Support to the monitoring of the implementation and enforcement of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficki...

Open EU procurement by the European Commission (DG ENV) for services to support monitoring and enforcement of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and implementation of the 2022–2027 EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking. The contract is a services procurement with an estimated total value of €1,600,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months (initial 24 months plus one 24-month renewal). Submission is electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal with a deadline of 30 September 2026, 16:00 Europe/Brussels, and evaluation on the best price-quality ratio (50% quality / 50% price). Eligible economic operators from the EU and applicable third countries may apply subject to the published selection and exclusion criteria, mandatory PIC registration and the tender specifications.

Support to monitoring and enforcement of EU wildlife trade rules

Essentials

What it funds:services to support the European Commission (DG ENV) in monitoring, analysing and assisting implementation and enforcement of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations (incl. Regulation 338/97 and related implementing acts) and to support delivery of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking. Activities include digital reporting support, data compilation and analysis (seizures, AITR, implementation reports), policy and legal input (including e-permit system), training/webinars, communication and meeting secretariat support.

Who can apply:Open to economic operators (natural or legal persons) established in the EU, participating GPA countries and other countries eligible under the LIFE programme; joint bids and subcontracting are permitted in line with the procurement documents ¹.

1. 1Contracting authority: European Commission, DG ENV (Environment)
2. 2Procedure: Open procedure, electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal
3. 3Nature: Service contract (environmental services / market research)

How much and what format:the contract budget is fixed at up to €1.6 million (includes fees, travel/subsistence and deliverables). The award is based on best price-quality ratio (50% price / 50% quality). Required deliverables include inception, interim and final reports and specified annual outputs (seizure analyses, progress reports, digital tool support, trainings).

Key deadlines and process:Submission deadline: 30 September 2026 at 16:00 (Europe/Brussels). Virtual public opening: 1 October 2026. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal F&T Portal.

1. 1Language: procurement documents published in English; tenders accepted in any official EU language
2. 2Selection highlights: minimum average turnover €800 000 (last two years); technical references and team experience mandatory
3. 3Award criteria: quality (50%) with minimum technical thresholds; price (50%)

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents, draft contract and tender specifications are available at the Funding & Tenders Portal call page above (Invitation to tender, Tender specifications, Draft service contract).

Opportunity summary

Tender for services to provide operational, technical, legal, scientific and communication support to the European Commission (DG ENV) and Member States for monitoring, implementation and enforcement of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations (WTR) and the 2022–2027 EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking. The contract is open procedure (eSubmission), single lot, maximum total value €1,600,000 (including one 24-month renewal; initial 24-month budget €800,000). Maximum duration 48 months including renewal option. Submission deadline (final published): 30/09/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Electronic submission via Funding & Tenders Portal / eSubmission is mandatory. Lead contracting authority: European Commission, DG ENV – Environment.

Core scope and required services

The contractor will deliver a comprehensive package of services to support DG ENV and Member States in: monitoring and evaluating Member State implementation of the EU WTR (Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 and Implementing Regulations 865/2006, 792/2012 and 2025/6); monitoring and supporting implementation of the 2022–2027 EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking; supporting digital reporting workflows and Commission IT reporting tools; compiling and analysing seizure and illegal-trade data; producing annual and ad-hoc analytical reports; updating the EU Reference Guide and public EUROPA content; preparing communication materials and visual assets; designing and delivering trainings and webinars; providing secretariat, meeting organisation and follow-up for bodies established under the WTR (Committee, Expert Group, Enforcement Group) and related ad hoc meetings; providing legal, policy and technical input including for the EU electronic CITES permit (e-permit) system; and maintaining or updating enforcement support tools and data tables (e.g., lists of national authorities, ports, rescue centres).

Key regulations and documents:Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 (Basic Regulation); Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 (Implementing Regulation); Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 792/2012 (Permits Regulation); Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2025/6 (Suspensions Regulation); revised EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking 2022–2027 (COM(2022) 581); CITES obligations and reporting guidance. Full procurement documents (Invitation to tender, Tender specifications, Draft Contract) are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal F&T Portal.

Deliverables and reporting

Required deliverables include:an inception work plan (within 1 month of contract signature, to be discussed at kick-off); bi-annual helpdesk logs and resolution reports; technical improvement proposals and implementations for Commission reporting tools (minimum two during contract); yearly seizure data compilation and seizure analysis report plus presentation; compilation and analysis of Member State implementation (periodic – 2024–2026 reporting cycle: compilation within 3 months after Member State submissions, draft analysis in 3 months and final within 5 months); maintenance and updates to public webpages and the EU Reference Guide (up to annual updates); up to 20 visual assets and 20 communication drafts over the contract period; support and deliverables for at least two EG meetings per year; up to nine webinars/training events over the contract period; ad-hoc legal and technical opinions (up to 6 detailed reports and 12 short reports); and continuous support for the e-permit system (technical/legal input and consultation with Member States).

Outputs format and language:All deliverables in English. Editable handover formats: Word (.docx) and PDF for reports; Excel (.xlsx)/CSV for data; PowerPoint (.pptx) for presentations. Graphic sources required in editable formats (e.g., Adobe originals, SVG). All outputs must follow EU Visual Identity and Interinstitutional Style Guide and be published/edited via Commission web CMS tools and Webtools where applicable.

Administrative and contractual details

Procedure:Open procedure with electronic submission only (eSubmission). Award method: best price-quality ratio (price 50% / quality 50%). Estimated total value: €1,600,000 (all options). Maximum contract duration: 48 months (initial 24 months + 1 renewal of 24 months on identical terms). Award criteria include: price (50%) and quality (50%) with quality scored on methodology (50 points), organisation & resource allocation (30 points), quality control measures (15 points) and environmental aspects (5 points). Minimum technical score required: 60/100 overall (and minimum thresholds per sub-criterion).

Submission conditions:electronic submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal / eSubmission. Participant Register PIC required. Deadline for questions indicated in the procurement documents (contract notice and tender specifications). The contracting authority will not reply to questions submitted after the specified cut-off. Tender validity: 9 months. Public opening: virtual opening session; tenderers may attend subject to registration rules in the invitation letter.

Documents published in the procurement dossier:Invitation to tender (Invitation letter); Tender specifications (detailed technical specifications and annexes including forms and templates); Draft Service Contract. All available in English on the Funding & Tenders Portal procurement page for EC-ENV/2026/OP/0030.

Eligibility and selection

Eligible applicants:any natural or legal persons from EU Member States, relevant associated third countries under LIFE, parties to the WTO GPA and other countries eligible under the LIFE programme (check procurement documents). Allowed applicant types: private companies (SMEs and larger enterprises), research institutions, universities, NGOs, consortia / joint tenders. Subcontracting permitted; identified subcontractors must be listed if >20% share or relied upon for selection criteria. Joint tenders allowed; group leader must be designated and a power of attorney provided. Participant Identification Code (PIC) mandatory for tender submission.

Minimum selection criteria (summary):Financial: average annual turnover last two financial years above €800,000 (consolidated assessment allowed across consortium). Technical/professional: relevant references in wildlife trade, illegal-trade data, reporting and policy work (detailed requirements include: at least two relevant completed projects in wildlife trade/regulation of minimum €300,000 each; two projects for data collection/analysis min €150,000 each; demonstrated capacity in multiple languages and coverage of at least 10 EU countries across references). Team requirements: Project Manager with minimum five years' relevant PM experience and team capacity including experts with at least 5–6 years experience in wildlife trade, and multi-lingual data-collection staff. All evidence specified in Annexes must be provided. All selection evidence is to be uploaded to eSubmission as per Annex 1.

Funding type, financial conditions and co-funding

Funding type:service contract (procurement) – this is a purchase of services by the Commission, not a grant, loan or equity. The contract is priced as a lump-sum fee covering all costs including travel and subsistence. VAT: tender prices must be exclusive of VAT; Commission is VAT-exempt per national rules and invoicing requirements are described in the draft contract and invitation letter. Payments: pre-financing 30% available after signature; interim payment 30% after approval of interim report; balance 40% on acceptance of final report and deliverables. Payment terms: invoicing via eExchange or Portal; standard payment timelines and possible suspension of payments are in the draft contract. Performance guarantees are not applicable (no performance guarantee requested for this contract).

Consortium requirement and application type

Consortium requirement:single tenderer or consortium (joint tender) permitted but not mandatory. Consortiums must appoint a group leader with power of attorney signed by all members (Annex 3). Identified subcontractors must be declared in Annex 4 and provide commitment letters (Annex 5.1). Entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (not subcontractors) must provide commitment letters (Annex 5.2). Application type: open call (open procedure) with a single stage submission of full technical and financial tenders via eSubmission.

Beneficiary geographic scope and eligible countries

Beneficiary scope:EU Member States and entities established in the EU. Participation is also open to economic operators from countries covered by WTO GPA and to third countries eligible under the LIFE programme and any other bilateral procurement access agreements. See procurement documents and contract notice for the definitive list of eligible countries and access rules. The work requires direct engagement with EU Member States; all contracted staff must be prepared to work across EU Member States and in English for reporting.

Target sector and technology focus

Target sector:environment and biodiversity policy, enforcement of wildlife trade law, law enforcement cooperation, environmental crime monitoring and analysis. Thematic sectors covered include wildlife trade, illegal wildlife trade analysis, CITES implementation, biodiversity policy, enforcement capacity building and digital reporting systems (e-permit development). No specific DeepTech or hardware development is requested, but experience with data platforms, data integration and digital reporting tools is required. Familiarity with EU IT tools (EUROPA CMS, TRACES, EU-TWIX) is required and use of Commission Webtools for public visualisations is mandatory.

Project stage and expected maturity

Project stage:operational implementation, monitoring, evaluation and demonstration of policy impacts. The contracting authority expects experienced teams able to work at high implementation readiness levels: data compilation and analysis, operational reporting workflows, stakeholder engagement, legal and policy drafting, and support for digital permit system adjustments and integration. No early-stage basic research or seed funding is intended; applicants must demonstrate delivery capability and recent relevant project experience.

Application process, stages and success rates

Application method:single-stage open call via eSubmission; submit full technical and financial tender by the deadline. Application stages: 1 (single-stage submission and evaluation). Evaluation includes administrative compliance, exclusion check, selection criteria assessment and technical & financial evaluation. Success rates are not published; historically for EU direct service procurements of this type, success rates depend on number of compliant submissions and budget; contracting authority reserves the right not to award if budgets are exceeded or no suitable tenders received.

Key deadlines (published):Call published on 26/08/2026; deadline for receipt of tenders: 30/09/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels. Date/time of public opening: 01/10/2026 10:30 Europe/Brussels. Contract notice and procurement documents available on 26/08/2026. Contract award and signature timeline will follow evaluation and any verification steps.

Co-funding and financial obligations

Co-funding:No co-funding from the applicant is required beyond meeting costs of proposal preparation and performing the services as priced in the tender. All costs must be included in the tender price. Travel and subsistence are to be covered by the lump sum—no separate reimbursement outside the lump sum. VAT treatment is described in the draft contract and Invitation to Tender.

Templates and application structure

Applicants must provide the documents listed in Annex 1 of the Tender Specifications. The procurement dossier provides templates and models for: Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria (Annex 2); Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3); list of identified subcontractors (Annex 4); commitment letters for identified subcontractors (Annex 5.1) and for entities on whose capacity the tenderer relies (Annex 5.2); Financial tender form/Financial Model (Annex 6); Travel and subsistence costs template (Annex 7); Administrative Information Form (Annex 8). The technical tender must address methodology, workplan, detailed staffing profiles and CVs, past project references mapped to the selection criteria, risk and quality management, IT and data handling approach, communications and stakeholder engagement plan and a clear allocation of hours and resources by task. The financial tender must use Annex 6 and provide a full price breakdown and any assumptions. All files must follow file naming and size rules from eSubmission system requirements.

1. 1Mandatory templates to include with a tender (at minimum): Annex 1 checklist completed, Annex 2 Declaration on Honour (signed), Annex 6 Financial Tender, Administrative Information Form (Annex 8), CVs for key personnel, project reference evidence and client statements.
2. 2Technical tender structure recommended: Executive summary; Methodology and approach; Work plan and timetable; Deliverable list and milestones; Team and staffing (CVs and roles); Quality assurance and risk mitigation; Digital/data handling & security approach; Communication and training plan; References and past projects.
3. 3Financial tender structure: Annex 6 completed, lump-sum price to cover the initial 24-month phase with clear line items for personnel, travel & subsistence (as lump sum), subcontracting, overheads, and any identified direct costs; assumptions and mobilization costs. Prices in EUR, exclusive of VAT.

IT, data protection and security requirements

The contractor must comply with Commission data protection and IT security rules. Personal data processing must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. The tender must declare where personal data will be processed and stored (if outside EU/EEA this requires authorisation and compliance with Chapter V of Regulation 2018/1725). The Commission provides access to internal collaboration platforms (Microsoft Teams/SharePoint), EU-TWIX and may grant access to TRACES as required. Use of AI/LLM-based automated summarisation tools is strictly prohibited for meeting secretariat duties, note-taking or drafting where sensitive/confidential information is involved. The tender must present an IT/data handling plan and confirm compliance with the Commission's security baseline for external connections where remote access is used. The procurement dossier contains detailed security appendices and the contractor must ensure service providers sign an ethics/confidentiality reminder and accept the Acceptable Use Policy.

All contractual exchanges with the Commission may be carried out through an electronic exchange system meeting Article 151 of the Financial Regulation; the Funding & Tenders Portal and eSubmission are used for tender submission and procurement management ¹.

Practical recommendations for applicants

1. 1Register early in the Participant Register and obtain PIC codes for any organisation and partners to be listed in eSubmission.
2. 2Read the Tender Specifications and Draft Contract thoroughly, including security appendices and Annex 1 list of required documents; use the provided templates (Annexes 2–8).
3. 3Assemble a team with demonstrated wildlife trade, CITES and enforcement experience, data analysis capacities, multilingual communications and CMS/web development skills as required by the technical criteria.
4. 4Provide clear evidence for selection criteria: project references with client statements, audited accounts or bank statements to demonstrate turnover, CVs and language certificates where applicable.
5. 5Follow eSubmission technical requirements and upload documents in the required formats and naming conventions well ahead of the deadline; test submission early to avoid technical problems.
6. 6Document any use of subcontractors and provide commitment letters where the subcontractor is identified or relied upon for selection criteria.
7. 7Prepare a realistic yet detailed work plan and mobilization schedule; demonstrate capacity to deliver rapid meeting summaries (action points within two working days, draft minutes within five working days) and manual drafting policies (no reliance on LLM summarisation where prohibited).
8. 8Ensure data protection and IT security compliance: list processing locations for personal data if outside EU/EEA and provide IT/data handling plan; acknowledge Commission security baseline and ethics/confidentiality requirements for service providers.

How to apply:register and subscribe to the Funding & Tenders Portal call page; download procurement documents; prepare the technical and financial tenders using the Annex templates; submit via eSubmission by the published deadline. Tenderers may submit questions via the Portal Questions & Answers mechanism before the Q&A cut-off date, noting that the contracting authority may not reply to questions submitted after the stated cut-off. Tenderers should monitor the F&T Portal for any changes or corrigenda; a small number of Q&As and a request for an extension were published but the contracting authority refused to extend the deadline. Please follow the eSubmission Quick Guide and system requirements for attachments, browser versions and file sizes.

Footnotes

1. 1Funding & Tenders Portal and eSubmission are the Commission's electronic platforms used for publishing procurement documents and for receipt of tenders; guidance and system requirements are available on the Portal (eSubmission Quick Guide and System Requirements).

This is an open EU procurement tender from the European Commission, DG ENV, for services supporting the monitoring and enforcement of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking.[1]

What the contract covers

The contractor will support the Commission in monitoring implementation and enforcement of Regulation 338/97, Regulation 865/2006, Implementing Regulation 792/2012, and Implementing Regulation 2025/6, and will assist Member States, Europol, Eurojust, and other relevant actors with tasks linked to the EU Wildlife Action Plan.[1]

Who can apply

Because this is an open procedure, any economic operator that can satisfy the tender specifications and selection criteria may submit an offer, subject to the exclusion and compliance rules in the procurement documents.[1]

The portal marks the opportunity as not specifically suitable for SMEs, and electronic submission requires an EU Login account; the portal also states that a PIC is mandatory for tenderers and consortium members.[1]

Applicant considerations

• Review the invitation to tender, tender specifications, and draft service contract before submission.[1]
• Prepare both the technical and financial offer in line with the award criteria, which are split evenly between quality and price.[1]
• Submit only through the electronic submission system before the deadline.[1]
• Submit questions early, because the contracting authority is not bound to reply after 22 September 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time.[1]

Documents and process notes

The portal lists three procurement documents for this call, namely the invitation to tender, the tender specifications, and the draft service contract, and it also shows a public question and answer record in which a request to extend the deadline was declined.[1]

The procedure is recorded as open for submission on the portal, with a TED notice published on 26 August 2026 and a subsequent change notice published on 1 September 2026.[1]