Support services for circular capacity-building in defence in two Lots

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has published an open call for tenders (EDA/2026/OP/0006, TED ref 86/2026 307968-2026) for support services on circular economy capacity-building in defence split into two lots covering research and guidance for ministries of defence and training modules and tools. The combined estimated budget is €1,200,000 (approximately €600,000 per lot) for service framework contracts with a maximum duration of 48 months and specific contract arrangements per lot. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 3 June 2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels and will be evaluated on the best price-quality ratio against detailed technical and financial criteria. Eligible legal entities and consortia must meet minimum financial and technical capacity requirements set out in the tender documents, including turnover, project experience and team qualifications.

What it funds

A call for tenders in two complementary Lots to support circular economy uptake in defence:Lot 1: research, synthesis and practical guidance for Ministries of Defence; Lot 2: design, development and pilot delivery of training modules and tools (including Green Procurement and other IF CEED priorities).

Who can apply

Commercial consultancies, research organisations, NGOs and training providers capable of delivering defence-focused research, guidance and tailored training. Joint tenders and subcontracting are allowed; SMEs may apply. Tenderers must meet the selection and exclusion criteria in the procurement documents and use the EU Funding & Tenders eSubmission system.

Deadlines:Tender submission: 03/06/2026 16:00 (Brussels). Public opening: 04/06/2026 10:00. (A secondary deadline appears in metadata: 01/01/2026 14:00:59Z.)

1. 1Lot 1 scope: evaluate project outputs (eg IF CEED Starter Projects), develop modular, defence-specific guidance and enable progressive updates.
2. 2Lot 2 scope: develop and pilot training courses and interactive formats (strategic, practitioner and awareness levels), supporting IF CEED capacity-building.
3. 3Contracts: multiple framework contracts. Lot 1: framework with reopening of competition; Lot 2: framework in cascade.

Award method:Best price-quality ratio. Submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; an EU Login account (with PIC) is required for eSubmission. Tenderers must follow the tender specifications, administrative documents and draft framework contract provided by EDA Procurement documents and annexes. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents include: Invitation Letter, Administrative Specifications, Technical Specifications (Lot 1 and Lot 2), draft framework contracts and annexes. See the official tender page and attached PDFs for full requirements and templates.

Opportunity summary

Purpose and structure

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has published an open call for tenders (TED ref 86/2026 307968-2026) for Support services for circular capacity-building in defence. The procurement is split into two complementary Lots: Lot 1 Research and guidance for Ministries of Defence to implement effective circular practices; Lot 2 Training modules and tools for circularity in defence. The procurement uses framework contracts: Lot 1 multiple framework contract with reopening of competition (award to up to 3 contractors); Lot 2 multiple framework contract in cascade (award to up to 2 contractors). The combined estimated total value is €1 200 000, with each Lot estimated at €600 000. The maximum duration for each FWC is 48 months. Deadline for electronic tender submission is 03/06/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels and the public opening is scheduled for 04/06/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels. Access and submission use the European Commission Funding & Tenders Portal Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible applicants include private companies and legal entities established in eligible countries as per EDA procurement rules. Joint tenders (consortia) are allowed; subcontracting is permitted but subcontractors must be from countries entitled to participate in EDA procurements. Typical eligible types: SMEs, large enterprises, consultancies, research institutes, universities, NGOs and non-profit organisations, training providers, and defence-focused consultancies. Joint ventures/consortia are explicitly envisaged; individual natural persons may bid only if legal and regulatory conditions are met for participation.

Funding Type:This is a public procurement (tender) for services using framework contracts. The principal financial mechanism is a service contract based on framework agreements and specific contracts issued under the frameworks. This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument.

Consortium Requirement:Both single and consortium tenders are permitted. Lot 1 will produce multiple framework contracts (up to three suppliers) and requires capacity to sign and deliver Specific Contract 1 immediately upon FWC award; Lot 2 will award multiple framework contracts in cascade (two suppliers). Where consortia are formed, a lead partner must be designated and all partners must accept joint-and-several liability. The tender must detail roles and responsibilities among consortium partners and identify subcontractors above thresholds indicated in the Administrative Specifications.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible applicants must be established in countries entitled to participate in EDA procurement procedures. This principally includes entities established in EU Member States and other countries with access under relevant agreements (e.g., Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and certain Western Balkans countries as indicated in the Administrative Specifications). Tenderers must confirm compliance with EDA access rules and must not be subject to restrictive EU measures. Subcontractors must also be from eligible countries.

Target Sector:Thematic focus is circular economy in the defence domain, with intersecting sectors: defence, environment/climate, procurement, logistics/sustainment, supply chain resilience, critical raw materials and recycling, training and capacity-building, standards & data for circularity, and related R&D and consultancy. Relevant CPV codes include research & development services, feasibility studies/advisory, training services in defence and environmental training services.

Mentioned Countries:The notice is published by the European Defence Agency, based in Belgium. The call addresses EDA participating Member States; specific named countries are not listed in the tender text beyond EDA’s EU membership context. Eligible geography aligns with EDA procurement participation rules (EU Member States and certain partners as described in the administrative document).

Project Stage:The expected maturity ranges from research, consolidation and synthesis of project results (Lot 1) to development, validation and pilot delivery of training modules and tools (Lot 2). Lot 1 tasks include evaluation, translation of project outputs to operational guidance and iterative updates; Lot 2 tasks cover design, development and pilot delivery of modular training (strategic, practitioner, awareness levels). Activities span research, development, validation and demonstration phases, with outputs intended for operational adoption and scale-up.

Funding Amount:Estimated total value of the procurement is €1 200 000. Each Lot is estimated at €600 000. Specific Contract 1 (SC1) under each Lot is estimated for tendering at about €100 000 as a scenario; additional specific contracts may be issued subject to needs and budget. Tenderers must propose SC1 offers in their submission; SC1 durations are up to 10 months (Lot 1) and 12 months (Lot 2) as per technical specifications.

Application Type:This is an Open Procedure tender. Submission is electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal e-Submission system. For Lot 1 the framework incorporates reopening of competition for specific contracts; for Lot 2 the framework uses a ranked cascade system to award specific contracts to winners in rank order.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive monetary compensation for services (service contract payments). The contracting authority will procure services and deliverables (reports, guidance, training modules, pilot delivery). There is no grant award; beneficiaries supply services under contract.

Application Stages:Five logical evaluation stages apply: 1) eligibility/market access; 2) exclusion checks; 3) selection (economic, financial, technical capacity); 4) verification of compliance with minimum technical requirements; 5) award evaluation (technical quality and price). For implementation Lot 1 uses a two-step contracting pattern (FWC then reopening and SCs). Lot 2 uses FWC and cascade ordering. From a tenderer perspective, the procurement evaluation is single-stage submission and multi-stage evaluation as above.

Success Rates:EDA does not publish explicit success rate statistics. Indicative acceptance: up to three framework contracts will be awarded for Lot 1 and up to two for Lot 2. Actual success probability depends on the number and quality of tenders received and compliance with selection and award criteria.

Co-funding Requirement:No mandatory co-funding from the contractor is required; the work is procured as service contracts paid by EDA. Tenderers must include all costs in their financial offers. No separate grant co-financing is required.

Application and Evaluation Requirements

Key administrative, eligibility, selection and award rules, and expected deliverables and milestones for Specific Contract 1 under each Lot are defined in the Tender Specifications (Part 2) and Administrative Specifications (Part 1). Tenderers must read those annexes carefully and provide all requested evidences and documents in the e-Submission application. The following sections summarise important items to prepare a compliant bid.

1. 1Mandatory e-Submission: All tenders must be submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal using an EU Login/PIC and following the e-Submission guidance.
2. 2Languages: Tenders shall be written in an EU official language; deliverables will be in English and the technical proposal should be submitted in English.
3. 3Tender structure: Section 1 Administrative information, Section 2 Exclusion/selection declaration(s), Section 3 Evidence for selection criteria, Section 4 Technical proposal (max 40 pages), Section 5 Financial proposal (model form required).
4. 4Selection evidence: tenderers must demonstrate minimum turnover (€100 000 average over last 3 years) and technical capacity (examples of relevant projects, team CVs, at least one project in defence circularity for Lot 1, relevant training experience for Lot 2, and EU-funded project experience).
5. 5Award method: Most Economically Advantageous Tender (best price-quality ratio). Scoring weights: technical quality (70%) and price (30%). Technical quality is assessed using criteria and subcriteria in each Lot’s technical specification.
6. 6Deliverables and milestone payments: SC1 (scenario) payment split typically 40% upon Milestone 1 approval and 60% upon Milestone 2/final deliverable approval; invoices submitted to invoices@eda.europa.eu and paid within 30 days subject to validation.
7. 7Security, confidentiality and data protection: treat EDA confidential information accordingly; personal data processing must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and data localisation requirements (within EEA) as specified in the contract draft.
8. 8Intellectual property: EDA acquires ownership of results produced for EDA; pre-existing rights must be listed and licensed to EDA on a royalty-free basis as specified.

Procurement documents available for download include Invitation Letter, Administrative Specifications, Technical Specifications for Lot 1 and Lot 2, draft framework contracts, and annexes. Tenderers must consult the Funding & Tenders Portal page for this tender for the definitive documents and to submit questions via the Q&A function before the indicated cut-off for questions. Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

Templates and Application Form Structure

Tenderers must structure their submission according to the e-Submission layout. The technical proposal must not exceed 40 pages and should follow the expected structure listed below. Evidence for selection criteria is uploaded in separate attachments and does not count towards the 40-page technical proposal.

1. 1Section 1 Administrative Information: Identification Form for legal entities and bank details (signed) and Tender Submission Form (Annex 4.1).
2. 2Section 2 Exclusion/Selection: Signed Declaration on Honour (Annex 4.4) and evidence requested for exclusion checks if later requested.
3. 3Section 3 Selection Evidence: Economic and financial capacity overview form, audited accounts or P&L for last 3 years, lists and certificates for relevant projects, EU project references, CVs in Europass format with examples of 3 reports/deliverables in English per key expert.
4. 4Section 4 Technical Proposal: Methodology (Work Breakdown Structure), Schedule (Gantt/MS Project), Resource Management with staffing (person-days), Quality management plan, Risk register and mitigation measures, Draft Consultation Strategy and samples of dissemination formats.
5. 5Section 5 Financial Proposal: Use model financial proposal form (Annex 4.6). Include Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) with daily fees per expert category, person-days per deliverable, and any travel estimates for pilots. Prices must be in euros and VAT excluded.

Successful tenders must be ready to deliver Specific Contract 1 (SC1) workplan and start immediately after FWC signature. For evaluation, tenderers must include a dedicated offer for SC1 complying with minimum tasks, deliverables and milestones detailed in the technical specifications for the Lot applied for.

Deliverables and Milestones (SC1 scenario examples)

The tender specifications define minimum required tasks, deliverables and review meetings for SC1 under each Lot. Below are the milestone structures for the SC1 scenarios as described in the technical specifications documents. Tenderers must include a detailed schedule and deliverables in their proposals.

Tenderers must include a preliminary risk identification and mitigation plan and confirm willingness to attend kick-off and review meetings (in-person at EDA Brussels for the kick-off unless agreed otherwise; monthly teleconferences; follow-up meetings as scheduled).

What this opportunity is about — General summary and advice

This procurement seeks service providers able to convert existing research, pilot outcomes and best practices on circular economy in defence into operational, defence-specific guidance and capacity-building products. Lot 1 focuses on evidence-based consolidation, analyses of IF CEED Starter Projects and other EU-funded outputs, and the progressive production and update of guidance tools usable by Ministries of Defence across capability lifecycles. Lot 2 focuses on designing, developing and piloting training modules and interactive tools (green procurement training, awareness modules, practitioner modules, table-top exercises, fresk-style formats) and on supporting a training roadmap for IF CEED. Both Lots require suppliers with a proven track record in defence sector advisory or training, experience with circularity topics (e.g. CRM recovery, sustainable procurement, spare parts management, EMAS), capacity to work with Member State stakeholders and EDA representatives, and the ability to produce high quality English deliverables and training materials. Deliverables are owned by EDA and must follow EDA corporate visual identity. See Technical Specifications and Administrative Specifications for complete obligations, security, data protection and IP arrangements.

Key action points for applicants:prepare a complete e-Submission with administrative evidence, selection evidence and a 40-page maximum technical proposal structured to the award criteria; include a specific offer for SC1 scenario; submit the financial offer in the prescribed model and keep SC1 within the indicated reference ceiling; include CVs and sample deliverables in English; ensure compliance with data localisation and export control requirements mentioned in the technical specifications; and plan for pilot deliveries and workshops as part of the SC1 schedule.

All procedural communication, documentation downloads and the tender submission must be made via the Funding & Tenders Portal. If you need technical help with e-Submission, use the Portal helpdesk contact and start the submission early to avoid last-minute technical issues. Funding & Tenders Portal ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Use the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to download procurement documentation, submit questions and to submit tenders: ec.europa.eu. See also tender documents referenced in the call (Invitation Letter and Technical/Administrative Specifications).

Opportunity Overview

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched a call for tenders (reference EDA/2026/OP/0006, TED reference 86/2026 307968-2026) composed of two complementary lots for support services related to circular economy capacity-building in the defence sector. This is an open procedure tender with electronic submission. The call was published on 5 May 2026 and represents a significant investment in advancing circular practices across European defence capabilities and operations.

Funding and Contract Details

Total Estimated Budget:€1,200,000 across both lots, with each lot valued at approximately €600,000.

Contract Type:Lot 1 is a multiple framework contract with reopening of competition for up to 3 tenderers. Lot 2 is a multiple framework contract in cascade system. Both are service contracts with a maximum duration of 48 months.

Award Method:Best price-quality ratio for both lots.

Lot 1: Research and Guidance for Ministries of Defence

Lot 1 aims to synthesise existing knowledge and project outcomes and translate them into structured guidance that can be readily integrated into defence processes and decision-making frameworks. The estimated value is €600,000 with a maximum contract duration of 48 months.

Lot 1 Objectives

• Evaluate and consolidate results from relevant projects, pilot activities and initiatives, including IF CEED Starter Projects and other EDA-supported actions, identifying transferable lessons learned and best practices for circular economy applications in defence
• Set up structured, practical and defence-specific guidelines supporting Ministries of Defence in applying circular practices across capability lifecycles and enabling functions
• Support knowledge-sharing and capacity-building among Ministries of Defence by ensuring guidance is user-oriented, operationally relevant and adaptable to different national contexts
• Enable progressive update and extension of guidance over the contract duration, including integration of new analytical outputs, additional project results and emerging priorities such as resource resilience and critical raw materials
• Provide additional knowledge and guidance relevant to the IF CEED scope to support design of future actions in circular economy in defence

Lot 1 Specific Contracts

The framework contract will be implemented through multiple Specific Contracts (SCs). EDA envisages signing 4 Specific Contracts over the duration of the framework contract, though the contracting authority is not bound to purchase all envisaged activities.

1. 1Specific Contract 1 (SC1): Focus on evaluation and consolidation of existing project results and best practices, and development of initial guidance version. Maximum duration 10 months from kick-off. This contract will be signed immediately after framework contract signature based on dedicated offers provided by tenderers.
2. 2Specific Contract 2: Analysis of circular practices to increase EU feedstock for secondary materials and components, including assessment of critical raw materials recovery potential from decommissioned assets
3. 3Specific Contract 3: Preparation of guidelines version 2.0, updating and complementing version 1.0 with new chapters for topics identified by IF CEED stakeholders
4. 4Specific Contract 4: Coordination of review of national circular practices in selected EU Ministries of Defence, assessing circularity levels, needs and challenges, and identifying best practices for dissemination

Lot 1 SC1 Deliverables and Timeline

Payment for SC1 consists of 40 percent upon approval of Milestone 1 deliverables and 60 percent upon approval of Milestone 2 deliverables.

Lot 2: Training Modules and Tools for Circularity in Defence

Lot 2 responds to capacity-building priorities identified through IF CEED, notably in the areas of Green Procurement and other training needs emerging as the programme evolves. The estimated value is €600,000 with a maximum contract duration of 48 months.

Lot 2 Objectives

• Design, develop and deliver training modules on green procurement in defence
• Design, develop and deliver training modules in other areas relevant to IF CEED
• Design, develop, integrate and deliver other training formats such as co-creation workshops, table-top exercises and educational material in areas relevant to IF CEED
• Support development and update of roadmaps regarding training activities

Lot 2 Specific Contracts

The framework contract will be implemented through multiple Specific Contracts awarded via cascade system. EDA envisages up to 4 Specific Contracts, though the contracting authority is not bound to purchase all envisaged activities.

1. 1Specific Contract 1 (SC1): Design, development and pilot delivery of Green Defence Procurement Training modules for European defence. Maximum duration 12 months from kick-off. This contract will be signed immediately after framework contract signature based on dedicated offers provided by tenderers. The training programme comprises three complementary courses addressing strategic level (director/senior managers), practitioner level (procurement officers) and awareness level (general defence staff and contractors).
2. 2Specific Contract 2: Support to creation or update of IF CEED capacity-building roadmap with regards to training activities, identifying potential areas for future training development
3. 3Specific Contract 3: Development and delivery of interactive formats such as table-top exercises or fresks to raise awareness on stakes and benefits of circularity in defence
4. 4Specific Contract 4: Development of training modules and pilot delivery on a second area relevant to IF CEED, following the same logic as SC1

Lot 2 SC1 Training Courses

The Green Defence Procurement Training Programme comprises three courses tailored to different audiences within the defence procurement ecosystem.

1. 1Strategic Level Course: Targeted at director level, OF-6 and above, senior MoD managers, senior environmental/energy/sustainability specialists and senior procurement specialists. Duration approximately 60 minutes plus optional 30 minutes content, designed as a short session suitable for delivery in combination with other senior-level events. Must include at least 2 examples or case studies and proposals for implementing green procurement in national procedures. Expected 15-30 participants per session.
2. 2Practitioner Level Course: Targeted at procurement officers directly involved in defence procurement and contract management. In-depth implementation-focused single-module course covering application of green procurement across the procurement cycle. Total duration not exceeding 32 hours, combining in-person academic sessions (1-1.5 days), online lectures and online videos with quizzes. Maximum 15 participants recommended. Topics include introduction to green procurement for defence, pre-procurement, identifying and applying green procurement criteria, category focus, life-cycle costing, verification and contract management.
3. 3Awareness Level Course: Targeted at broad audience including any defence staff dealing with procurement and environment, programme managers, finance/engineering/environmental staff, and defence contractors. Introductory module introducing sustainable procurement and key green procurement policies and practices. Designed primarily for online delivery with formats compatible with integration into IF CEED knowledge platform, including short educational videos not exceeding 15 minutes.

Lot 2 SC1 Deliverables and Timeline

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who Can Apply

This is an open procedure tender. Any legal entity, including private companies, research institutions, consultancies, non-profit organisations and public bodies can apply, either individually or as part of a consortium. Joint tenders and subcontracting are permitted. Tenderers must have a Participant Identification Code (PIC) and an EU Login account to submit electronically. ¹

Economic and Financial Capacity

Tenderers must demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover for the last three financial years of €100,000. This can be proven through the Financial and Economic Capacity Overview Form and profit and loss statements for the last three closed annual accounts.

Technical and Professional Capacity for Lot 1

• Minimum 3 years experience in circularity in defence, demonstrated through at least 2 projects (minimum €50,000 each) in the last 3 years addressing ecodesign, recycling of critical raw materials or textiles, data for circularity, EcoManagement Audit Scheme, spare parts management, green procurement, environmental remediation, dismantling or circularity indicators. Alternatively, 1 larger project with minimum €200,000 in relevant tasks is acceptable.
• Experience developing and delivering operational, user-ready tools supporting practical implementation of circularity, demonstrated through at least 1 tool delivered in the last 3 years. Tools must go beyond conceptual frameworks and include data collection templates, step-by-step guidance, decision-support tools or digital tools for data input and monitoring, effectively deployed in operational contexts.
• Experience advising or working with public authorities, demonstrated through at least 1 study or service (minimum €50,000) delivered in the last 3 years in relevant fields.
• Experience executing EU-funded projects, demonstrated through participation in at least 2 projects delivered in the last 3 years covering at least two areas of relevance to IF CEED.
• Team must include at least 1 Project Leader with minimum 7 years professional experience in circular economy, including overseeing delivery of services in projects of similar size (minimum €50,000), and at least 1 Expert with minimum 3 years professional experience in circular economy.
• Excellent English language proficiency (written and oral, including technical language) required: at least 1 expert with C1 level according to Common European Framework of Reference for Language skills or demonstrated capacity to draft reports/studies in English with minimum 3 reports/studies delivered in the last 5 years.

Technical and Professional Capacity for Lot 2

Specific capacity requirements for Lot 2 are detailed in the tender specifications and focus on experience in training development, green procurement knowledge, and delivery of educational programmes to defence and public sector audiences.

Key Submission Deadlines and Dates

Tenders must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 26 May 2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels time.

Tender Submission Requirements

Submission Method

Electronic submission only through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission system. An EU Login account with 2-factor authentication (mandatory from 30 June 2026) is required. Submissions must be made exclusively through the electronic address provided in the portal.

Tender Validity Period

Tenders must remain valid for a period to be specified in the tender documents, typically 90 days from submission deadline.

Technical Proposal Requirements

For both lots, the technical proposal must not exceed 40 pages and must be submitted in searchable format (Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF) with font size not less than 11 points. Evidence of technical and professional capacity is submitted as separate documentation and does not count towards the page limit. The technical proposal must address all aspects of the technical specifications and be structured according to the award criteria.

• Proposed methodology addressing technical specifications, including Work Breakdown Structure and draft Management Plan
• Schedule management with Gantt chart in MS Project format or equivalent
• Resource management describing team composition, allocation of time and resources
• Quality management plan outlining quality assurance processes
• Risk management plan with risk register and mitigation strategies

Financial Proposal Requirements

Tenderers must submit a detailed financial proposal for the framework contract and a specific financial offer for Specific Contract 1. The financial proposal must be realistic and justified. For Lot 2, methodology and pricing (experts' daily fees) submitted by the successful tenderer will be binding for SC1 and any further specific contracts throughout the framework contract duration.

Evaluation Criteria

Technical Award Criteria

Tenders scoring less than 70 percent of total points or less than 50 percent in any single criterion will be excluded from further assessment. ²

Financial Award Criterion

The financial proposal is evaluated as part of the best price-quality ratio assessment. The exact weighting between technical quality and financial proposal is specified in the Administrative Specifications.

Contract Award and Performance

Award Decision

For Lot 1, the contract will be awarded to the 3 most economically advantageous tenders according to best price-quality ratio. Should only 2 compliant tenders be received, EDA reserves the right to award to 2 tenderers. Should only 1 compliant tender be received, EDA reserves the right to award to 1 tenderer. For Lot 2, the cascade system applies, with successive tenders awarded based on performance and availability of budget.

Performance Management

Contractor performance is assessed at each milestone based on technical performance (quality of deliverables, schedule adherence), responsiveness and communication, adaptability and flexibility, and overall project management. Performance is scored from 0 to 100 points per criterion. Low performance (under 70 points) in any criterion is flagged and acted upon by EDA. Failing to improve performance may result in framework contract termination. After a second negative evaluation of a deliverable, EDA may reject the deliverable and the contractor will not be entitled to payment for that deliverable. ³

Key Requirements and Conditions

Intellectual Property Rights

All outputs, results and rights obtained in performance of the contract, including copyright and other intellectual or industrial property rights, are owned solely by EDA, which may use, publish, assign or transfer them as it sees fit without geographical or other limitation, except where intellectual or industrial property rights exist prior to contract entry into force. Contractors must seek prior written authorisation from EDA before communicating or transferring information gathered during contract implementation to third parties.

Deliverable Format and Quality

All deliverables must be submitted in English in electronic format. Reports must be provided in Microsoft Word (.docx) and Portable Document Format (.pdf), presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx). Videos and IT tools must be provided in formats to be defined at contract start. Final reports must include an abstract of maximum 200 words and executive summary of maximum 6 pages. Contractors must clearly indicate whether Large Language Models such as ChatGPT were utilised in preparing deliverables. All guidelines must conform to EDA and IF CEED corporate visual identity.

Export Control Requirements

Tenderers must elaborate in their offer how they will assess whether products, services or information associated with the contract are subject to national export, transfer or transit licensing restrictions. If restrictions apply, contractors must provide certification or documentation demonstrating ability to honour obligations regarding export, transfer and transit, and indicate any restrictions on EDA regarding disclosure, transfer or use of products and services. Contractors are responsible for obtaining necessary import/export licenses in timely manner.

Subcontracting

Subcontracting is permitted. Core tasks related to evaluation of project results, definition of guidance structure and content, and consolidation of outputs must be performed under contractor responsibility. Specific analytical or technical tasks may be subcontracted provided this does not affect overall coherence, consistency and accountability of deliverables. If tasks subcontracted represent substantial part of contract, EDA reserves right to request evidence of subcontractor economic and financial capacity. When replacing subcontractors or team members, proposed replacements must comply with relevant minimum capacity levels.

Project Management

Tenderers must appoint a Project Leader for the framework contract and each Specific Contract, serving as main point of contact for EDA. The Project Leader ensures overall management, coordination and appropriate reporting, coordination with EDA, preparation of reports and deliverables, preparation of meetings, revision and update of Management Plan as needed, review of EDA comments and resolution, and overall management of internal and external information sources. Appropriate and timely reporting on progress and any technical or managerial problems or obstacles must be provided throughout contract implementation.

Meetings and Consultation

For SC1 under both lots, multiple review meetings are scheduled at specified milestones, plus monthly update meetings by teleconference. A kick-off meeting must be held in EDA premises in Brussels within 2 weeks after contract signature, unless otherwise agreed. A final meeting is scheduled at contract completion. Within one week after each meeting, the contractor must produce and dispatch draft meeting minutes for EDA approval. Contractors must be present at all scheduled meetings.

Available Documentation

Seven documents are available for download from the EU Funding and Tenders Portal:Invitation Letter, Lot 1 Technical Specifications, Lot 2 Technical Specifications, Administrative Specifications, Lot 1 Multiple Framework Contract with Reopening, Lot 2 Multiple Framework Contract in Cascade, and Tender Specifications Annexes (sections 4.1 to 4.7). All documents are in English with no translations available.

Contact and Support

Tenderers may submit observations concerning the procurement procedure to the contracting authority by email at procurement@eda.europa.eu. Questions about the tender must be submitted through the portal by the deadline specified. If tenderers believe there was maladministration, they may lodge a complaint to the European Ombudsman within two years of becoming aware of the facts. Within two months of notice of award decision, tenderers may launch an action for annulment of the award decision. ⁴

Key Considerations for Applicants

Applicants should note that this is a highly specialised procurement requiring demonstrated expertise in circular economy within defence contexts. The evaluation process is rigorous, with multiple technical criteria and performance thresholds. Tenderers must carefully address all minimum requirements and provide detailed, well-justified proposals. The framework contract structure allows for multiple specific contracts over 48 months, providing potential for long-term engagement but requiring flexibility and adaptability. Successful tenderers must be prepared for intensive collaboration with EDA and Member State representatives, including participation in multiple meetings and consultation activities. The cascade system for Lot 2 means that pricing and methodology submitted for SC1 will be binding for subsequent contracts, so careful cost estimation is critical.

Footnotes

1. 1EU Login account creation requires only email address and password. More information is available at the EU Login help page. As of 30 June 2026, 2-factor authentication is mandatory for all EU Login accounts and can be activated from Security settings in the F&T Portal.
2. 2Tenders that fail to meet minimum thresholds are excluded from further evaluation. The evaluation committee will not proceed to financial assessment of tenders that do not achieve the required technical quality scores.
3. 3The performance management system is designed to ensure quality delivery throughout the contract duration. Contractors have opportunity to address underperformance through resubmission within 14 days, but repeated failures may result in contract termination and loss of payment for rejected deliverables.
4. 4The official portal for this tender is EU Funding and Tenders Portal. All tender documents, submission procedures and Q&A are managed through this portal. Tenderers should ensure they have appropriate access and technical setup before the submission deadline.