Scientific socio-economic analysis and advice on discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, age, and being LGBTIQ+

The European Commission DG JUST (tender ref. EC-JUST/2026/OP/0003) is procuring scientific socio-economic analysis and evidence-based advice on discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin (including Roma), age and being LGBTIQ+, including intersectional analysis and a biennial synthesis across five grounds. The contract has an estimated maximum budget of €2,440,000, an initial duration of 24 months with one possible 24-month renewal (maximum 48 months), and requires electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 18 May 2026 at 12:00 (Brussels time). Key deliverables include annual country reports for 37 countries, annual and biennial EU-level synthesis reports, thematic reports, flash and ad hoc outputs, an expert network and a dedicated accessible website. Applicants must meet legal, economic and technical selection criteria (including minimum turnover and prior comparable project experience), comply with exclusion and data protection rules, and accept the Commission's IP and payment terms.

Opportunity snapshot

What it funds

A service contract to provide independent, policy‑relevant socio-economic evidence, monitoring and expert advice on discrimination largely focused on racial or ethnic origin (including Roma), age and being LGBTIQ+, plus intersectional analysis. Deliverables include annual country reports (37 countries), annual and biennial EU synthesis reports, thematic reports, flash reports, ad hoc expert responses, a coordinated expert network and a public website.

Indicative budget:Estimated total value €2 440 000 (maximum indicative budget €1 220 000 for two years; contract may be 24 months initial, renewable once up to 48 months).

Who can apply:Organisations, consortia or networks (universities, research institutes, consultancies, NGOs) able to mobilise multidisciplinary experts across EU Member States and enlargement countries and meet procurement exclusion and selection criteria set by the European Commission (DG JUST).

1. 1Contracting authority: European Commission, DG JUST (Directorate D Equality & Non‑Discrimination).
2. 2Procedure: Open electronic call for tenders (procedure ID EC-JUST/2026/OP/0003).
3. 3Award method: best price-quality ratio (quality weighted 70%, price 30%).
4. 4Main CPV: 73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services.

Key dates & logistics

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Documents (invitation, technical and administrative specifications, draft contract and financial form) are published on the portal.

Simple selection & award highlights

Selection requires demonstrated legal, economic/financial and technical capacities (e.g. team, recent comparable projects, editorial quality, data expertise). Award assesses methodology and organisation (quality 70%) and price (30%). Financial offer must cover unit prices for specified task volumes (flash reports, ad hoc inputs, country reports, meetings etc.).

How to apply:Register in the Participant Register (PIC) and submit a complete electronic tender via the eSubmission link in the F&T Portal in one of the EU official languages. Follow the Invitation to Tender and the Tender Specifications (parts 1 & 2) and use the financial offer template provided.

1. 1Prepare technical offer addressing methodology, templates, team and quality plan.
2. 2Complete financial offer using the provided financial form and include unit prices for variable tasks.
3. 3Provide required declarations (Declaration on Honour) and any subcontractor commitments.
4. 4Monitor Q&A on the portal and submit questions before the stated deadline.

Essential to note

The procurement is funded under the CERV programme; the award is subject to exclusion, selection and restrictive measures checks. Tenders must remain valid for 6 months. The contracting authority may require rapid delivery of flash reports and ad hoc inputs; bidders must propose unit prices for variable volumes.

Opportunity summary

This is an open call for tenders (procedure ID EC-JUST/2026/OP/0003; internal ref. JUST/2025/PR/CDAP/EQUA/0130) issued by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST), Directorate D: Equality and Non-Discrimination. The contracting authority invites tenders to provide an EU-wide, independent and rigorous scientific socio-economic evidence service and advice on discrimination, with a primary focus on discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin (with particular attention to Roma), age, and being LGBTIQ+, and their intersectional dimensions. The contractor will also produce a biennial synthesis report covering five grounds of discrimination (sex, racial or ethnic origin, disability, age and being LGBTIQ+) and will set up and coordinate a socio-economic expert network covering all EU Member States and enlargement countries.

Primary procurement type:Tender for services, main CPV 73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services.

Estimated total value:€2,440,000 (estimated total value covering the full procurement and referred to in the call documentation).

Contract duration:Initial contract 24 months with one possible renewal of 24 months (maximum total duration 48 months).

Submission method and deadlines:Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal/eSubmission system. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 18 May 2026, 12:00 (Europe/Brussels). Public opening: 19 May 2026, 14:30 (Europe/Brussels). Deadline for questions: 6 May 2026, 23:59 (Europe/Brussels). Full procurement documents are available on the Portal F&T Portal tender page ¹.

Detailed scope, tasks and deliverables

Overall objective:collect reliable, independent, rigorous scientific evidence to strengthen the Commission’s knowledge base on equality and non-discrimination policy, with main attention to discrimination on grounds of racial or ethnic origin (including Roma), age, and being LGBTIQ+, and to intersectional dimensions; produce EU-level synthesis outputs covering five grounds (sex, racial or ethnic origin, disability, age, being LGBTIQ+); set up and coordinate a socio-economic expert network of national experts across EU Member States and enlargement countries; support the use and development of equality data; and provide timely ad hoc advice and rapid flash reporting on urgent developments.

1. 1Task 1: Annual Country Reports. One per EU Member State and enlargement country (37 countries). Each report approx. 10–12 pages (single-spaced) with annexes as needed. Country Reports provide mechanisms in place, main challenges (including investment gaps), recent policy/legal/socio-economic developments, critical assessment, examples of effective or failing measures, and concrete proposals for reforms. Delivery timing: for year 1 within 4 months after signature (no later than November 2026); subsequently by mid-October each year.
2. 2Task 2: Annual EU-level Synthesis Report (focal grounds: racial/ethnic, age, LGBTIQ+). Comparative cross-country overview with facts, figures, infographics and EU-level aggregates. Delivered annually in November (first delivered within 12 months of contract signature).
3. 3Task 3: Biennial EU-level Synthesis Report (five grounds: sex, racial/ethnic origin, disability, age, being LGBTIQ+). Comparative cross-country overview including legal, policy and socio-economic analysis and a dedicated intersectional sub-chapter. Delivered every two years in November; first delivered within 5 months of contract signature (no later than Dec 2026) for initial cycle.
4. 4Task 4: Flash Reports. Rapid 1–2 page updates on urgent country developments. Estimated average volume approx. 220/year. Unit-priced in financial offer; paid per delivered flash.
5. 5Task 5: Ad hoc Expert Advice or Reports. Short targeted inputs (3–5 pages) on Commission requests. Estimated up to 300 requests/year. Standard turnaround within 7 calendar days unless agreed otherwise. Unit-priced in financial offer; paid per delivered ad hoc report.
6. 6Task 6: Annual Thematic Report. One thematic study per year (40–60 pages single-spaced) on a Commission-selected topic. Contractor to propose five possible topics and identify authors for Commission approval. Reports include an executive summary (2–3 pages) and a 1-page draft press release. First delivered within 12 months of signature.
7. 7Task 7: Annual Meeting of the Network. Organise one hybrid meeting per year (physical in Brussels + web streaming), up to 35 participants; contractor covers all costs and includes travel/accommodation flat-rate in budget. Facilitation and summary within one week after the event.
8. 8Task 8: Establishment and maintenance of a dedicated website (Europa environment) for published outputs and a restricted-access collaborative area for network experts. Website must meet accessibility rules (WCAG 2.1 AA / EN 301549) and Europa web guide requirements.
9. 9Task 9: Support in the use of equality data. Review and compile data sources (Eurostat, FRA, EIGE, Eurofound, national statistics, equality bodies, law enforcement data, NSIs), identify and streamline indicators, perform cross-country and intersectional analyses, provide gap analyses and short evaluations of data gaps and recommendations. Continuous task supporting Tasks 1–6.
10. 10Task 10: Participation in meetings and events. Provide experts for up to approx. 5 events/year (max 4 experts per event); contractor covers costs via flat-rate per event in budget.

All deliverables must be produced in English, publication-ready, include clear evidence and references, be concise and policy-relevant, and be subject to internal quality control and editorial review. Country Reports, synthesis reports and thematic reports must follow agreed templates; tenderers must propose templates and methodologies in their technical offer.

Administrative, financial and contractual features

Procedure:Open call for tenders, award method best price-quality ratio. Nature of contract: services. Estimated total contract value: €2,440,000. Maximum initial duration: 24 months with 1 renewal of 24 months (maximum 48 months). Framework features: contract may be used to procure similar services up to 50% of the initial contract value via a negotiated procedure in the following three years. Submission is electronic only via eSubmission; a Participant Register PIC and EU Login are required. Tender validity: 6 months.

Milestones and schedule highlights:Kick-off within 15 days from signature; 1st interim report and payment at 6 months; 2nd interim at 12 months; 3rd interim at 18 months; final report and payment at 24 months. Country Reports timed for Semester cycle (mid-October annually, year 1 within 4 months). Synthesis reports in November (annual/biennial schedule as above).

Eligibility, selection and exclusion

Eligible applicants:legal persons (organisations) and natural persons established in Member States, EU candidate countries listed in the technical specs and third countries as allowed under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme and international agreements (GPA, WTO GPA signatories). Joint tenders and subcontracting permitted. Participant must be registered in the Participant Register and have a PIC. The contracting authority may verify supporting evidence via EU Validation Services. Tenderers must not be in exclusion situations under Article 138 of the Financial Regulation; a Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) is required.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):Eligible applicant types include: research organisations, universities, research institutes, think-tanks, NGOs, large enterprises, SMEs, consultancies, public bodies, international organisations, legal entities and natural persons able to supply the services. Consortiums (joint tenders) are allowed and must nominate a group leader with power of attorney; all members assume joint and several liability.

Selection and award criteria (summary)

Selection:legal and regulatory capacity; economic and financial capacity (minimum average annual turnover over last two financial years: €750,000 aggregated); technical and professional capacity with detailed minimum requirements including track-record on at least two comparable projects (each min €500,000) and a team with specified profiles including a general coordinator, administrative/financial staff, communication/logistics, senior thematic experts and editorial support. Tenderers must submit CVs and project references. Exclusion declarations and evidence may be requested before award.

1. 1Award price-quality weighting: Price 30% / Quality 70% (quality subdivided into methodological approach and organisation of work).
2. 2Quality scoring: two main award sub-criteria: Methodology (max 60 points; minimum 36) and Organisation of work (max 40 points; minimum 24).
3. 3Only bids with a total score >= 70% and minimum 60% in each criterion will be considered for award.
4. 4Evaluation formula: weighted combination of cheapest price and quality score to determine best price-quality ratio.

Financial offer and pricing

The tender requires a fixed 'total price' for the contract period and a detailed financial offer using the provided Financial Offer Form (Annex 6). The tender requests unit prices for variable-volume tasks (flash reports, ad hoc requests, meetings/events) so payments are based on actual delivered units. All prices must be quoted in euros (EUR) and excluding VAT. The maximum indicative budget stated in the technical specifications is €1,220,000 for two years, while TED and contract documents list the overall estimated procurement value as €2,440,000 (the higher figure corresponds to full maximum framework value including potential renewal). The tender must ensure that the aggregate total price is fixed and not subject to revision; any discrepancy between unit price totals and the aggregate total results in the aggregate prevailing.

Submission and administrative requirements

Submission is electronic only through eSubmission (EU Funding & Tenders Portal). Required attachments include: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for involved entities; evidence for selection criteria (project references, CVs); list of identified subcontractors (Annex 4) and commitment letters for identified subcontractors (Annex 5.1) and for entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (Annex 5.2); financial tender via Annex 6. All tenders must be in an official EU language; the contracting authority publishes procurement documents in English (sole authentic text). Tenderers should name and upload attachments according to the eSubmission instructions in the procurement documentation.

Electronic system requirements and technical notes:eSubmission accepts encrypted uploads; attachments must be <50 MB each, maximum 200 files per submission. Use latest Chrome or Firefox. PIC is mandatory; if uploading fails and no receipt is obtained, contact eSubmission helpdesk immediately. After submission, tenders may be withdrawn or replaced before deadline via eSubmission. Tenderers may attend virtual opening (max 2 representatives) by notifying just-procurement@ec.europa.eu one working day before the opening.

Geographic and beneficiary scope

Beneficiary scope:primarily EU Member States and specified enlargement countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine). Eligibility includes organisations and persons established in EU, EEA/candidate countries where applicable, and third countries eligible under the CERV programme and the GPA/WTO commitments where relevant. The research outputs and network will cover all EU Member States and the listed enlargement countries.

Mentioned countries/territories:EU Member States (all 27) and enlargement countries explicitly mentioned: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine.

Target sectors and project stage

Target sector:social policy, equality and non-discrimination, socio-economic research, public policy analysis, statistics and monitoring. Project stage: research, analysis, validation and policy advice, monitoring and reporting leading towards policy formulation and support to the European Semester, enlargement negotiations and other EU policy processes.

Evaluation process, stages and likelihood

Application stages and review process:1) Administrative compliance and exclusion checks (Declaration on Honour and supporting evidence on request); 2) Selection criteria verification (legal, economic/financial and technical capacity including CVs and project references); 3) Technical evaluation against award criteria (methodology and organisation) and scoring; 4) Financial evaluation; 5) Combined best price-quality ranking and selection of the highest-scoring tenderer; 6) Request for final supporting documents and evidence from the presumed successful tenderer prior to award; 7) Contract signature and kick-off. Thus applicants will pass through up to 4 main procedural stages during evaluation.

Success rates and competition context:No explicit historical success rates are published in the call documents. As a competitive open procedure with detailed selection and award criteria and a significant workload and budget, success rates typically depend on the number and quality of competing tenders; applicants should expect rigorous technical evaluation and demonstrate strong multidisciplinary capacity and EU-wide coverage.

Co-funding and financial obligations

Co-funding:The procurement does not require co-funding from the contractor. The price submitted must be fixed for the contract period and reflect all costs. The contractor covers all costs linked to tasks specified as 'contractor-covered' (e.g. organisation of the annual meeting including travel and accommodation of experts which must be included as a flat-rate budget item). Where VAT or local tax rules apply, the contractor must follow VAT invoicing rules and include appropriate exemption statements if applicable. Financial guarantees or performance guarantees are not required under this contract (see draft contract), unless otherwise specified by the contracting authority.

Templates and application form structure

Applicants must follow the tender specifications (Part 1 administrative specifications and Part 2 technical specifications) and use the provided annex templates. Mandatory templates include: Annex 2 Declaration on Honour (exclusion and selection declarations); 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 identified subcontractors; Annex 5.2 Commitment letter by entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (non-subcontractor); Annex 6 Financial tender form (Excel). The technical tender must include methodology, proposed templates for country reports, synthesis reports, illustrative flash/ad hoc templates, proposed topics for thematic reports, list of experts and CVs, organisational structure, quality and risk management plan, peer-review approach, and website concept and accessibility compliance. The administrative tender must include signed Declarations on Honour for all involved entities and the Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders.

• Recommended structure for technical offer: executive summary; understanding of objectives; proposed methodology for Tasks 1–10; data strategy and list of data sources; proposed report templates and an example country report outline; list of five suggested thematic topics and sample thematic structure; network establishment and governance plan; quality assurance and editorial processes; detailed work plan and Gantt; team composition and CVs; risk management plan; website concept and accessibility approach.
• Mandatory attachments: financial offer using Annex 6; Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for each involved entity; identification of subcontractors (Annex 4) where applicable; commitment letters (Annex 5.1 / 5.2); Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3) for joint tenders.

Selection and required expertise (scientific and technical detail)

The tender expects a robust multidisciplinary team and organisational structure combining socio-economic researchers, policy analysts, data/statistics specialists, country experts, legal expertise for non-discrimination law monitoring, expert editors, communications and web specialists, and administrative and financial management. The tender requires: a general coordinator with minimum five years’ experience in budget and HR management and managing large teams; pool of country experts covering all EU Member States and enlargement countries; senior thematic experts with minimum five years’ relevant experience; evidence of past comparable projects; editorial/proofreading capability including native-level English editing; demonstrated experience organising international expert meetings and producing policy-ready publications; capability to access and analyse EU and national microdata and statistical sources; experience in intersectional analysis and measuring socio-economic impacts.

Key documentary references and procurement documents

All tender documents and annexes are made available on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page. Important documents include the Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications Part 1 (Administrative), Tender Specifications Part 2 (Technical), Draft Direct Service Contract, Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Financial Offer Form (Annex 6), and the Draft Contract. Tenderers must consult these documents carefully for full requirements, annex templates and instructions for eSubmission F&T Portal tender page ¹.

Risk areas, practical advice and compliance notes

Practical and compliance points to note:ensure timely PIC and EU Login setup; follow eSubmission technical file naming and size limits (files <50 MB, max 200 files); prepare Declaration on Honour and supporting evidence in advance as contracting authority may request documents on short notice; ensure demonstrable EU-wide country coverage and capacity to mobilise country experts; include robust quality assurance and editorial processes, including peer review; include accessibility compliance for website and meeting arrangements; price the flat-rate costs for meeting organisation, travel and subsistence, and unit prices for flash reports and ad hoc requests; ensure data processing and data localisation plans align with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and the technical specification (data to be processed and stored within EU/EEA and listed candidate countries unless otherwise authorised).

Categorisation answers (structured extraction)

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, think-tanks, consultancies, non-profits/NGOs, public bodies, international organisations, natural persons where permitted; joint tenders and consortia are allowed; subcontractors are permitted and must be identified when their share exceeds 20% or when relied upon for selection criteria.
2. 2Funding Type: procurement via tender for services (service contract).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: consortium is optional but allowed; tenderers may be single or joint. Joint tenders must appoint a group leader and sign Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3).
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU Member States (primary); enlargement countries explicitly listed (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine); entities from countries eligible under the CERV programme and those covered by GPA/WTO procurement rules may participate as per procurement documents.
5. 5Target Sector: equality and non-discrimination policy research, socio-economic research, public policy analysis, statistics and data analysis, social research services.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine; EU Member States (all 27 implied).
7. 7Project Stage: research, evidence collection, analysis, validation and policy advice; monitoring and reporting; production of publication-ready documents and knowledge transfer to policymakers.
8. 8Funding Amount: estimated total value €2,440,000; maximum indicative budget figure in technical specs shows €1,220,000 for two years — tender documentation specifies these figures and the contractor must price accordingly for the full contract period and unit-priced items for variable tasks. See financial templates.
9. 9Application Type: open call for tenders; electronic submission via eSubmission (Portal).
10. 10Nature of Support: monetary payment for service contract (financial remuneration) and non-monetary services (network coordination, capacity building, website maintenance, dissemination).
11. 11Application Stages: at least 4 major evaluation stages (administrative/exclusion check; selection criteria assessment; technical and financial evaluation; final verification and award).
12. 12Success Rates: not published in tender documents — typical open EU tenders are competitive; success depends on meeting selection criteria and scoring highly on quality and price; no fixed success rate provided.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: no co-funding requested. Tenderers must provide a fixed price for the services and cover any costs explicitly stated as contractor responsibilities (e.g. meeting organisation, travel costs included in flat-rate budget).

Templates: application form outline and recommended structure

The procurement provides administrative templates (Annex 2 Declaration on Honour, Annex 3 Agreement/Power of Attorney, Annex 4 list of subcontractors, Annex 5 commitment letters, Annex 6 Financial Offer). The technical offer has no single mandated template but the tender specifications specify the content expected. The recommended structure and items to include in the technical and administrative offer are described below to help applicants structure their submission in line with the call documentation.

1. 1Cover page: tender title, tenderer name(s), contact person and PIC, short abstract of the offer (1 page).
2. 2Administrative section: completed Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for the tenderer and involved entities; Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3) for joint tenders; list of identified subcontractors (Annex 4) and commitment letters (Annex 5) as needed; proof of registration and legal capacity if requested; LEAR and PIC details.
3. 3Technical offer: executive summary (2 pages); detailed methodology addressing all Tasks 1–10; proposed templates for Country Report, Annual and Biennial Synthesis Reports, Flash Report and Ad hoc Report templates (illustrative examples); list and rationale of five proposed thematic topics and sample structure for a thematic report; proposed approach to data compilation, indicators and gap analysis; approach to quality assurance, editorial process, peer review and use of AI if applicable; network governance and expert mobilisation plan; web/IT and accessibility plan; event organisation approach for Task 7; risk management and continuity plan; detailed work plan/Gantt chart linked to deliverables and milestones.
4. 4Team and expertise: organisational chart; key staff and management structure; CVs (Europass recommended) for the general coordinator, senior thematic experts, country experts, editorial staff, data specialists and administrative personnel; description of subcontractors and role distribution.
5. 5Deliverables and milestones: list of deliverables with delivery timelines; versions and review cycles; final formats for publication-ready deliverables.
6. 6Quality assurance annex: detailed quality management plan, peer review steps, editorial checklist, risk matrix and mitigation measures.
7. 7Financial offer: Annex 6 completed with total fixed price and unit prices for flash reports, ad hoc requests, events and other variable items; breakdown by major budget categories (staff, travel/meetings flat rate, subcontracting, overheads, data access costs), and statement of compliance with fixed-price requirement and currency (EUR).
8. 8Supporting documentation: project references for at least two comparable projects, client contacts/certificates for references, evidence requested under selection criteria (turnover, balance sheets or bank statements upon request) as per procurement documents.

Concluding summary: what is this opportunity about and how to approach it?

This EU tender seeks an experienced, multidisciplinary contractor (single organisation or consortium) capable of setting up and coordinating an EU-wide socio-economic expert network and producing a sustained programme of high-quality, policy-targeted deliverables to support the European Commission’s Union of Equality agenda. The work comprises annual country reports for 27 Member States and 10 enlargement countries, annual and biennial EU-level synthesis reports (including a five-grounds biennial synthesis), annual thematic reports, rapid flash reporting, ad hoc expert advice, event and network organisation, maintenance of a public/restricted website, and continuous data compilation and analysis to underpin all outputs. The contract requires proven technical and editorial capacity, demonstrated experience in comparable multi-country research and policy reporting, access to and ability to analyse EU and national datasets (including microdata if necessary), and the operational ability to organise events and maintain an accessible online platform. Tenderers should structure their submission to demonstrate clearly the methodology, team expertise (including CVs), quality assurance and editorial procedures, data strategy, sample templates and illustrative outputs, and a robust financial proposal using the provided financial template. Compliance with administrative requirements (Declarations on Honour, PIC, Annex templates), eSubmission rules and data protection/localisation rules is essential. The contracting authority will award the contract using the best price-quality ratio; quality carries greater weight (70%) than price (30%). Interested applicants should consult and follow all procurement documents on the Funding & Tenders Portal and submit electronically via eSubmission before the deadline. Further information and the procurement dossier are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal F&T Portal tender page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents, invitation to tender, technical and administrative tender specifications, draft contract and financial offer form are available on the Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal: ec.europa.eu. Tenderers must use the eSubmission system for electronic submission.

Opportunity Overview

The European Commission, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST) is seeking a contractor to provide scientific socio-economic analysis and evidence-based advice on discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, age, and being LGBTIQ+. This is an open call for tender under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, designed to strengthen the Commission's knowledge base on equality and non-discrimination policy across EU Member States and enlargement countries.

Key Opportunity Details

Tender Reference:EC-JUST/2026/OP/0003 (internal reference: JUST/2025/PR/CDAP/EQUA/0130)

Contracting Authority:European Commission, DG JUST - Justice and Consumers, Rue Montoyer 59, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

Funding Amount:Maximum estimated budget of €2,440,000 for the full contract duration

Contract Duration:Initial period of 24 months, with one possible renewal for an additional 24 months, for a maximum total of 48 months

Tender Deadline:18 May 2026 at 12:00 (UTC+02:00) Eastern European Time. Public opening scheduled for 19 May 2026 at 14:30 (UTC+02:00)

Submission Method:Electronic submission only via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal at https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/03ca4dfd-bc43-4b40-a4cb-dba53e121855-CN

Scope and Objectives

The contractor will collect reliable, independent, and rigorous scientific evidence to strengthen the Commission's knowledge base on equality and non-discrimination policy. The work focuses primarily on discrimination based on racial and ethnic origin (with particular attention to Roma), age, and being LGBTIQ+, including intersectional dimensions. The contractor will also deliver a biennial EU-level synthesis report covering five grounds of discrimination: sex, racial or ethnic origin, disability, age, and being LGBTIQ+.

Geographic Coverage

The contract covers all 27 EU Member States and 10 enlargement countries:Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

Main Deliverables and Tasks

1. 1Annual Country Reports: One comprehensive report per EU Member State and enlargement country (37 total) covering discrimination and inequality on the basis of racial or ethnic origin, age, and being LGBTIQ+, approximately 10-12 pages each, delivered by mid-October annually
2. 2Annual EU-level Synthesis Report on Racial, Ethnic, Age and LGBTIQ+ Equality: Comparative cross-country overview with facts, figures, and infographics, delivered in November each year
3. 3Biennial EU-level Synthesis Report on five grounds of discrimination: Comprehensive report covering sex, racial or ethnic origin, disability, age, and being LGBTIQ+, delivered every two years in November
4. 4Flash Reports: Short (1-2 page) urgent updates on time-critical policy developments, estimated 220 reports per year on average, with unit pricing required
5. 5Ad hoc Expert Advice or Reports: Short targeted inputs (3-5 pages) responding to specific Commission requests, estimated up to 300 requests per year, with unit pricing required
6. 6Annual Thematic Reports: One comprehensive report (40-60 pages) per year on a Commission-selected topic related to discrimination and inequality, with executive summary and draft press release
7. 7Annual Network Meeting: Organisation of annual meeting gathering Commission officials and national experts, maximum 35 participants, held as hybrid event in Brussels with full accessibility
8. 8Website Maintenance: Establishment and maintenance of dedicated website hosted in Europa environment, including public and restricted-access sections for network experts
9. 9Support in use of equality data: Systematic compilation, analysis, and organisation of existing equality data across multiple sources, with evaluation reports identifying data gaps and challenges
10. 10Participation in meetings and events: Expert participation in estimated maximum 5 meetings or conferences per year, with maximum 4 experts per event

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who Can Apply

Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons from EU Member States, EEA countries, and countries with special agreements with the EU on public procurement. Tenderers must be registered in the Participant Register and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Joint tenders are permitted, as is subcontracting.

Economic and Financial Capacity

Tenderers must demonstrate average yearly turnover above €750,000 for the last two financial years. Evidence includes profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, or appropriate bank statements.

Technical and Professional Capacity

Tenderers must demonstrate:(1) capacity to set up and run an appropriate organisational structure covering all EU Member States and enlargement countries, with proven experience in two similar projects of minimum €500,000 each in the last three years; (2) strong expertise in equality and non-discrimination issues with minimum 5 years experience, including specific knowledge of racial or ethnic origin, age, and LGBTIQ+ equality; (3) capacity to organise comparable events with participation from at least four different EU Member States or enlargement countries (three events in last three years); and (4) professional editorial, proofreading, and translation services with minimum 3 years experience, including at least one native English editor.

Required Team Structure

The tenderer must propose an appropriate structure including:a pool of experts capable of providing scientific socio-economic advice in equality issues across all covered countries; a robust quality control system with quality assurance and risk management procedures; and professional administrative and support staff including at least one native English editor. The team must combine expertise and language skills to cover all EU Member States and enlargement countries.

Exclusion Criteria

Tenderers will be rejected if they or their related persons are subject to any of the following situations: bankruptcy or insolvency; breach of tax or social security payment obligations; grave professional misconduct; fraud, corruption, or criminal offences; significant deficiencies in implementing previous EU-funded contracts; irregularities; creation of entities to circumvent legal obligations; or resistance to investigations by EU authorities. Tenderers must not be subject to EU restrictive measures or have established debt to the Union.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

The contract will be awarded to the tender with the best price-quality ratio. The evaluation uses a formula combining price (30% weight) and quality (70% weight). Only tenders achieving minimum 70% overall score and minimum 60% on each quality criterion will be considered for award.

Quality Evaluation Criteria

1. 1Methodology (60 points maximum): Clarity, feasibility, and coherence of proposed methodology for analysing equality and non-discrimination situations; relevance and quality of proposed country report template; methodological quality of EU-level synthesis report approach; relevance of proposed thematic report topics and structure; strategy for identifying and selecting authors; and proposed topic and agenda for network meeting
2. 2Organisation of work (40 points maximum): Overall management approach including timetable, organisation, and coordination; allocation of resources and task distribution; quality control system including peer review and editorial control; continuity arrangements for expert absences; and knowledge transfer approach

Payment Terms and Schedule

The contract includes interim and final payments linked to deliverables and interim reports. Three interim payments of 20% each are available at 6, 12, and 18 months after contract signature, with final payment of 40% due at 24 months. All payments are subject to Commission approval of submitted documents and deliverables. The Commission has 60 days from invoice receipt to approve and pay, with suspension possible if documents are incomplete or non-compliant.

Key Deadlines and Important Dates

1. 1Deadline for requesting additional information: 6 May 2026 at 23:59 (UTC+02:00)
2. 2Tender submission deadline: 18 May 2026 at 12:00 (UTC+02:00)
3. 3Public opening of tenders: 19 May 2026 at 14:30 (UTC+02:00)
4. 4Tender validity period: 6 months from submission deadline
5. 5Kick-off meeting: Within 15 days of contract signature
6. 6First year deliverables: Country Reports by November 2026; Biennial Synthesis Report by December 2026; Annual Synthesis Report by 12 months after signature; Thematic Report by 12 months after signature; Network meeting by 12 months after signature

Required Documentation and Submission

Tenderers must submit:(1) Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria; (2) evidence of legal and regulatory capacity; (3) economic and financial capacity documentation; (4) detailed CVs of team members and experts; (5) letters of commitment from external experts and subcontractors; (6) list of identified subcontractors with roles and commitment letters; (7) technical tender describing proposed methodology and approach for each task; (8) financial tender using the provided form with unit prices for flash reports and ad hoc requests; and (9) evidence of technical and professional capacity including project references and event organisation examples.

Special Conditions and Requirements

All deliverables must be written in clear, concise, jargon-free English suitable for policymakers. Reports must include key figures, statistics, and references supporting analysis and conclusions. The contractor must ensure internal quality control and editorial review before submission, with deliverables provided in publication-ready format. All outputs must be approved by the Commission before use. The contractor must establish and maintain a network of socio-economic experts across all covered countries and coordinate their work. Website must comply with EN 301549 and WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards. All costs for network meetings and event participation, including travel and accommodation, must be covered by the contractor and included in the budget as flat rates.

Intellectual Property and Rights

The Union acquires irrevocable worldwide ownership of all results and intellectual property rights on newly created materials produced specifically for the Union. Pre-existing rights are licensed to the Union on a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable basis. The contractor must provide a list of all pre-existing rights with the final invoice. All results may be used, modified, translated, and distributed by the Commission without restriction, except for pre-existing materials which may have reasonable limitations if easily identifiable and separable.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

Personal data processing must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. Data must be processed only within the EU, EEA, and EU candidate countries, with no transfer outside these territories without prior written authorisation. The contractor must implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures, notify the Commission of data breaches within 48 hours, and maintain records of all data processing operations. Confidential information must be protected with the same level of care as the contractor's own confidential information and not disclosed to third parties without prior written agreement.

Contact Information

For administrative and financial matters:European Commission, DG JUST, Unit JUST.H.3, MO59 04/21, B-1000 Brussels, Email: JUST-PROCUREMENT@ec.europa.eu. For technical matters: European Commission, DG JUST, Directorate D: Equality and Non-Discrimination, JUST.D.1, Ms Eirini Nikolaidou, MO59 01/41, B-1000 Brussels, Email: Eirini.nikolaidou@ec.europa.eu. Procurement documents and submission portal: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/tender-details/03ca4dfd-bc43-4b40-a4cb-dba53e121855-CN

Additional Information

This procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) and is financed under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme (2021-2027). The contract is governed by Union law, complemented where necessary by Belgian law, with exclusive jurisdiction of Brussels courts. Tenderers are encouraged to promote equal employment opportunities and foster diversity regardless of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation. The contractor must comply with all applicable environmental, social, and labour law obligations. Price revision is not applicable to this contract. The contracting authority reserves the right to extend the tender deadline if electronic communication systems are unavailable in the final 5 calendar days before the submission deadline.