Technical Assistance to ECOWAS in Transport Governance in the West Africa under NDICI

The European Commission, through its International Partnerships department, is offering a tender opportunity for the provision of technical assistance to enhance transport governance within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This opportunity is valued at 8.8 million euros and has a duration of 48 months, extending from January 2026 to December 2029.

Eligible applicants must be large consulting firms, engineering companies, or specialized service providers experienced in delivering complex technical assistance programs. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are explicitly excluded from participation. The selected organizations will be required to manage the implementation of various projects that aim to harmonize transport policies, improve institutional capacity, promote climate resilience, and strengthen initiatives that support regional economic integration.

The procurement process involves an open call for submissions due by February 27, 2026, at 16:00 UTC+1. Interested parties must submit requests electronically through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The procedure follows a two-stage process. The first stage consists of submitting a request to participate, after which shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit detailed technical and financial proposals.

Services to be delivered cover multiple sectors, including transport infrastructure, consulting and engineering, and operational efficiency improvements. The eligible geographic scope includes 16 specific countries in West Africa: Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Togo. These countries are recognized under the broader context of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The primary goals of the project include enhancing the governance of road maintenance, developing performance-based funding systems, and facilitating policy dialogues and transparency. The contracting authority does not require co-funding from applicants, as the project is fully financed under the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI). Participation is contingent upon possessing a Personal Identification Code (PIC), which must be acquired prior to submission.

Evaluation of tenders will heavily emphasize quality (80%) compared to price (20%). The strategic context of this initiative reflects the EU's commitment to fostering sustainable development and regional integration while addressing climate change and gender equality issues within the transport sector.

Overall, this opportunity presents a significant chance for large organizations with relevant expertise to contribute to the development of robust transport governance frameworks in West Africa.

This is a call for tenders for Technical Assistance to ECOWAS in Transport Governance in West Africa under the NDICI (Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument). The procedure identifier is EC-INTPA/ABV/2026/EA-RP/0003. The submission method is electronic and the call is currently open for submission.

The Technical Assistance (TA) will collaborate with the ECOWAS Commission to enhance their capacity for effective management of the NDICI Global Europe-funded project. A Project Management Unit (PMU) in Abuja will oversee and coordinate the Transport Governance project’s activities.

The Technical Assistance aims to achieve the following results:

1. Harmonized implementation of inclusive and climate-resilient transport policies and regulations across Member States.
2. Support for national initiatives with regional benefits, including innovative financing models such as grant-loan blending and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
3. Strengthened governance of road maintenance through performance-based Road Maintenance Funds and axle-load control systems.
4. Enhanced efficiency of transport services along regional road corridors, supported by multimodal logistics planning and corridor observatories.
5. Development of facilities and equipment tailored to local needs, integrating climate-adaptive and low-carbon principles.
6. Advocacy, visibility, and mechanisms for policy dialogue platforms to ensure transparency and inclusiveness.
7. Updates to policy frameworks and regional regulations, including environmental standards, climate change mitigation strategies, and gender mainstreaming in transport.
8. Comprehensive activity monitoring, performance indicator establishment, steering committee organization, and annual activity reporting.

The procedure type is a restricted procedure. The estimated total value is 8,800,000 EUR. The TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) publication date is 23/01/2026. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, INTPA - International Partnerships. The main classification (CPV - Common Procurement Vocabulary) code is 71356200, which refers to technical assistance services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is mentioned.

The places of delivery or performance include: Cape Verde (20000869), Sub-Saharan Africa (31085111), Mauritania (20000958), Niger (20000969), Guinea-Bissau (20000906), Cote d'Ivoire (20000861), Nigeria (20000971), Ghana (20000896), Sierra Leone (20001006), Burkina Faso (20000840), Liberia (20000942), Mali (20000953), Senegal (20001008), Togo (20001018), Guinea (20000900), Benin (20000844), and Gambia (20000899). The relevant programme is 44995760 - Sub-Saharan Africa.

The deadline for receipt of requests to participate is 27/02/2026 at 16:00 Africa/Lagos time.

The following documents are available for download:

1. EN13012026 a5f additional information contract notice TA ECOWAS CMMTender specifications - adm.part (requests to participate), published on 23/01/2026, Version 1, no translations available.
2. ENStandard Request to Participate formTender specifications - adm.part (requests to participate), published on 23/01/2026, Version 1, no translations available.
3. ENDeclaration on honourDeclaration on honour (requests to participate), published on 23/01/2026, Version 1, no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission provided, using the electronic submission method.

Regarding Questions and Answers (Q&A), interested parties must log in to create questions. There are FAQs available, and users can download Q&As in XLS format. Currently, there are no public Q&As available.

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In summary, this tender opportunity focuses on providing technical assistance to the ECOWAS Commission to improve transport governance in West Africa. The project aims to harmonize transport policies, support national initiatives, strengthen road maintenance governance, enhance transport efficiency, develop climate-adaptive facilities, promote policy dialogue, and update policy frameworks. The tender is a restricted procedure with an estimated value of 8.8 million EUR and a duration of 48 months. Interested parties must submit their requests to participate electronically by 27/02/2026, adhering to the technical requirements of the eSubmission system, including obtaining a PIC and using compatible browsers and file formats. The European Commission, INTPA, is the lead contracting authority.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include organizations capable of providing technical assistance services, such as consulting firms, research institutions, and potentially NGOs with relevant expertise. The requirement for a PIC (Personal Identification Code) suggests that registered organizations are the intended applicants.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract for technical assistance.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity details mention that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). This suggests that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility for this opportunity includes Cape Verde, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mauritania, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Togo, Guinea, Benin, and Gambia. The program specifically targets Sub-Saharan Africa.

Target Sector: The target sector is transport governance, with a focus on harmonizing transport policies, supporting national initiatives with regional benefits, strengthening road maintenance governance, enhancing transport service efficiency, developing climate-adaptive facilities, and updating policy frameworks. The call also targets climate, environment, and gender mainstreaming in transport.

Mentioned Countries: Cape Verde, Mauritania, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Togo, Guinea, Benin, Gambia.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on implementation and enhancement of existing frameworks, policies, and infrastructure. It involves technical assistance to improve governance, efficiency, and sustainability in the transport sector. Therefore, the project stage is development and implementation.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of this opportunity is 8,800,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission. The procedure type is specified as a restricted procedure.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive non-monetary services in the form of technical assistance.

Application Stages: The procedure type is a restricted procedure, which typically involves at least two stages: a request to participate and a full proposal submission for those who are shortlisted. Therefore, there are at least 2 stages.

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

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

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders for a Technical Assistance project aimed at enhancing transport governance in West Africa, specifically within the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) region. The European Commission, through INTPA (International Partnerships), is seeking qualified organizations or consortia to provide technical assistance to the ECOWAS Commission. The goal is to improve the capacity for effective management of the NDICI (Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument) Global Europe-funded project.

The project focuses on several key areas, including harmonizing transport policies, supporting innovative financing models, strengthening road maintenance governance, enhancing transport service efficiency, developing climate-adaptive infrastructure, and promoting policy dialogue. The selected contractor will work with a Project Management Unit in Abuja to oversee and coordinate project activities.

The estimated total value of the contract is 8,800,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The call for tenders is open for electronic submission, and the deadline for receipt of requests to participate is February 27, 2026, at 16:00 Africa/Lagos time.

Eligible applicants are expected to be organizations with expertise in technical assistance, transport governance, and related areas. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, whether as a single applicant or as part of a consortium. The geographic scope of the project includes several countries in West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The application process is a restricted procedure, meaning that there will be an initial selection of candidates based on their request to participate, followed by a full proposal submission from the shortlisted candidates. The selected contractor will provide technical assistance services to support the ECOWAS Commission in achieving the project's objectives.