Supply of Passive Autocatalytic Hydrogen Recombiners and Hydrogen Monitoring System for Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2

European Commission (INTPA) open supply tender to design, manufacture and deliver Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners (Lot 1) and a two-train Hydrogen Monitoring System with sensors and auxiliaries (Lot 2) for Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2, financed under the INSC programme with delivery DAP Metsamor. The contract is split into two lots which may be awarded independently or to the same contractor, with a maximum implementation period of 24 months and installation planned during a refuelling outage in May June 2027. Mandatory selection criteria include average annual turnover of at least €3,000,000, minimum technical references of two contracts each worth at least €1,000,000 in the last four years, and specified professional staffing levels; payment is 40 percent prefinancing and 60 percent on provisional acceptance, with a 10 percent performance guarantee. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 26 June 2026 12:00 Brussels time and award will be to the lowest priced technically compliant tender.

What is funded

Scope

Open supply tender to contract suppliers for design, manufacture and supply of equipment and associated services to manage hydrogen inside the containment of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2. Works are split into two lots: Passive Autocatalytic Hydrogen Recombiners (PARs) and a Hydrogen Monitoring System (HMS). The ANPP will perform installation and commissioning under supplier supervision.

Lot summary:Lot 1: PAR set with tentative total rated depletion >= 105 kg/h plus auxiliary tools; Lot 2: HMS with two-train architecture, sensors, signal processing cabinets, panel PCs, calibration bench and spares.

1. 1Who can apply: natural persons or legal entities established in EU Member States, eligible countries under INSC Regulation 2021/948, or international organisations; consortia allowed.
2. 2Key selection thresholds: average annual turnover (last 3 years) >= €3,000,000; technical references: at least 2 relevant contracts in nuclear safety/radiation protection/waste management with value >= €1,000,000 each in the last 4 years; minimum staffing and specialist personnel requirements as detailed in the tender dossier.
3. 3Award method: lowest price among technically compliant tenders.
4. 4Contract form: unit-price supply contract, DAP delivery to Armenian NPP (Metsamor), maximum contract duration 24 months (until provisional acceptance); warranty and after-sales obligations apply.

Key commercial and procedural points:deliveries on DAP Metsamor (Armenia). Pre-financing and performance guarantees are required (pre-financing guarantee and 10% performance guarantee). The tender is procured by the European Commission on behalf of Armenia under the European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC).

Deadlines and milestones:Deadline for electronic tender submission (eSubmission via EU Login): 26 June 2026, 12:00 (Brussels time). Public opening: 26 June 2026, 15:00 (Brussels time). Indicative implementation milestones: FAT ~ T0+20 months; delivery/customs T0+22 months; SAT/provisional acceptance T0+24 months; contractual warranty 12 months after provisional acceptance. ¹

How to prepare a compliant offer

Mandatory electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission (EU Login account required; 2-factor authentication will be enforced). Tender must include: completed tender submission form, Declaration on Honour, technical offer (detailed responses to technical specifications and QA programme), financial offer (budget breakdown DAP Metsamor), supporting evidence for selection criteria (financials, references, personnel), certificates of origin and proposed spare parts list.

1. 1Register organisation in Participant Register (PIC) and ensure EU Login access for eSubmission.
2. 2Follow templates in the tender dossier: Technical Offer (Annexes II/III) and Financial Offer (Annex IV).
3. 3Prepare selection evidence: audited accounts/turnover, staff statistics, 2+ relevant references with values, ISO9001 or equivalent QA evidence.
4. 4Allow time to obtain any ANRA licensing support documents requested by the End User (ANPP) in English and Russian.

Evaluation and contract:technical compliance checks first (selection and technical criteria), then price-based award (lowest price among compliant tenders). Clarification requests are possible during evaluation; do not alter tender substance after submission.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender dossier, documents, submission portal and Q&A are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Funding & Tenders Portal: tender page. For contracting authority contact email see the procurement notice (INTPA-TENDERS-0178@ec.europa.eu).

Administrative summary and procurement reference

Procurement reference EC-INTPA/2026/EA-OP/0061 (TED reference 280692-2026). Open procedure (calls for tender) managed by the European Commission, Directorate-General for International Partnerships, acting on behalf of and for the account of the Republic of Armenia. Publication date 24/04/2026. Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal is mandatory. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 26 June 2026, 12:00 Europe/Brussels. Public opening: 26 June 2026, 15:00 Europe/Brussels. Questions deadline: contracting authority not bound to reply to questions submitted after 05/06/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels. All procurement documents (Invitation to Tender, Tender Submission Form, Technical Specifications, Draft Contract and Special Conditions, Evaluation and Administrative grids, templates and annexes) are published with the procurement notice. ¹

TED and portal references:TED reference 280692-2026; primary portal record id 9ca296e7-066a. Electronic submission URL: webgate.ec.europa.eu ¹.

What is being procured (scope, lots and key technical requirements)

This is a supply tender for equipment and associated services to manage hydrogen hazards inside the containment (confinement) of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 (ANPP Unit 2). The procurement is split into two separate lots. The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (the End User) will be responsible for installation and commissioning under supervision of the selected supplier(s). Maximum contract duration (implementation until provisional acceptance) is 24 months; warranty and after-sales obligations extend beyond that per contract terms.

1. 1Lot 1: Passive Autocatalytic Hydrogen Recombiners (PAR) and related auxiliary equipment and tools. Deliverables include: a set of PAR units with spare catalytic cartridges/plates (10% replacement stock), elongation stacks, protecting top caps, special installation tools, plastic protective covers, PAR test device (for catalytic cartridges/plates), PAR cleaning device (vacuum furnace), and a service notebook (laptop) with specialised test software. The tender technical specification requires the total rated depletion rate of the PAR set to be no less than 105 kg/h (measured at 1.5 bar and 4 vol.% H2) with a +10% safety margin under the containment ambient operating conditions specified in the Special Conditions. PAR shells and catalyst carriers must be stainless steel; overall dimensional and weight limits and seismic qualification requirements are specified in the Lot 1 Special Conditions and technical annexes.
2. 2Lot 2: Hydrogen Monitoring System (HMS) and auxiliaries. Deliverables include: two-train HMS architecture (signal processing cabinets, panel PC/display cabinets for each train, a panel computer/display for the full-scope simulator, and a panel computer/display for the ANPP crisis centre), hydrogen, oxygen, temperature and pressure sensors (detailed counts: 12 H2 sensors (6 per train), 12 O2 sensors (6 per train), 8 temperature sensors, 4 pressure sensors), LOCA-qualified and normal-qualified cabling and penetrations, fibre optic links, spare parts and consumables, sensors calibration bench, tools and a service notebook. HMS functions required: real-time measurement and display of H2/O2/steam concentrations, Shapiro-Moffette ternary diagram display, alarm generation and dry-contact alarm outputs to MCR and RSP, datalogging at 5-second intervals during accidents, self-diagnostics, steam concentration calculation algorithm verification, and seismic and LOCA environmental qualifications.

Eligibility and who should apply

Participation is open to natural persons who are nationals of, and legal persons effectively established in, EU Member States and eligible countries listed under Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/948 (the INSC Regulation) for this contract, and to international organisations. Subcontracting and use of capacity-providing entities is allowed; all such entities must meet eligibility and selection criteria and must not be subject to exclusion or EU restrictive measures. The contracting authority will require declarations on honour and documentary evidence for exclusion and selection checks.

Eligible applicant types:SMEs, Large enterprises, Manufacturers, System integrators, Industrial suppliers, Research or test houses (for verification), Universities and research institutes (if acting in supply or consortium), Nonprofits and international organisations (if eligible), Consortia and public-private partnerships and joint ventures. Subcontractors and capacity-providers may be used but must comply with eligibility and selection rules.

Funding, contract type, evaluation and award

This is a procurement (tender) procedure financed from the EU budget under the European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) – financing agreement with the Republic of Armenia. The contract nature is supplies; award method is lowest price compliant tender. Contracts will be awarded lot-by-lot. The contracting authority reserves the right to award one or both lots to same contractor if eligible and compliant. Payment currency: euro. Incoterm for deliveries: DAP Armenian NPP, Metsamor.

Funding type:Procurement / supplies contract financed by EU external action programme (INSC) under a Financing Agreement with Armenia.

Award method:Lowest price among technically compliant tenders (sole award criterion).

Estimated value and finances:The Invitation to Tender and notice do not publish a single estimated total value. Tenderers must complete the budget breakdown (Annex IV). Payments: 40% pre-financing (pre-financing guarantee required) and 60% after provisional acceptance subject to invoicing and certificates, as set in the General and Special Conditions.

Procurement process: submission, documents and steps

Electronic submission is mandatory through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is required. Tenderers must upload: Tender Submission Form, Declaration on honour (Annex A14a), Technical Offer (Annex III), Financial Offer / Budget Breakdown (Annex IV), copies of certificates (ISO 9001, type/qualification evidence), QA programme, FAT/SAT procedures, proof of origin, financial statements, references and experience tables, personnel CVs and the forms listed in the Instructions to Tenderers and Annex V templates. Pre-financing and performance guarantees are required per the draft contract unless waived for public bodies; the performance guarantee is normally 10% of contract price. Tender validity 90 days.

1. 1Register organisation in Participant Register and obtain PIC.
2. 2Download full tender dossier from the F&T Portal record (documents include Invitation to Tender, Instructions to Tenderers, Draft Contract, Special Conditions, Technical Specifications, Tender Submission Form, Annexes and templates).
3. 3Prepare Technical Offer (Annex III) with detailed evidence and responses to technical specifications and Special Conditions (including seismic, LOCA and decontamination qualifications).
4. 4Complete Financial Offer (Annex IV) and confirm DAP Metsamor delivery terms. Include spares and lifecycle recommendations.
5. 5Include required administrative documents: Declaration on Honour (Annex A14a), tenderer’s declaration, proof of eligibility, economic and financial data, selection evidence.
6. 6Provide performance guarantee (10% unless waived) and pre-financing guarantee (amount of pre-financing) as required; these must follow the model templates in Annex V.
7. 7Upload all documentation via eSubmission before the deadline (26/06/2026, 12:00 Europe/Brussels).

Selection and evaluation criteria (high level)

Selection (minimum) criteria are specified in the Additional Information about the Contract Notice and in the Tender Submission Form: economic / financial standing (average annual turnover last 3 financial years >= €3,000,000), professional capacity (on average at least five personnel over the last three years in relevant specialist fields), technical capacity (minimum two relevant contracts in the last four years of value >= €1,000,000 with nuclear safety, radiation protection or radioactive waste domain). Tenderers must provide documentary evidence to support claims and references. Administrative compliance will be screened first; technically compliant tenders are evaluated on price and the contract is awarded to lowest priced technically compliant offer.

Selection criteria - key items:Average annual turnover last 3 closed accounts >= €3,000,000; at least five personnel directly employed in relevant specialist knowledge areas; at least 2 completed supplies/contracts in the last four years each >= €1,000,000 in nuclear safety/radiation protection/radioactive waste management domain; quality management system (ISO 9001 or equivalent).

Technical, safety and regulatory expectations

Detailed technical and regulatory requirements are found in the Special Conditions and Technical Specifications annexes. Tenderers must design equipment to meet international and applicable Armenian/WWER standards listed in the Special Conditions (local codes NP-001-15, NP-031-01, NP-040-02, GOST and IAEA standards including SSG and TECDOC references). PARs and HMS components installed in the containment must demonstrate LOCA / severe-accident ambient performance and seismic qualification to Review Level Earthquake (RLE) per annex floor response spectra. Materials, decontamination compatibility, spare parts lists, factory acceptance tests (FAT) and site acceptance tests (SAT) are required. Documentation must be supplied in English and Russian where specified for End User/ANRA submissions.

1. 1Design and manufacture to referenced local and international codes (IAEA SSG/SSR series, NP-series and specified GOST/ISO standards).
2. 2Seismic qualification demonstration by tests or calculations respecting provided floor response spectra.
3. 3LOCA and severe accident environmental exposure (temperature, steam, humidity, radiation dose rates) compliance for containment-installed items as per Special Conditions Article 45.8.1.
4. 4Provision of FAT, test reports, certificates, QA programme (ISO 9001 or equivalent), and supply passports and conformity certificates at delivery.
5. 5Provision of training for at least 20 End User personnel (in Russian on-site) and provision of Russian-language documentation where specified.
6. 6Spare parts lists for 4 years of operation and manufacturer warranty plus additional commercial guarantee obligations as set out in Special Conditions.

Logistics, timeline and IP / ownership

Delivered At Place (DAP) to Armenian Nuclear Power Plant site (Metsamor) is the delivery term. The implementation timeline (provisional) from contract signature: kick-off within 2 months, FAT at around month 20, delivery by month 22, SAT and provisional acceptance by month 24. Final acceptance follows the contractual warranty period. Certificates of origin and customs documentation must be provided in time to enable duty-free entry under the Financing Memorandum between the EU and Armenia; the contract includes provisions for tax and customs exemptions per the Financing Agreement and Armenian decrees.

Project stage required:Expected maturity: design, manufacture and qualification ready for production and factory acceptance; suppliers must demonstrate previous delivery/experience, manufacturing and testing capacity, and capability to perform FAT and support SAT and commissioning (development, manufacturing, testing, and deployment phases).

Practical application details and templates — what bidders must submit

Tender submissions must use the Tender Submission Form provided (detailed templates):the tender form for a supply contract, Financial Offer (Annex IV), Technical Offer (Annex III with the technical specification response table), Declaration on Honour (Annex A14a), economic and financial tables, personnel statistics, references (format in the tender dossier), QA certificates and the administrative compliance grid. The tender dossier includes model performance guarantee and pre-financing guarantee templates (Annex V). The Instructions to Tenderers provide an exhaustive list of required documents and the eSubmission upload structure (technical tender, financial tender, attachments, declaration on honour).

1. 1Tender Submission Form (completed and signed) – one per lot if applicable.
2. 2Declaration on Honour on Exclusion and Selection Criteria (A14a) – signed originals retained by tenderer; QES accepted.
3. 3Technical Offer in the template Annex III — each requirement must be answered and evidence provided (responses such as compliant must be backed with data, drawings, certificates and references).
4. 4Financial Offer (Annex IV) – unit prices and totals with DAP Metsamor delivery; VAT stated separately where applicable.
5. 5Evidence of economic and financial capacity (last 3 closed years or bank statements if annual accounts unavailable).
6. 6Evidence of professional and technical capacity: work references, detailed descriptions, test reports, ISO certificates, personnel CVs showing relevant experience.
7. 7Performance guarantee (10% of contract price) and pre-financing guarantee (amount of pre-financing) in the models provided unless waived for public bodies.
8. 8FAT and SAT plans, QA programme and Factory test procedures, environmental and EMC qualification reports.
9. 9Certificates of origin (originals to be provided prior to provisional acceptance).

Contractual and compliance highlights

Contract conditions follow the Draft Contract:Main and Special Conditions and the General Conditions for Supply Contracts (Annex I). Key clauses include performance guarantee (10%), 40% pre-financing (with pre-financing guarantee), 60% balance on provisional acceptance, 24-month maximum implementation period to provisional acceptance, contractual warranty period (see Special Conditions; typically at least 12 months contractual warranty with overall warranty and manufacturer commercial warranty obligations up to values specified), delivery DAP, and contracting authority rights to suspend, terminate, and apply penalties for breaches, including exclusion and financial penalties in cases of fraud, corruption or grave professional misconduct. The contracting authority will require compliance with EU visibility and communication rules for externally funded actions.

Categorisation questions — structured answers (detailed)

Below are the requested categorisation answers for the opportunity, extracted and explained from the procurement dossier and annexes.

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible applicant types include legal persons and natural persons effectively established in EU Member States and in eligible third countries defined under Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/948; this covers manufacturers, industrial suppliers, system integrators, SMEs and large enterprises, universities and research institutes (if bidding as suppliers or consortium partners), non-governmental organisations and international organisations where eligible, public bodies (subject to selection criteria), consortia/joint ventures (permitted, with joint and several liability). Subcontractors and capacity-providers are allowed but must meet nationality/eligibility rules and selection criteria; all involved entities must provide the Declaration on Honour and documentary evidence for exclusion and selection checks.

Funding Type:Procurement contract (supply contract) financed by EU external action (European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation, INSC). This is not a grant, loan or equity: it is a public procurement for supplies and associated services.

Consortium Requirement:Not mandatory to form a consortium: single bidders may submit. Consortia (permanent or ad-hoc groupings) are permitted and common for complex nuclear-safety equipment tenders; consortia members are jointly and severally liable and each member must submit the required declarations and evidence. Tenderers may rely on capacity-providing entities, which must submit separate evidence and commitments.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible bidders are nationals or legal entities effectively established in EU Member States and in eligible countries/territories as defined by Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/948 (INSC eligibility list). International organisations may also participate. The equipment must be delivered to Armenia (DAP ANPP Metsamor).

Target Sector:Nuclear safety; more specifically systems and equipment for hydrogen management in nuclear power plant containments (safety equipment, monitoring systems, sensors, nuclear instrumentation and associated testing and qualification services).

Mentioned Countries:Armenia (place of delivery/performance specified). Contracting authority / buyer is the European Union (European Commission) based in Belgium (Brussels). Eligibility covers EU Member States and INSC-eligible third countries as per Regulation (EU) 2021/948.

Project Stage:Expected project maturity: detailed design, manufacturing, qualification (FAT) and supply. Suppliers must be at development/production readiness and have completed comparable deliveries (demonstrated via references). The project includes testing, delivery, supervised installation and commissioning (implementation/installation stage) and training.

Funding Amount:No single aggregate estimated contract value is published in the public notice. Tenderers must submit detailed financial offers (Annex IV). Contracts are funded by the INSC financing decision and Financing Agreement with Armenia; the procurement documents require pre-financing and performance guarantees and set payment milestones (40% pre-financing, 60% on provisional acceptance).

Application Type:Open call for tenders (open procedure) with electronic submission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission).

Nature of Support:Monetary contract payments for supply of goods and services (procurement contract). Beneficiaries (contractor) receive payments under the contract; End User will receive supplied equipment and contractor will provide non-financial services including FAT, SAT, supervision, training and after-sales services.

Application Stages:Single-stage tender submission (full technical and financial offer submitted by the deadline). Evaluation includes administrative compliance screening, selection checks (eligibility, financial and technical capacity), technical compliance assessment (including minimum technical and domain experience requirements) and financial evaluation of technically compliant offers. After award, contract signature and then implementation stages (kick-off, manufacturing, FAT, delivery, SAT, provisional acceptance, warranty and final acceptance).

Success Rates:Not published. Typical public procurement success rates depend on the number of bidders; historical EU external action tenders for high-specialisation safety equipment usually attract a limited number of qualified bidders (often low single digits to low double digits). Evaluation is competitive: award to lowest-priced technically compliant tender.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding required from the contractor as part of tender price (contract is a supply contract paid by contracting authority). Contractors must cover their own upfront costs until pre-financing is paid; pre-financing guarantee is required. If a public body contractor, guarantees may be waived depending on risk assessment.

Templates and application structure

The procurement dossier provides obligatory templates and an upload structure. Tenderers must use the provided Tender Submission Form, Annex III technical offer template (detailed requirements table where each item must be answered and evidenced — the evaluation committee will not accept vague responses), Annex IV financial offer (budget breakdown), Declaration on Honour (Annex A14a), Administrative compliance grid, Evaluation grid, Performance and Pre-financing guarantee templates (Annex V), and Identification/Banking forms. The Instructions to Tenderers set eSubmission upload folders and naming conventions. Failure to follow the templates and required structure may lead to rejection for administrative non-compliance.

1. 1Technical Offer template (Annex III) — mandatory: respond column-by-column to each technical requirement, include drawings, type test reports, QA documentation, FAT and SAT plans, seismic calculations or test reports, environmental and EMC qualification reports, and supplier references.
2. 2Financial Offer template (Annex IV) — mandatory: DAP Metsamor prices, separate line items for equipment, special tools, spares and consumables for 4 years, installation supervision costs and training, VAT shown separately where applicable.
3. 3Tender Submission Form and Declaration on Honour (Annex A14a) — mandatory and signed by each legal entity in a consortium.
4. 4Performance Guarantee and Pre-financing Guarantee templates (Annex V) — to be provided unless waived for public bodies; 10% performance guarantee in the draft contract.
5. 5Identification and bank account forms (Annex V) for payment and contract signature.

Evaluation and award practicalities

Evaluation will proceed in phases:administrative compliance, selection criteria (economic/financial and professional/technical capacity), technical compliance (detailed conformance to technical specifications including seismic/LOCA qualification and FAT/SAT ability), and financial evaluation of technically compliant tenders with award to lowest priced technically compliant tender. The contracting authority may request clarifications but not changes to price or substance except to correct arithmetical errors. Documentary evidence for selection and exclusion checks may be requested at any time during the procedure and before award.

Risks, considerations and recommended actions for bidders

This procurement concerns nuclear safety equipment and instrumentation to be installed in the containment of a nuclear power plant; bidders must be experienced in nuclear quality assurance, LOCA/severe accident qualification and seismic qualification. They must ensure they can provide FAT and spare parts, Russian-language documentation and training as required by the End User, and must be able to support regulatory licensing interactions with ANRA (Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority) through the End User. Bidders should carefully prepare FAT/SAT plans, QA programmes, seismic calculations/test reports, environmental qualification documentation and detailed spare parts lists. Delays in documentation approvals by the End User or ANRA can affect schedule; the project timeline and deadlines for submissions to ANRA should be considered in the project plan.

• Ensure demonstrable nuclear sector references meeting the minimum technical selection criteria (2 supplies >= €1,000,000 each in last 4 years in nuclear safety domain).
• Prepare FAT and SAT programmes and accept that contractor bears FAT and travel costs for End User/ANRA representatives to attend FAT.
• Plan for two-way language deliverables: English for the contracting authority and both English and Russian for the End User/ANP/ANRA submissions where specified.
• Prepare performance and pre-financing guarantee instruments per models in Annex V.
• Confirm origin of supplies and be able to provide original certificates of origin prior to provisional acceptance (required).

Concluding summary

What is this opportunity about and why it matters:This is an EU-funded open tender to procure and deliver two sets of specialist nuclear safety equipment to strengthen hydrogen management in the containment of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2: (1) Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners to reduce hydrogen hazard probability and (2) a Hydrogen Monitoring System to measure hydrogen concentration and provide alarms and data logging during incidents. Both lots require nuclear-grade engineering, LOCA/severe-accident environmental resistance and seismic qualification, factory and site acceptance testing, and structured after-sales support, including spare parts and staff training. The procurement forms part of Armenia's national action plan to improve nuclear safety following lessons learned from Fukushima and is overseen by the European Commission under the INSC programme. Bidders must deliver to ANPP Metsamor (DAP) and follow the detailed technical, QA, and regulatory requirements in the tender dossier. The award will be made to the lowest priced tender that is fully compliant with the tender specifications and selection criteria. Interested suppliers should download and follow the dossier templates exactly, prepare evidence for selection and technical compliance, and submit electronically via the F&T Portal by 26 June 2026 12:00 Europe/Brussels. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Complete official procurement dossier, templates and all documents are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender page for EC-INTPA/2026/EA-OP/0061: ec.europa.eu. For procedural or access support contact INTPA-TENDERS-0178@ec.europa.eu or consult the eSubmission system helpdesk.

Opportunity Overview

This is a European Union-funded supply tender for the design, manufacture, and delivery of critical nuclear safety equipment to Armenia's Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2. The opportunity is financed through the European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) Regulation 2021/948 under the EU's 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. The tender is divided into two separate lots that may be awarded independently or to the same contractor.

Funding Context and Strategic Importance

Armenia is receiving €5 million in EU funding specifically for hydrogen management and safety measures at its nuclear facility, continuing a 2024 agreement that provided €12.9 million. This funding addresses critical safety gaps identified following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident and implements recommendations from the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSRG). The equipment supplied under this tender will prevent hydrogen explosions during potential severe accidents at the plant, a key priority for Armenia's nuclear safety modernization.

Tender Structure and Lots

The procurement is structured as an open procedure with two distinct lots:

Lot 1: Passive Autocatalytic Hydrogen Recombiners (PARs):Supply of a complete set of passive autocatalytic recombiners with auxiliary tools for the containment of Armenian NPP Unit 2. The set must have a total rated depletion rate of no less than 105 kg/h at 1.5 bar and 4 vol. percent hydrogen concentration with a 10 percent safety margin. Includes PAR units with catalytic cartridges, elongation stacks, protecting caps, spare catalytic cartridges (10 percent), special installation tools, protective covers, a PAR test device, a PAR cleaning device (vacuum furnace), and a service notebook with software for test data processing.

Lot 2: Hydrogen Monitoring System (HMS):Supply of a hydrogen monitoring system with two-train architecture for the containment of Armenian NPP Unit 2. Includes signal processing cabinets and panel computers/display cabinets (2 sets for operational trains, 1 for full scope simulator, 1 for crisis centre), hydrogen sensors (12 units, 6 per train), oxygen sensors (12 units, 6 per train), temperature sensors (8 units, 4 per train), pressure sensors (4 units, 2 per train), cables and cable trays, electric penetration auxiliaries, service notebook, hydrogen and oxygen sensors calibration bench, and spare parts and auxiliaries.

Eligibility and Participation

Participation is open to all natural and legal persons effectively established in EU Member States or eligible countries/territories as defined under Article 11 of INSC Regulation 2021/948, as well as international organisations. Tenderers may submit bids for one or both lots. Consortia (permanent or informal groupings) are permitted, with all members being jointly and severally liable. Subcontracting is allowed with prior contracting authority approval. All supplies must originate in eligible source countries as defined in the INSC Regulation.

Selection Criteria

Tenderers must meet the following mandatory selection criteria:

1. 1Economic and Financial Capacity: Average annual turnover over the last three financial years must be no less than €3,000,000
2. 2Professional Capacity: Minimum five personnel directly employed or legally contracted on permanent or non-permanent basis during the current year and previous two years in areas of specialist knowledge related to the contract; no professional conflicting interests that may negatively affect contract performance
3. 3Technical Capacity: Completion of at least two contracts implemented during the last four years before submission deadline; each contract value must be no less than €1,000,000; completed supplies must be in the domain of nuclear safety, radiation protection, or radioactive waste management

Tenderers may rely on the capacities of other entities (capacity-providing entities) to meet selection criteria, provided those entities meet the same eligibility and selection requirements. For economic and financial criteria, capacity-providing entities become jointly and severally liable for contract performance.

Key Deadlines and Timeline

Financial Terms and Payment Structure

The contract operates on a unit-price basis with the following payment schedule:

1. 140 percent pre-financing payment upon contract signature, against provision of performance guarantee and pre-financing guarantee
2. 260 percent balance payment upon receipt of invoice and application for provisional acceptance certificate

All prices must be quoted in EUR excluding taxes. VAT, if applicable, must be mentioned separately. The contracting authority is exempt from taxation. Pre-financing guarantee must remain valid until 30 days after provisional acceptance. Performance guarantee is set at 10 percent of total contract price and will be released within 60 days of final acceptance certificate issuance, except for portions assigned to after-sales service.

Delivery and Implementation Requirements

Delivery Terms:Delivery is on DAP (Delivered At Place) Incoterms 2020 basis to Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, Metsamor, Armavir Marz, 0910 Republic of Armenia. Delivery must be completed within 22 months from contract entry into force. All packaging must be suitable for transportation at temperatures from -30 degrees Celsius to +50 degrees Celsius and storage for up to one year. Contractor must provide all-risks insurance from warehouse to warehouse final destination for 110 percent of DAP value.

Implementation Period:Total implementation period is 24 months from contract entry into force, including design, manufacturing, factory acceptance testing, delivery, site acceptance testing, training, and commissioning support. Key milestones include kick-off meeting at T0 plus 2 months, factory acceptance tests at T0 plus 20 months, delivery and customs clearance at T0 plus 22 months, and site acceptance tests and training at T0 plus 24 months.

Technical Specifications and Standards Compliance

Equipment must comply with both Armenian local codes and international standards. Local standards include NP-001-15 (General Provisions for Nuclear Power Plant Safety), NP-031-01 (Seismic Design Standards), NP-040-02 (Hydrogen Explosion Protection Rules), PNAE G-7-002-86 (Strength Analysis Codes), and GOST standards for quality management and equipment reliability. International standards include IAEA SSR-2/1 and SSR-2/2 (Nuclear Power Plant Safety), IAEA SSG-30 (Safety Classification), IAEA SSG-67 (Seismic Design), IEC standards for environmental testing and cable safety, and ISO 9001:2015 for quality management systems.

Where differences arise between domestic and international codes, the more stringent standards apply. Equipment designed to other codes is acceptable if requirements are at least equivalent, with the contractor bearing responsibility for demonstrating equivalence. Any discrepancies must be documented and approved by the End User and Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA).

Quality Assurance and Testing Requirements

Contractor must develop and implement a Quality Assurance Programme based on GOST R ISO 9001:2015 or ISO 9001:2015 standard. The programme must define activities, roles, responsibilities, inspection points, and quality records for design, manufacture, installation, and commissioning. Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) must be performed in the presence of an Acceptance Commission nominated by the End User and ANRA and approved by the EC Project Manager. Contractor bears all FAT costs including travel and subsistence for two End User representatives and one ANRA representative for minimum three days. Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) will be conducted after installation during a scheduled refuelling outage to verify equipment functionality and compliance with technical specifications.

Warranty and After-Sales Service

Contractor must provide total warranty of 36 months comprising contractual warranty (one year after provisional acceptance) and additional commercial/manufacturer warranty (free of charge to End User). Warranty services must be provided within two weeks of receiving malfunction notification. Contractor is responsible for all repair costs and transportation if necessary. Technical support hotline must be available during normal working hours for the entire 36-month warranty period. Contractor must guarantee in writing the possibility for End User to purchase spare parts at End User's expense during the entire design lifetime of equipment.

Training and Documentation Requirements

Contractor must provide training for minimum 20 End User nominated personnel at ANPP site covering equipment description, installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, periodic testing, and troubleshooting procedures. Training must be delivered in Russian language for minimum three full days. Contractor must prepare detailed Training Programme defining scope, schedule, and trainer resources, subject to End User approval. Training materials must be provided in Russian language. All training costs including materials, travel, and accommodation for contractor personnel are contractor's responsibility. End User provides training room and general logistical support at no cost.

Contractor must provide comprehensive documentation in English and Russian including preliminary and final Quality Assurance Programmes, project implementation schedules, design documents, detailed equipment specifications, technical descriptions, factory test procedures, Technical Conditions documents, training programmes and materials, factory acceptance test reports, site acceptance test programmes and protocols, user manuals and maintenance procedures, assembly and installation drawings, environmental qualification reports, seismic qualification test results or calculations, and certificates of conformity.

Specific Technical Requirements for Lot 1 (PARs)

PAR equipment must achieve total rated depletion rate of no less than 105 kg/h at 1.5 bar and 4 vol. percent hydrogen concentration with 10 percent safety margin. Equipment must be designed as Safety Class 2L system according to NP-001-15. Seismic qualification must be demonstrated as Seismic Category 1 according to NP-031-01, designed to withstand Review Level Earthquake, with qualification demonstrated by tests or calculations respecting specified floor response spectra. Mean Time Between Failures must be no less than 20,000 hours; average restoration time no more than 24 hours; operational lifetime no less than 20 years with appropriate maintenance. Equipment must withstand ambient operating conditions in containment including temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius (with short-term increase to 180 degrees Celsius) for Large LOCA and up to 135 degrees Celsius (with short-term increase to 235 degrees Celsius) for severe accident, absolute pressure up to 0.26 MPa, steam-gas mixture for up to 1 hour (LOCA) or 10 hours (severe accident), and radiation dose rates up to 1E3 Gr/h (LOCA) or 1E5 Gr/h (severe accident). Internal and external surfaces must allow decontamination using specified caustic soda/potassium permanganate or oxalic acid/hydrogen peroxide solutions at temperatures up to 95 degrees Celsius.

Specific Technical Requirements for Lot 2 (HMS)

HMS processing cabinet, sensors, penetrations, and cables must be designed as Safety Class 2NUT system according to NP-001-15, while display cabinet/panel PC shall be 4N class. HMS must be designed as Seismic Category 1 according to NP-031-01 to withstand Review Level Earthquake, with seismic qualification demonstrated by tests or calculations. Mean Time Between Failures must be no less than 20,000 hours; average restoration time no more than one hour; operational lifetime no less than 20 years with appropriate maintenance. HMS must display hydrogen explosion safety state in Shapiro-Moffette ternary diagram on panel computer/display cabinet. System must generate visual and audible alarms at Main Control Room, Remote Shutdown Panel, and ANPP crisis centre if permitted gas mixture thresholds are exceeded or system malfunction identified. Alarms must transmit via dry contact to MCR and RSP alarm systems and allow manual acknowledgement. HMS datalogging function must record hydrogen, oxygen, and steam concentration values during accidents with 5-second interval, triggered at preset H2 concentration setpoint (1-2 percent, adjustable), with storage capacity sufficient for up to one month accident duration. Data must be transferable to external USB stick or service notebook. HMS parts installed in containment must be stainless steel; cabinets in MCR and RSP painted RAL 7035. System must interface with plant power supply and MCR/RSP alarm systems. Cable routes specified with total lengths: Train 1 sensors to penetration 60 meters, Train 2 sensors to penetration 60 meters, Train 1 penetration to signal processing cabinet 70 meters, Train 2 penetration to signal processing cabinet 230 meters, Train 1 signal processing cabinet to panel computer 40 meters, Train 2 signal processing cabinet to panel computer 40 meters, data exchange between signal processing cabinets or to panel computer 400 meters, Train 1 signal processing cabinet to crisis centre panel computer 700 meters, Train 2 signal processing cabinet to crisis centre panel computer 700 meters.

Submission Requirements and Evaluation

All tenders must be submitted exclusively via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (F&T Portal) using eSubmission system. Tenders submitted by other means will be disregarded. Submission must include: Part 1 - Technical offer with detailed description of supplies conforming to technical specifications, drawings, sketches, list of spare parts and consumables for four years post-warranty operation, after-sales service proposal, and description of ancillary services (design, documentation, quality assurance, compliance with codes and standards, factory acceptance inspection, packing, transport, delivery, site acceptance tests support, training, warranty, after-sales service); Part 2 - Financial offer on DAP basis including costs for special tools, spare parts and consumables for four years post-warranty, and ancillary services; Part 3 - Documentation including completed tender form with Declaration on Honour, warranty conditions description, warranty organisation description, statement of supply origin, proof of authorised signatory, organisation description and chart, preliminary performance schedule, reference list of facilities with similar equipment, type test results if available, subcontractor details and percentages, quality assurance certificate (ISO 9000 series or equivalent), and statement confirming spare parts availability during equipment design lifetime.

Evaluation follows three stages:administrative conformity examination (checking compliance with tender dossier requirements), technical evaluation (assessing technical admissibility and minimum qualifications), and financial evaluation (identifying lowest compliant tender). Award criterion is lowest price. Variant solutions are not permitted. Tenderers must provide documentary evidence of exclusion and selection criteria compliance when requested, with evidence dated no more than one year before tender submission. Failure to provide valid documentary evidence within contracting authority deadline results in tender rejection unless material impossibility can be justified.

Contract Language and Communications

All written communications, tender documents, and contract documentation must be in English. Supporting documents not in official EU languages should be translated into English to facilitate evaluation. Communications between parties occur via EU Funding and Tenders Portal (primary method), email, or exceptionally by mail. Formal notifications via Portal are considered received when accessed, or after 10 days if not accessed. Email notifications are considered received on dispatch date if sent to specified address. Mail notifications via courier with proof of delivery are considered received on delivery date indicated in proof.

Key Applicant Information and Contacts

Contracting Authority:European Union represented by European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) on behalf of and for account of Republic of Armenia. End User: Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), General Manager Eduard Martirosyan, Metsamor, Armavir Marz, 0910 Republic of Armenia, telephone +374 10 28 06 69, email anpp@anpp.am. For operational and contractual matters: EC Project Manager, INTPA.F.1, Rue de la Loi 41, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. For administrative and financial matters: INTPA.R.6, Rue de la Loi 41, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. Questions and clarifications: INTPA-TENDERS-0178@ec.europa.eu.

Important Conditions and Restrictions

Tenderer validity period is 90 days from submission deadline. Successful tenderer remains bound for additional 60 days. No tender guarantee is required. Performance guarantee of 10 percent of contract price must be provided with countersigned contract. Tender dossier includes Instructions to Tenderers, Additional Information about Contract Notice, Draft Contract Main Conditions, Special Conditions for both lots, General Conditions for Supply Contracts, Technical Specifications, and Budget Breakdown templates. All documents are available on EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenderers must register in Participant Register to obtain Participant Identification Code (PIC) for submission. Consortia require group submission with each member registered in Participant Register. Subcontractors must be approved by contracting authority during contract implementation. Tenderers must declare they are not subject to EU restrictive measures and confirm compliance with exclusion and selection criteria through Declaration on Honour.

Strategic Context and Project Significance

This procurement directly supports Armenia's nuclear safety modernization following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident lessons. The equipment addresses critical hydrogen hazard mitigation identified in Armenia's national action plan peer-reviewed by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group. Successful implementation will enhance the safety of Armenian NPP Unit 2, which is planned to operate until at least 2036 with potential lifetime extension requiring approximately USD €150 millionadditional investment. The project demonstrates EU commitment to nuclear safety cooperation with Eastern Partnership countries and supports Armenia's energy security objectives. Equipment will be installed during scheduled refuelling outage in May-June 2027 (preliminary schedule). The contractor will work closely with ANRA throughout licensing and implementation phases, ensuring compliance with Armenian nuclear regulatory requirements and international best practices.

Footnotes

1. 1Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners (PARs) are passive safety devices that remove hydrogen from nuclear reactor containment during accidents by catalytically combining hydrogen and oxygen into water vapour at low temperatures without requiring external power. Hydrogen Monitoring Systems (HMS) continuously measure hydrogen, oxygen, and steam concentrations in containment to provide early warning of potential hydrogen explosion hazards. Both technologies are essential components of modern nuclear safety systems designed to prevent catastrophic containment failures during severe accidents.