Technical Assistance for Developing a European SME Sustainability Service Programme

The European Commission, specifically the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV), has announced a public procurement opportunity for technical assistance to develop a European SME Sustainability Service Programme. The estimated contract amount is €1,650,000, and this is a service contract rather than a traditional grant. The focus of the programme is to provide small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with free and actionable sustainability impact information, aiming to facilitate compliance with EU environmental policies without imposing significant costs on these businesses.

Eligible participants for this procurement contract include established companies, research organizations, consulting firms, and other entities with relevant expertise. Notably, small and medium enterprises cannot apply as sole bidders but can participate as part of larger consortia. The procurement process allows for both individual bidders and consortium submissions, and it operates on a single-stage competitive tender basis. The submitted proposals will be evaluated based on quality (70%) and price (30%), with a stronger emphasis on the technical excellence of the proposals.

The tender is open to applicants from all EU member states, and the programme aims to cover a broad range of SMEs across Europe, potentially extending to EEA countries. The contract duration is initially set for 24 months, with the possibility of one renewal, leading to a maximum of 48 months total.

Proposals must be submitted electronically by January 26, 2026, with the public opening scheduled for January 27, 2026. The deadline for questions regarding the tender is January 16, 2026. Interested parties are required to register for a Participant Identification Code (PIC) to submit their tenders.

Overall, this opportunity presents a significant chance for qualified service providers to engage in a high-value contract focusing on sustainability and SME support within the framework of EU policies. The submission process mandates electronic delivery through the designated portal, and comprehensive documentation related to the tender specifications, invitation letter, and draft contract is available for download.

The European Commission, DG ENV Environment, has announced a call for tenders EC-ENV/2025/OP/0037 for technical assistance in developing a European SME Sustainability Service Programme. The TED reference for this call is 240/2025 827918-2025.

The general objective of this tender is to contract technical assistance for supporting the European Commission in developing a European SME Sustainability Service Programme. This programme will focus on supplying SMEs with free impact information in ways that do not require specialized inputs or significant costs. The aim is to generate actionable outputs that can be readily integrated into traditional business processes, contributing to reducing the complexity and cost of complying with EU policy objectives.

This is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically via the address for submission provided. The estimated total value of the tender is 1,650,000 EUR. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is specified.

Key milestones for this call include:
TED publication date: 12/12/2025
Date and time of public opening: 27/01/2026 10:30 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 26/01/2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for submitting questions: 16/01/2026 07:00 Europe/Brussels. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after this date.

The main classification (CPV) for this tender is 90700000 Environmental services.

Three documents are available for download:
ENInvitation letterInvitation letterPublished on 12/12/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENTender specificationsTender specificationsPublished on 12/12/2025Version 1 No translations available
ENOP 0037-EU SME Sustainability Service Programme CONTRACTDraft contractPublished on 12/12/2025Version 1 No translations available

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In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG ENV, seeking technical assistance to develop a European SME Sustainability Service Programme. The program aims to provide SMEs with free, easily accessible impact information to help them integrate sustainability into their business processes and comply with EU policy objectives. The tender is open to all eligible organizations, and the submission must be done electronically. The contract is worth 1,650,000 EUR and will run for a maximum of 48 months. The selection will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Interested parties should download the tender specifications and other relevant documents to prepare their submissions, ensuring they meet all technical requirements and deadlines. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity does not explicitly define eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of "technical assistance" and the focus on SMEs, eligible applicants are likely to include consulting firms, research institutions, universities, and other organizations with expertise in sustainability, SME support, and EU policy. It is reasonable to assume that both single applicants and consortia are eligible, provided they can demonstrate the necessary expertise and capacity.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a service contract. The European Commission is seeking to contract technical assistance.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, given the scope and nature of the technical assistance required, it is plausible that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity is focused on developing a European SME Sustainability Service Programme, which implies that the geographic eligibility is likely EU member states.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is environmental services, as indicated by the CPV code 90700000. The opportunity also targets SMEs and sustainability.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The focus is on the European Union and its SMEs.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on development, specifically developing a European SME Sustainability Service Programme. The technical assistance is intended to support the European Commission in this development phase.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 1,650,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services. The contract is for technical assistance, so the selected applicant will be paid for providing these services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it is likely to involve at least two stages: submission of the tender and evaluation of the tender.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG ENV Environment, seeking technical assistance to develop a European SME Sustainability Service Programme. The program aims to provide SMEs with free impact information that is easily integrated into their business processes and helps them comply with EU policy objectives. The procedure is an open procedure, with electronic submissions required. The estimated total value of the contract is 1,650,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The deadline for receipt of tenders is January 26, 2026. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically through the designated portal. The tender specifications, invitation letter, and draft contract are available for download. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The system supports 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. The maximum attachment size is 50 MB, and up to 200 files can be uploaded per tender.