Supply of laboratory equipment for ensuring implementation of new laboratory analysis methods

The European Commission has announced a call for tenders (EC-ENEST/TGD/2025/EA-OP/0051) aimed at supplying laboratory equipment to enhance analytical methods in Montenegro, particularly focusing on food safety, animal disease diagnosis, and pest management. This initiative is part of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPARD) program and is structured as a procurement contract, reflecting a request for specific laboratory supplies and services.

Eligible applicants include businesses and institutions capable of providing laboratory equipment and related services, which may encompass manufacturers, distributors, and research entities. Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not explicitly prioritized, entities proficient in veterinary diagnostics might qualify. The geographic scope is confined to Montenegro, aimed at benefiting institutions such as the Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory and the Center for Ecotoxicological Research.

The tender is divided into three lots, each specifying different types of laboratory equipment:

1. Lot 1 focuses on equipment for animal disease and food safety analysis.
2. Lot 2 is targeted at food safety, pesticides, and contaminants analysis.
3. Lot 3 involves laboratory equipment for PCR analysis related to pest management.

Each lot has specific requirements for delivery, installation, calibration, and after-sales support. The maximum contract durations differ, with Lot 1 allowing 240 days and Lot 2 permitting 180 days. The contracts will be awarded based on the lowest price method.

The submission of tenders is an open procedure requiring non-electronic delivery to the address outlined in the procurement documents. The deadline for all submissions is set for July 4, 2025, at 14:30 local time. Interested parties must ensure they understand the selection criteria, which focus on suitability, economic standing, and technical capability. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, and documents must adhere to specific size and format requirements.

The overall aim of this tender opportunity is to bolster the capacity of Montenegro's laboratories to implement advanced methods for public veterinary health and pest control, contributing to improved food safety standards.

The European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, has announced a call for tenders, EC-ENEST/TGD/2025/EA-OP/0051, for the supply of laboratory equipment to enhance the implementation of new laboratory analysis methods. The TED reference for this call is 86/2025 285898-2025.

The primary objective of this contract is to supply, deliver, unload, site, install, calibrate, certify, test, train, and provide after-sales services, including maintenance and repair, for the specified laboratory equipment. This initiative aims to contribute to the development and introduction of advanced laboratory methods in food safety, residue analysis of plant protection products and other contaminants, animal disease diagnosis, and plant pest management. The ultimate goal is to bolster public, veterinary, and plant health through improved food safety measures and the prevention, detection, suppression, and eradication of animal diseases and plant pests.

This procurement follows an open procedure, and submissions must be non-electronic, sent to the address specified in the procurement documents. The main classification (CPV) code for this tender is 38000000, which covers laboratory, optical, and precision equipment, excluding glasses.

The call for tenders is divided into three distinct lots:

Lot 1: Laboratory equipment for analysis in the area of animal disease, food, and feed. This lot focuses on equipping the Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory at the Biotechnical Faculty (University of Montenegro) in Podgorica. The equipment should facilitate the development and introduction of new laboratory methods for animal disease diagnosis, thereby enhancing public and veterinary health through improved food safety and disease management. The maximum contract duration for this lot is 240 days, and the award method will be based on the lowest price. The place of delivery or performance is Montenegro (20001058). The program associated with this lot is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (42921320). Selection criteria include suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability, all detailed in the procurement documents. Key milestones include a TED publication date of 05/05/2025, a public opening date of 11/07/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Podgorica, and a deadline for receipt of tenders on 04/07/2025 at 14:30 Europe/Podgorica. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 13/06/2025 05:00 Europe/Podgorica.

Lot 2: Laboratory equipment for analysis in the area of food safety, pesticide residue, and other contaminants. This lot targets the Center for Ecotoxicological Research and the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro (IPHMNE), both located in Podgorica. The contract aims to support the development and introduction of new laboratory methods for national monitoring programs and official controls. This includes meeting the requirements set by reference laboratories regarding ISO 17025:2017, Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, and EU Regulative 32/2002. The maximum contract duration is 180 days, with the award method being the lowest price. The place of delivery or performance is Montenegro (20001058), and the program is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (42921320). Selection criteria are the same as Lot 1. Key milestones include a TED publication date of 05/05/2025, a public opening date of 11/07/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Podgorica, and a deadline for receipt of tenders on 04/07/2025 at 14:30 Europe/Podgorica. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 13/06/2025 05:00 Europe/Podgorica.

Lot 3: Laboratory equipment for PCR analysis and sample preparation in the area of pests (harmful organisms). This lot focuses on providing equipment to the Plant Virology Laboratory and Plant Bacteriology Laboratories, all part of the Biotechnical Faculty (University of Montenegro) in Podgorica and Bar. The goal is to facilitate PCR identification of quarantine pathogens and improve sample preparation for analysis, enabling a higher volume of samples to be processed. This will contribute to public and plant health protection through enhanced food safety measures and pest management. The maximum contract duration is 240 days, and the award method is the lowest price. The place of delivery or performance is Montenegro (20001058), and the program is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (42921320). Selection criteria are the same as Lot 1. Key milestones include a TED publication date of 05/05/2025, a public opening date of 11/07/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Podgorica, and a deadline for receipt of tenders on 04/07/2025 at 14:30 Europe/Podgorica. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 13/06/2025 05:00 Europe/Podgorica.

For all lots, the following documents are available for download: an invitation letter (ENc4a invit en), additional information for candidates and tenderers (ENAdditional info to CN), and the tender specifications (ENTender Dosier). All documents were published on 05/05/2025, are in English, apply to all lots, and are Version 1 with no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively to the address provided in the procurement documents, and the submission method is non-electronic.

A public Q&A section is available, and tenderers can log in to create questions. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 13/06/2025 05:00 Europe/Podgorica.

Several frequently asked questions (FAQs) are addressed on the portal, including:

How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents: Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and clear the cache and cookies.

Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support: Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Refer to the System Requirements link for technical recommendations.

Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline: No, the system encrypts all attachments upon upload, preventing decryption after the deadline.

Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal: Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’.

Which size should attachments have: Attachments must be less than 50 MB in size.

How should I name attachments in eSubmission: Follow the System Requirements for attachment names.

Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported: Check the System Requirements of eSubmission.

I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents: Select an organisation in the F&T Portal under “My Invitations”.

Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission: Yes, a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory.

I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error: Ensure the file follows the technical requirements of the system.

How many attachments can I upload per submission: The system allows a maximum of 200 files per tender.

Why do tenderers need a PIC: A PIC is mandatory to submit a tender or a request to participate.

How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC): Check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.

What is the validity period of a PIC: A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.

How many languages does the system support: The system supports all 24 official EU languages.

Which is the character set encoding in the system: The character set encoding is UTF-8.

Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information: Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents using an asymmetric key.

Which file types does the system support: The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements.

Can I view and edit my draft submission: Yes, until the submission deadline.

In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission: No, it is just a display issue and is not blocking for submission.

I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent: No, this is an auto-generated notification.

In summary, this tender opportunity focuses on supplying laboratory equipment to various institutions in Montenegro to enhance their capabilities in food safety, animal disease diagnosis, and plant pest management. The tender is divided into three lots, each targeting specific areas of laboratory analysis. The procurement process is an open procedure, and submissions must be made non-electronically to the address specified in the procurement documents. Interested parties should carefully review the tender specifications and related documents to ensure compliance with all requirements and deadlines. The project aims to improve public, veterinary, and plant health by introducing new and improved laboratory methods and technologies.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of the tender, it can be inferred that eligible applicants could include companies, firms, or organizations that can supply, deliver, install, calibrate, certify, test, train, and provide after-sales services for laboratory equipment. This could include manufacturers, distributors, and service providers specializing in laboratory equipment.

Funding Type: Procurement. This is a call for tenders, indicating a procurement process where the contracting authority is seeking to purchase goods (laboratory equipment) and related services.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the FAQ section mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). This suggests that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but the project is related to the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, and the place of delivery and performance is Montenegro. This suggests that the opportunity is primarily targeted at entities operating in or having the capacity to deliver to Montenegro. The call is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, so it is likely open to entities from EU member states and potentially other countries participating in the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is laboratory equipment supply and services. This includes equipment and services related to food safety, animal disease diagnosis, plant pest control, and environmental monitoring. Specific areas include: animal disease, food and feed analysis, food safety, pesticide residue analysis, contaminant analysis, PCR analysis, and sample preparation for pest analysis.

Mentioned Countries: Montenegro.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the supply, delivery, installation, and operationalization of laboratory equipment. This includes validation, demonstration, and potentially initial commercialization or implementation of new laboratory methods.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not specified in the provided text. The award method is based on the lowest price.

Application Type: Open call. The submission method is non-electronic.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for the supply, delivery, installation, calibration, certification, testing, training, and after-sales services of laboratory equipment.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it can be inferred that there would be at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation of the tender. Additional stages might include contract negotiation and award.

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 (EC-ENEST/TGD/2025/EA-OP/0051) for the supply of laboratory equipment to various institutions in Montenegro. The tender is divided into three lots: Lot 1 focuses on laboratory equipment for analysis in the area of animal disease, food, and feed; Lot 2 concerns laboratory equipment for analysis in the area of food safety, pesticide residue, and other contaminants; and Lot 3 is for laboratory equipment for PCR analysis and sample preparation in the area of pests (harmful organisms). The selected contractor(s) will be responsible for the supply, delivery, unloading, siting and installation, calibration and certification (where applicable), testing (where applicable), training (where applicable), after-sales services including maintenance (where applicable) and response and repair time (where applicable) of the laboratory equipment. The overall objective is to enhance Montenegro's capacity to develop and implement new laboratory methods for food safety, animal disease diagnosis, and plant pest control, contributing to the protection of public, veterinary, and plant health. The procedure type is an open procedure, and the submission method is non-electronic. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 04/07/2025 at 14:30 Europe/Podgorica. The contracting authority is The Ministry of Finance, The Directorate for Finance and Contracting of the EU Assistance Funds (CFC). Tenderers must consult the procurement documents for the address for submission and detailed selection criteria, including suitability to pursue the professional activity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200, and the maximum file size is 50 MB. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents.