Support for the organisation of events and other communication and information activities of the European Parliament Liaison Office in BULGARIA

The European Parliament Directorate-General for Communication invites tenders for a single-supplier framework service contract (reference EP-COMM/2026/OP/0010) to provide event organisation, communication campaigns and media/content production support to the European Parliament Liaison Office in Bulgaria, covering Sofia, regional locations and potential cross-border activities. The estimated total value is €1,350,000 and the contract duration is an initial 12 months renewable up to three times, for a maximum of 48 months, with orders placed by specific order forms. The procurement is an open procedure with exclusive electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, evaluated on a best price-quality ratio (quality 70% / price 30%), and the tender deadline is 15 April 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Tenderers must meet exclusion, financial (minimum turnover requirements) and technical capacity criteria, comply with accessibility, environmental and data protection requirements, and submit required annexes including a case study and price schedule.

What it funds

Framework contract to provide support and technical assistance for organising events, communication campaigns, media/content production and related third‑party services for the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Bulgaria (including regional and cross‑border activities).

Key facts

Procurement reference:EP-COMM/2026/OP/0010

Estimated value and duration:Total maximum value €1,350,000; initial 12 months, renewable up to 48 months (3 renewals).

Procedure and award:Open procedure; framework agreement awarded on best price-quality ratio (quality 70% / price 30%).

1. 1Submission method: electronic via F&T Portal eSubmission F&T Portal ¹
2. 2Deadline for tenders: 15/04/2026 17:00 Europe/Brussels
3. 3Public opening: 16/04/2026 11:00 Europe/Brussels
4. 4Estimated total contract ceiling: €1,350,000
5. 5Maximum contract duration: 48 months (12 + 3 renewals)

Who can apply

Open to natural or legal persons and public entities established in EU Member States and third countries having the relevant procurement access agreement with the EU. Subcontracting and groups of economic operators are permitted; joint tenders must demonstrate joint and several liability.

Eligibility and minimum requirements (high level)

1. 1Minimum annual turnover: €350,000 for each of the last two years, including at least €250,000 turnover in the area covered by the contract
2. 2Technical experience: at least 3 years of similar services; team must include 1 project manager (≥3 years experience) and 2 junior consultants; language level C1 in English and the EPLO operating language(s) (Bulgarian)
3. 3Compliance with EU restrictive measures (no involvement of entities listed under Regulation 833/2014) and submission of required declarations (Annexes)

Tenders must include all administrative annexes (declarations, financial identification, price schedule, case study and CVs) and comply with technical specifications (accessibility and minimum green criteria).

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents, specifications and submission are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal: F&T Portal.

This is an open call for tenders to conclude a single-supplier framework service contract for support and technical assistance to the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Bulgaria. The contractor will organise events, implement communication and information activities, manage third-party suppliers, and produce media/content in line with the European Parliament’s communication strategy. The contract is managed by the European Parliament, Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM), Directorate for Liaison Offices. The framework agreement will not reopen competition and will be implemented through specific order forms.

Primary sources and official pages:Opportunity page and documents on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Support for the organisation of events and other communication and information activities of the European Parliament Liaison Office in BULGARIA F&T Portal opportunity. TED notice reference: 45/2026 153989-2026 TED notice.

At a Glance

• Procedure identifier: EP-COMM/2026/OP/0010
• Procedure type: Open procedure
• Nature of the contract: Services (CPV 79416000 - Public relations services)
• Framework agreement: Without reopening of competition
• Estimated total value: €1,350,000 (including reimbursement of third-party services)
• Maximum contract duration: Up to 48 months (12 months initial + 3 renewals)
• Award method: Best price-quality ratio (quality 70%, price 30%)
• Submission method: Electronic via eSubmission on the F&T Portal
• Lead contracting authority: European Parliament, DG COMM - Directorate for Liaison Offices

Key Dates and Milestones

Scope of Services

The contractor will support the EPLO in Bulgaria with decentralised communication across the capital and regions, and, where needed, cross-border activities with neighbouring countries. Services align with DG COMM’s strategy and the EP brand pillars and span four engagement channels: media, digital communication, visitors offer & events, and strategic engagement.

Core tasks and formats:Organisation of events (physical, hybrid, online); organisation of communication campaigns; production of media content; other communication and information services (often via third parties). Typical formats include specialised seminars or webinars, workshops, roundtables, town-hall meetings, open-door activities, participation in outdoor festivals and democracy fora, regional info tours, partnerships for cultural events, and events aligned with central EP campaigns (e.g., Sakharov Prize, LUX Audience Award, International Women’s Day).

Direct services (hourly-rate based):End-to-end event organisation and coordination; target audience and stakeholder engagement; venue liaison and on-site presence; logistics and AV support; press and public relations; social media planning and boosting; monitoring and evaluation (including KPI-based impact assessment); editorial project management; content production (video, podcasts, photo, graphics, DTP); exhibitions and props; handling/delivery/storage of PR materials; IP and image rights clearance. Team must include at least one project manager and two junior consultants, with C1 English and C1 Bulgarian (or language(s) EPLO operates in).

Third-party services (to be subcontracted and reimbursed):Venue rental; technical equipment; catering; interior design and venue dressing; transport, shipping, storage; participant registration and expenses (travel, transfers, accommodation); moderators (minimum three proposals per event, region-rooted and gender-balanced); external speakers/facilitators; licenses and database access (software, photos, videos, music); participation fees for events; on-site staff (cleaning, security, logistics); media buying and creative asset production; physical deliverables (gadgets, print, stands); insurances if requested; other services defined by the EPLO. Contractor pays these suppliers and is reimbursed by the EP upon submission of original invoices and supporting offers.

Management fee for third-party services:A one-off management fee is charged per order form as a number of hours at the Junior Consultant profile, capped as follows: up to €5,000 third-party value: max 10 hours; €5,001–15,000: max 25 hours; above €15,000: max 40 hours. Hours must reflect actual, justified work (timesheets may be required). The contractor must secure competitive market offers and attach required numbers of estimates.

Mandatory accessibility:Services must comply with EU, international and local accessibility standards including the European Accessibility Act and the Web Accessibility Directive. Requirements include fully accessible venues, captions/subtitles and sign language where relevant, accessible online platforms, accessible print/digital materials (WCAG 2.1 AA), transcripts for podcasts, alternative text for images, accessible exhibitions (step-free, widths, lighting/contrast).

Minimal green criteria for each service:Catering: offer at least one vegetarian, preferably vegan option; no single-use plates/cutlery/glasses; fair-trade coffee/tea; preferably organic or fair-trade beverages. Location: reachable by public transport from nearest airport within 1 hour; hotels preferably within 15 minutes by public transport from event venue; flights only if public transport travel time exceeds 5 hours. Communication: reusable or recycled-paper badges; participants lists and event info provided digitally; all printed matter on recycled or PEFC/FSC paper. Goodies: preferably from recycled materials or with ecolabels (GOTS, Blauer Engel, EU Ecolabel, NF Environnement, FSC or PEFC). Exceptions require written justification and EP approval.

Implementation and Order Process

1. 1Request for services: EPLO issues a written request at least 4 weeks before the event (shorter in exceptional cases).
2. 2Contractor submits a detailed offer within 14 calendar days, based on the price schedule and, if applicable, annexed third-party estimates.
3. 3Third-party estimates required: up to €15,000: 1–3 offers as specified; €15,001–60,000: 3 offers; above €60,000: 5 offers. If not feasible, a written justification must accompany the submission; EP may reject insufficient justification.
4. 4Order form: EP signs the order form within 10 calendar days after accepting the final offer; this constitutes a specific contract for that service.
5. 5Delivery and supervision: Contractor implements; EPLO supervises; coordination/preparatory meetings held as needed.
6. 6Reporting and invoicing: Final invoice must include reference to order form; attach timesheets for hourly services; and for third-party services, submit supplier invoices plus initial offers/emails. If required, include a report (EN or FR) covering activities, lessons learned, evaluation and KPIs, surveys, press review, and recommendations.
7. 7Yearly overview: Contractor may be asked to summarise events, participant and MEP counts, locations, evaluations, media coverage, and other insights.
8. 8Payment: 30-day payment terms after receipt and acceptance of correct invoice and, where applicable, final report. Partial invoicing possible as defined in order forms. Electronic invoicing is mandatory via the EC platform or PEPPOL.

Commercial and Financial Conditions

Contract value and duration:Total maximum value: €1,350,000 over up to 48 months (12 months initial plus 3 renewals). No obligation on EP to place orders; services are ordered via specific order forms.

Pricing and revision:Prices are in EUR, VAT-exempt under EU privileges (tenders must quote excluding VAT). Regular hourly rates apply 07:00–22:00 on weekdays; services outside these hours/days may be invoiced with a 50% supplement per profile as indicated in the price schedule. Price revision is available annually from year two, upon request at least three months before the anniversary, using HICP index: Pr = Pi x Ir/Io, where Pi is the previous price, Ir is the HICP for the third month before renewal, and Io is the HICP for the third month before contract entry into force or last revision.

Reimbursement rules:Third-party costs are reimbursed at actual cost excluding VAT, supported by original invoices and approved offers. Any VAT paid to third parties must be recovered by the contractor per national legislation. Travel and accommodation are reimbursed up to EP staff allowance limits; flat-rate per km may apply for distances over 60 km one-way from EPLO seat. All reimbursable expenses require prior EP approval via the signed order form.

Prefinancing:EP shall prefinance 30% of the total value of specific order forms exceeding €15,000, upon the contractor’s request.

Penalties and quality:Late delivery: 0.2% of the order form value per day of delay, capped at 20% of the order. Quality non-compliance: proportional price reduction. Damage caused: EP may deduct documented losses. Urgency: EP may perform by substitution and recover additional costs.

Eligibility, Compliance and Conditions of Participation

• Who can participate: Natural or legal persons and public entities established in an EU Member State, and those of third countries with specific public procurement agreements granting access to this contract under the terms of those agreements.
• Geographic performance: Activities in Bulgaria’s capital and regions; cross-border with neighbouring countries possible.
• Groups of economic operators: Allowed. Joint and several liability is required; legal form may be requested before contract signature. Annex V must be completed. Roles/qualifications/experience of all members must be specified.
• Subcontracting: Permitted with prior disclosure and EP authorisation for significant parts. EP may verify exclusion and selection criteria compliance of subcontractors. Annex VI must be completed.
• Variants: Not permitted.

Exclusion and restrictive measures:General exclusion grounds per Articles 138–143 of the Financial Regulation apply (bankruptcy, tax/social violations, grave professional misconduct, corruption/fraud/organised crime/AML/CTF/terrorism/trafficking, irregularities, resistance to audits, etc.). Tenderers must submit a signed Declaration on Honour (Annex III). Compliance with EU restrictive measures against Russia is mandatory in line with Council Regulation 833/2014 (Articles €5K, 5aa, 5l) and related CFSP decisions; Annex VIII must be signed, and any exception evidence provided as applicable.

Selection criteria (minimum capacity requirements):Legal: Enrollment in a relevant professional or trade register (extract required). Financial: Minimum yearly turnover of €350,000 in each of the last two financial years, including at least €250,000 turnover in areas covered by the contract (submit P&L for the two most recent closed years and Annex VII with totals). Technical: At least three years of experience in similar services; a team comprising at least one project manager (min 3 years in events/communication consultancy) and two junior consultants (min 1 year), all with excellent C1 English and excellent written/spoken Bulgarian (or relevant EPLO languages). Provide a list of principal services in last three years (amounts, dates, clients) and CVs with language levels.

Evaluation and Award

• Award criterion: Best price-quality ratio.
• Quality 70% (pass marks per criterion, overall minimum 60/100 to proceed):
• - Working methods, project management, resource allocation: 30 points (pass 15).
• - Management of third-party suppliers (mobilisation, local networks, value for money, risk mitigation, continuity): 20 points (pass 10).
• - Environmental policies and methods beyond minimums (waste reduction 3, CO2 4, sustainable consumables 3): 10 points (pass 5).
• - Impact assessment methodology (KPI-based, cost-effectiveness/optimisation): 10 points (pass 5).
• - Case study (Annex X) quality/coherence, roles, detail, challenges; approach; resource allocation: 30 points (pass 15).
• Price 30%: Weighted evaluation based on the sum of weighted unit prices in the price schedule (evaluation-only total; not contractually binding).
• Page limit: All award-criterion elements, including the case study, must fit within 30 cumulative pages.

Submission and e-Procurement

1. 1Submission channel: Exclusively via eSubmission through the F&T Portal opportunity page. Tenders by email/post are rejected.
2. 2PIC registration: Each economic operator (and each consortium member) must register in the Participant Register to obtain a PIC.
3. 3Languages: Tenders may be submitted in any official EU language.
4. 4Technical: Mind browser/file type/attachment size limits; see system requirements and eSubmission Quick Guide linked from the Portal help pages.
5. 5Deadline: 15/04/2026 17:00 (Europe/Brussels). Late submissions are rejected; the eSubmission timestamp is proof.
6. 6Amend/withdraw: Possible before the deadline; the latest submission supersedes prior versions.
7. 7Opening session: Virtual public opening on 16/04/2026 11:00 (Brussels). Up to two representatives per tenderer may attend on request (send names, emails, tenderer name, and submission receipt to epsofia@europarl.europa.eu at least one working day in advance).
8. 8Q&A: Requests must be submitted via the Portal Q&A. The contracting authority is not bound to respond to questions received after 07/04/2026 23:59 (Brussels). Public Q&A is published on the opportunity page.

Contractual, IP, Data Protection, and Policy Requirements

• Contract model: Framework Service Contract (Specific Terms and Conditions and General Terms and Conditions) with annexes including specifications, order form model, price list, contractor’s tender, and declaration on pre-existing rights.
• Intellectual property: EP acquires ownership of newly created results for all modes of exploitation worldwide; pre-existing materials are licensed to EP on a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable basis for all modes and territories for the full term of protection. Contractor must provide the declaration and evidence on pre-existing rights and secure all IP/image rights.
• Data protection: Controller is DG COMM - Financial Support Unit for Liaison Offices. Personal data processing by the contractor must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725; specific categories, data types and purposes are set out in Article I.12 of the contract. Servers/equipment must be in the EEA or in an adequacy-recognised territory/sector. Breach notification within 48 hours to the controller.
• Environmental management: EP operates an EMAS environmental management system; contractors must ensure their staff are aware of EP environmental measures and may need to demonstrate training and compliance (Annex II).
• Equal opportunities: Contractor must promote equality and diversity, ensure non-discrimination, and annually report progress and planned improvements post-signature.

Templates and Required Documents

Core procurement documents:Invitation letter; Tender specifications; Annex I Technical Specifications; Annex II EP Environmental Policy; Annex III Declaration on Honour (exclusion and selection); Annex IV Financial Identification Form; Annex V Group of Economic Operators; Annex VI Declaration concerning subcontractors; Annex VII Financial Data Sheet; Annex VIII Declaration on Russia restrictive measures; Annex IX Price Schedule; Annex X Case Study; Annex XI PEPPOL and F&T Portal registration; Annex XII Electronic invoicing form; Framework contract model and Annex V Declaration on pre-existing rights.

Technical proposal structure (indicative):1) Understanding of scope and EP communication pillars and channels; 2) Working methods, project management, team structure, allocation of resources, cooperation procedures with EPLO; 3) Management of third-party suppliers (mobilisation, local networks, value-for-money selection, risk/contingency for continuity); 4) Environmental approach beyond minimum criteria (waste, CO2, sustainable consumables) with concrete measures; 5) Methodology for impact assessment (KPIs, before/after, cost-effectiveness); 6) Case Study response (Annex X) with clear roles, detailed actions, challenges, methodology, and resource/budget allocation; 7) Team CVs with language levels; 8) Relevant references (last 3 years) with amounts, dates, clients; 9) Equality policy statement; 10) Accessibility compliance approach. All together within 30 pages (excluding mandatory forms/annexes as specified by the tender documents).

Financial proposal and price schedule:Complete Annex IX Price Schedule with unit hourly rates for specified profiles (e.g., project manager, junior consultant, PR/press assistance, web/social advisors, moderators/admins, reception, IT/AV technicians, photographer, camera operator, graphic designer/DTP). Note regular hours definition, 50% supplement for out-of-hours if requested, and that Junior Consultant profile is also used to compute the one-off management fee for third-party services. Ensure prices are all-inclusive, in EUR, excl. VAT, and reflect FX risk if applicable.

Administrative and capacity documents:Annex III Declaration on Honour (each consortium member); Extract from professional/trade register; Financial capacity evidence (P&L for last two closed years and Annex VII totals including turnover in the contract area); List of principal services over last 3 years; CVs; Annex V (if consortium); Annex VI (if subcontracting foreseen); Annex VIII (Russia restrictive measures); Annex IV Financial Identification Form with bank evidence; Any additional evidence requested during evaluation within two weeks if asked.

Categorisation Answers and Structured Extraction

Eligible Applicant Types:Natural persons (individual professionals), legal persons, and public entities established in EU Member States, as well as eligible entities from third countries that have concluded a specific public procurement agreement with the EU allowing access on the terms laid down by that agreement. Typical applicable profiles include SMEs and large enterprises in events, communications and media; PR/marketing and event management agencies; audiovisual and content production companies; consulting firms; nonprofits or public entities meeting selection criteria; research/academic bodies if they meet capacity requirements; and groups of economic operators (consortia). Subcontractors may include specialist providers such as AV, catering, moderators, media-buying agencies and printers, subject to EP approval and eligibility.

Funding Type:Procurement, framework service contract. Payments are against ordered services with possible prefinancing for large orders and reimbursement of approved third-party costs.

Consortium Requirement:Single tenderer or consortium of economic operators are allowed. No obligation to form a consortium; groups must assume joint and several liability and complete Annex V.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Open to entities established in EU Member States and in third countries with specific public procurement agreements granting access to this contract. Service delivery focuses on Bulgaria with possible cross-border activities with neighbouring countries.

Target Sector:Public relations, communication and outreach, events management, media relations, digital communication and social media, audiovisual production, editorial/content production, cultural and public engagement activities.

Mentioned Countries:Bulgaria; Belgium (Brussels, EP central services); Luxembourg; France (Strasbourg); Russia (in context of restrictive measures); Ukraine (in context of restrictive measures and geopolitical reference).

Project Stage:Implementation and service delivery. The contractor must demonstrate established operational, financial, and technical capacity to organise and run events, campaigns, and content production immediately upon order.

Funding Amount:Total maximum value of the framework contract is €1,350,000 over up to 48 months, covering both contractor’s hourly-rate services and reimbursement of third-party services.

Application Type:Open call for tenders via electronic submission (eSubmission) on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Money: contract payments for services rendered, with 30% prefinancing for specific orders above €15,000 upon request, and reimbursement of approved third-party supplier costs.

Application Stages:Single-stage submission and evaluation (quality and price). Public opening of tenders, then evaluation of exclusion/selection/award criteria; award to highest combined score.

Success Rates:Not disclosed. The procedure is competitive and awarded to the tender with the highest score based on the best price-quality ratio.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding by the contractor is required. This is a service contract with payments for services and reimbursement of approved third-party costs. Contractors bear normal business risks (e.g., exchange rate risk included in pricing) and must recover any VAT paid to third parties via national procedures.

Additional Operational Details

• Brand and strategic alignment: Activities must reflect EP’s three brand pillars and be consistent in narrative and visual identity (access via the EP brand portal upon request).
• Neutrality: Contractor and third-party services must respect the political neutrality of the EPLO.
• Evaluation and KPIs: The contractor must use clear evaluation methodologies and standard EP indicators (e.g., visitors, participants, social media engagement, satisfaction surveys) per order.
• Security and access: Compliance with EP premises/event security rules; clearances may be required; non-compliant personnel must be replaced.
• IP/image rights: All deliverables become EP property; contractor must secure all rights and licenses and provide declarations and evidence.
• Data location: Processing equipment and data access must meet EEA/adequacy decisions requirements.
• Sanctions and ethics: Strict compliance with EU sanctions and Financial Regulation obligations; avoidance of conflicts of interest; confidentiality on EP information; ban on using EP logo/image unless authorised.

How to Access and Apply

1. 1Review all procurement documents on the F&T Portal opportunity page: Opportunity page.
2. 2Register or confirm your Participant Identification Code (PIC) in the Participant Register.
3. 3Prepare your technical offer (max 30 pages for award criteria content) and financial offer (Annex IX), plus all mandatory forms and evidence (Annexes III, IV, V if applicable, VI if applicable, VII, VIII, register extract, references, CVs).
4. 4Submit electronically via eSubmission before 15/04/2026 17:00 (Brussels). Keep the eSubmission receipt.
5. 5Optional: Request access to attend the virtual opening (max two representatives) by emailing epsofia@europarl.europa.eu with required details at least one working day prior to opening.

Long Summary and Explanation

This opportunity is a four-year, single-supplier framework service contract to deliver the European Parliament’s outreach and communications in Bulgaria through its Liaison Office. It purchases professional services across events organisation, campaigns, media production, and public relations with a strong emphasis on hybrid/digital formats, editorial projects, and measurable impact. The contractor must be able to mobilise and manage local third-party suppliers competitively, ensuring optimal value for money and continuity, while respecting strict accessibility and green criteria for every activity. Intellectual property, data protection, neutrality, environmental stewardship, and equality policies are rigorously embedded in the contract. Implementation is flexible and order-based: the EPLO requests services; the contractor submits a detailed offer with required market estimates; the EP issues an order form; and the contractor delivers, reports, and invoices, including eligible reimbursements for approved third-party costs. Price revision is indexed annually by HICP from year two, and prefinancing of 30% is available for larger orders above €15,000. To compete, tenderers must meet defined financial thresholds, demonstrate relevant multi-year experience, present a capable bilingual team (including a project manager and junior consultants with C1 English and Bulgarian), and deliver a high-quality technical offer, including a case study, within a 30-page limit. Award is based on a 70/30 quality/price split, with strict pass marks per quality criterion and a minimum overall quality threshold. The call is open EU-wide (and to certain eligible third countries with procurement agreements) and seeks a partner with proven capacity in public relations, event operations, media/content production, and digital communications to help the European Parliament engage citizens, stakeholders, and media in Bulgaria effectively and sustainably.

This is a framework service contract tender issued by the European Parliament Directorate-General for Communication to provide support services for the organisation of events and other communication and information activities of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Bulgaria. The contract covers activities in Sofia and regional locations across Bulgaria, with potential for cross-border activities with neighbouring countries.

Opportunity Details

Procedure Type:Open procedure with electronic submission required via eSubmission system on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Tender Reference:EP-COMM/2026/OP/0010 (TED reference 45/2026 153989-2026)

Total Estimated Value:€1,350,000 (including reimbursement of third-party services)

Contract Duration:Initial period of 12 months, renewable up to 3 times for successive one-year periods, with a maximum total duration of 48 months from entry into force.

Award Method:Best price-quality ratio based on qualitative criteria (70 percent weighting) and price criterion (30 percent weighting).

Key Deadlines

Tender Publication Date:5 March 2026

Deadline for Tender Submission:15 April 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time

Deadline for Questions:7 April 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time (contracting authority not obliged to reply to questions received fewer than 6 working days before tender deadline)

Public Opening Session:16 April 2026 at 11:00 Brussels time (virtual session; maximum 2 representatives per tenderer may attend)

Scope of Services

The contractor will provide support and technical assistance for the following main activities: organisation of events (physical, online and hybrid formats); organisation of communication campaigns; production of media content including selection and subcontracting of third-party providers; and other communication and information services. The EPLO will define specific activities and maintain daily operational contact with the contractor, while the European Parliament's central services in Brussels handle contract conclusion and invoice payments.

Specific event types include specialised seminars, webinars, workshops, roundtables, town-hall meetings, open-door activities, regional events, cultural events, and editorial projects. The contractor must be able to perform all tasks in Bulgarian and appoint a Bulgarian-speaking contact person for general communication with the European Parliament.

Financial Structure

The contract uses a two-tier pricing model. Category A covers direct contribution through consultancy and support services charged at hourly rates for various profiles including project managers, communication specialists, technical staff, photographers and graphic designers. Category B covers indirect contribution through management fees and reimbursement of third-party supplier costs. The contractor identifies and manages third-party suppliers, receiving a management fee calculated as junior consultant hours based on the value of third-party services: up to €5,000 (maximum 10 hours), €5,001 to €15,000 (maximum 25 hours), and above €15,000 (maximum 40 hours).

Price Revision:From the second year onwards, prices may be revised annually on the contract anniversary using the HICP consumer price index formula, upon request by either party submitted at least 3 months before the anniversary date.

Payment Terms:30 percent prefinancing for order forms exceeding €15,000 upon contractor request; balance payable after correct service provision and receipt of pre-existing rights declaration. Payment within 30 calendar days of invoice receipt and approval. Interest on late payment calculated at European Central Bank main refinancing rate plus 8 percentage points.

VAT Treatment:Prices quoted excluding VAT. Third-party service reimbursements based on original invoices excluding VAT; contractor responsible for VAT recovery through national procedures. Travel and accommodation reimbursed according to European Parliament staff allowance limits.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Participation is open to natural and legal persons and public entities from EU Member States and third countries with specific public procurement agreements with the European Union. Tenderers must indicate their country of establishment and provide supporting evidence.

Legal and Regulatory Capacity

Tenderers must be enrolled in a relevant professional or trade register (except international organisations). Evidence required: extract from appropriate national register confirming enrolment.

Financial and Economic Capacity

Minimum yearly turnover of €350,000 for each of the last two financial years, including minimum €250,000 turnover in the area covered by the contract. Evidence required: profit and loss accounts for two most recent closed financial years or tax declarations for natural persons, plus completed Annex VII with overall and area-specific turnover figures. Tenderers may rely on capacity of other entities or subcontractors with appropriate undertakings.

Technical and Professional Capacity

Minimum three years' experience in similar services or deliveries. Proposed team must include at least one project manager with minimum three years' proven experience in events organisation and communication consultancy, plus minimum two project assistants (junior consultants) with minimum one year's experience in the field. All team members must have excellent English knowledge (C1 level) and excellent written and spoken knowledge of Bulgarian (C1 level). Team composition must be maintained throughout contract performance. Evidence required: list of principal services provided and supplies delivered in past three years with sums, dates and clients; CVs of project manager and team members clearly indicating professional experience and language proficiency levels.

Exclusion Criteria

Tenderers must not be in exclusion situations under Articles 138 to 143 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, including bankruptcy, insolvency, breach of tax or social security obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal offences, significant deficiencies in contract performance, irregularities, or resistance to investigations. All tenderers must submit a signed Declaration on Honour (Annex III) confirming compliance with exclusion criteria. The contracting authority may request documentary evidence within two weeks before award decision; failure to provide valid evidence within the deadline leads to tender rejection unless material impossibility is demonstrated.

Restrictive Measures Compliance

Tenderers must ensure that they, their subcontractors, suppliers and entities whose capacities are relied upon are not subject to restrictive measures under Article 21 TEU or Article 215 TFEU. Specific prohibitions apply regarding Russian nationals, entities established in Russia, entities with over 50 percent Russian ownership, and publicly controlled Russian entities listed in Annex XIX of Regulation 833/2014. All tenderers must submit a signed Declaration on Honour (Annex VIII) confirming compliance. Tenders from prohibited persons or entities will be rejected unless an exception applies.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

Tenders evaluated on best price-quality ratio basis. Qualitative assessment (70 percent weighting) awards maximum 100 points across five criteria. Tenderers must achieve minimum pass mark per criterion and minimum 60 points overall to proceed to price evaluation.

Quality of Working Methods, Project Management and Resource Allocation:30 points (pass mark 15 points). Tenderers must describe proposed day-to-day management structure, team organisation, efficiency approach, and procedures for establishing working relationship with EPLO and ensuring effective cooperation.

Management of Third-Party Suppliers:20 points (pass mark 10 points). Tenderers must demonstrate plans for rapidly mobilising third-party supplier networks, working with local suppliers, supplier selection mechanisms, value-for-money guarantees, and risk mitigation and contingency measures for supplier shortcomings.

Quality of Environmental Policies and Methods:10 points (pass mark 5 points). Tenderers must describe measures to limit environmental impact beyond minimum requirements, specifically addressing waste reduction including food waste (3 points), CO2 emissions from transport and catering (4 points), and procurement of sustainable consumables (3 points). Only concrete measures linked to contract activities are evaluated.

Quality of Impact Assessment Methodology:10 points (pass mark 5 points). Tenderers must submit evaluation methodology description covering general terms (methodology, key performance indicators) and specific application to requested services, with particular focus on cost-effectiveness and optimisation evaluation.

Quality of Case Study:30 points (pass mark 15 points). Tenderers must submit case study proposal (Annex X) assessed on professional quality and coherence, clarity of proposed actions and stakeholder responsibilities, appropriate detail level, identification of particular challenges, quality of approach and methodology for achieving objectives, and quality of resource allocation including human resources and budget. All award criteria elements including case study limited to maximum 30 cumulative pages.

Price Criterion:30 percent weighting. Each price multiplied by relevant weighting coefficient; total weighted price used for evaluation only and is not contractually binding. Contract awarded to tenderer receiving highest combined score.

Submission Requirements

Tenders must be submitted exclusively via electronic eSubmission system on EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenders submitted by email or letter will be rejected. Tenderers must register in the European Commission Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) before submission. Tenders may be submitted in any official EU language. Maximum file size per attachment is 50 MB; maximum 200 documents per tender submission.

Required documents include:Invitation letter; Tender specifications and all annexes; Declaration on Honour concerning exclusion and selection criteria (Annex III); Financial Identification Form (Annex IV); Information sheet for groups of economic operators if applicable (Annex V); Declaration concerning subcontractors if applicable (Annex VI); Financial Data Sheet (Annex VII); Declaration on Honour concerning Russia restrictive measures (Annex VIII); completed Price Schedule (Annex IX); Case study proposal (Annex X); and technical tender describing working methods, supplier management, environmental policies, evaluation methodology and case study response.

Tenderers may withdraw or replace tenders before the deadline. Only one tender per tenderer will be considered; if multiple tenders submitted without withdrawal, only the latest will be evaluated. Tenderers cannot refer to earlier submissions to complement, clarify or correct the latest tender.

Special Conditions and Requirements

Environmental Compliance

Successful tenderer must comply with environmental legislation in force and the European Parliament's EMAS environmental management system. Contractor must ensure staff awareness of EMAS programme and may be required to certify that assigned personnel have received appropriate professional training on safety, environmental compliance and correct equipment handling. Contractor must provide information to European Parliament staff on environmental measures related to products used in contract performance.

Minimal green criteria apply to all services:catering must include vegetarian or vegan options, use no single-use plates or cutlery, and provide fair-trade coffee and tea; event locations must be reachable by public transport within 1 hour of nearest airport and hotels within 15 minutes by public transport (flights only if travel by public transport exceeds 5 hours); badges must be reusable or recycled paper; participant information delivered digitally only; all paper products printed on recycled or PEFC/FSC paper; goodies made from recycled materials or certified with GOTS, Blauer Engel, EU Ecolabel, NF Environnement, FSC or PEFC labels. Exceptions require written justification approved by European Parliament.

Accessibility Requirements

All services must comply with EU, international and local accessibility standards including European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882), Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) and applicable local legislation. Event venues must be fully accessible with step-free access, adequate passage widths, appropriate lighting and contrast. Live-streamed or recorded sessions must include captions or subtitles and sign language interpretation where relevant. Online registration platforms must be accessible. Printed materials available in accessible formats. Digital content must comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards including video captions, podcast transcripts and image alternative text descriptions. All digital documents must be accessible with structured headings, tagged PDFs and descriptive hyperlinks. Graphic designs must ensure sufficient colour contrast, legible fonts and avoid colour-only meaning conveyance. Physical promotional items should reflect universal design principles.

Equal Opportunities Policy

Tenderers must undertake to observe a policy promoting equality and diversity in contract performance, applying non-discrimination and equality principles fully. Successful tenderer must establish, maintain and promote an open and inclusive working environment respecting human dignity and equal opportunities based on: equality between men and women; employment and integration of disabled persons; removal of obstacles to recruitment and elimination of discrimination based on sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or convictions, disability, age or sexual orientation. Tenderers must submit a description of their equal opportunities promotion policy as part of technical tender. After contract signature, tenderer must report yearly on equal opportunities evolution, documenting progress and planned improvements.

Intellectual Property Rights

European Parliament acquires irrevocable ownership of all results and intellectual property rights arising from contract performance, including newly created material produced specifically for European Parliament and included in results. Contractor warrants that exclusive rights and exploitation modes may be exercised by European Parliament on all result parts, whether created by contractor or consisting of pre-existing materials. Contractor must sign declaration confirming this. European Parliament may exploit results for any mode including reproduction, distribution, communication to public, modification, translation, derivative works, database extraction and re-utilisation, trademark registration, know-how use, licensing to third parties, and publication with or without creator names. Pre-existing rights are licensed to European Parliament on royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable basis covering all territories worldwide for intellectual property protection duration. Contractor must obtain all necessary rights and permissions including copyright, related rights and image rights of depicted persons. Contractor must provide evidence of pre-existing rights acquisition and submit declaration listing all pre-existing rights with rights holder identification. Contractor must immediately inform European Parliament if required pre-existing rights cannot be acquired under contract conditions.

Data Protection

Contractor processes personal data on behalf of European Parliament as processor under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. Data controller is DGCOMM Financial Support Unit for Liaison Offices. Personal data categories include Members of European Parliament, Parliament staff, other contractor staff, event participants or potential participants, and subcontractors. Data types include gender, first name, surname, country of origin or nationality, email address, phone number, age, city of residence, workplace or employer, and VAT number. Processing operations include collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation, alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure, dissemination, alignment, combination, restriction, erasure and destruction. Processing purposes include preparing, organising and facilitating communication events, gathering statistical information, making cost reimbursements, and building stakeholder databases. Contractor must process data only for controller-indicated purposes on documented instructions. Contractor must notify personal data breaches to controller without undue delay and within 48 hours of awareness. Contractor must ensure subcontractors sign contracts with equivalent data protection obligations. Contractor must implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures including pseudonymisation, encryption, confidentiality, integrity, availability and resilience assurance, timely restoration capability, regular testing and assessment, and protection against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access. Servers and data processing equipment must be located in European Economic Area or third countries with European Commission adequacy decisions. Contractor must keep personal data processing records for five years from contract balance payment date.

Subcontracting

Subcontracting is permitted. Contractor may not subcontract to third parties not referred to in tender without European Parliament prior written authorisation. Contractor remains wholly liable for correct contract performance. Subcontracts must be concluded in writing. European Parliament reserves right to require information on subcontractor compliance with exclusion criteria and legal, regulatory, financial, economic, technical and professional capacities including minimum specification requirements. European Parliament may request replacement of subcontractors found in exclusion situations. Contractor must inform European Parliament of any subsequent subcontracting not provided for in tender; European Parliament may accept or reject proposed subcontractors and may demand proof of compliance with criteria. European Parliament authorisation always granted in writing. If contract awarded to tenderer proposing subcontractor in tender, this constitutes consent for subcontracting.

Conflict of Interest

Contractor must take all necessary measures to prevent conflict of interest or professional conflicting interest situations. Any suspicion of conflict must be reported immediately to European Parliament in writing. Contractor must immediately take requisite measures to resolve conflicts. European Parliament reserves right to verify appropriateness of contractor measures and require additional measures within specified timeframe. Contractor must ensure staff, board, directors, representatives, decision-makers and third parties involved in contract performance including subcontractors are not in conflict situations. Contractor must replace immediately and without compensation any person exposed to such situation. Contractor must pass on all conflict of interest obligations in writing to relevant persons and provide copies of instructions and undertakings to European Parliament upon request.

Contract Performance and Management

Contract performance occurs through specific order forms. EPLO issues written service requests defining place of service and specific features. Contractor has maximum 14 calendar days to submit detailed offer based on price schedule unless otherwise specified. For services contractor cannot provide directly, contractor must obtain estimates from third-party suppliers: one to three estimates for supplies up to €15,000 (as specified in request), three estimates for €15,001 to €60,000, and five estimates for supplies above €60,000. Contractor must communicate in writing if unable to provide required estimate numbers, with reasons; European Parliament reserves right to reject justification and not authorise related expenditure. Estimates must represent best price-quality ratio available on market. Third-party offers must be annexed to contractor offer. All third-party costs must be real and competitive market prices; any discounts must benefit only European Parliament, not contractor. Contractor cannot benefit from additional commercial margin beyond established price schedule fees. All costs must be specified and detailed separately from management fee for reimbursement at invoicing and final payment.

Contractor offer subject to European Parliament modification requests ensuring complete alignment with service requests. Third-party service orders require European Parliament prior written approval. Based on final contractor offer, European Parliament draws up order form signed within ten calendar days, representing acceptance and constituting contract. Contractor ensures correct service implementation; EPLO supervises through preparatory or coordination meetings as needed. Contractor must keep EPLO informed of progress during preparatory phase.

Evaluation and reporting integral to individual services per order form terms. Contractor uses clear evaluation methodology measuring quality, results and impact (before and after) at national, regional or local level using performance measurement system based on European Parliament evaluation guidelines and standard indicators (KPIs) such as visitor numbers, participant numbers, social media engagements and client satisfaction surveys.

After service completion, contractor submits invoice with final report including:invoice bearing order form reference; timesheets with dates, hours and names for consultancy and support hours where applicable; for third-party services, invoices from third-party suppliers and their initial stamped and dated offers or relevant emails showing services rendered and amounts; and if requested in order form, report in English or French with summaries of actions carried out, lessons learnt, evaluation details, questionnaire evaluations, detailed press review (print, online, social media, television and radio references if applicable) and other noteworthy elements or recommendations. Report must use same structure as offer, separately indicating contractor services and management costs and third-party payments, accompanied by copies of third-party invoices and supporting documents for reimbursement. Yearly or upon EPLO request, contractor prepares overview of all organised events, participant and MEP numbers, locations, evaluation results, press coverage and other relevant information.

Service requests should be made at least four weeks before event date; exceptional cases may have shorter deadlines. Contractor replies with draft offer within maximum 14 calendar days unless otherwise indicated, based on third-party estimates where applicable. Following EPLO comments or adjustment requests, contractor submits final offer. European Parliament draws up order form within ten calendar days of offer acceptance; exceptional cases may have longer deadlines. Parties may hold coordination or preparatory meetings as necessary. Contractor performs requested services within given deadlines. Contractor submits invoice for services provided and report about activities and results achieved where necessary. EPLO organises debriefing meeting where necessary. European Parliament pays invoice within 30 calendar days of receipt and approval by competent departments. Partial invoicing possible in cases clearly defined in specific order forms.

Contractor Obligations and Liability

Contractor performs contract in good faith and to highest professional standards. Contractor must comply with applicable legal obligations under environmental, social and labour law, European Union law, national law, collective agreements, international social and environmental conventions, tax law and data protection law. Contractor responsible for obtaining all permits, authorisations, accreditations or licences needed for contract performance in good time. If any event hampers or risks hampering contract performance, contractor must immediately and on own initiative record and report to European Parliament, describing problem, indicating date of origin and detailing steps taken to ensure compliance with contractual obligations. Unless otherwise instructed, contractor prioritises steps ensuring contractual obligation compliance over determining responsibility. Contractor undertakes to provide European Parliament with any requested information for contract management or verification of contractual, legal or regulatory obligation compliance.

Contractor liable for any damage, harm or loss caused to European Parliament or third parties by contractor, contractor staff or subcontractors and their staff in connection with contract performance, particularly for non-performance, incorrect performance or late performance. If contractor breaches contractual obligations, European Parliament may apply one or more measures: flat-rate penalty for late compliance of 0.2 percent per day of specific order form value (maximum 20 percent); proportional price reduction for quality deficiencies or partial service provision; unilateral damage determination based on supporting documents for harm caused by breach; or substitution performance in urgent cases with contractor reimbursing additional costs. European Parliament informs contractor by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt explaining decision reasons. Contractor has 15 calendar days from receipt to submit observations including remedial measures taken or situation remedies. Following contractor observations or deadline expiry, European Parliament informs contractor by registered letter whether measure will be applied. For urgent substitution performance, European Parliament may perform immediately until contractor breach ceases.

Termination and Force Majeure

European Parliament may terminate contract as of right without legal proceedings or compensation if: contractor or person assuming unlimited liability is in Article 138(1)(a) or (b) Financial Regulation situations; contractor or relevant person subject to Article 138 paragraph 1 points (c) to (i) or paragraphs 2 or 3 situations; contractor misrepresented required information or failed to supply it; contractor in conflict of interest or professional conflicting interest situation; change in contractor legal, financial, technical or organisational situation could materially affect contract performance; contractor fails to comply with Article II.1(3) or (4), Article II.18 or Article II.19 obligations; contractor in serious breach of contractual obligations; procurement procedure or contract performance found subject to material errors, irregularities, corruption or fraud after award; or contract in area subject to rapid price and technology changes and mid-term review shows original terms no longer reflect current prices or technology.

Contractor may terminate if European Parliament fails to comply with contractual obligations making contract performance impossible. Either party may terminate if force majeure prevents contract performance for period corresponding to at least one-fifth of remaining contract duration without considering possible renewal. Termination preceded by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. Receiving party has 15 calendar days from dispatch to present observations. Contract may be terminated if no action or inadequate action taken in response to notice. Termination notified by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, taking effect on receipt date or other date stated in letter. Except for force majeure termination, terminating party may claim compensation for any loss, direct or consequential damage or harm caused. Terminating party not liable for other party compensation for direct or consequential damage, particularly loss of expected profits. Upon termination receipt, parties take requisite measures to minimise costs, prevent damage and cancel or reduce commitments. Within 60 calendar days from termination effective date, contractor produces and submits documents required by Specific Terms and Conditions for tasks performed to that date.

Force majeure means exceptional unforeseeable unavoidable situation beyond parties' control preventing obligation performance, not due to error or negligence. Equipment defects, material delays, labour disputes, strikes, subcontractor non-performance or financial problems cannot be invoked as force majeure unless stemming directly from established force majeure case. Facing force majeure, party must notify other party immediately stating problem nature, likely duration and foreseeable effects. Contract performance time limits suspended for force majeure duration without impacting contract duration. Neither party held in breach if prevented by force majeure. If contractor unable to perform assigned tasks due to force majeure, contractor not entitled to payment or compensation. If contract partially performed, contractor receives appropriate payment. Contractor entitled to travel, subsistence and equipment shipment cost reimbursement incurred in contract performance. Parties take requisite measures to minimise losses.

Checks, Audits and Security

European Parliament may check or require audit of contract performance to verify correct obligation performance or investigate suspected fraud. Checks and audits may be carried out in part or full by European Parliament staff or authorised external representatives from contract signing until five years after balance payment date. Checks and audits conducted confidentially. Contractor must grant European Parliament staff and authorised external persons appropriate access to sites and premises where contract performed. Contractor must ensure information and documents needed are readily available in electronic format at check or audit time and provide in appropriate format if requested. Contractor must keep all contract performance documents on appropriate medium for five years from balance payment date unless longer period required by applicable law. Obligation performance costs included in contract price. External auditors must inform European Parliament of any suspected illegal activity, fraud or corruption harming European Union interests.

Based on audit findings, provisional report drawn up. European Parliament or authorised representative sends report to contractor with 30 calendar days from receipt to submit observations. Contractor receives final report within 60 calendar days following observation deadline expiry. European Anti-Fraud Office, European Court of Auditors and European Public Prosecutor's Office entitled to carry out checks, verifications, audits and inquiries from contract signing until five years after balance payment date under applicable regulations terms.

Contractor undertakes to comply with national and internal safety and security rules applying to European Parliament premises, locations and events access and comparable restrictions. Contractor aware that compliance might include obtaining security clearance for contractor and persons acting on contractor behalf from European Parliament competent services or national authorities. Contractor must cooperate with European Parliament competent security service assisting in security duties and tasks, including immediate reporting of authorised person changes and potential security concerns. If person requiring security permit, authorisation, accreditation or clearance does not obtain or loses such clearance, contractor must replace immediately. Other safety and security rule failures entitle European Parliament to require person replacement. Replacement staff must have obtained necessary security accreditations or clearances and be capable of performing contract under same contractual conditions. Contractor responsible for task performance delays resulting from staff replacement under this article.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

European Union law complemented by Belgian law applies to contract. Any dispute relating to contract interpretation, application or validity falls under exclusive jurisdiction of General Court of Court of Justice of European Union pursuant to Article 256(1) and Article 272 of Treaty on Functioning of European Union.

Contact Information and Submission

All documents available on EU Funding and Tenders Portal at [[ec.europa.eu. Tenders submitted exclusively via eSubmission system. Questions submitted via Questions and Answers section on F&T Portal by clicking Create question (EU Login registration required). Tenderers may request to attend virtual opening session by email to epsofia@europarl.europa.eu with full representative names and email addresses, tenderer name and eSubmission submission receipt, no later than one working day before scheduled opening start.

Mail concerning contract sent to:European Parliament, Directorate-General for Communication, Directorate for Liaison Offices, Financial Support Unit, rue Wiertz 60, B-1047 Brussels. Ordinary mail deemed received on registration date by responsible department. Parties may designate contact persons for routine contract management. Communications sent by email unless other formality required by contract.

Key Applicant Information

Tenderers must declare if entity is Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) per Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC: employing fewer than 250 persons and having annual turnover not exceeding €50 million or annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million. Groups of economic operators may submit tenders; European Parliament may require specific legal form if necessary for proper contract performance. Groups must provide proof of legal form by contract signature, taking form of entity with legal personality recognised by Member State, entity without legal personality offering sufficient European Parliament contractual interest protection, or all partners' signature on power of attorney or equivalent cooperation document. Group members must furnish proof of right of access to contract (eligibility) and compliance with exclusion and selection criteria. European Parliament may rely on other group members' capacity to establish resource availability for contract performance, requiring undertakings from those members to make resources available. Each group member must furnish proof of right of access and exclusion and selection criteria compliance.

Tenderers may rely on capacity of other entities irrespective of legal relationship nature, proving to European Parliament that resources needed for contract performance will be available, for instance by providing undertaking by those entities to make them available. European Parliament entitled to refuse application or tender if doubts exist about undertaking by third party or that party's financial capacity. Parliament may require tenderer and those entities to be jointly liable for contract performance. Consortium of economic operators may rely on group members' or other entities' capacity on same basis. Tenderers may rely on technical and professional capacities of one or more subcontractors undertaking to participate in contract performance; European Parliament assesses subcontractor capacities in light of extent of involvement in contract performance.

Footnotes

1. 1The European Parliament Liaison Offices are responsible for local implementation of institutional communication activities with ultimate goal of enhancing people's awareness of European Parliament impact on daily lives and promoting engagement in European democratic process. EPLOs engage with citizens and stakeholders, manage contacts with national, regional and local media, and provide support to Members of European Parliament in exercise of official mandates in Member States. They build and animate networks of interested citizens, run communication campaigns including events and exhibitions, promote debate on topical EU-level issues encouraging participation in European parliamentary democracy, communicate about European Parliament role and reply to information requests, develop and nurture relationships with strategic stakeholders including national, regional and local authorities, civil society groups, networks, associations, teachers, schools, universities, think tanks and sectorial organisations, promote debates on European legislation and legislative work of Members, ensure stakeholders receive targeted information about areas of specific concern, work with teachers and academic organisations providing educational resources, involve and support stakeholders in activities promoting EU values and democracy, engage with national, regional and local authorities, proactively bring EU news, debates and decisions to national, regional, local and specialised media, assist journalists and make them aware of European issues impact, organise journalist seminars and invite coverage of European Parliament activities, create media opportunities for MEPs in national, regional, local and specialised media, monitor inaccuracies and misleading news about European Parliament and set record straight, provide support to MEP visits having institutional role and to official parliamentary delegations and missions, and cooperate with Commission Representations and Europe Direct Information Centres.