Supply of the vault/cash operations equipment for strengthening institutional capacity of the Central Bank of Montenegro

This procurement opportunity involves a public tender issued by the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro for the supply of vault and cash operations equipment for the Central Bank of Montenegro, aimed at enhancing staff capacity and aligning with EU central banking standards. It is financed through the EU's Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPARD) program.

Eligible applicants include any supplier, manufacturer, or economic operator meeting specific technical and financial requirements, though the mention of "not SME suitable" indicates that smaller enterprises might face challenges due to the complexity of the specifications or minimum requirements related to cash handling equipment.

The tender requires the physical submission of bids, and applicants must deliver their proposals in bound format, with the submission deadline set for March 5, 2026. Tenders will be evaluated based on the lowest price offered, making it a competitive price-based procurement. The contract is intended to supply, deliver, and install various cash handling machines and equipment, including South Lift systems, coin sorting machines, banknote sorting machines, desktop models, coin counters, and compact scales.

The requirements and details are specified in the Tender Dossier, which is vital for bidders to access. The geographic eligibility is limited to Montenegro, and the procurement process takes place under strict EU public procurement rules. There is no co-funding requirement from applicants, as the contract is fully funded by EU resources.

The duration of the contract for the implementation of this procurement project is six months from the date of signature. Interested parties must ensure they have a Participant Identification Code (PIC) to participate in the tendering process. Clarifications and questions regarding the tender can be submitted until February 12, 2026. The awarded contract will support improving operational risk and business continuity management within the Central Bank of Montenegro, contributing to enhancing the security measures for Euro currency against counterfeiting.

Overall, the tender emphasizes the procurement of tangible goods, specifically designed to modernize the cash handling operations of the central bank, ensuring compliance with EU standards.

This is a call for tenders for the supply of vault/cash operations equipment to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG). The procedure identifier is EC-ENEST/TGD/2026/EA-LOP/0005. The submission method is non-electronic. The contracting authority is the Ministry of Finance, The Directorate for Finance, Contracting and Implementation of the EU Assistance.

The subject of the contract is the supply, delivery, unloading, siting, and installation of vault/cash operations equipment, including machines and equipment for the protection of the euro, cash handling, and gold testing. The contract aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of the CBCG by ensuring smooth cash operation and continual functioning of the Vault. This assistance will support the Central Bank of Montenegro in improving operational risk and business continuity management by supplying new Vault/cash operation equipment and strengthen the institutional capacity to fulfil the requirements for alignment with EU central banking standards in the area of protection of euro against counterfeiting.

The items required include: South Lift + Table + Vacuum packer, Coin sorting machine, Banknote sorting and banding machine, Desktop banknote sorting machine, Desktop coin counter, and Compact scale for coins. All items are specified and described in Annex II – Technical specifications.

The procedure type is an open procedure. The nature of the contract is for supplies. The maximum contract duration is 6 months. The award method is the lowest price. There is no framework agreement. The place of delivery or performance is Montenegro, specifically identified by the code 20001058. The program associated with this tender is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, identified by the code 42921320. The main classification (CPV) code is 30132200, which corresponds to banknote counting machines.

The TED publication date is 03/02/2026. The date and time of the public opening is 12/03/2026 at 09:00 Europe/Podgorica time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 05/03/2026 at 14:30 Europe/Podgorica time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 13/02/2026 at 05:59 Europe/Podgorica time.

The available documents include: An invitation letter (ENc4a invit enInvitation letter) published on 03/02/2026, version 1, with no translations available; Information for candidates and tenderers (ENa5f additional information contract notice enInformation for candidates and tenderers) published on 03/02/2026, version 1, with no translations available; and the Tender specifications (ENTender dossier - CBM (CBCG), finalTender specifications) published on 03/02/2026, version 1, with no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given in the procurement documents. The submission method is non-electronic.

Some frequently asked questions (FAQs) and their answers related to the eSubmission system are also provided:

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. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.

Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, click on the link System Requirements.

Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload. Thus, the system will not allow decryption after the upload.

Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Depending on the type or step of procedure, you can find the submissions in one of these sections: In ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate.

Which size should attachments have? eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size. Any larger sizes will not be accepted by the system.

How should I name attachments in eSubmission? Name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements. See the following conditions: The attachment names must follow the system requirements.

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. Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation. Go to F&T Portal, “My Invitations”. Click on “Select Organisation” from the “Action” column.

Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission? The 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). For subcontractors PIC is not mandatory.

I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? Make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system.

How many attachments can I upload per submission? The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files.

Why do tenderers need a PIC? It is mandatory to register for a PIC if you intend to submit a tender or a request to participate. Only one PIC per organisation must be used.

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

How many languages does the system support? The system is multilingual and 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 as an encryption mechanism.

Which file types does the system support? The supported file types depend on the type of submission you want to make. The allowed file types are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure in question.

Can I view and edit my draft submission? Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed and deleted.

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. This is not blocking for you: you can submit.

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 sent when the time limit of receipt defined for the call for tenders has been reached. Until then, you had the possibility of withdrawing.

In summary, this tender opportunity focuses on procuring and installing essential vault and cash operation equipment for the Central Bank of Montenegro. The goal is to enhance the bank's operational capabilities, ensure the security of Euro currency, and align its practices with EU standards. The tender is open to any qualified supplier who can provide the specified equipment, including banknote and coin processing machines, security lifts, and related items. The selection will be based on the lowest price offered, and the contract duration is limited to six months. Interested parties must submit their tenders non-electronically, adhering to the specified deadlines and guidelines outlined in the tender dossier. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants would include companies or organizations capable of supplying, delivering, unloading, siting, and installing the specified vault/cash operations equipment. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, or specialized equipment suppliers.

Funding Type: Procurement. This is a call for tenders, indicating a procurement process where the contracting authority (Ministry of Finance, The Directorate for Finance, Contracting and Implementation of the EU Assistance) is seeking to purchase goods (vault/cash operations equipment).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the use of the term "tenderers" suggests that both single entities and consortia could potentially apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The place of delivery and performance is Montenegro. The program is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, suggesting eligibility is focused on countries benefiting from this instrument, which typically includes EU candidate and potential candidate countries.

Target Sector: Finance, specifically central banking and cash operations. The tender targets the supply of equipment for vault/cash operations, protection of the euro against counterfeiting, and alignment with EU central banking standards.

Mentioned Countries: Montenegro.

Project Stage: Commercialization. The tender is for the supply and installation of equipment, indicating a need for readily available, market-ready solutions rather than research or development projects.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not specified in the provided text.

Application Type: Open call. The procedure type is described as an "Open procedure". The submission method is "Non Electronic".

Nature of Support: Money. The successful tenderer will receive a payment in exchange for the supply, delivery, unloading, siting and installation of the specified equipment.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there is at least one stage involving the submission of a tender. The tender will then be evaluated based on the award method "lowest price".

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 by the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro, specifically The Directorate for Finance, Contracting and Implementation of the EU Assistance, for the supply, delivery, unloading, siting, and installation of vault/cash operations equipment for the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG). The goal is to strengthen the institutional capacities of the CBCG, improve operational risk and business continuity management, and align with EU central banking standards in the area of protection of the euro against counterfeiting. The required items include a South Lift + Table + Vacuum packer, Coin sorting machine, Banknote sorting and banding machine, Desktop banknote sorting machine, Desktop coin counter, and a Compact scale for coins. The procedure is an open, non-electronic tender, and the contract duration is a maximum of 6 months. The award will be based on the lowest price. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 05/03/2026 at 14:30 Europe/Podgorica. The contracting authority will not reply to questions submitted after 13/02/2026 05:59 Europe/Podgorica. Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given in the procurement documents. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in this call for tenders. The system supports all 24 official EU languages. The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files. The eSubmission system accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size. The content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload.