Tactical Driving Trainings for Close Protection Officers.

This is an open European Commission procurement (tender EC-HR/2026/OP/0164) seeking providers of tactical driving training for Close Protection Officers under a services framework agreement. The procurement is split into two separately awarded lots: Lot 1 covering basic and advanced protective driving including defensive and offensive manoeuvres, and Lot 2 covering off-road driving and vehicle recovery. Eligible bidders are specialist driving schools, security training providers or consortia with relevant instructors, vehicles, facilities and operational experience, and submission is electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The main submission deadline is 21 September 2026 12:00:59 (CET) and awards will follow the quality and price criteria set out in the tender documents.

What it funds

Scope

Provision of tactical driving training courses for Close Protection Officers (CPOs) employed by the European Commission to ensure duty of care for VIPs. The procedure is split into two separate lots: basic and advanced protective driving including defensive/offensive manoeuvres; and off-road driving with vehicle recovery and terrain planning.

Who can apply:Professional training providers or companies offering specialised tactical driving and vehicle recovery training; tenders may be submitted for one or both lots and will be evaluated separately. Participation follows standard tender eligibility and selection criteria in the procurement documents ¹.

1. 1LOT 1: Basic and Advanced Protective Driving Training and Defensive/Offensive Driving Manoeuvres
2. 2LOT 2: Off-Road Driving and Car Recovery Training

Contract type:services (framework agreement / potential repeated calls). CPV codes include 80500000 and 80600000. Tender validity: 6 months. Awarding criteria: quality (40) and price (60) as detailed in the tender documents.

Budget / Contract value:No overall budget or estimated contract value is published in the portal record; bidders must complete the financial offer forms included in the procurement attachments ¹.

Lead contracting authority:European Commission, DG HR - Human Resources and Security. Submission method: electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Refer to the published tender specifications, annexes and financial bid forms for submission instructions and detailed requirements ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents and technical specifications are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (tender reference EC-HR/2026/OP/0164). Access the portal for full procurement documentation and submission links EU Tender Details.

Overview

This is an open tender issued by the European Commission, DG HR Human Resources and Security, to procure tactical driving training services for Close Protection Officers (CPOs). The objective is to deliver specialised driving instruction to ensure CPOs maintain and develop protective driving skills required for the duty of care towards VIPs. The procurement is divided into two separate lots. Tenders may be submitted for one or both lots; each lot will be evaluated separately. The procurement uses standard e-submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and includes published tender documents, technical specifications, financial bid forms and draft contract annexes.

Call identifier and contracting authority:Call identifier: EC-HR/2026/OP/0164. Lead contracting authority: European Commission, DG HR - Human Resources and Security.

Deadlines:Submission deadline (final): 21 September 2026 at 12:00:59 (Europe/Brussels). Open tender event: 21 September 2026, 12:30 (Europe/Brussels). Period to request additional information closes 16 September 2026.

Lots and Scope of Work

The procedure is split into two procurement lots. Each lot is a services contract with planned duration 48 months. Bidders may submit offers for any single lot or both.

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants are organisations able to provide the requested services and meet the selection and qualification requirements set out in the tender documents. Typical eligible applicant types include private training companies, security services providers, specialised driving schools, SMEs and large enterprises with relevant experience, and consortia or subcontracting arrangements. Public sector bodies could participate if legally permitted and able to meet procurement requirements. Individual applicants are not appropriate since the contract is for company-level service provision. Specific legal and qualification requirements are in the tender specifications and Annex 1 list of documents to provide.

Funding Type and Contract Nature

This is a procurement tender for services (contract nature:services). The financial mechanism is a service contract within a framework agreement arrangement. The tender uses awarding criteria combining quality and price with weights indicated in the procurement documents (quality 40, price 60). Payment and order execution will follow electronic order and payment processes per the portal.

Consortium Requirement

No mandatory consortium requirement is stated. A single applicant may submit a tender. Bidders may also present consortiums or subcontracting arrangements if this supports meeting qualification and technical requirements; where required, consortium composition, roles and supporting documentation must be provided as specified in the tender annexes.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

The contracting authority is the European Commission and the procurement is published on the EU portal. Bidders from EU Member States are eligible. The tender documents should be checked for any restrictions or additional eligible countries; standard EU procurement practice may permit bidders established in EEA or third countries if they satisfy conditions in the tender specifications.

Target Sector

Sector:security services and training, specifically close protection and tactical driving training. Relevant subdomains include professional security services, driver training, defensive/offensive driving techniques, convoy operations, off-road vehicle operation and vehicle recovery.

Project Stage and Duration

This procurement is for operational delivery and training services (implementation/delivery stage). The planned contract period is 48 months. There is a tender validity period of 6 months from award and potential contract extensions or renewals are referenced in draft contract documents.

Funding Amount and Financial Details

No advertised total contract value is visible in the public metadata. Financial bid forms are published per lot (Annex 6.1 for Lot 1 and Annex 6.2 for Lot 2) and bidders must complete the provided Excel templates. The award will be based on combined quality (40) and price (60) criteria. Payments will be executed electronically under the framework agreement terms. Exact budget ceilings, unit prices or estimated totals, if any, are provided only inside the tender financial documents or the contracting authority’s internal files; consult the Annex 6 forms and draft contract for full financial conditions.

Application Type and Submission Method

Application method:open tender via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission method code: ESUBMISSION required. Bidders must register and submit using the portal e-forms and include all required annexes and declarations.

Nature of Support to Beneficiaries

Nature of support:monetary service contract payments for delivery of training services. The successful contractor(s) will be paid for services delivered under the framework agreement terms. Non-monetary elements such as use of Commission facilities or cooperation arrangements may be specified contractually but primary support is financial remuneration for services.

Application Stages and Selection Process

The procurement follows the standard open tender lifecycle:1) publication and submission of tenders by the deadline; 2) opening and evaluation of tenders; 3) contract award and signature; 4) mobilisation and contract execution. The tender documents identify award criteria and quality parameters. There is an open tender event (public opening) on 21 September 2026. The tender evaluation will assess eligibility, selection/qualification criteria, technical quality against Annex 7 quality criteria, and the financial offer. Therefore the process comprises multiple stages but is effectively a single competition with sequential evaluation steps.

Success Rates

No success rate or number of expected awardees is published in the public metadata. Success probability depends on the number and quality of competing bids and bidders meeting the stringent technical and quality criteria. Because each lot will be awarded separately, bidders can increase chances by bidding competitively on one lot where they have strongest capability.

Co-funding Requirement

No co-funding from the bidder is required beyond offering to deliver the contracted services at the price proposed. The contract is a procurement arrangement where the Commission pays for delivered services; no additional matching funding is specified.

Selection and Qualification Requirements (summary)

Bidders must provide documentary evidence per Annex 1 list of documents to provide. Selection requirements reference standard procurement selection criteria (economic and financial capacity, professional and technical capacity, and specific tenderer requirements). Specific technical qualifications, relevant experience delivering protective driving and off-road training, instructor certifications, insurance, and capacity to deliver training across required locations are likely required and detailed in the technical specifications. Bidders should consult Annexes 1, 3-5 and the technical specifications for both lots for full requirements.

Application Templates and Documents

The contracting authority published the following key tender documents which form the application and evaluation basis: Invitation to tender, Tender specifications part 1 admin, Tender specifications part 2 technical for Lot 1 and Lot 2, Annex 1 list of documents to provide, Annex 2 declaration of honour (tenders) (docx), Annex 3-4-5 (docx), Annex 6.1 financial bid form lot 1 (xlsx), Annex 6.2 financial bid form lot 2 (xlsx), Annex 7 quality criteria (pdf), draft contract and FWC annexes. Bidders must complete the financial bid form(s) corresponding to the lot(s) they target and include required supporting documentation. Use the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission interface to upload all annexes and e-forms.

1. 1Complete and sign Annex 2 declaration of honour.
2. 2Complete Annex 6.x financial bid form for each lot bid upon.
3. 3Provide supporting evidence listed in Annex 1 (certificates, CVs, description of similar contracts, insurance, accreditation).
4. 4Address quality criteria detailed in Annex 7 and technical specifications for the lot(s).
5. 5Submit all documents via the Funding & Tenders Portal before 21/09/2026 12:00:59 CET.

Awarding Criteria and Weighting

Awarding criteria:combined quality and price assessment. Published subordinate awarding criteria indicate quality with weight 40 and price with weight 60. Detailed sub-criteria and scoring methodology are available in Annex 7 quality criteria and the technical specifications.

Procurement Codes and CPV

Main CPV codes:80500000 (training services) and additional classification 80600000 (security services).

Mentioned Countries

No specific countries for delivery are named in the public metadata. The contracting authority is the European Commission (EU). Bidders should consult the technical specification for any geographic delivery or travel requirements.

How to Apply and Where to Find Documents

Submit tenders via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission facility. All tender documents and annexes are published on the opportunity page; document file names include the technical specifications and financial bid forms. For quick access consult the portal opportunity reference and the published documents Opportunity page on the Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

Summary and Recommendation

This open procurement seeks providers of tactical and off-road driving training tailored for Close Protection Officers. It is relevant to specialised driving schools, security training companies and providers with demonstrable experience in protective driving, convoy operations and off-road vehicle handling and recovery. Interested bidders should: review the technical specifications for each lot in detail, prepare evidence of relevant experience and instructor qualifications, complete the financial bid templates, ensure compliance with all administrative requirements in Annex 1, and submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline. Each lot is awarded separately under a framework agreement model with a quality/price evaluation. Bidders that can demonstrate strong operational experience, documented training curricula, validated instructor qualifications, suitable vehicles and logistics, and competitive pricing will be best positioned for award.

Footnotes

1. 1Direct link to the tender opportunity and published procurement documents on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

This is an EU procurement tender for specialist tactical driving training for Close Protection Officers, not a grant. The procedure is split into two separately assessed lots, and tenders may be submitted for one or both lots.

Official notice:The tender is published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal ¹.

What the contract is about

The subject is regular protective driving training for European Commission Close Protection Officers, reflecting the duty of care toward VIPs. The training is intended to maintain operational readiness in protective driving tasks.

Lot structure

Who can apply

Based on the subject matter, the opportunity is aimed at economic operators that can deliver high level driving instruction in a security context. Likely bidders are specialist driving trainers, security training providers, or consortia with the instructors, vehicles, facilities, and operational experience needed for defensive, offensive, off road, and recovery exercises.

Deadlines and current status

The metadata provided for this opportunity lists two deadlines:1 January 2026 at 10:00:59 UTC and 21 September 2026 at 12:00:59 UTC. As of the current date, the first date has already passed and the second is still upcoming.

Information not confirmed in the available material

• Contract value or estimated budget
• Contract duration
• Procedure type
• Award criteria and scoring
• Selection and exclusion criteria
• Whether there are specific security clearance or confidentiality requirements

Practical takeaways for applicants

• You can bid for one lot or both lots.
• Each lot is evaluated separately.
• The offer should demonstrate specialist expertise in tactical or protective driving.
• Providers should be ready to evidence suitable training capacity, equipment, and instructor qualifications.

Footnotes

1. 1Official portal notice: EU Funding and Tenders Portal tender details