5.1, as applicable); capacity reliance commitments (Annex 5.2, as applicable); Administrative Information Form (Annex 8); legal capacity evidence; economic and financial capacity documentation; technical references and CVs.
6. 6Submit via eSubmission on the Funding & Tenders Portal before 22/04/2026, 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Late tenders are rejected.
7. 7Optional: Request attendance to the virtual public opening by emailing env-tenders@ec.europa.eu no later than three hours before the session start, including required details.

Contact and additional information

Technical matters during implementation:ENV-IAS-CONTRACT@ec.europa.eu; Administrative matters: ENV-PROC-INITIATION@ec.europa.eu. Contracting authority address: European Commission, DG ENV, Avenue d'Auderghem 19, BRE2 10/DCS, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium.

Summary: What this opportunity is about and how to explain it

This open tender from the European Commission’s DG Environment purchases expert scientific and policy-support services to develop and refine the evidence base needed to prevent and manage invasive alien species across the EU. The contractor will compile peer-reviewed, regulation-compliant risk assessments for at least six priority species and produce corresponding risk management notes detailing effective and cost-effective measures and indicative implementation costs. The work also includes revising up to 10 existing risk assessments following expert and stakeholder scrutiny, selecting and prioritising species to be assessed based on the latest EU horizon scanning and other sources, and running a two-day quality assurance workshop to ensure consistent, high-quality outputs. Eligible suppliers include research-performing institutions, specialised consultancies, NGOs and other expert organisations within EU procurement eligibility. Bidders must demonstrate strong track records in invasion biology, IAS risk assessment and management, multilingual evidence gathering, and the ability to deliver coordinated, publication-ready outputs under tight timelines. The award is based on best price-quality ratio with detailed methodological, organisational and quality-control criteria. The contract is valued at up to €850,000 over a maximum of 36 months, with an initial 12-month implementation that culminates in publication-ready deliverables to support updated listings of species of Union concern under Regulation (EU) 1143/2014.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call page and documents: Funding & Tenders Portal listing for EC-ENV/2026/OP/0012, including Invitation Letter, Tender Specifications, and Draft Contract.

Opportunity Overview

The European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, is launching an open call for tenders to conduct risk assessments supporting the implementation of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on invasive alien species. This contract will develop risk assessments for priority species to support decision-making on the Union list of invasive alien species of concern, which is a legal requirement under the regulation.

Tender Reference:EC-ENV/2026/OP/0012

Key Financial and Temporal Information

Total Budget:€850,000 (eight hundred and fifty thousand euro) including all fees, travel and subsistence expenses, excluding VAT

Initial Contract Duration:12 months with a maximum budget allocation of €283,333. The contract is renewable twice for 12 months each, up to a maximum total duration of 36 months on identical terms.

Submission Deadline:22 April 2026 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the electronic submission system (eSubmission) available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Tender Opening:23 April 2026 at 10:30 Europe/Brussels. A maximum of two representatives per tender may attend the virtual opening session.

Questions Deadline:14 April 2026 at 23:59 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after this deadline.

Regulatory Context

Invasive alien species (IAS) represent one of the major threats to EU biodiversity. Regulation (EU) 1143/2014, which entered into force in 2015, establishes a framework for preventing and managing the introduction and spread of invasive alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats, species, human health and the economy. The regulation requires the development of a Union list of invasive alien species of concern based on scientifically robust risk assessments, with the current list comprising 114 species (66 total as of the latest update: 30 animal species and 36 plant species).

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The contract comprises five main tasks that must be completed in coordination with the European Commission.

Task 1: Revision of Risk Assessments:The contractor shall revise up to 10 existing risk assessments at the request of the Commission. This task is independent of other tasks and may run in parallel. Revisions are necessary when risk assessments are submitted for inclusion on the Union list and require refinement following review by the Scientific Forum or stakeholder feedback.

Task 2: Development of Species List for Risk Assessment:The contractor shall develop a list of at least 10 species to be risk assessed in cooperation with the Commission. Prioritisation shall be based on the 2025 horizon scanning study, available literature, and expert judgement. Priority shall be given to species in early invasion stages or not yet present in the EU that could seriously threaten biodiversity or ecosystem services. Species already present but with significant impacts may also be prioritised. The contractor shall only proceed to Task 3 after Commission approval of 6 shortlisted species.

Task 3: Preparation of Risk Assessments:The contractor shall develop risk assessments for at least 6 species using the available Commission template. Template adjustments are possible only with prior Commission approval. Risk assessments must precisely meet requirements laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/968 and include mandatory peer review. Draft risk assessments shall be submitted to the Commission simultaneously with submission to peer reviewers.

Task 4: Preparation of Risk Management Notes:For each shortlisted species, the contractor shall prepare notes on risk management to support decision-making on whether species meet listing criteria. These notes shall provide referenced information on existing prevention and management techniques and their effectiveness, costs of such techniques with preliminary implementation cost estimates for Member States, cost-effectiveness analysis, and complete bibliographic lists. Peer review is required, and template adjustments require prior Commission approval.

Task 5: Quality Assurance Workshop:After submission of peer-reviewed risk assessments and risk management notes, the contractor shall organise a two-day workshop with risk assessment authors to streamline revisions and ensure quality and consistency. The contractor covers all participant costs. The workshop shall occur around month 10 after contract signature at a location and date agreed with the Commission, though online meetings are possible if appropriate. Workshop minutes shall be submitted to the Commission within two weeks.

Intermediate and Final Deliverables

Deliverables shall be submitted according to a structured timeline with multiple review points to ensure quality.

• Revisions of up to 10 risk assessments as requested by Commission within agreed timelines
• List of at least 10 species for discussion at kick-off meeting
• Kick-off meeting in Brussels within 2 weeks of contract signature to discuss detailed work plans and timetables
• Inception report 1 month after kick-off meeting, including template changes and draft species list
• Draft risk assessments (before peer review) within 7 months of contract signature
• Draft risk management notes (before peer review) within 9 months of contract signature
• Interim report at 7 months after kick-off meeting with drafts and enabling 40 percent interim payment claim
• Quality assurance workshop minutes within 2 weeks of workshop
• Final study report 12 months after contract signature describing work completed, workshop outcomes and any difficulties
• Final deliverables including up to 10 updated risk assessments, at least 6 peer-reviewed risk assessments, at least 6 peer-reviewed risk management notes, and revised template if agreed

All final deliverables shall be provided in electronic format (Word and PDF files using Microsoft 365 compatible formats) in two versions: a single document with annexes ready for Commission publication, and separate standalone documents for each risk assessment and management note. Content must be professional, factually accurate, clearly presented with proper structure and graphic requirements compliant with European Commission visual identity guidelines.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who Can Apply

This is an open procedure available to natural and legal persons from EU Member States, third countries with special agreements with the EU on public procurement, and countries that have ratified the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Government Procurement. Associated countries to the LIFE programme are also eligible. Participation is open on equal terms to all economic operators established within the scope of the EU Treaties.

Economic and Financial Capacity:Average yearly turnover of the last two financial years must exceed €560,000. Applicants must provide copies of profit and loss accounts and balance sheets for the last two closed years or appropriate bank statements. The most recent year must have been closed within 18 months.

Technical and Professional Capacity - Organisational Level:Applicants must demonstrate experience in invasion biology and drafting peer-reviewed risk assessments for species of any taxonomic group in terrestrial, freshwater or marine environments. Evidence must cover at least three of the following: species description with taxonomic identity and distribution; assessment of introduction and establishment risk under current and future climate conditions; assessment of adverse impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, human health and economy; assessment of damage costs; assessment of known uses and benefits; and assessment of future spread and impacts. Applicants must provide 3 project references from the last 10 years with minimum value of €100,000 each. Applicants must also demonstrate experience in collecting, assessing and presenting information on invasive alien species management including management technique effectiveness, costs and cost-effectiveness analysis, with 3 references of minimum €50,000 each. Capacity to work in three EU official languages including English, with French or German knowledge necessary, must be evidenced through 2 project references. Capacity to draft reports in English must be proven through submission of one document of at least 10 pages published or delivered in the last 2 years (5 pages will be reviewed). Capacity to work on international projects across 5 EU countries must be evidenced through 3 project references covering required geographic scope.

Technical and Professional Capacity - Team Requirements:The team must include a Project Manager with at least 10 years experience in project management including overseeing project delivery, quality control, client orientation and conflict resolution on projects of at least €200,000 value covering at least 3 countries with experience managing teams of at least 5 people (evidenced by CV). At least 3 team members must have minimum C1 level in Common European Framework for Reference for Languages in English, French, German and Spanish (evidenced by language certificates or relevant professional experience). Experts in invasive biology must have relevant higher education and at least 10 years professional experience in invasive alien species and invasion biology including risk assessments and risk management. Collectively, experts must be familiar with marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems with proven expertise in species biology and ecology across taxonomic groups (evidenced by CVs).

Legal Capacity:Applicants must prove legal capacity to perform the contract through proof of enrolment in a relevant trade or professional register or proof of authorisation to perform the contract in their country of establishment.

Exclusion and Ineligibility Grounds

Applicants are automatically excluded if they or any related person are subject to EU restrictive measures, in bankruptcy, convicted of fraud or corruption, or have committed grave professional misconduct. Applicants must be under no conflict of interest or professional conflicting interest situations. Applicants must not be subject to EU sanctions consisting of prohibitions on making available or transferring funds or economic resources or providing financing to them. All involved entities including identified subcontractors and entities on whose capacities reliance is placed must meet these exclusion criteria. The contracting authority will verify exclusion status through the European Union Early Detection and Exclusion System and may request supporting evidence at any time.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

Award Method:Best price-quality ratio (50 percent price / 50 percent quality weighting)

Quality Evaluation (100 points maximum):Quality of proposed methodology (50 points, minimum threshold 25 points): degree to which methodology demonstrates capacity to analyse, review and evaluate documents and figures, resolve underlying questions realistically and systematically, and suit identified needs. Sub-criteria include approach to revising risk assessments (10 points, minimum 5), approach to species prioritisation (10 points, minimum 5), approach to risk assessment preparation including data collection and language access (20 points, minimum 10), and approach to collecting evidence on risk management effectiveness and costs (10 points, minimum 5). Organisation of work and resource allocation (25 points, minimum threshold 13 points): assessment of how team roles and responsibilities are distributed and whether time and resource allocation to tasks is adequate and justified. Quality control measures (25 points, minimum threshold 13 points): assessment of quality control system for deliverable quality, language quality checks and service continuity provisions. Generic quality control systems will result in low scores.

Technical Sufficiency Threshold:Bids must achieve minimum 65 out of 100 quality points to be considered for award. Those achieving 65 or higher are deemed technically sufficient and will be ranked by price-quality ratio. The ranking formula is: total price divided by total quality points, with award going to the lowest ratio. If tenders have identical ratios, the tender with highest quality marks is deemed most economically advantageous.

Submission Requirements

Tenders must be submitted exclusively through the eSubmission electronic system accessible from the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenders submitted by email or mail will be disregarded. All economic operators must register in the European Commission Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Already-registered operators must reuse existing PICs.

Required Documentation:Technical tender addressing all specifications and award criteria with sufficient detail to score points; Financial tender using provided template expressing prices in euros and free of VAT; Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria signed by authorised representative; Evidence of legal capacity; Evidence of economic and financial capacity (profit and loss accounts and balance sheets for last two years or bank statements); Technical and professional capacity evidence including project references with client statements and CVs; Identification of any subcontractors with individual share above 20 percent or on whom capacity reliance is placed, with commitment letters; List of identified subcontractors and subcontracting proportion; Agreement or Power of Attorney for joint tenders signed by all group members; Administrative Information Form; Declaration on pre-existing intellectual property rights to be provided with final invoice.

Contract Format Requirements:Documents should be signed with qualified electronic signature (QES) preferably, or hand-written signatures if necessary. Documents must clearly identify the contract number. All submissions must comply with technical system requirements including maximum attachment size of 50 MB, accepted file types, and UTF-8 character encoding.

Payment Terms and Financial Arrangements

Interim Payment:40 percent of total contract value may be claimed upon submission of interim report with accompanying documents and interim invoices. The Commission has 60 days from invoice receipt to approve documents and make payment.

Balance Payment:Remaining balance is due upon final deliverable submission with final invoices. The Commission has 60 days from receipt to approve and pay.

Payment Suspension:The Commission may suspend payment timelines if invoices do not comply with the contract, documents or deliverables are not produced as required, or the Commission has observations on submitted materials. The contractor will be notified of suspension reasons and given timelines to provide corrections or missing information.

VAT Treatment:The European Union is exempt from VAT. Invoices must include appropriate VAT exemption statements depending on whether the transaction is treated as a local purchase (Belgium/Luxembourg or other Member State) or intra-community purchase. The contractor must complete necessary formalities with relevant authorities to ensure VAT exemption.

Late Payment Interest:Interest at the European Central Bank main refinancing rate plus 8 percentage points applies to late payments, calculated daily from day after due date until payment.

Contract Duration and Renewal

The initial contract duration is 12 months. The contract automatically renews twice for 12-month periods (total maximum 36 months) on identical terms unless either party gives formal notice of non-renewal at least 3 months before the end of each period. The contract may be terminated for convenience by either party with 3 months written notice, with neither party entitled to compensation and the contractor entitled only to payment for services provided before termination.

Intellectual Property Rights

The Union acquires irrevocable worldwide ownership of all results and newly created materials produced under the contract, including all intellectual property rights, copyright and other rights. The contractor licenses any pre-existing rights on a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable basis to the Union for all modes of exploitation set out in the contract. The contractor must provide a list of all pre-existing rights or a declaration stating there are none with the final invoice. The Union may exploit results through distribution, modification, translation, storage, archiving and any other use deemed necessary. Payment of fees includes all compensation for acquisition and licensing of rights.

Key Contacts and Further Information

Technical Issues:European Commission, Directorate-General Environment, Directorate D - Biodiversity, Unit ENV.D2 - Natural Capital and Ecosystems Health, B-1049 Brussels, Email: ENV-IAS-CONTRACT@ec.europa.eu

Administrative Issues:European Commission, Directorate-General Environment, Directorate A - General Affairs Knowledge and Resources, Unit ENV.A.4 - Finance Audit and Budget, B-1049 Brussels, Email: ENV-PROC-INITIATION@ec.europa.eu

Portal and Documents:All procurement documents, technical specifications, contract templates and submission instructions are available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal at https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/e02baab8-0319-4def-8421-0ae1f40776f5-CN. Questions may be submitted through the portal's Questions and Answers section, with responses published for all participants.

TED Reference:53/2026 182797-2026

Important Notes for Applicants

Applicants should note that this contract requires extensive expertise in invasive alien species biology, risk assessment methodology and European environmental law. The evaluation process emphasises methodological quality and team composition. Tenderers should carefully address all sub-criteria under quality evaluation to maximise scoring potential. Generic quality control descriptions will result in low scores; submissions must be specific to the tasks at hand. The Commission maintains the right to request clarifications, correct obvious clerical errors with tenderer confirmation, or suspend payments pending verification. Unsuccessful tenderers will be notified of their outcome by email to the contact address provided in their submission. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1This opportunity supports implementation of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on invasive alien species, which established the Union list of invasive alien species of concern. Risk assessments are critical tools under this regulation for evidence-based decision-making on species listing and management priorities, as species included on the Union list trigger specific prevention and management requirements across all Member States. The regulatory framework recognises that invasive alien species threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services across the EU, making scientifically robust assessments essential for effective conservation action.