“Services in support of the technical implementation of interoperability obligations in Article 6(7) DMA”

This document outlines a forthcoming procurement opportunity from the European Commission, specifically from the Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP). The procedure identifier is EC-COMP/2025/MVP/0047-EXA, and it announces a planned negotiated tender for services to support the implementation of interoperability obligations under Article 6(7) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The focus is on technical assistance, particularly monitoring the implementation of the Specification Decision for Case DMA.100203, which relates to Apple, iOS, and features for connected physical devices.

Eligible applicants are economic operators established in EU Member States or third countries with special public procurement agreements with the EU. It is important to note that the opportunity is not suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The contract is classified under CPV code 72000000, indicating it pertains to IT services, consulting, software development, and internet support. The maximum duration of the contract is set for 10 months, and while the estimated total contract value is not specified, it is classified as a middle or low value contract.

The application process begins with an electronic expression of interest, which can be submitted from September 11 to September 27, 2025. The indicative date for launching the negotiated procedure is October 3, 2025. This opportunity is not an immediate call for tenders but a pre-announcement to inform potential bidders about the upcoming process. Interested parties are encouraged to monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for detailed updates and necessary documentation.

Overall, the European Commission is seeking a contractor with substantial software and technological expertise to aid in the operational implementation of existing regulatory frameworks related to significant digital platform regulations.

This is a publication announcing the European Commission's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. It is not a call for tenders.

The procedure identifier is EC-COMP/2025/MVP/0047-EXA.

The title of the planned call for tenders is "Services in support of the technical implementation of interoperability obligations in Article 6(7) DMA".

The description is as follows: The European Commission seeks to utilise the contractor’s software and technological expertise in order to obtain comprehensive technical assistance in the implementation of Article 6(7) of the Digital Markets Act, including the monitoring of the implementation of the Specification Decision for Case DMA.100203 – Article 6(7) – Apple – iOS – SP – Features for Connected Physical Devices.

On an exceptional basis, the call for tenders shall be open to economic operators established in a EU Member State or a third country which has a special agreement with the European Union in the field of public procurement on the conditions laid down in that agreement.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract.

The estimated total value is not specified.

The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG COMP - Competition.

The main classification (CPV) code is 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.

The nature of the contract is for services.

The maximum contract duration is 10 months.

There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-09-11 Europe/Brussels.

The deadline for expression of interest is 27/09/2025 05:59 Europe/Brussels.

The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-03 Europe/Brussels.

The method of expression of interest is electronic.

To express interest, use the "Express interest" link.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given.

A question and answer section is available. To create a question, you must log in. A FAQ section is available, and the Q&A can be downloaded as an XLS file.

One Q&A is already present: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer is: References that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure. This was published on 03/10/2024 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement of a future tender opportunity from the European Commission, DG COMP, related to IT services and software expertise. The Commission is looking for a contractor to provide technical assistance in implementing Article 6(7) of the Digital Markets Act, specifically concerning interoperability obligations and monitoring the implementation of a specification decision related to Apple's iOS and connected physical devices. The contract is expected to be of middle or low value, and the procedure will be a negotiated one. Companies interested in this opportunity should express their interest electronically between September 11th and September 27th, 2025. The actual call for tenders is expected to be launched around October 3rd, 2025. The contract duration will be a maximum of 10 months.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call for tenders is open to economic operators established in an EU Member State or a third country which has a special agreement with the European Union in the field of public procurement on the conditions laid down in that agreement. This suggests that eligible applicants could include companies (SMEs, large enterprises), and potentially research institutes or other organizations, depending on the specific agreements between the EU and the third country.

Funding Type: This is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract, which falls under the category of procurement. The nature of the contract is services.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the nature of the work (technical assistance), it is possible that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible. The final decision will likely depend on the specific requirements outlined in the future call for tenders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and third countries which have a special agreement with the European Union in the field of public procurement.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily ICT, specifically focusing on IT services, consulting, software development, Internet, and support. The project is related to the implementation of Article 6(7) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which concerns interoperability obligations.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States are mentioned, as well as third countries which have a special agreement with the European Union in the field of public procurement.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the technical implementation of interoperability obligations, including monitoring. This suggests a development and implementation phase rather than basic research or early-stage idea development.

Funding Amount: The opportunity is described as a "middle/low value contract," but the estimated total value is not specified.

Application Type: This is a planned negotiated procedure. The first step is to express interest electronically. The actual call for tenders will be launched at a later date.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services related to technical assistance and software/technological expertise.

Application Stages: The application process will involve at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent negotiated procedure. The exact number of stages will be determined when the call for tenders is officially launched.

Success Rates: There is no information available regarding success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: There is no information available regarding co-funding requirements.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procurement procedure by the European Commission, DG COMP (Competition). The procedure identifier is EC-COMP/2025/MVP/0047-EXA. The European Commission intends to contract services to support the technical implementation of interoperability obligations outlined in Article 6(7) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Specifically, the contractor will provide technical assistance, including monitoring the implementation of the Specification Decision for Case DMA.100203 – Article 6(7) – Apple – iOS – SP – Features for Connected Physical Devices.

The call for tenders will be open to economic operators (companies, organizations) established in EU Member States or third countries with special agreements with the EU regarding public procurement. The contract is considered a middle/low value contract, and the maximum duration is 10 months. The CPV code is 72000000, which covers IT services, consulting, software development, Internet, and support.

The process begins with an electronic expression of interest, with a start date of 2025-09-11 and a deadline of 2025-09-27. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-03. This announcement is not a call for tenders itself, but rather a notification of the Commission's intention to launch one in the future. Interested parties should monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for the official call and related documentation.