Study on the provision social and essential services to low-income households and their possible contribution to the adequacy of income support

The European Commission, specifically the DG EMPL (Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), has issued a call for tenders identified as EC-EMPL/2025/OP/0005. This opportunity is aimed at conducting a study on the provision of social and essential services to low-income households and their contribution to the adequacy of income support. The primary objective of the study is to gain a clearer understanding of existing arrangements within EU Member States regarding these services and inform policymakers in designing effective interventions to reduce poverty.

The estimated total value of the contract is set at €550,000, and the maximum duration for the contract is 18 months. The tender is classified under the CPV code 79400000, which indicates a focus on business and management consultancy and related services.

Eligible applicants for this tender include entities from EU Member States or countries with special trade agreements with the EU, which highlights the exclusion of entities from countries such as Palestine and Indonesia. The tendering process allows for both single applicants and potentially consortia, although specifics on consortium requirements are less clear.

The application process is an open call, with electronic submission required. The deadline for submission is June 18, 2025, at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time, and the public opening of tenders will occur the following day, June 19, 2025.

Selection criteria for applicants include suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability, which will be assessed based on the documentation provided. Applicants are required to possess a Personal Identification Code (PIC), which is mandatory for participation in the tender process.

Throughout the tender duration, at least three research projects must be demonstrated, each with a value of at least €200,000, and collectively covering at least five EU Member States. The team involved in the study must possess language skills necessary for a detailed review of the relevant scientific literature across all official EU languages.

The evaluation of proposals will focus 70% on quality and 30% on cost, ensuring a balance between effective service delivery and fiscal responsibility. Notably, the contract's funding covers 100% of the costs, indicating that no co-funding is required from the applicants.

In conclusion, the study funded through this tender aims to enhance understanding and inform policies related to social services for low-income households in the EU, ultimately contributing to poverty alleviation strategies.

The European Commission, DG EMPL Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, has published a call for tenders EC-EMPL/2025/OP/0005 for a study on the provision of social and essential services to low-income households and their possible contribution to the adequacy of income support. The TED reference is 72/2025 236445-2025, with a change notice TED reference of 97/2025 00327353-2025 issued on May 21, 2025.

The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The objective of the study is to provide a clearer understanding of the existing arrangements in the EU Member States regarding the provision of social and essential services/in-kind benefits within the minimum income schemes, and their contribution to the adequacy of income support. The study will constitute an important input for the European Commission and policymakers to help design specific interventions having the biggest impact on poverty reduction.

The estimated total value of the tender is 550,000 EUR. The main classification (CPV) is 79400000 Business and management consultancy and related services. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 18 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement associated with this tender.

The TED publication date was April 11, 2025. The date and time of the public opening is June 19, 2025, at 10:00 Europe/Brussels time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is June 18, 2025, at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after June 12, 2025, at 05:00 Europe/Brussels time.

Selection criteria include:
Suitability to pursue the professional activity (consult the procurement documents).
Economic and financial standing (consult the procurement documents).
Technical and professional ability (consult the procurement documents).

The following documents are available for download:
EN1. EN-Invitation to tender EC-EMPL2025OP0005 VT2025008Invitation letter, published on 11/04/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN2. Tender specifications VT2025008 D1 Study on social and essential services (2), published on 11/04/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN4. declaration-of-honour-tenders VT2025008-Study low income households EC-EMPL2025OP0005Declaration on honour (tender), published on 11/04/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN3. draft -DCS-VT-2025-008Draft contract, published on 11/04/2025, Version 1, No translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below, using the electronic submission method.

Questions and Answers:
65078: The deadline for the receipt of tenders has been extended by two weeks, i.e., until June 18, 2025. Published on 21/05/2025 16:12.
65077: At least three (research) projects need to have an overall value of at least EUR 200.000 for criterion T1. Published on 21/05/2025 16:09.
64212: Only entities from EU countries or countries having a special trade agreement with the EU (such as EEA countries or those who have signed the Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement) can participate. Palestinian universities cannot share in this call for tenders. Published on 08/05/2025 16:36.
64038: Members of the team of national experts should collectively possess language skills allowing them to conduct a thorough review of the scientific literature in all official languages of the EU. Published on 06/05/2025 21:13.
64034: The three-year requirement (criterion T2) should be counted from the date of the publication of the tender (11th April 2025). Published on 06/05/2025 21:10.
64033: Criterion T2 applies to the contractor as a whole, i.e., the consolidated assessment of combined capacities of all involved entities (experts included) will be carried out. Published on 06/05/2025 21:08.
64032: A total of research projects referred to in criterion 1 must cover at least 5 Member States. Published on 06/05/2025 20:59.
63784: Only companies from EU countries or countries having a special trade agreement with the EU (such as EEA countries or those who have signed the Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement) can participate. Legal/natural Indonesian companies cannot take part in this call for tender. Published on 02/05/2025 20:34.

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In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG EMPL, for a study to better understand how social and essential services are provided to low-income households across EU Member States and how these services contribute to the adequacy of income support. The goal is to inform policy and interventions aimed at reducing poverty. The tender is open to entities from EU countries or those with special trade agreements with the EU. The deadline for submissions is June 18, 2025, and the estimated value of the contract is 550,000 EUR. The tender process is electronic, and applicants must register for a PIC. The selected contractor will need to demonstrate suitability, economic stability, and technical expertise. The team of national experts should collectively possess language skills allowing them to conduct a thorough review of the scientific literature in all official languages of the EU.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are entities from EU countries or countries having a special trade agreement with the EU, such as EEA countries or those who have signed the Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement. This suggests that companies, research institutions, universities, and other organizations legally established in these eligible countries can apply.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a procurement contract for services. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is explicitly stated as "services."

Consortium Requirement: The information provided does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the FAQ mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). This implies that both single applicants and consortia are eligible. The criterion T2 applies to the contractor as a whole, i.e. the consolidated assessment of combined capacities of all involved entities (experts included) will be carried out.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to entities from EU countries or countries having a special trade agreement with the EU, such as EEA countries or those who have signed the Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement. Palestinian and Indonesian companies are explicitly excluded.

Target Sector: The target sector is social and essential services, specifically focusing on the provision of these services to low-income households. The study aims to understand existing arrangements in EU Member States regarding social and essential services/in-kind benefits within minimum income schemes. The CPV code provided (79400000) indicates a focus on business and management consultancy and related services.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States, EEA countries, Palestine, and Indonesia. The research projects referred to in criterion 1 must cover at least 5 Member States.

Project Stage: The project stage is research and study. The call is for a study to provide a clearer understanding of existing arrangements and contribute to the design of specific interventions. This suggests a need for research, analysis, and potentially policy recommendations.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 550,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, specifically for conducting the study and providing the deliverables outlined in the tender specifications.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly detailed, but it involves at least one stage of submitting a tender, which will then be evaluated based on selection criteria related to suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability.

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

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

Summary:

This is a call for tenders (EC-EMPL/2025/OP/0005) issued by the European Commission, DG EMPL, for a study on the provision of social and essential services to low-income households and their contribution to the adequacy of income support. The study aims to provide a clearer understanding of existing arrangements in EU Member States and inform policymakers in designing effective interventions for poverty reduction. The estimated total value of the contract is 550,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 18 months. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 18 June 2025. Eligible applicants are entities from EU countries or countries with special trade agreements with the EU (e.g., EEA countries). The submission method is electronic, and the award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. Tenderers must demonstrate their suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. The tender requires a Personal Identification Code (PIC) for both single applicants and consortia. The team of national experts should collectively possess language skills allowing them to conduct a thorough review of the scientific literature in all official EU languages. At least three research projects need to have an overall value of at least EUR 200,000. A total of research projects referred to in criterion 1 must cover at least 5 Member States. The three-year requirement (criterion T2) should be counted from the date of the publication of the tender (11th April 2025). The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files. The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages. The system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.