Support Contract on adherence to accessibility requirements by providers of Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines

The opportunity presented is a procurement contract from the European Commission, specifically targeting compliance with accessibility requirements under the Digital Services Act. The contract, identified as EC-CNECT/2025/LVP/0067-EXA, focuses on providing support for encouraging and facilitating a code of conduct for accessibility by providers of Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines, in alignment with Article 47 of the regulation.

Eligible applicants likely include consultancies, legal service providers, research organizations, and entities skilled in digital accessibility and regulatory compliance. The funding type is a service contract with a maximum estimated value of €60,000 and a maximum duration of 24 months. There are no stated consortium requirements, suggesting that a single entity can apply.

Geographic eligibility is presumed to be EU-wide, though not explicitly stated, in line with typical EU procurement practices. The primary sector targeted by this contract is the ICT and digital services domain, focusing on accessibility issues in the context of VLOPs and VLOSEs. No specific countries are mentioned, indicating the EU as the primary scope.

The project stage involves practical implementation and support, particularly around evidence gathering to identify accessibility concerns and recommending risk mitigation strategies. The nature of support involves monetary compensation for services rendered, with an open call likely for the application type, indicating that submissions will be accepted electronically.

While the data does not provide insight into application stages or success rates, it notes there is no co-funding requirement. The application process is set to start with an expression of interest period from July 11, 2025, to July 28, 2025, leading to an indicative launch of the procurement process.

In summary, this tender represents a specialized procurement opportunity aimed at supporting the European Commission’s efforts to enhance accessibility online for individuals with disabilities, depicting a wider strategic initiative for digital compliance across the EU. The contract entails specific deliverables, including the assessment of accessibility barriers, development of risk mitigation frameworks, and facilitation of code implementation by specified deadlines.

This is a publication announcing the European Commission's, DG CNECT's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure, not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is EC-CNECT/2025/LVP/0067-EXA. The title of the opportunity is Support Contract on adherence to accessibility requirements by providers of Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines.

The estimated total maximum value is 60,000 EUR. The maximum contract duration is 24 months. The nature of the contract is services. There is no framework agreement.

The support contract will support the Commission in effectively encouraging and facilitating a code of conduct for accessibility in line with Article 47 of Regulation 2022/2065 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act).

The primary focus of the support contract is to perform evidence-gathering regarding accessibility issues in the context of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) in the sense of Regulation 2022/2065; specifically to identify accessibility concerns within the risk assessment framework of Article 34 and potential risk mitigation measures in line with Article 35.

Article 47 of Regulation 2022/2065 mandates the Commission with encouraging and facilitating the drawing up of codes of conduct at Union level with the involvement of providers of online platforms and other relevant service providers, organisations representing recipients of the service and civil society organisations or relevant authorities to promote full and effective, equal participation, by improving access to online services that, through their initial design or subsequent adaptation, address the particular needs of persons with disabilities. This mandate entails that the Commission should make best efforts to create favourable conditions for meeting the deadlines mentioned in Article 47(3) of Regulation 2022/2065 (to “encourage the development” of codes by 18 February 2025 and “encourage [...] their application” by 18 August 2025).

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG CNECT Communications Networks, Content and Technology. The main classification (CPV) code is 73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-07-11 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 28/07/2025 04:59 Europe/Brussels. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-07-28 Europe/Brussels.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below. The method of expression of interest is electronic. The address for expression of interest is Express interest.

A frequently asked question is: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer is: References that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure. This was published on 03/10/2024 16:32.

In summary, the European Commission's DG CNECT is planning a negotiated procedure for a low to middle value contract related to a support contract on adherence to accessibility requirements by providers of Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines. The contract aims to support the Commission in encouraging and facilitating a code of conduct for accessibility, focusing on evidence gathering regarding accessibility issues and identifying potential risk mitigation measures. The maximum value of the contract is estimated at 60,000 EUR, with a duration of 24 months. The expression of interest period begins on July 11, 2025, and ends on July 28, 2025. The actual call for tenders has not yet been published, and this announcement serves as a preliminary notification of the Commission's intention to launch the procedure.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the contract as a support contract for the European Commission, it is likely that eligible applicants could include research institutions, consultancy firms, service providers, or other organizations with expertise in digital accessibility, online platforms, and relevant EU regulations. The text mentions "providers of online platforms and other relevant service providers, organisations representing recipients of the service and civil society organisations or relevant authorities" as stakeholders involved in the codes of conduct, suggesting these could also be potential applicants.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, specifically a "support contract." The contracting authority intends to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. This detail will likely be specified in the future call for tenders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that the contract is issued by the European Commission and relates to the Digital Services Act, it is highly likely that the eligibility will be focused on entities within the EU or potentially the EEA. The contract aims to support the Commission in encouraging and facilitating a code of conduct at Union level, suggesting a focus on EU-based organizations.

Target Sector: The target sector is digital accessibility, specifically concerning Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs). It also touches upon the broader areas of digital services, technology, and regulatory compliance within the EU's Digital Services Act framework. The contract focuses on identifying accessibility concerns and potential risk mitigation measures related to the risk assessment framework of Article 34 and potential risk mitigation measures in line with Article 35 of Regulation 2022/2065.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The focus is on the European Union as a whole, given the reference to "Union level" and the implementation of the Digital Services Act.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on implementation and support. The contract aims to support the Commission in encouraging and facilitating the development and application of codes of conduct for accessibility, as mandated by Article 47 of Regulation 2022/2065. The work involves evidence gathering, identifying accessibility concerns, and proposing risk mitigation measures, suggesting a stage of development and validation.

Funding Amount: The estimated total maximum value is EUR 60,000. This falls into the "under €50k" range.

Application Type: The application type will be a "negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract." The announcement is a "publication announcing the contracting authority’s intention to publish a future" procedure. The method of expression of interest is electronic.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services. This is a service contract.

Application Stages: The application will involve at least two stages: an expression of interest and a subsequent negotiated procedure.

Success Rates: The success rates cannot be determined from the provided text. As this is a negotiated procedure, the success rate will depend on the number of applicants invited to negotiate and the quality of their proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not specify whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated service contract, with procedure identifier EC-CNECT/2025/LVP/0067-EXA, from the European Commission, DG CNECT (Communications Networks, Content and Technology). The contract aims to provide support to the Commission in encouraging and facilitating a code of conduct for accessibility, as outlined in Article 47 of the Digital Services Act (Regulation 2022/2065). The primary focus is on evidence gathering regarding accessibility issues within Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs), identifying accessibility concerns within the risk assessment framework of Article 34, and proposing potential risk mitigation measures in line with Article 35. The estimated total maximum value of the contract is EUR 60,000, and the maximum contract duration is 24 months. The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The start date for expression of interest is 2025-07-11, with a deadline of 2025-07-28. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-07-28. The method of expression of interest is electronic, and submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission. This is not a call for tenders but an announcement of intent to launch a future procedure. The main classification according to CPV is 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services. The contract is a service contract, and there is no framework agreement mentioned.