Study on modern pricing and risks of collusion

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) has announced a call for tenders identified as EC-COMP/2025/OP/0053, titled "Study on modern pricing and risks of collusion." This procurement opportunity involves a service contract estimated at €350,000, intended for a duration of 15 months. The deadline for electronic tenders is set for November 10, 2025, at 16:00 Brussels time, with the opening of tenders on November 11, 2025, at 10:00.

The study aims to explore the impact of modern pricing and revenue management strategies on competition within the European Union, building on previous research from 2024 that highlighted changes in competitive dynamics, including rising market concentration and profit margins. The analysis will focus on whether these pricing strategies contribute to increased collusion risks among firms.

Eligible applicants include large enterprises, research institutes, universities, and consulting firms with expertise in competition economics, as the tender specifically does not favor small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The procurement process allows for subcontractors, permitting both individual organizations and consortia to apply.

As a service contract rather than a grant, all payments will be made to the successful contractor in exchange for deliverables outlined in the contract. The evaluation of tenders will emphasize a balance between quality and price, with criteria weighted at 65 percent for quality and 35 percent for price.

The contract aims to provide critical insights into how contemporary pricing tactics affect competitive behavior in the EU, contributing to the formulation of future competition policies and regulatory frameworks. Thorough preparation and understanding of the tender documents, including technical and administrative specifications, are essential for prospective applicants, as a Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for submission.

Overall, this tender presents a significant research opportunity and is expected to address key issues at the intersection of economic policy, competitive strategy, and market regulation within the EU framework.

The European Commission, Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP), has published a call for tenders, EC-COMP2025OP0053, titled "Study on modern pricing and risks of collusion". This is an open procedure with electronic submission. The TED reference for this tender is 188/2025 642247-2025.

The purpose of this study is to follow up on the comprehensive 2024 report, "Protecting competition in a changing world: Evidence on the evolution of competition in the EU during the past 25 years". The 2024 report identified changes in the competitive environment, such as rising concentration, markups and profits, and declining business dynamism, along with structural and institutional drivers like intangible investments, globalization, regulation, and M&A. This new study aims to explore whether modern pricing and revenue management strategies and tactics may have contributed to these changes, particularly by increasing the risk of collusion.

The estimated total value of the contract is 350,000 EUR. The contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 15 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is associated with this tender.

Key milestones for this tender are:
TED publication date: 01/10/2025
Date and time of public opening: 11/11/2025 10:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 10/11/2025 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline after which the Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions: 05/11/2025 07:00 Europe/Brussels

The main classification (CPV) for this tender is 79311410 Economic impact assessment.

The following documents are available for download:
1. ENInvitation to tender EC-COMP2025OP0053 Modern pricingInvitation letter, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
2. ENTender Specifications Part 1 EC-COMP2025OP0053Tender specifications adm. part, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
3. ENTender Specifications Part 2 EC-COMP2025OP0053Technical specifications, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
4. ENAnnex 2 Declaration-of-honour-tenders EC-COMP2025OP0053Declaration on honour (tender), published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
5. ENDirect Service Contract EC-COMP2025OP0053 1Draft contract, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
6. ENAppendix 1 Security requirementsDraft contract annex, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
7. ENAnnex 5.1 Commitment letter by an identified subcontractorOther invitation to tender document, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
8. ENAnnex 1 List of documents to be submittedOther invitation to tender document, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
9. ENAnnex 4 List of subcontractorsOther invitation to tender document, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available
10. ENANNEX 6b Declaration non-conflict of interest for legal entitiesOther invitation to tender document, published on 01/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

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In summary, this tender is an invitation for service providers to conduct a study on the impact of modern pricing strategies on competition within the EU. The European Commission is seeking to understand if these strategies, which include revenue management tactics, contribute to observed changes in the competitive landscape, such as increased risk of collusion. The study will build upon a previous comprehensive report and aims to fill a gap in understanding the role of management practices in shaping competition. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by November 10, 2025, and should carefully review all provided documents, including the technical specifications and administrative requirements. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The tender will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given that it is a call for tenders for a study, eligible applicants could include research institutes, universities, consulting firms, economic research firms, or other organizations with expertise in economic impact assessment, pricing strategies, and competition law. The inclusion of "Declaration non-conflict of interest for legal entities" suggests that legal entities are eligible.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a call for tenders for services. The "Nature of the contract" is explicitly stated as "services". The outcome is a service contract.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity allows for subcontractors, as evidenced by "Annex 5.1 Commitment letter by an identified subcontractor" and "Annex 4 List of subcontractors". This suggests that while a single applicant is possible, consortia or applicants using subcontractors are also permissible. Therefore, it can be considered consortium or single.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU tender from DG COMP, it is highly likely that the eligibility is at least for EU member states. It could potentially extend to EEA countries or other countries with agreements with the EU.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily focused on competition, economics, and pricing strategies. Specifically, it targets the analysis of modern pricing and revenue management strategies and their potential impact on competition and collusion risks. The relevant sectors include finance, economics, and potentially software services related to pricing and revenue management.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is from the European Commission, DG COMP, suggesting a focus on the EU.

Project Stage: The project stage is research. The tender is for a study to explore the impact of modern pricing strategies on competition. This falls under the research phase, specifically applied research or policy-oriented research.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 350,000 EUR. This falls into the €200k–€1M range.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders. The procedure type is explicitly stated as "Open procedure".

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, specifically the delivery of the study.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it can be inferred that there are at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation/selection. There could be further stages depending on the specific procedures of DG COMP.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly mentioned, so it is likely that no co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is an open call for tenders (EC-COMP2025OP0053) issued by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP). The tender seeks a contractor to conduct a study on modern pricing and revenue management strategies and their potential impact on competition within the EU. The study aims to build upon a previous report from 2024 that identified changes in the competitive landscape, such as rising concentration and declining business dynamism. This new study will investigate whether modern pricing practices contribute to these trends, particularly by increasing the risk of collusion among companies.

The estimated value of the contract is 350,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 15 months. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for submitting tenders is November 10, 2025, at 16:00 Brussels time. The public opening of the tenders will be on November 11, 2025, at 10:00 Brussels time.

Eligible applicants can be individual organizations or consortia, potentially including subcontractors. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The successful tenderer will be required to deliver a service, namely the completion of the study, in exchange for payment. The tender documents, including the invitation letter, administrative and technical specifications, declaration of honor, draft contract, and annexes, are available for download. The eSubmission system supports multiple EU languages and encrypts uploaded documents for confidentiality. The maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB, and there is a limit of 200 files per submission.