Study on circular economy activities in the EU

The European Commission DG JRC intends to procure a services contract to study circular economy business models across selected product groups in the EU, including product-as-a-service, rental, repair and refurbishment, to map activity, develop market forecasts, identify drivers and barriers and provide policy recommendations. The planned negotiated procedure (reference EC-JRC/SVQ/2026/MVP/4747-EXA) is for a maximum 10-month contract and the estimated total value is not disclosed. Interested organisations must submit an electronic expression of interest via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login between 11 September 2026 and 26 September 2026, with an indicative launch of the negotiated procedure on 28 September 2026.

Opportunity type and contracting authority

Planned negotiated procedure (middle/low value) by DG JRC

Procurement to commission a 10-month research consultancy study mapping and assessing circular economy activities across selected product groups in the EU, producing market forecasts, analysing drivers and barriers and issuing policy recommendations. Submissions require an EU Login account and electronic expression of interest. ¹

Who can apply:Consultancies, research organisations or economic operators with relevant experience in market studies and circular economy topics meeting the requirements of a services contract (CPV 73210000).

1. 1Scope: mapping of activities such as product-as-a-service, rental, repair, refurbish across several product groups; market forecasts; drivers, barriers and policy recommendations.
2. 2Procedure: planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract; expression of interest submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
3. 3Duration: maximum contract duration 10 months.
4. 4Estimated value: not specified in the publication.

Indicative launch of the negotiated procedure is 28/09/2026. Full procurement documents and formal call will be published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; interested bidders should register and monitor the tender page Tender page.

Footnotes

1. 1Reference: EC-JRC/SVQ/2026/MVP/4747-EXA — notice published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (publication date 03/10/2024).

Opportunity summary

What the commission wants

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission intends to award a service contract for a study to analyse the presence and maturity of circular economy activities in the European Union. The study will cover activities such as product-as-a-service, rental schemes, repair, refurbishment and similar circular business models across a number of product groups. Main tasks include mapping these activities, producing market forecasts, analysing drivers and barriers, and deriving policy recommendations. The study aims also to build the contracting authority's internal expertise on the topic. This notice is an announcement of intent to launch a planned negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract; it is not yet a call for tenders. More information will be published with the formal tender launch. EU Funding & Tenders Portal ¹

Lead contracting authority:European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre (JRC).

Procedure identifier and type:Reference EC-JRC/SVQ/2026/MVP/4747-EXA. Planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract (publication is an ExA notice announcing intent to launch a negotiated procedure).

Contract nature, CPV codes and duration:Nature of contract: services. Main CPV: 73210000 Research consultancy services. Additional CPV classifications included: 73200000, 73110000, 79300000, 73000000. Maximum contract duration: 10 months.

Primary objectives and scope of work:Carry out a structured analysis of circular economy activities across selected product groups in the EU including mapping of existing business models (product-as-a-service, rental schemes, repair, refurbishment, etc.), assessing maturity and market presence, producing market forecasts, identifying drivers and barriers to uptake, and preparing targeted policy recommendations. The contractor will deliver evidence-based outputs to support JRC and EU policymaking and to increase internal expertise on circular economy topics.

Eligibility, submission and selection

This is a public procurement (tender) notice; applicants must follow the electronic expression of interest and subsequent negotiated procedure that the JRC will publish. An EU Login account is required to submit the expression of interest and to use the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission tool.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: Organisations capable of delivering research and consultancy services. Typical eligible applicants include research institutes, universities, professional consultancies, specialised market research firms, think-tanks, NGOs with relevant capacity, and private companies (SMEs or large enterprises) offering relevant analytical and consulting services. The tender is not aimed at individuals without an organisational contracting entity.
2. 2Consortium requirement: The notice does not mandate a consortium. The procedure is a negotiated contract award for services; the contracting authority typically allows single legal entities or groups/consortia if permitted in the tender documents. Tenderers should check the forthcoming tender documentation for explicit rules on joint bids, lead contractor responsibilities and required partner evidence.
3. 3Beneficiary geographic scope: The study focuses on the European Union (EU). Eligible bidders usually must be established legal entities able to contract with the European Commission; in practice this includes entities from EU Member States and other countries eligible to conclude contracts with the EU (consult forthcoming tender documents for exact rules).
4. 4Funding type: Public procurement via service contract (purchase of research/consultancy services). This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument.
5. 5Nature of support to beneficiaries: Non-financial in the sense of procurement payment for services rendered. The successful contractor will receive contract payments under the negotiated procurement; the opportunity does not provide grants or subsidies to beneficiaries beyond contract remuneration.
6. 6Co-funding requirement: No co-funding or applicant financial contribution is indicated in the notice. The contract will remunerate the contractor under terms to be defined in the tender documents. If any co-financing or cost-sharing is required it will be stated in the formal tender documentation.
7. 7Application type and submission method: Expression of interest submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required). The notice states submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission provided in the portal and that eSubmission is mandatory (ESUBMISSION).
8. 8Application stages and process: At minimum two stages are indicated: (1) Expression of interest stage (electronic submission) and (2) Launch of the negotiated procedure leading to formal tender submission and award. The negotiated procedure may include additional evaluation, clarifications, and negotiation steps; the formal tender documentation will define the exact stages.
9. 9Success rates: Not provided. As a negotiated procurement for a single contract, success rate depends on number and quality of bidders invited to participate and the award criteria; no historical success-rate figures are given in the notice.
10. 10Templates and documentation: No tender documents or application templates are published with this notice. The contracting authority states further procurement documents will be published at the time of the formal tender launch. Applicants should prepare standard capability statements, technical and methodological proposals, CVs of key experts, references for similar assignments, and proposed workplan and budget format as these are commonly requested in JRC research consultancy tenders.

Key dates and milestones

Technical and thematic focus

Sectors and themes requested:circular economy and circular business models across multiple product groups. Specific activities to study include product-as-a-service, rental schemes, repair and refurbishment. The study requires market mapping and forecasting, identification of uptake drivers and barriers, and development of policy recommendations that address regulatory, economic, social and operational aspects of circular business models.

1. 1Target sectors: environment, circular economy, sustainable consumption, waste management, product policy, materials and manufacturing considerations connected to product life extension and service-based models.
2. 2Types of expertise desirable in bids: market analysis and forecasting, quantitative and qualitative data collection (surveys, interviews, stakeholder mapping), policy analysis, life-cycle thinking, circular business model assessment, familiarity with EU policy frameworks and data sources, experience producing policy-ready deliverables for EU institutions, and strong project management skills for a short (10-month) study.

Expected deliverables and outputs (indicative)

While the formal tender documents will define exact deliverables, the notice indicates the contractor will be expected to deliver at least: (a) a mapping of circular economy activities for selected product groups across the EU, (b) market forecasts and scenarios for uptake of circular business models, (c) an analysis of drivers and barriers (regulatory, business, consumer and technical), (d) policy recommendations targeted to EU policymakers, and (e) final reports and possibly intermediate deliverables contributing to JRC expertise.

Administrative and practical notes

1. 1Submission system: Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login credentials. The expression of interest must be submitted to the address shown in the portal entry.
2. 2SME suitability indicator: The procurement record marks the project as not explicitly marked as suitable only for SMEs; both SMEs and larger organisations are implied as eligible.
3. 3Framework agreement: The procurement data indicates contracting systems and framework-agreement type fields; however the notice describes a single planned negotiated procedure rather than an ongoing framework agreement award to multiple suppliers.
4. 4Documentation availability: No procurement documents or Q&A entries are currently attached to the ExA notice. The public Q&A list shows zero items at the time of scraping. Tender documents and any templates will be published with the formal call for tenders when the negotiated procedure is launched.

Information gaps and recommended actions for interested bidders

Key information not specified in this ExA notice and that bidders should check when the formal tender is launched includes: estimated total contract value and budget breakdown, detailed award criteria and weighting, maximum daily rates or budget rules, exact requirements for consortium bids (if allowed), intellectual property and data management clauses, reporting schedule and deliverable formats, and any specific country or stakeholder engagement obligations. Interested organisations should create or ensure an EU Login account, monitor the Funding & Tenders Portal for the formal tender opening, prepare standard tender documentation (technical proposal, methodology, CVs, references, price), and be ready to submit an expression of interest within the published EoI window.

Categorisation for matchmaking and filtering

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: research institutes, universities, professional consultancies, market research firms, NGOs with research capacity, SMEs and large enterprises capable of delivering research consultancy services; not aimed at individual freelancers without an organisational contracting entity.
2. 2Funding Type: procurement — service contract (research consultancy).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: not mandated by the notice; formal tender documents may permit single legal entities or consortium bids. Prepare either a single-bidder or consortium structure pending final rules.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): European Union focus; contractors must be able to work with the JRC and meet EU contracting rules. Entities from EU Member States and potentially other countries that can sign EC contracts are likely eligible (see tender documents).
5. 5Target Sector: circular economy, environment, sustainable consumption, policy analysis, market analysis and forecasting.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: European Union (EU) as the geographic focus. Contracting authority based in JRC locations (link to JRC homepage provided in tender entry).
7. 7Project Stage: research, mapping, analysis and policy recommendation (research/analysis stage, no large-scale demonstration or commercialization task).
8. 8Funding Amount: not specified in the published notice; estimated total value field is empty. The ExA indicates a low-to-middle value negotiated procedure, which in EC procurement terms typically implies a contract below high value thresholds but exact budget will be announced in the tender documents.
9. 9Application Type: open expression of interest (electronic), followed by negotiated tender procedure. Not invitation-only; however final negotiation may involve selected bidders.
10. 10Nature of Support: payment to contractor for services (monetary contract payments), not grants.
11. 11Application Stages: at least 2 stages — expression of interest then negotiated procurement / tender. Further evaluation and negotiation steps are possible during the tender.
12. 12Success Rates: not provided in the notice.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: none indicated.

Templates:The ExA notice does not include application templates or annexes. Based on standard JRC procurement practice, bidders should prepare the following documents for the formal tender submission: technical proposal including methodology, workplan and deliverables; detailed CVs of key experts; company profile and track record; references for similar assignments; quality assurance and data protection approach; Gantt/timeline for the 10-month period; and a priced financial proposal with clear budget lines and rates. Confirm required formats (e.g., page limits, file types) when the tender documents are published.

How to follow up

Monitor the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing for this reference to access the formal negotiated procedure launch, tender documents and submission portal. Ensure an EU Login account is active for eSubmission and be prepared to submit the expression of interest electronically within the published window. Use the portal Q&A facility to raise clarification questions once the formal tender is published.

Summary:This is a JRC-commissioned procurement for a 10-month research consultancy study to map and analyse circular economy activities across selected product groups in the EU, produce market forecasts, identify drivers and barriers, and provide policy recommendations. The contracting approach is a planned negotiated low/middle value procedure; interested organisations should submit an electronic expression of interest via the Funding & Tenders Portal within the published dates and prepare full tender documentation for the subsequent negotiated procurement. Detailed budget, award criteria and tender templates will be published with the formal call.

Footnotes

1. 1Official opportunity page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

This is a planned procurement opportunity from the European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre, for a services contract that will study circular economy business models in the EU, including product as a service, rental, repair and refurbish activities across selected product groups. The notice is not the actual tender yet, but a publication of the contracting authority's intention to launch a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. ¹

Opportunity summary

The assignment is intended to map the presence and maturity of circular economy activities in the European Union, develop market forecasts, identify drivers and barriers, and provide policy recommendations. The study is also expected to contribute to the expertise of the responsible group on this topic. ¹

Who can apply

The notice does not publish a full competitive tender specification at this stage, but it does indicate that interest must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal and that an EU Login account is required. Because this is a planned negotiated procedure, participation is likely to be limited to candidates invited after the expression of interest stage rather than an open tender for all suppliers. ¹

The main classification is research consultancy services, which suggests the contracting authority is seeking a contractor with strong analytical, policy, market research and circular economy expertise. The notice also shows the SME suitable indicator as false, so the opportunity is not marked as especially suitable for SMEs. ¹

Key procurement details

Timeline and submission

1. 1Start date for expression of interest: 11 September 2026 ¹
2. 2Deadline for expression of interest: 26 September 2026 at 00:59 Europe/Madrid ¹
3. 3Indicative date for launch of the negotiated procedure: 28 September 2026 Europe/Madrid ¹
4. 4Submission method: electronic only ¹

What applicants should know

This opportunity is centered on evidence gathering and policy analysis rather than implementation of a physical project, so applicants should expect requirements around desk research, market intelligence, mapping exercises, forecast development and policy synthesis. As a procurement notice rather than a grant, there is no funding rate or co-financing percentage stated, and the applicable financial terms will be defined later in the negotiated procedure and contract documents. ¹

The opportunity is time sensitive because the expression of interest window is short and the indicative launch of the negotiated procedure follows immediately after the deadline. Parties interested in competing should therefore ensure EU Login access is active and prepare their expression of interest in advance. ¹

Practical assessment

For potential bidders, the most relevant signal is that the JRC is seeking a specialist research consultancy with capability to produce a European Union wide mapping and forward-looking analysis on circular economy activities. The notice suggests a policy-oriented study with direct relevance to EU circular economy evidence building, but it does not yet provide the detailed award criteria, selection thresholds or contract value that would normally appear in the full negotiated procedure documentation. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Official portal notice for Study on circular economy activities in the EU, reference EC-JRC/SVQ/2026/MVP/4747-EXA, available at EU Funding and Tenders Portal.