Specific contract related to recognised schemes (Article 30, Annex IV) measure in the Critical Raw Materials Act

The European Commission, specifically DG GROW, is preparing a call for tenders to relate to recognized schemes under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), particularly focusing on sustainability certification schemes. The procedure identifier for this upcoming opportunity is EC-GROW/2025/OP/0073-PIN, with TED reference 104/2025 354619-2025. The total estimated value of the contract is €400,000, and it includes a maximum duration of 12 months.

Eligible applicants for this opportunity are likely owners of critical raw materials sustainability certification schemes, including certification bodies, industry associations, NGOs, and research institutions focused on raw materials certification. The funding type falls under a procurement contract for services rather than a grant, indicating a competitive bidding process will be involved.

While there is no express requirement for a consortium, potential applicants may choose to collaborate based on the diverse expertise required for certification schemes. The geographic eligibility for applicants is primarily expected to be limited to entities within the EU, though it may also extend to EEA countries or EU candidate countries.

The targeted sector emphasizes critical raw materials and sustainability certification systems, aligning with environmental sustainability and responsible sourcing, as indicated by the CPV code 73000000, which pertains to research and development services. The project stage focuses on validating and recognizing existing sustainability certification schemes rather than developing new ones.

The call for tenders will be formally published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ S). Current documentation specifies the procedures involved, which generally include the publication of the call, submission of tenders, and evaluation of proposals.

No specific information on success rates or co-funding requirements was available, indicating that the contract is likely fully funded by the European Commission without the need for co-financing. The intended publication date for the contract notice is expected around June 25, 2025, following an announcement that was originally made on June 2, 2025.

In summary, this planned call for tenders aims to procure services that will help establish a framework for recognizing sustainability certification schemes under the CRMA, ultimately to enhance compliance with sustainability criteria for strategic projects related to critical raw materials.

The European Commission, DG GROW Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, is planning a call for tenders related to recognised schemes under Article 30, Annex IV of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). The procedure identifier for this planned call is EC-GROW/2025/OP/0073-PIN. The TED reference is 104/2025 354619-2025.

The call for tenders is forthcoming. Under the CRMA (Article 30), scheme owners of CRM sustainability certification schemes may request recognition by the Commission. Recognised schemes may then be used to demonstrate compliance with the sustainability criterion for Strategic Projects.

The procedure type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication. The estimated total value of the contract is 400,000 EUR. The TED publication date was 02/06/2025, and the estimated date of publication of a contract notice is 25/06/2025. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 12 months. No framework agreement is mentioned. The main classification (CPV) code is 73000000, which refers to research and development services and related consultancy services.

A question was asked regarding where to find the procurement documents for this call for tenders. The answer provided states that the planned call for tenders announces the intention of the contracting authority to publish a future call for tenders, and no other information or documents other than those published are available at this time. This answer was published on 16/02/2024 at 23:54.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement of a forthcoming call for tenders by the European Commission related to the Critical Raw Materials Act. The call aims to support the recognition of sustainability certification schemes for critical raw materials, which can then be used to demonstrate compliance for strategic projects. The contract, worth 400,000 EUR, will involve research and development services and related consultancy services. The official contract notice is expected to be published around June 25, 2025. Currently, no procurement documents are available, as this is just an announcement of a future opportunity.

Eligible Applicant Types: The provided text does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given that the call for tenders relates to the recognition of CRM sustainability certification schemes under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), it is highly likely that eligible applicants would include scheme owners of CRM sustainability certification schemes. This could encompass a range of organizations, including certification bodies, industry associations, NGOs, and potentially research institutions involved in developing and managing such schemes.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement. The text refers to a "call for tenders" and a "specific contract," indicating that the European Commission is seeking to procure services through a competitive bidding process.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, given the nature of certification schemes and the potential need for diverse expertise, both single applicants and consortia could potentially be eligible. The specific requirements will likely be detailed in the forthcoming call for tenders documentation.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The text does not explicitly specify geographic eligibility. However, since it is an EU initiative (CRMA) managed by the European Commission, it is highly probable that the geographic eligibility will primarily focus on entities within the EU. It is possible that entities from EEA countries or EU candidate countries may also be eligible, but this would need to be confirmed in the official call documentation.

Target Sector: The target sector is critical raw materials (CRM) sustainability certification. This encompasses areas related to environmental sustainability, responsible sourcing, and supply chain due diligence within the CRM sector. It also touches upon industry, entrepreneurship, and SMEs, as the lead contracting authority is DG GROW.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The relevant region is the EU, as the initiative falls under the Critical Raw Materials Act and is managed by the European Commission.

Project Stage: The project stage is related to the validation and recognition of existing sustainability certification schemes. The call aims to identify schemes that can demonstrate compliance with the sustainability criterion for Strategic Projects under the CRMA. Therefore, the schemes themselves would likely be at a development or validation stage, while the call for tenders focuses on their recognition and potential implementation.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 400,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication (Official Journal of the European Union, Supplement). This indicates a formal procurement process where the call for tenders will be published in the OJ S, inviting interested parties to submit their proposals.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services. The call is for a specific contract, implying that the selected tenderer will be providing services to the European Commission in exchange for financial compensation.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, a typical call for tenders process usually involves multiple stages, including: publication of the call, submission of tenders, evaluation of tenders, contract award, and contract implementation. Therefore, applicants should expect to go through several stages.

Success Rates: The success rates cannot be determined from the provided text, as it is a planned call for tenders. Success rates will depend on the number of applications received and the quality of the proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not mention any co-funding requirement. It is likely that the contract will be fully funded by the European Commission.

Summary:

This is a planned call for tenders by the European Commission, DG GROW, related to the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). Specifically, it concerns the recognition of CRM sustainability certification schemes. Under the CRMA, scheme owners can request recognition by the Commission, and recognized schemes can then be used to demonstrate compliance with sustainability criteria for Strategic Projects. The procedure type is a planned call for tenders with publication in the Official Journal of the European Union Supplement (OJ S). The estimated total value of the contract is 400,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 12 months. The TED publication date was June 2, 2025, and the estimated date of publication of a contract notice is June 25, 2025. The call aims to procure services related to the recognition process of these schemes. Potential applicants are likely to be scheme owners of CRM sustainability certification schemes, including certification bodies, industry associations, NGOs, and research institutions. The geographic eligibility is likely to be focused on entities within the EU, with potential inclusion of EEA countries or EU candidate countries. The call for tenders will be published in the OJ S, and interested parties will need to submit their proposals according to the instructions provided in the call documentation. The selected tenderer will be awarded a contract to provide services to the European Commission in exchange for financial compensation.