Services de contrôle des règles sanitaires en matière de production et de distribution d'aliments et de boissons dans les bâtiments du SGC de l'Union ...

The Secrétariat général du Conseil de l'Union européenne (CONSILIUM/2026/OP/0005, TED ref 80/2026 283503-2026) is procuring a framework agreement of up to 48 months for food safety control services comprising hygiene audits, HACCP verification, microbiological analyses and emergency response for SGC catering in Brussels and protocol catering in Luxembourg. Services include scheduled hygiene audits (226 annual audit visits in Brussels), on-site auditors for high-level events, 24/7 support, rapid mobilisation for suspected food safety incidents, and an interactive electronic reporting platform with French-language reports. Electronic tenders must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 08 June 2026 16:00 Brussels time and applicants must satisfy minimum financial and technical selection criteria, including EN ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation for inspections and EN ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for laboratory analyses or subcontracting to an accredited laboratory. The contract will be awarded to the lowest price offer that meets all mandatory requirements and financial offers must use the mandatory Annex III template expressed in euros excluding VAT.

Services requested

Scope

Audits, hygiene support, microbiological analyses and other controls for food production, distribution and vending in the Secretariat General of the Council buildings in Brussels and for protocolaire catering during Council meetings in Luxembourg.

Who can apply:Inspection and laboratory service providers (single bidders or consortia). Required technical accreditations include EN ISO/IEC 17020 for inspections and EN ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory analyses; SMEs and subcontracting are permitted.

1. 1Food safety auditors and inspection bodies with EN ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation
2. 2Laboratories accredited to EN ISO/IEC 17025 (or agreements with accredited labs)
3. 3Consortia including qualified managers with university-level training in food hygiene and ≥3 years’ experience

Key commercial points

Open procedure, framework agreement (without reopening of competition). Maximum contract duration 48 months. Award by lowest price. Supplier must provide a 24/7 helpline, an electronic platform for audit/report transmission and on-site presence for high-level events.

Estimated value and pricing:No single guaranteed total value published in the tender notice. Bidders must complete the tender financial schedule (unit prices for audits, sample analyses and ancillary services). Framework orders will be placed against those unit prices ¹.

Deadlines and important dates

Publication:24/04/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 08/06/2026 16:00 (Europe/Brussels). Public opening: 09/06/2026 10:00 (Europe/Brussels). (An earlier timestamp 01/01/2026 appears in metadata; rely on portal deadlines.) ¹

Submission is electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission); EU Login (with 2-factor authentication after June 2026) and PIC are required. See tender documents (specifications, financial schedule, declaration on honour and check lists) for mandatory selection and exclusion evidence.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement notice and full tender documents on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Call page.

High-level summary

The Secrétariat général du Conseil de l’Union européenne (SGC) is procuring hygiene control, audit and microbiological testing services related to the production and distribution of food and beverages in SGC buildings in Brussels and for Council meetings in Luxembourg (ECCL). The procurement is an open procedure (TED reference 80/2026 283503-2026). It is a framework agreement for services with a maximum duration of 48 months. Award is by lowest price. Submissions are electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The tender specification, model documents and templates are published in French on the portal; the detailed tender documents define mandatory minimum requirements, accreditation and experience criteria, frequency of audits and sampling plans, an electronic platform requirement, SLA/penalties and the financial submission spreadsheet.

Important official dates (as published)

Call/TED publication date:24/04/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders (final): 08/06/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 09/06/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Contract maximum duration: 48 months. Questions cut-off (no obligation to reply after): 29/05/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels. Note: eSubmission uses EU Login; as of June 30 2026 two-factor authentication is required for access.

What is being procured (scope in detail)

Services to support the SGC catering contract:scheduled hygiene audits covering infrastructure, storage, production, distribution and service areas across SGC buildings in Brussels (Justus Lipsius, LEX, Europa, Crèche) and protocol catering locations in Luxembourg (ECCL) during Council sessions; on-site presence and surveillance at high-level events; HACCP plan audits; advice and technical support on food hygiene; 24/7 telephone on-call support; microbiological analyses of food, beverages and surfaces (detailed sampling plan and frequencies required); ad hoc emergency sampling and support for suspected foodborne outbreaks including epidemiological support and urgent transport of samples; calibration services (thermometers); training for SGC staff; an electronic interactive platform for scheduling, audit report upload, actions and corrective measures tracking, statistics and export (PDF/Excel) and platform access for three stakeholder groups (SGC food safety unit, catering contractor, SGC technical services). Reports must be in French. The contractor must provide logistics, accredited laboratory services (EN ISO/IEC 17025 for analyses or subcontract to an accredited lab) and inspection accreditation EN ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection activities.

Volumes, frequencies and deliverables (key elements)

Indicative annual programmed activity (published in the tender specification):10 audit reports covering Brussels installations (226 programmed audit visits per year across defined perimeters) — each perimeter audited twice per month with special arrangements for August and the Crèche; 3 audits per year for ECCL (Luxembourg) timed to Council sessions; microbiological sampling schedule with counts by category (denrée, beverage, surfaces, vending, thermos, childcare biberonnerie and crèche items) specified in the tender - examples: multiple denrée and surface samples per kitchen/cafeteria per visit and annual cycles for vending machines and coffee equipment; emergency (on-demand) analyses and epidemiological accompaniment within a 3-hour mobilisation requirement; annual consolidated dossier for the contract year; monthly coordination meetings included.

Main deliverables:French-language audit reports with photographic evidence and weighted non-conformity scoring across six domains; HACCP audit results; laboratory analytical reports (preliminary and final) with interpretation and recommended actions; platform access and administration; emergency response reports; training session(s) for SGC staff; calibration certificates for instruments where requested in the financial schedule.

Evaluation, minimum requirements and award

Procedure:open procedure. Award method: lowest price among offers that meet all minimum technical requirements. Tenderers must submit mandatory documentation (declaration on honour for exclusion and selection, legal entity sheet, financial identification, checklist of documents, financial offer using mandatory annex III spreadsheet, evidence of accreditation and references). Minimum technical/selection requirements include: annual turnover related to the contract of at least €180,000 for each of the last three closed financial years; at least three analogous contracts in the last three years each of minimum value €90,000; EN ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation for inspections; EN ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for laboratory analyses or a firm commitment and evidence that an accredited laboratory will perform analyses; assignment of a manager/delegate with at least a university-level training in food hygiene (or equivalent) and minimum three years’ relevant experience. Offers failing to satisfy every minimum requirement are rejected. The award price is the annual total computed according to the mandatory financial template (Annex III).

Documents available and how to apply

All tender documents (Invitation to tender, specification/cahier des charges, annexes I–VI and templates including Declaration on Honour, Entity Legal form, Financial identification form, Financial Offer spreadsheet, Check-list and sample audit/analysis forms) are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page. Submission is electronic only via the Portal eSubmission (EU Login required). Use the mandatory forms, follow file naming and size rules, and complete the Annex II minimum compliance table to confirm every mandatory technical requirement. Subscribe on the portal to receive updates. See the tender page for document downloads and the exact submission link EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

1. 1Where to submit: eSubmission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login (PIC required).
2. 2Language: documents published in French; offers may be in any official EU language.
3. 3Number of annexes: 16 market documents published; mandatory Annex III financial template to be used (only yellow cells editable).
4. 4Public Q&A: portal Questions & Answers section; contracting authority not obliged to reply to questions after the date stated in notice.

Eligibility and applicant types

Eligible applicant types (as indicated by tender documentation and usual EU procurement rules): commercial service providers (inspection and laboratory companies) including SMEs and large enterprises, specialist accredited laboratories, inspection bodies, universities/research institutes with accredited labs (if offering accredited services), nonprofit organisations if legally capable to deliver services, consortia and joint ventures, and subcontracting chains. Public bodies can participate only where national and EU rules permit — the tender documents define participation rules. Individuals are not the usual bidders unless legally established as traders. The contract permits offers from single entities or groupings (joint offers). Subcontracting is allowed but the contracting authority reserves the right to verify subcontractors and to deny substitution if documentary evidence is not provided.

Eligible applicant types (detailed list):SME, large enterprise, accredited inspection body, accredited laboratory, university/research institute (with accredited lab), nonprofit/NGO (where capable), consortium/joint venture, subcontractor (subject to approval).

Funding type and nature of support

This is a public procurement tender (framework service contract) awarded by the SGC — the primary financial mechanism is a service contract (procurement). Beneficiaries will receive monetary payments for contracted services (fees) — not grants. The contract uses fixed/price schedule entries and unit prices per the mandatory financial offer spreadsheet. The award is lowest price among compliant offers; payment is in euros, excluding VAT (SGC enjoys tax/VAT privileges under Protocol on privileges and immunities; specific invoice handling rules are provided in the tender documents).

Consortium requirement and application type

Consortium:not mandatory but permitted — offers can be single-entity or joint offers (groupements). If a joint offer is submitted the group must supply a power of attorney/agreement appointing a lead (chef de file), and each member must provide exclusion/selection declarations and required documents. Application type: open call, single closing deadline; submission is electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission).

Geographic eligibility and mentioned countries

Beneficiary geographic scope:EU institutions procurement rules apply; the contract covers services in Belgium (Brussels) and Luxembourg (for Council meetings at ECCL). The tender references Belgian and Luxembourg food law and authorities (AFSCA in Belgium and ALVA in Luxembourg). Eligible contractors must be established in territories allowed by EU procurement rules (EU/EEA and other countries covered by procurement treaties as stated in the documents). Explicitly mentioned countries/locations: Belgium (Brussels - Justus Lipsius, LEX, Europa, Crèche) and Luxembourg (ECCL, for Council sessions in April, June and October).

Target sector, technologies and expertise required

Target sector:food safety, catering/hospitality, public/institutional catering supervision, food inspection services, microbiology laboratory testing. Required scientific/technical competences: accredited inspection (EN ISO/IEC 17020), accredited laboratory analyses (EN ISO/IEC 17025) or subcontract to such; HACCP expertise; experience in institutional catering audits; microbiological sampling and analysis (denrée, beverage, surface, Listeria surveillance for childcare/crèche); food safety emergency response and epidemiological investigation skills; technical platform provision for audits and corrective action tracking; lab logistics and cold chain sample transport; instrument calibration (thermometers); training delivery; handling of personal data compliant with EU rules.

Project stage, expected maturity and target outcomes

Project stage:delivery / operational services. The tender expects an operational provider able to execute routine scheduled audits and sampling, immediate on-site presence at events, and rapid emergency response. Expected outcomes: regular audit reports, microbial analysis results with interpretation, corrective action tracking via the platform, HACCP compliance verification, evidence to support SGC decision-making and to trigger contractual penalties or corrective measures with the catering contractor.

1. 1Operational readiness with EN ISO accreditations (17020 and 17025) or subcontracted accredited services.
2. 2Experienced delegated manager (university-level training in food hygiene + ≥3 years experience).
3. 3Rapid mobilisation capability (3-hour emergency response) and 24/7 helpline.
4. 4Electronic platform for audit reporting, workflows and statistics.

Funding amount / financial scale

The tender does not publish a single contract value in the public summary. The financial offer must be submitted on the mandatory Annex III spreadsheet which sets unit prices for a defined audit programme, sample sets and special services (event day, emergency half-day rates, technical assessments, training, calibration). The overall annual offer total is computed automatically in the spreadsheet and is used for price comparison. Tenderers should download Annex III and populate only the editable (yellow) cells. The contracting authority published the financial template and expects bidders to present an annual total. The estimated total value field was not populated in the public text; bidders must use the spreadsheet to calculate their proposal.

Application stages, success rates and co-funding

Application is a single-stage open tender:bidders prepare a full technical and financial offer and submit via eSubmission by the published deadline. There is no staged selection (other than evaluation compliance checks). Success rate: not published by contracting authority — naturally depends on number of bidders and compliance with minimum requirements. Co-funding: not applicable; the contract is a fee-for-service procurement. No co-funding or grant-matching is required.

Templates and application form structure (what to prepare)

Mandatory templates and forms published with the tender must be used unmodified. Key templates and structure: Invitation letter; Tender specifications (Cahier des Charges) with Annexes; Annex I - Declaration on honour (exclusion & selection statements) — signed and provided for each legal entity; Annex II - Minimum requirements checklist (offer must state YES/NO for each mandatory technical requirement and provide page references in the offer showing compliance); Annex III - Financial offer (xlsx) with mandatory format (only yellow cells editable); Annex IV - Financial identification form; Annex V - Entity legal form; Annex VI - Document check-list; sample AFSCA checklists and laboratory result template (Annex A.1–A.6). Bidders must complete the entity/legal and financial forms, supply accreditation certificates (17020, 17025 or subcontractor proof), 3 references (≥ €90,000 each) and CV/profile of the manager/delegate. If bidding as a consortium, provide the joint offer agreement / power of attorney and identification forms for each member. The declaration on honour includes exclusion, selection criteria and sanctions for false statements. The financial schedule requires unit prices and applies a fixed-volume programme to compute an annual price for comparison.

1. 1Annex I: Declaration on honour (exclusion & selection).
2. 2Annex II: Minimum requirements compliance matrix (YES/NO + page references).
3. 3Annex III: Financial offer spreadsheet (complete only yellow cells).
4. 4Annex IV: Financial identification form (bank details).
5. 5Annex V: Entity legal form and evidence of registration; VAT number as required.
6. 6Annex VI: Submission checklist (must be completed with document refs and page numbers).
7. 7Accreditation proofs (EN ISO/IEC 17020 and EN ISO/IEC 17025 where applicable), CV of nominated manager/delegate, three analogous contract references (≥ €90,000 each), insurance certificates.

Success factors and compliance highlights

To be competitive and compliant:(1) ensure EN ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation for inspection body work; (2) have EN ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory capability or a binding agreement with an accredited laboratory (include accreditation certificate); (3) provide at least three references of analogous projects each ≥ €90,000 executed in past 3 years; (4) demonstrate financial capacity (turnover related to the object ≥ €180,000 for each of the last three years) and attach financial statements; (5) present a clear description of the proposed electronic platform showing the audit workflow, user access, corrective action tracking and export capability; (6) populate the Annex III financial template correctly (only yellow cells); (7) nominate the delegate/manager and provide CV showing required education and minimum three years’ experience; (8) include proof of 24/7 helpline availability and emergency mobilisation plan.

Risks and contractual penalties

The specification references a Service Level Agreement (SLA) and financial penalties (Annex V of the CC). The framework agreement can be terminated or suspended for cause (including fraud, major non-conformity, failure to secure requested approvals such as security attestation for event staff). The contracting authority may apply price reductions and/or liquidated damages for late delivery, failure to perform or low-quality work as described in the tender documents. Emergency response obligations (3-hour mobilisation) and presence requirements for high-level events are critical contract clauses.

How would you explain this opportunity — plain language summary

This is a public procurement (tender) by the SGC to appoint a company or consortium to run independent food-hygiene audits, provide microbiological testing, technical advice and emergency support for all catering activities the SGC organises in its Brussels buildings and during Council sessions in Luxembourg. The supplier must be accredited for inspection and laboratory work (or partner with accredited labs), provide a 24/7 helpline, an electronic platform for audit reporting and corrective action tracking, and deliver scheduled audits and sampling according to the published programme. The award is to the lowest-price technically compliant bidder using mandatory templates; bidders must satisfy minimum technical and financial requirements and submit a full eSubmission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

1. 1Type: public procurement — framework service contract (48 months max).
2. 2Submission: electronic via EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required).
3. 3Award: lowest price among fully compliant technical offers.
4. 4Mandatory accreditations: EN ISO/IEC 17020 (inspection) and EN ISO/IEC 17025 (laboratory) or subcontracted accredited laboratory.
5. 5Key obligations: scheduled audits, microbiological analyses, on-site event presence, 24/7 helpline, electronic platform, emergency response within 3 hours.
6. 6Language of reports: French (audit and lab reports).
7. 7Locations: Brussels (SGC buildings) and Luxembourg (ECCL during Council sessions).

Footnotes

1. 1The tender is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The portal page contains the invitation letter, cahier des charges, Annexes I–VI, the mandatory financial spreadsheet (Annex III) and the submission link. Portal access and eSubmission require an EU Login account (PIC). The portal provides technical help, system requirements and eSubmission support.

Opportunity Overview

The General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union (SGC) is seeking qualified service providers to deliver comprehensive food safety control and hygiene audit services across its catering operations in Brussels and Luxembourg. This is an open tender procedure for a framework agreement with a maximum duration of 48 months, awarded on the basis of lowest price.

Tender Reference:CONSILIUM/2026/OP/0005 (TED reference: 80/2026 283503-2026)

Contracting Authority:Secrétariat général du Conseil de l'Union européenne, Brussels

Scope of Services

The SGC operates three restaurants and multiple catering facilities in Brussels serving over half a million meals annually, plus protocol catering services in Luxembourg during ministerial council sessions in April, June and October. The successful contractor must provide:

• Regular hygiene audits evaluating compliance with food safety obligations, infrastructure conformity, and implementation of good hygiene practices and HACCP self-controls
• Support function providing advice and guidance on food hygiene matters
• Microbiological analyses of food products and surfaces
• Additional relevant controls linked to collective and protocol catering activities
• 24/7 telephone support line for emergency consultations
• On-site auditor presence during high-level events to observe food preparation and propose immediate corrective measures

Key Dates and Deadlines

Eligible Applicants

Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons from EU Member States and third countries that have concluded specific agreements with the European Union on public procurement. Applicants may submit individual bids or joint offers (consortia). All members of joint offers and any subcontractors must meet the same eligibility and selection criteria.

Selection Criteria

Economic and Financial Capacity

Applicants must demonstrate sound economic and financial capacity with minimum annual turnover related to the contract object of €180,000 for each of the three most recently completed financial years. Required documentation includes annual turnover declarations, balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, and if applicable, additional assurance documents such as parent company guarantees or auditor statements.

Technical and Professional Capacity

Applicants must provide evidence of at least three similar contracts executed within the past three years, each valued at minimum €90,000, with details on client type, execution period, service description, volume and contract value. Applicants must hold EN ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation for inspection control execution. For laboratory analyses, applicants must hold EN ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation or commit to subcontracting analyses to an accredited laboratory. A dedicated manager or delegate with university-level education or equivalent in food hygiene plus minimum three years professional experience in this field must be assigned to contract execution.

Exclusion Criteria

Applicants must declare they are not in situations of bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceedings; have not failed to pay taxes or social security contributions; have not committed serious professional misconduct; have not been convicted of fraud, corruption, criminal organization involvement, money laundering, terrorism financing, child labor or human trafficking; have not seriously breached essential obligations in EU-funded contracts; have not committed irregularities; have not created entities to evade legal obligations; and have not intentionally obstructed investigations or audits. Applicants must also confirm they are not subject to EU restrictive measures and have no outstanding debts to the Union.

Audit and Analysis Requirements

Scheduled Hygiene Audits

The contractor must conduct regular hygiene audits across all SGC facilities. In Brussels, ten audit perimeters covering different facility zones must each be audited twice monthly except August, totaling 226 annual audits. Audits must verify infrastructure, storage installations, equipment, good hygiene practices, allergen management, documentation and personnel hygiene. Each audit report must include criteria evaluation, assessment, weighting of non-conformities by severity level (critical, unsatisfactory, satisfactory), repetition indicators, and comments. Reports must contain numbered identification, reference coding, control date and time, previous control date, inspector name, local facility manager name and presence confirmation, and synthetic scoring across six domains: infrastructure, temperatures, good hygiene and manufacturing practices, traceability, allergen management and HACCP.

High-Level Event Audits

For European Council sessions and comparable high-level events occurring minimum four times annually, the contractor must ensure on-site auditor presence from 07:30 until event conclusion to observe all food preparation phases from raw material receipt through service. The contractor must propose immediate corrective measures and immediately inform SGC management of any critical non-conformities. A written report including non-conformity evaluation and improvement proposals must be submitted.

HACCP Plan Audits

The contractor must audit the catering contractor's HACCP plan and verify proper implementation twice annually in each Brussels building, with results communicated within seven calendar days and made available on the electronic platform.

Microbiological Analyses

Analyses must be conducted on food products, beverages and surfaces across all facilities according to specified sampling plans. For collective and protocol kitchens, analyses include bacteriological testing of foodstuffs and surface microbiological testing. For cafeterias and bars, sampling covers prepared dishes, beverages and surfaces. For childcare facilities, analyses include Listeria monocytogenes testing. Vending machine beverages and food items must be tested twice annually per machine. Thermos containers used for protocol coffee service require surface microbiological analysis at each audit passage. All analyses must follow applicable legal provisions, regulations, standards and criteria in effect during contract execution.

Reporting and Transmission Requirements

All audit reports and analysis results must be submitted via an interactive electronic platform accessible to authorized SGC personnel. Critical non-conformities must be transmitted immediately upon audit completion. Non-critical audit reports must be transmitted within maximum three business days. Analysis results, whether preliminary or final, must be immediately transmitted to SGC food safety unit with contractor evaluation and recommended actions. The electronic platform must enable statistical reporting, data extraction by installation and analysis type, audit scheduling consultation, and annual consolidated reporting. Reports must be editable in PDF and Excel formats. The platform must allow authorized personnel to introduce comments on non-conformities and track corrective action implementation and closure.

Personnel and Staffing Requirements

All contractor personnel and subcontractor staff work under contractor authority, permanent supervision and direct civil liability. Control and sample collection tasks are classified as critical and must be executed by the contractor itself, consortium co-contractors, or pre-approved subcontractors. The contractor must communicate personnel names and professional qualifications to SGC upon contract entry. Personnel must meet all technical capacity requirements of applicable accreditations, execute services according to professional best practices with necessary equipment (white apron, safety shoes, hairnet, calibrated thermometer), comply with SGC building security and prevention rules, and for high-level events, possess smartphones with standard messaging applications for 24/7 contact capability. A dedicated manager or delegate with university-level education or equivalent in food hygiene and minimum three years professional experience must be designated, responsible for service execution oversight, verification and control of all audits and analyses, performance scheduling and tracking, control direction and coordination, service recording, statistical table preparation via electronic platform, and provision of advice and action plans based on control and analysis results. The contractor must ensure replacement of this delegate during leave, illness or other circumstances by a person with equivalent qualifications. All contractor personnel require SGC approval before first intervention. For high-level events, personnel must obtain annual renewable special accreditation subject to Belgian security investigation, with investigation costs charged directly to contractor by Belgian authorities.

Accreditation and Compliance Standards

The contractor must maintain EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012 accreditation for inspection control execution throughout contract duration. If the contractor lacks an accredited laboratory under EN ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory analysis execution, it must commit to conducting laboratory analyses in an establishment possessing this accreditation. All controls and analyses must comply with applicable legal provisions, regulations, standards and criteria in Belgium and Luxembourg, plus any other binding provisions applicable to the contract scope decided by SGC services. Controls must follow checklists based on AFSCA self-control guides and DIS standards for collective catering, allergen management and HACCP scope. The contractor must remain informed of latest standard updates and adapt audit report models and controls accordingly without claiming financial compensation.

Special Provisions and Additional Services

Emergency Response

In case of suspected food poisoning, food safety crisis or public food sector alert, the contractor must deploy one or more agents to site within maximum three hours of SGC contact to conduct epidemiological investigation, collect samples for laboratory analysis, take photographs, propose immediate corrective actions, provide advice and follow-up, expedite sample transport, and establish a report including situation analysis, measures taken, follow-up and recommendations to prevent recurrence.

Technical Evaluation

For special events requiring collective or protocol catering at production sites outside SGC facilities, the contractor must provide technical evaluation of culinary installations at host locations, typically in Belgium, with visit report submitted within 24 business hours to SGC delegate.

Training

The contractor must provide annual theoretical half-day training on collective catering hygiene principles to approximately 20 SGC food safety oversight personnel.

Thermometer Calibration

The contractor must arrange annual calibration of SGC catering thermometers in an accredited laboratory, with two calibration campaigns annually to maintain operational continuity. Price includes collection, transport and calibration.

Financial Offer and Pricing

Applicants must submit financial offers using the mandatory provided template (Annex III) without modification. Prices must be expressed in euros excluding VAT and other taxes. The financial offer comprises unit prices for scheduled audits in Brussels (226 annual audits), Luxembourg audit forfaits (three sessions), high-level event audit forfaits (eight events), HACCP plan audit forfaits (eight audits), various microbiological analyses by type and location, bacteriological analysis on demand, suspected poisoning accompaniment (half-day forfait), technical evaluation (half-day forfait), training (half-day forfait), and thermometer calibration (per device). The total annual offer is calculated by multiplying estimated volumes by unit prices. The model calculation is used for offer comparison only and does not constitute contractor commitment. Award is made to the lowest price offer meeting all minimum requirements.

Contract Duration and Framework Agreement

The contract is a framework agreement without reopening of competition with maximum 48-month duration. The framework agreement establishes terms and conditions for specific contracts to be concluded during this period.

Submission Requirements and Documentation

All submissions must be made exclusively via the eSubmission electronic system. Applicants must register in the European Commission Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Submissions must include: covering letter, legal entity form with supporting documents, financial identification sheet with supporting documents, joint offer documentation if applicable, subcontracting documentation if applicable, signed declaration on honor regarding exclusion and selection criteria, completed minimum requirements questionnaire, completed financial offer form, legal entity identification sheet, and document checklist. All documents must be submitted in French. File attachments must not exceed 50 MB individually and maximum 200 files per submission. Supported file formats are specified in system requirements. Applicants may withdraw or replace submissions before deadline. Only one offer per applicant is considered; if multiple offers are submitted, only the latest is evaluated. Applicants must ensure offers contain all requested information and documents at submission time. After submission but before deadline, offers may be withdrawn or replaced with new versions containing all required information and documents.

Evaluation Process

Evaluation proceeds in stages:verification of exclusion criteria through signed declaration; verification of selection criteria through signed declaration and supporting evidence; verification of minimum requirements conformity; and financial offer evaluation. The contracting authority may request clarification or missing information from applicants, who must respond within specified deadlines. Corrections of manifest material errors may be made with applicant confirmation. Applicants not presenting required justifying documents or making required declarations may be contacted to provide missing information or clarify supporting documents. Information, clarifications or confirmations must not substantially modify offers. Applicants will be informed of results by email to the contact address provided in eSubmission.

Important Conditions and Restrictions

The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted less than six business days before submission deadline. The contracting authority may cancel the procedure until contract signature without indemnification obligation. Offer validity period is specified in the tender notice. Offer submission constitutes acceptance of tender document conditions and waiver of applicant's own general or special conditions. Offers containing reservations or comments assimilable to reservations may be considered irregular. All costs for offer preparation, submission and opening session attendance are borne by applicants and not reimbursed. The Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the European Union applies; the contracting authority is exempt from customs duties, indirect rights and sales taxes including VAT under Protocol articles 3 and 4 and relevant Member State legislation. Personal data processing complies with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 on data protection for EU institutions; data is processed solely for evaluation purposes by SGC as data controller; applicants may exercise rights under this regulation by contacting tendering@consilium.europa.eu. Applicants in situations under Financial Regulation article 138 may be recorded in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES).

Contact Information and Support

Questions must be submitted exclusively in writing via the F&T Portal Questions and Answers tab by clicking create question, requiring EU Login registration. Supplementary information will be published on the F&T Portal; applicants must verify updates and modifications during submission period. For eSubmission technical assistance, applicants may consult the Quick Reference Guide for public procurement procedures or contact the helpdesk by email at ec-funding-tender-service-desk@ec.europa.eu or telephone +32 (0) 229 71063. If unresolved, applicants may contact SGC by email at tendering@consilium.europa.eu. Applicants may request to attend the virtual opening session by emailing tendering@consilium.europa.eu with representative names, email addresses, submitting organization name and eSubmission receipt acknowledgment at least three hours before opening session start. Maximum two representatives per offer may attend. Opening session public portion is limited to submission conformity verification, announcement of received offers with submitting organization names, and announcement of total price for each offer. Applicants not attending may request opening information from tendering@consilium.europa.eu.

Applicable Legislation and References

The tender is governed by EU public procurement rules and Belgian and Luxembourg food safety legislation. Key regulatory references include Regulation (CE) 852/2004 on food hygiene, Regulation (CE) 178/2002 establishing food safety principles, Belgian AFSCA self-control guides and DIS standards for collective catering, allergen management and HACCP scope, and Luxembourg applicable food safety regulations. The contractor must comply with all applicable legal provisions, regulations, standards and criteria in effect during contract execution, including any modifications during the contract period.

Footnotes

1. 1The estimated total contract value is not disclosed in the tender documents. Applicants should note that the financial offer calculation uses unit prices multiplied by estimated annual volumes across multiple service categories to determine total annual cost, which is then used for lowest-price award comparison.