Study on balancing market design for the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators

This summary outlines a procurement opportunity for a study on balancing market design issued by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, identified by the call ID ACER/2025/LVP/0055-EXA. The total estimated value of the contract is €60,000, and the duration is set for six months. The opportunity falls under the category of services, specifically focused on business and management consultancy in the energy sector, as denoted by the CPV code 79400000.

Eligible applicants are expected to be professional service providers, consultancies, or research organizations with expertise in energy market regulation, though it is explicitly noted that small and medium enterprises are not deemed suitable for participation. This procurement is structured as a services contract rather than a traditional grant, with an emphasis on delivering expert analysis, policy recommendations, and insights concerning energy balancing mechanisms.

The project does not require a consortium, indicating that a single applicant can apply. Geographic eligibility covers EU member states, reflecting the regulatory scope of the agency. The project is at the research stage, aiming to deliver a comprehensive analytical study on energy market design.

Submissions will be required through an electronic process, with an expression of interest period starting on October 1, 2025, and ending on October 16, 2025. A subsequent invitation for full proposals will follow for selected candidates. The application type suggests a negotiated procedure for a contract characterized as low to middle value. There is no noted requirement for co-funding.

In summary, this pre-announcement serves as an advisory for potential bidders regarding an upcoming opportunity to conduct a research study focused on balancing market design, with further details to be formally released around October 17, 2025.

This is not a call for tenders but a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. More information can be found via a link. Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below.

The procedure identifier is ACER/2025/LVP/0055-EXA. The description of the opportunity is a study on balancing market design for the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is 60000 EUR. The lead contracting authority is the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The main classification (CPV) code is 79400000, which corresponds to business and management consultancy and related services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 6 months. There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-10-01 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 16/10/2025 05:59 Europe/Ljubljana. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-17 Europe/Ljubljana.

The method of expression of interest is electronic. The address for expression of interest is via "Express interest".

A question and answer section is available where users can log in to create questions, view public Q&A, access FAQs, and download Q&As in XLS format. Currently, there are no items found in the public Q&A.

One FAQ is listed: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer states that references featuring ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders but a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch a low or middle negotiated procedure in the future. This was published on 03/10/2024 at 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure, specifically a study on balancing market design for the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The estimated value is 60000 EUR, and the contract duration is limited to 6 months. The announcement serves to inform potential bidders about the upcoming opportunity and invites them to express their interest electronically. The actual call for tenders is expected to be launched around October 17, 2025. It is important to note that the reference 'ExA' indicates this is not a direct call for tenders but a preliminary notice.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is for a negotiated procedure, suggesting that the contracting authority will likely select eligible applicants based on pre-defined criteria and potentially invite specific entities to submit proposals. The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given the nature of the contract (services related to business and management consultancy), suitable applicants could include consulting firms, research institutions, or other organizations with expertise in energy market design.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract. The contracting authority will procure services related to a study on balancing market design.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. Given the nature of the study, both single applicants and consortia with relevant expertise could be eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The lead contracting authority is the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. This suggests that the geographic eligibility is likely focused on entities within the EU, although this is not explicitly stated.

Target Sector: The target sector is energy, specifically focusing on balancing market design within the energy sector. The call is for a study on balancing market design for the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the context implies a focus on the European Union due to the involvement of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

Project Stage: The project stage is research/study. The opportunity is for a study on balancing market design, indicating an early stage of investigation and analysis.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 60,000 EUR, placing it in the under €50k to €200k range.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. This means that after the expression of interest, the contracting authority will likely invite a select number of candidates to submit full proposals.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, specifically the completion of a study on balancing market design.

Application Stages: The application process appears to involve at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent invitation to submit a full proposal as part of the negotiated procedure. Therefore, there are at least 2 stages.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned. However, given that this is a negotiated procedure, the success rate for those invited to submit a full proposal is likely to be higher than an open call, but this is not specified.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not specify whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). The procedure aims to procure a study on balancing market design in the energy sector. The estimated total value of the contract is 60,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 6 months. The procedure is classified as a low or middle value contract. The first step is to express interest electronically, with a deadline of October 16, 2025. Subsequently, a select number of candidates will likely be invited to submit full proposals. This is not a call for tenders but rather an announcement of a planned future opportunity. The CPV code is 79400000, which relates to business and management consultancy and related services. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is October 17, 2025.