SERVICES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL SOCIAL STATISTICS (SPOSS)

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for Statistics (Eurostat), has released a call for tenders identified as EC-ESTAT/2025/OP/0024, focused on services for the production of official social statistics. The overall estimated value of this procurement process is €33.8 million and is categorized into two distinct lots.

Lot 1 encompasses support services aimed at enhancing Eurostat's ability to develop, produce, and disseminate social statistics. The proposed compensation structure for this lot is based on successful delivery of predetermined outputs, with an estimated value of €6.8 million.

Lot 2 targets technical services, requiring experts to work in close proximity to Eurostat's offices. This lot's funding is linked to actual time spent on tasks, with a total estimated value of €27 million.

Application eligibility is extensive, likely including large enterprises, research institutions, and specialized consultancies that meet the requisite technical and professional experience. Applicants must operate within the EU member states or possibly EEA-associated countries.

The procurement process is classified as an open call, necessitating electronic submissions by June 16, 2025, at 16:00 Luxembourg time. Any questions regarding the tender must be submitted by June 5, 2025. A public opening of the submissions will occur on June 18, 2025, at 10:00 in Luxembourg.

The success of bids will be evaluated based on a best price-quality ratio, considering criteria such as professional suitability, economic and financial standing, technical abilities, and project management expertise. The process involves a single application stage with evaluation focused on both quality and cost, each contributing 50% to the overall assessment.

Essentially, Eurostat is seeking robust service contracts that will facilitate its efforts in collecting and disseminating statistical data efficiently and effectively. The total contract duration for successful bidders may last up to 48 months, ensuring ongoing operational execution of the required services. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is required for participation, affirming the competitive nature of this tender opportunity.

The European Commission, DG ESTAT Eurostat, has issued a call for tenders EC-ESTAT/2025/OP/0024 for services related to the production of official social statistics (SPOSS). The call is published under TED reference 71/2025 233403-2025. The estimated total value of this procurement is 33,800,000 EUR.

This call for tenders is divided into two lots:

Lot 1: Support services for the production of official social statistics. Eurostat is seeking support services to strengthen its capacity in developing, producing, and disseminating official social statistics. These services will require experts to execute specific tasks, with compensation based on the successful delivery of predefined outputs. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The estimated value for Lot 1 is 6,800,000 EUR. The framework agreement is partly without reopening and partly with reopening of competition.

Lot 2: Technical services for the production of official social statistics. Eurostat is seeking technical services to strengthen its capacity in developing, producing, and disseminating official social statistics. These services will require experts to work in close proximity to Eurostat's premises, performing tasks responsively and flexibly, with compensation based on the actual time spent carrying out their duties. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The estimated value for Lot 2 is 27,000,000 EUR. The framework agreement is without reopening of competition.

Common criteria for both lots include:

The TED publication date is 10/04/2025. The date and time of the public opening is 18/06/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Luxembourg time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 16/06/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Luxembourg time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 05/06/2025 at 05:00 Europe/Luxembourg time. The main classification (CPV) code is 79330000 Statistical services. Selection criteria include suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability; details are available in the procurement documents.

Available documents include:

Invitation to tender Invitation letter (published 10/04/2025, all lots, Version 1, no translations available). ENTS ANNEX 10 Nature of tasks based on the GSBPM Tender specifications (published 10/04/2025, all lots, Version 1, no translations available). Tender specifications (published 10/04/2025, all lots, Version 1, no translations available). ENTS ANNEX 9 Ordering of services Tender specifications (published 10/04/2025, all lots, Version 1, no translations available). Tender specifications Word version (published 10/04/2025, all lots, Version 1, no translations available). ENTS ANNEX 6 Financial tender form Lot 1 Financial offer form (published 10/04/2025, Lot 1, Version 1, no translations available). ENTS ANNEX 6 Financial tender form Lot 2 Financial offer form (published 10/04/2025, Lot 2, Version 1, no translations available). Draft Framework contract Lot 1 Draft contract (published 10/04/2025, Lot 1, Version 1, no translations available). Draft Framework contract Lot 2 Draft contract (published 10/04/2025, Lot 2, Version 1, no translations available).

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

Clarifications provided in the Questions and Answers (Q&A) section address specific concerns raised by potential tenderers:

Clarification 64477: A peer-reviewed publication in social statistics refers to a publication that has undergone a review process by at least one qualified expert in the field. Clarification 64469: The provision mentioned in Section 1.5 ‘Place of performance where will the contract be performed’ for Lot 2 does not apply to Lot 1. Clarification 64048: The EUR 1,000,000 minimum total value under Criterion T1 for Lot 1 must be the minimum total value of one or more similar contracts or projects provided by the tenderer in the last three years. Clarification 63256: The discrepancy between the number of service providers and the number of CVs required in criteria T2 and T3 under both lots is intended to lessen the burden on tenderers.

Additional FAQs cover technical aspects of the eSubmission system:

Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for optimal performance. Clear cache and cookies if the system is slow. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents using an asymmetric key. The maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB, and the maximum number of documents per tender is 200. Attachment names must follow the System Requirements. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time. Draft submissions can be viewed, edited, and deleted until the deadline.

In summary, this call for tenders invites organizations to submit proposals for providing either support services (Lot 1) or technical services (Lot 2) to Eurostat for the production of official social statistics. Lot 1 focuses on outcome-based tasks, while Lot 2 requires experts to work on-site at Eurostat. The total estimated budget is 33.8 million EUR, with a 48-month contract duration. The deadline for submissions is June 16, 2025. Tenderers must submit their proposals electronically and ensure they meet the technical and eligibility criteria outlined in the tender specifications.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include companies, research institutions, and other organizations with expertise in statistical services. The tender specifies selection criteria related to the suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability, suggesting that the applicants should be established entities with relevant experience.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders for services related to the production of official social statistics.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the FAQ mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium), suggesting that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. Given that it is a Eurostat tender, it is highly likely that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and potentially other countries participating in the European Statistical System (ESS).

Target Sector: The target sector is statistical services, specifically related to the production of official social statistics. The Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) code provided, 79330000, confirms this.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The relevant region is the EU, as Eurostat is the lead contracting authority. Luxembourg is mentioned as the location for the date and time of the public opening.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly mentioned, but it is implied that the services required are for the ongoing production and dissemination of official social statistics. Therefore, the expected maturity is operational and continuous.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 33,800,000 EUR. Lot 1 has an estimated value of 6,800,000 EUR, and Lot 2 has an estimated value of 27,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services provided. This is a service contract, so the support is financial compensation for the delivery of specific services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there are multiple stages, including submission of the tender, evaluation of the offers based on selection criteria, and contract award.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by Eurostat for services related to the production of official social statistics (SPOSS). The tender is divided into two lots: Lot 1 focuses on support services, and Lot 2 focuses on technical services. The total estimated value of the tender is 33,800,000 EUR, with Lot 1 valued at 6,800,000 EUR and Lot 2 at 27,000,000 EUR. The contract duration is a maximum of 48 months.

The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be made electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is June 16, 2025, at 16:00 Europe/Luxembourg time. The contracting authority will not reply to questions submitted after June 5, 2025, at 05:00 Europe/Luxembourg time. The public opening of the tenders will take place on June 18, 2025, at 10:00 Europe/Luxembourg time.

The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The selection criteria include the suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. Tenderers must submit their proposals electronically through the designated submission address.

Eurostat seeks to strengthen its capacity in developing, producing, and disseminating official social statistics through these services. Lot 1 requires experts to execute specific tasks, with compensation based on the successful delivery of predefined outputs. Lot 2 requires experts to work in close proximity to Eurostat's premises, performing tasks responsively and flexibly, with compensation based on the actual time spent carrying out their duties. The framework agreement for Lot 1 is partly without reopening and partly with reopening of competition, while the framework agreement for Lot 2 is without reopening of competition.

To participate, tenderers must register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC). The eSubmission system supports various file types and has specific requirements for naming attachments. The system is multilingual, supporting all 24 official EU languages, and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information.