Strategic Communication of the European Union in Ethiopia – 2025-2027

The European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships is issuing a call for tenders, designated EC-INTPA/ADD/2025/EA-RP/0061, for strategic communication services in Ethiopia. This project aims to engage a communications agency to implement the EU's Strategic Communications plans from 2025 to 2027, focusing on promoting the EU's Global Gateway initiative through comprehensive campaigns.

Eligible applicants include qualified service providers, and while small and medium-sized enterprises are not specifically prioritized, any entity meeting the necessary technical and financial criteria can apply. The funding type is a procurement contract, specifically a service contract, classified under the Common Procurement Vocabulary code 79341400 for advertising campaign services.

The procurement is structured as a restricted procedure, meaning applicants must first submit a request to participate, followed by a detailed proposal for those selected in the initial stage. The total estimated value for the contract is €1.5 million, with a maximum duration of 36 months. The deadline for submitting requests is May 24, 2025, at 16:00 local time in Addis Ababa.

The project is geographically limited to Ethiopia, although eligibility may extend to other regions under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe framework, potentially including entities from countries like Sri Lanka.

The evaluation for award will prioritize quality (80%) over cost (20%), with success rates projected to be moderate due to competitive nature. Submissions must comply with electronic submission methods via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, with specific requirements for document formats and sizes.

Selection criteria encompass professional capability, economic and financial standing, and technical expertise. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, which must be obtained prior to submitting any tender or request.

This initiative is part of the EU's commitment to enhancing its visibility and influence in Ethiopia through strategic communication aimed at stakeholder engagement and promoting the Global Gateway initiative.

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA), has announced a call for tenders, EC-INTPA/ADD/2025/EA-RP/0061, for strategic communication services in Ethiopia. The EU Delegation is seeking a communications agency to implement its strategic communication plans using a 360-degree approach. This involves designing, developing, and implementing campaigns to promote the EU's Global Gateway in Ethiopia.

This is a restricted procedure with an estimated total value of 1,500,000 EUR. The TED publication date is April 23, 2025, and the deadline for receipt of requests to participate is May 24, 2025, at 16:00 Africa/Addis Ababa time. The maximum contract duration is 36 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement associated with this tender.

The main classification according to the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) is 79341400, which refers to advertising campaign services. The place of delivery or performance is Ethiopia, specifically identified by the code 20000884. The program associated with this tender is 44995760, which corresponds to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Selection criteria include: Suitability to pursue the professional activity, Economic and financial standing, and Technical and professional ability. Detailed information on these criteria can be found in the procurement documents.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic means to the address provided in the submission terms.

The following documents are available for download: Additional Information to the Contract Notice (published April 23, 2025), Corrigendum No 1 final (published May 12, 2025), Application Form (published April 23, 2025), Clarification Q&A No.1 (published May 14, 2025), and Clarification Q&A No.2 (published May 14, 2025). All documents are in English, Version 1, and no translations are available.

Several questions and answers have been published regarding this tender:

Question 64486: Clarification is requested on the updated PRAG template for project references. The response clarifies that only the part of the project carried out by the legal entity may be used as a reference, not the whole project. Candidates can refer to projects completed within the reference period.

Question 64485: Inquires about the eligibility of Sri Lankan companies to apply as a lead contractor. The response states that the legal basis for this procedure is Regulation (EU) N° 2021/947 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI).

Question 64312: Asks if project communication components can be considered eligible if reaching 600K of implementation. The response indicates that the question is unclear and needs to be rephrased, but refers to the technical capacity requirements under section 16 of the Additional Information to the Contract Notice.

Question 64308: Refers to the document "Additional information about the Contract Notice", page 3, Selection Criteria, point 2 "Professional capacity". The response clarifies that, as specified in the Contract notice under "Professional capacity", criterion 3, the candidate must have the professional certificate appropriate to this contract or be registered as a company.

Question 64311: Seeks confirmation that companies within a Consortium cannot send invoices paid out of the in. The response states that the question is unclear and needs to be rephrased with a clear reference to the section of PRAG, but provides information on incidental expenditure.

Question 64304: Inquires from a marketing and advertising agency based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, about their eligibility. The response refers to the legal basis of the procedure being Regulation (EU) N° 2021/947 establishing the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI).

Additional FAQs address technical aspects of the eSubmission system:

If the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents, users should ensure they are using the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and clear their browser's cache and cookies.

The eSubmission system supports the latest versions of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. For up-to-date technical recommendations, users can click on the "System Requirements" link.

It is not possible to view the details of a submission after the deadline, as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload and does not allow decryption after the deadline.

Submissions can be found in the "Manage My Area" section of the Funding & Tenders portal, specifically in "My Submission(s)" for tenders in response to open calls or requests to participate.

Attachments for tender submissions must be less than 50 MB in size.

Attachments in eSubmission must be named following the System Requirements.

Users can check the System Requirements of eSubmission to determine if video submissions and specific formats are supported.

Invited candidates can only see procurement documents after selecting an organization in the F&T Portal under "My Invitations".

A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participating in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a consortium.

If there is an issue uploading a file in eSubmission, users must ensure it follows the technical requirements of the system.

The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files.

A PIC is mandatory to submit a tender or a request to participate, and only one PIC per organization should be used.

To register an organization and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC), users should first check if the organization is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.

A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.

The eSubmission system supports all 24 official EU languages.

The character set encoding is UTF-8.

The system uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information.

The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure.

Draft submissions can be viewed, edited, and deleted until the submission deadline.

If the submission report displays "Legal form: UNKNOWN" while the legal form is correctly displayed in the system, it is just a display issue and does not block submission.

An automatic email informing that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached does not mean that the submission was not correctly sent. It is an auto-generated notification.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission seeking a communications agency to develop and implement strategic communication campaigns in Ethiopia to promote the EU's Global Gateway initiative. The tender is valued at 1.5 million EUR and submissions must be made electronically. The deadline for applications is May 24, 2025. The documentation provides details on eligibility, selection criteria, and technical requirements for the eSubmission system. The EU Delegation seeks to work with a communications agency to implement its Strategic Communications plans in a 360° approach, namely by designing, developing and implementing campaigns to promote the EU’s Global Gateway in Ethiopia.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type is a communications agency. The tender specifies that the EU Delegation seeks to work with a communications agency.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is services, specifically advertising campaign services.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the Q&A section mentions companies being part of a consortium, suggesting that consortia are permissible. The PIC (Personal Identification Code) is mandatory for both sole candidates/tenderers and members of a group (consortium).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is focused on Ethiopia, as the project aims to implement strategic communications plans within Ethiopia. However, a question in the Q&A section clarifies that the legal basis of this procedure is Regulation (EU) N° 2021/947 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI), suggesting broader eligibility within the NDICI framework. A question was asked about Sri Lankan companies being eligible, and the response referenced the NDICI, implying that eligibility extends beyond just EU member states, potentially including countries covered by the NDICI.

Target Sector: The target sector is strategic communication and advertising. The main classification (CPV) code is 79341400, which corresponds to advertising campaign services.

Mentioned Countries: Ethiopia, Sri Lanka.

Project Stage: The project stage is implementation. The EU Delegation is looking for a communications agency to design, develop, and implement campaigns.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 1,500,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, using a restricted procedure.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered. This is a service contract where the communications agency will be paid for designing and implementing strategic communication campaigns.

Application Stages: The procedure type is a restricted procedure, implying at least two stages: a request to participate and a full proposal submission for those selected in the first stage.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, specifically the EU Delegation in Ethiopia, seeking a communications agency to implement its Strategic Communications plans for 2025-2027. The project aims to promote the EU's Global Gateway initiative in Ethiopia through a 360° approach involving the design, development, and implementation of communication campaigns. The procedure is a restricted procedure, meaning there will be an initial selection phase based on requests to participate, followed by a full proposal submission from shortlisted candidates. The estimated total value of the contract is 1,500,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 36 months. The submission method is electronic. The deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 24/05/2025 at 16:00 Africa/Addis Ababa time. The call falls under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI) framework, potentially extending eligibility to companies beyond the EU, such as those in Sri Lanka, although the primary focus is on activities within Ethiopia. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, whether as a sole tenderer or as part of a consortium. The eSubmission system supports various file types and has specific requirements for attachment sizes and naming conventions, with a maximum of 200 files allowed per submission, each under 50 MB. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.