Technical Assistance to enhance the Effectiveness, Coherence and Visibility of the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between the European Union ...

The European Commission DG MENA is running a restricted two-stage tender to set up a fee-based Technical Assistance Drawdown Facility to support the EU Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership. The estimated contract value is €3,000,000 excluding VAT for up to 36 months and the facility will mobilise short-term experts in areas including green transition, economic resilience, governance and institutional capacity building, trade and investment, and digital transformation. Eligible applicants are natural persons and legal entities established in EU Member States or eligible countries under NDICI, including consortia, which must meet financial, professional and technical selection criteria such as an average turnover of at least €4,000,000 and relevant contracts in recent years. Requests to participate must be submitted in English via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission by 29 May 2026 at 16:00 UTC+03:00 and shortlisted candidates will be invited to tender with award by best price quality ratio.

What it funds

A fee-based drawdown facility to provide rapid, flexible technical assistance across the full project cycle of EU‑funded bilateral cooperation with Egypt. Short-term experts will be mobilised for identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in areas such as green transition, economic resilience, governance reform, trade and investment, digital transformation, and institutional capacity building (including support to MoFAIC and other national institutions).

Who can apply

Open to natural persons and legal persons (including consortia) effectively established in EU Member States or countries eligible under NDICI Global Europe Article 28. Consortia members are jointly and severally liable. Sub-contracting is allowed. Candidates must meet financial, professional and technical selection criteria specified in the procurement documents.

Estimated contract value:€3,000,000 (estimated total value) ¹.

1. 1Procedure type: Restricted (two-stage) — 4 to 8 candidates shortlisted
2. 2Submission method: Electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required; 2FA will be mandatory in 2026)
3. 3Language: English; Maximum contract duration: 36 months; Award: best price-quality ratio

Requests to participate must be submitted using the official request to participate form via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Candidates must provide financial data in EUR, meet turnover and technical-experience thresholds, and submit declarations on honour and exclusion. See the procurement documents for full selection and award criteria and required attachments.

Procurement documents, submission portal and downloadable additional information:Funding & Tenders Portal Invitation to submit a request to participate (a5f) ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Additional information and full procurement terms are in the A5f document (Invitation to submit a request to participate) available from the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Opportunity summary

This is a restricted-call tender launched by the European Commission (DG for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf) to establish a fee-based Drawdown Facility providing Technical Assistance (TA) to enhance the Effectiveness, Coherence and Visibility of the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Facility will support the full project cycle of EU-funded cooperation (identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) and will mobilise short-term expertise across thematic areas including green transition, economic resilience, governance reform, trade and investment, digital transformation, institutional capacity building and support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates (MoFAIC) and other national institutions.

Tender identifiers and administrative data:Procedure identifier: EC-MENA/CAI/2026/EA-RP/0015. TED reference: 288207-2026. Estimated total value: €3 000 000. Nature: services (fee-based). Framework agreement / Drawdown Facility. Maximum contract duration: 36 months. Place of performance: Egypt. Financing instrument: NDICI – Global Europe (Neighbourhood). Language: English. Submission method: electronic via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system. Two-stage restricted procedure: request to participate (shortlisting) followed by invitation to submit a tender.

Key dates

TED publication date:28 April 2026. Deadline for receipt of requests to participate (stage 1): 29 May 2026, 16:00 (Africa/Cairo / UTC+03:00). Provisional invitation to tender (stage 2): June 2026 (indicative). Provisional contract commencement: January 2027. Implementation period: up to 36 months from signature.

Eligible applicant types

Eligible participants:all natural persons who are nationals of, and legal persons effectively established in, a Member State of the European Union or in an eligible country or territory as defined by Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/947 (NDICI–Global Europe). Participation may be as single legal entities or as groupings/consortia (permanent or ad hoc). Sub-contracting is allowed. Public bodies may participate (provide equivalent financial information). Ineligible natural or legal persons will cause exclusion of the candidate or, if part of a consortium, exclusion of the consortium.

Funding type and nature of support

Primary funding mechanism:procurement of services (fee-based Drawdown Facility). Beneficiaries (the contractor) will be remunerated with contract fees for services delivered under the Drawdown Facility rather than grants or equity. The nature of support delivered to beneficiaries in Egypt will be technical assistance services (non-capital), delivered through mobilised short-term experts and institutional support; the contractor will receive monetary payment for services rendered under contract.

Consortium requirement and application stages

This is a restricted two-stage procedure. Stage 1:submission of a Request to Participate (RTP) via the Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission). Between 4 and 8 candidates will be shortlisted and invited to stage 2. Stage 2: invited shortlisted candidates submit full tenders. Shortlisting therefore requires a consortium or single entity to meet the selection criteria; a consortium is permitted but any change in composition between RTP and tender requires prior authorisation. Number of application stages: 2.

Beneficiary geographic scope and mentioned countries

Place of performance:Arab Republic of Egypt. Geographic eligibility to participate: organisations and natural persons established in EU Member States and eligible countries/territories as defined under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/947. Mentioned country explicitly: Egypt. The contracting authority: European Commission (DG MENA). Programme: Neighbourhood (NDICI – Global Europe).

Target sectors and thematic scope

Thematic sectors explicitly highlighted in the procurement notice and additional information: green transition (climate, environment), economic resilience, governance reform, trade and investment, digital transformation, institutional capacity building, public administration reform, monitoring and evaluation of international cooperation programmes, support to foreign affairs and international cooperation institutions (MoFAIC). Cross-cutting priorities include visibility, coherence and effectiveness of EU–Egypt SCP cooperation.

Project maturity / expected stage

The Facility supports the full project cycle and is designed to mobilise short-term expert support across identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases. Therefore it expects to work across research, development, validation, demonstration, implementation and scaling stages of EU-funded cooperation activities. The contractor should demonstrate experience delivering mature technical assistance and advisory services across policy and programme cycles.

Funding amount and contract model

Estimated total contract value:€3 000 000 (excluding VAT). Contract type: fee-based Drawdown Facility (framework-style arrangement where specific TA tasks are requested and remunerated under the facility). Maximum contract duration: 36 months. The contracting authority explicitly states fee-based nature and that services will be procured through the facility.

Submission and application type

Submission method:electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system (submissionEU). An EU Login account and Participant Identification Code (PIC) registration in the Participant Register are required. This is a restricted, invitation-based two-stage procurement: an open Request to Participate is submitted (stage 1) and shortlisted candidates are invited to tender (stage 2). Clarification questions must be raised through the Portal (Questions & Answers tab) no later than 21 days before RTP deadline; clarifications will be published at least 8 days before RTP deadline.

Selection and award criteria (overview)

Selection criteria are detailed and include economic and financial capacity, professional capacity and technical capacity. Award criterion for the second stage: best price-quality ratio. The contracting authority will shortlist between 4 and 8 candidates based on compliance and the selection criteria; if more than 8 eligible candidates meet selection criteria, additional comparative criteria (number and cumulated value of relevant completed contracts) will be used to rank candidates for shortlisting.

1. 1Selection criterion — Economic and financial capacity: average annual turnover over the last 3 closed financial years must be at least €4 000 000; current ratio (current assets/current liabilities) in the last closed year must be at least 1. In a consortium, the current ratio requirement applies to each member.
2. 2Selection criterion — Professional capacity: on average at least 30 personnel directly employed or legally contracted (permanent or non-permanent) in areas of specialist knowledge related to the contract over the last 3 years; absence of professional conflict of interest must be declared.
3. 3Selection criterion — Technical capacity: completion of at least three contracts during the last four years, each with a value not less than €1 200 000, in domains such as technical assistance, institutional capacity building / policy advisory support, or support to design/implementation/monitoring/evaluation of international cooperation programmes with government institutions.
4. 4Shortlisting: between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to submit full tenders; if fewer than 4 meet criteria, contracting authority may invite those who satisfy criteria; if more than 8 meet criteria, ranking will apply using additional comparative criteria (number of qualifying contracts, then cumulated value).
5. 5Award: best price-quality ratio at tender stage; exact weighting and detailed award criteria will be in procurement documents.

Application documentation, templates and practical submission requirements

Requests to participate must be submitted using the official Request to Participate form and the Declaration on Honour templates available from the Commission Annexes page (Annexes repository). Required attachments to RTP: completed request to participate form (specific items 1–6), Declaration on Honour on Exclusion and Selection criteria, financial data expressed in EUR (convert other currencies using InforEuro exchange rate of April 2026 if applicable). Participant Identification Code (PIC) from the Participant Register is mandatory for each organisation and for each consortium member. Supporting evidence for technical references should include documentary proof (approval of report/deliverable, proof of payment, certificate from contracting entity) demonstrating the value and the portion completed by the candidate where relevant. Submissions not complying with the eSubmission technical rules (file size limits, naming conventions, allowed file types, maximum number of attachments) risk rejection; check the eSubmission System Requirements and Quick Guides. As of 30 June 2026, two-factor authentication is required for EU Login access; applicants should ensure EU Login security settings are ready.

Required submission attachments (minimum and structural guidance):Upload via the F&T Portal: request to participate form under Other documents; Declaration referred to in Point 7 of the request form under Other documents; Declaration on Honour on Exclusion and Selection criteria under Declaration on Honour. Do not attach additional unsolicited brochures or materials—the contracting authority will not consider them. Provide clear documentary evidence for technical references showing contract values and the exact share of work performed by the candidate (e.g. consortium agreements, bank transfers between consortium members). Ensure all monetary figures are converted to EUR using InforEuro April 2026 rates if original currency differs. Include PIC for each legal entity. ¹

Success rates and shortlist probabilities

The procurement foresees shortlisting between 4 and 8 candidates from among all eligible RTPs. This means the shortlist success rate depends on total eligible applicants: if exactly 8 applicants meet criteria, shortlisting probability is 100% for those 8 invited; if many more apply, the probability to be among the shortlisted 8 falls (for example, with 32 eligible applicants the shortlisting rate would be 25%). After shortlisting, invited candidates compete in the tender evaluation where award is by best price-quality ratio; the final contract award ratio is therefore 1 awarded contract for the lot (unless multiple lots are foreseen, here only LOT-0001 exists). Overall success rate from RTP submission to contract award therefore ranges from the shortlist probability (4–8 invitations) multiplied by the chance of winning at tender stage (typically single winner among invited bidders).

Co-funding and financial obligations

No co-funding by the candidate is required for the procurement itself. The Facility is fee-based and the contracting authority will remunerate services under the terms of the contract. Candidates must demonstrate the required financial capacity (turnover and current ratio) to ensure uninterrupted service delivery and absorb operational financial risks. Public bodies should provide equivalent financial data. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures at the time of award cannot be awarded the contract.

Practical compliance and process notes

1. 1Register or confirm organisation in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC; ensure PIC legal/financial validation can be provided to the contracting authority upon request.
2. 2Ensure EU Login account is in place and prepared for two-factor authentication (mandatory rollout in 2026); register at least one 2FA method and security questions as instructed in Portal guidance.
3. 3Prepare Request to Participate using the Commission templates; include declarations and documentary proofs for selection criteria (financial statements, staff numbers, CVs and references for technical capacity, evidence of completed contracts and their values).
4. 4Submit RTP only via the Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission link for this tender (electronic submission required). Late or non-electronic submissions will be rejected.
5. 5If shortlisted, be ready to prepare a full tender according to the tender dossier and to demonstrate proposed technical approach, team, mobilisation plan for short-term experts, pricing and quality elements for award by best price-quality ratio.

Contact and reference links

Contracting authority contact email (published in TED and F&T Portal):delegation-egypt-tender-2026-0015@eeas.europa.eu. Procurement documents, RTP form and Declaration templates available on the tender page in the Funding & Tenders Portal (see procurement documents anchor). eSubmission address for submission is provided on the tender page. Check the additional information document (A5f) for full procedural details and templates. ¹

Short general checklist for applicants

1. 1Confirm eligibility of organisation nationality/establishment per NDICI Article 28.
2. 2Verify financial thresholds: average turnover >= €4 000 000 (last 3 closed years) and current ratio >= 1 (last closed year).
3. 3Confirm professional capacity: average >= 30 relevant staff over the last 3 years.
4. 4Assemble technical references: at least 3 relevant contracts each >= €1 200 000 completed in the last 4 years with documentary proof.
5. 5Register PIC and ensure EU Login two-factor authentication readiness; prepare RTP using official templates and submit via eSubmission before the RTP deadline.

This procurement is a targeted opportunity for established consultancies, consortiums of firms, international development service providers, NGOs with proven institutional advisory experience, or public bodies able to comply with the selection thresholds and to mobilise multi-disciplinary short-term expertise. The emphasis is on institutional capacity building, policy advisory, programme design and M&E experience at significant contract values and in cooperation with government institutions.

Comprehensive summary: what this opportunity is about and how to approach it

The European Commission is procuring a fee-based Drawdown Facility to deliver rapid, flexible and high-quality Technical Assistance in support of the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between the EU and Egypt. The contractor will be responsible for mobilising short-term expert teams to assist across the entire lifecycle of EU-funded cooperation activities in Egypt, including policy advice, institutional capacity building, programme design, implementation support and monitoring and evaluation. The Facility places particular emphasis on green transition, economic resilience, governance reform, trade and investment, digital transformation and strengthening national institutions such as MoFAIC. The procurement follows a restricted two-stage procedure: submit a Request to Participate by the published deadline and, if shortlisted (4 to 8 candidates), prepare a competitive tender evaluated on best price-quality ratio. Applicants must meet robust selection criteria: financial capacity (average turnover >= €4 million), professional capacity (average 30 relevant staff) and technical capacity (three contracts >= €1.2 million each in relevant domains within the last four years) and must provide documentary evidence. The contract is funded under NDICI – Global Europe (Neighbourhood) and has an estimated total value of €3 million for up to 36 months. Submissions are electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal and require a valid PIC and EU Login account (with two-factor authentication readiness). Interested organisations should carefully follow the RTP template and Declaration on Honour templates, ensure all supporting documents comply with Portal technical requirements, and be ready to deliver high-quality institutional advisory services and to mobilise short-term expert resources in Egypt under a fee-for-service drawdown model. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Additional information and the official 'A5f additional information' document are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal tender page: ec.europa.eu and the PDF of the additional information: ec.europa.eu

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a restricted tender procedure for a fee-based Technical Assistance Drawdown Facility designed to enhance the effectiveness, coherence and visibility of the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership (SCP) between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt. The contract will provide rapid, flexible and high-quality technical assistance supporting jointly agreed bilateral cooperation priorities across multiple strategic sectors.

Contracting Authority:European Commission, MENA - Middle East, North Africa, Gulf (Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf). Contact: delegation-egypt-tender-2026-0015@eeas.europa.eu

Funding Source:NDICI - Global Europe (Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument), Neighbourhood Programme

Financial Details

Total Contract Value:€3,000,000 (estimated total value excluding VAT)

Contract Duration:36 months from the date of the last signature of the contract

Contract Type:Fee-based Drawdown Facility for services

Award Criteria:Best price-quality ratio

Scope of Work

The facility will support the full project cycle of EU-funded cooperation, including identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Short-term expertise will be mobilised in the following priority areas:

• Green transition and climate resilience
• Economic resilience and sustainable development
• Governance reform and institutional capacity building
• Trade and investment promotion
• Digital transformation
• Support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates (MoFAIC) and other national institutions

Eligibility and Participation

Who Can Apply:Natural persons who are nationals of and legal persons (participating individually or in consortia) which are effectively established in a Member State of the European Union or in an eligible country or territory as defined under Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/947. Consortia may be permanent, legally established groupings or informal groupings constituted for this specific procedure. All consortium members are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.

Submission Requirements:No more than one request to participate or tender can be submitted by any natural or legal person in any form of participation. Multiple submissions will result in automatic exclusion of all submissions involving that person. Submissions must be made exclusively via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using the eSubmission system. All communications must be in English.

Selection Criteria ¹

Economic and Financial Capacity

• Average annual turnover of the last 3 financial years for which accounts have been closed must be not less than €4,000,000. The contracting authority requires turnover exceeding twice the estimated annual contract value (approximately €2,000,000 annually) due to the critical and continuous nature of services, ensuring sufficient financial capacity for uninterrupted service delivery and financial risk absorption.
• Current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) in the last year for which accounts have been closed must be at least 1. For consortia, this criterion must be fulfilled by each member.

Professional Capacity

• The candidate or tenderer must have, during the current year and the previous two years on average, at least 30 personnel directly employed or otherwise legally contracted on a permanent or non-permanent basis in areas of specialist knowledge related to this contract.
• The candidate or tenderer must not be subject to professional conflicting interests which may negatively affect contract performance, as examined through Declarations on Honour and supporting documents.

Technical Capacity

The candidate or tenderer must have completed services under at least three contracts implemented at any moment during the last four years before the submission deadline. For each contract, the value of services completed must not be less than €1,200,000. The completed services must be in one or more of the following domains:

• Technical assistance
• Institutional capacity building and policy advisory support
• Support to the design, implementation, monitoring or evaluation of international cooperation programmes, particularly in areas such as public administration reform, governance, economic development, sector policy support, or cooperation with government institutions

Contracts may have been started earlier but only the part completed during the reference period will be considered. Documentary evidence is required (approval of reports or deliverables, proof of payment, statements or certificates from the awarding entity) detailing the value. For consortium-implemented projects, the part successfully completed by the candidate or tenderer must be clearly demonstrated through consortium agreements and bank transfers between members, with a description of services provided.

Additional Comparative Criteria for Short-listing

If more than 8 eligible candidates meet the above selection criteria, they will be ranked using the following criteria in order of application:

1. 1The highest number of contracts under which services have been completed that meet the technical capacity criterion
2. 2The highest cumulated value of completed services that meet the technical capacity criterion (applied only to tied candidates for the 8th position)

Procedure and Timeline

Procedure Type:Restricted two-stage procedure

Short-listing:Between 4 and 8 candidates will be invited to submit detailed tenders based on requests to participate. If fewer than 4 eligible candidates meet selection criteria, the contracting authority may invite all qualifying candidates. If more than 8 meet criteria, ranking will occur using the additional comparative criteria specified above.

Key Dates:Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 29 May 2026 at 16:00 (UTC+03:00 Eastern European Summer Time). Provisional date for invitation to tender: June 2026. Provisional contract commencement date: January 2027.

Clarifications:Requests for clarifications must be submitted in writing through the F&T Portal at latest 21 days before the deadline for submission of requests to participate. Clarifications will be published at latest 8 days before the submission deadline.

Submission and Administrative Requirements

Registration:All economic operators must register in the European Commission's Participant Register to obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC), a 9-digit unique identifier. For consortia, each member must be registered separately. EU Login authentication is required for electronic submission.

Required Documents:Requests to participate must include the request to participate form, a declaration on honour on exclusion and selection criteria, and any declarations required under Point 7 of the form. All documents must be uploaded to the correct sections in eSubmission (Other documents or Declaration on Honour tabs). Maximum file size per attachment is 50 MB, with a maximum of 200 files per submission.

Financial Data:All financial data must be expressed in EUR. Where amounts are originally in different currencies, conversion must use the InforEuro exchange rate of April 2026.

Sub-contracting:Sub-contracting is allowed. Capacity-providing entities may be relied upon if they meet the same eligibility and selection criteria requirements as the main applicant.

Exclusion Grounds:Candidates must declare they are not in any of the situations listed in Section 2.4.2.1 of the PRAG (Practical Guide). Candidates included in EU restrictive measures lists at the moment of award decision cannot be awarded the contract. Ineligible persons or those in exclusion situations will result in automatic exclusion, and if part of a consortium, the entire consortium will be excluded.

Strategic Context and Partnership Framework

This technical assistance facility supports the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, part of the broader EU engagement strategy in the Middle East and North Africa region. The partnership aligns with EU strategic objectives including the Global Gateway initiative for sustainable infrastructure investments, the Pact for the Mediterranean for green and digital transition, and regional cooperation frameworks. The facility will enhance institutional coordination between EU and Egyptian authorities, particularly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, supporting Egypt's development priorities in governance, economic resilience, and digital transformation ².

Key Applicant Considerations

• Strong financial position is essential: the €4,000,000 minimum average annual turnover requirement is significantly higher than typical thresholds, reflecting the contract's critical nature and need for financial stability to ensure continuous service delivery over 36 months.
• Technical experience in international cooperation and institutional capacity building is central; applicants should have demonstrated track record in similar contexts, particularly with government institutions and policy advisory work.
• Consortium formation may strengthen applications by combining complementary expertise and geographic presence, but all members must meet individual selection criteria and be jointly liable.
• The restricted procedure means only short-listed candidates will be invited to submit detailed tenders; competitive positioning in the initial request to participate stage is critical.
• All communications and submissions must be in English; applicants should ensure full compliance with eSubmission technical requirements and portal procedures.
• The contract's focus on multiple priority areas (green transition, governance, digital transformation, trade and investment) suggests value in demonstrating cross-sectoral expertise or ability to mobilise specialists across these domains.
• As a fee-based drawdown facility, the contract structure allows flexibility in resource mobilisation; applicants should clearly articulate their capacity to rapidly deploy expertise as needed across the 36-month period.

Contact and Further Information

For additional information, consult the procurement documents available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The contracting authority is the European Commission, MENA - Middle East, North Africa, Gulf. Direct inquiries to: delegation-egypt-tender-2026-0015@eeas.europa.eu. The official procurement notice is published in the Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) under reference 288207-2026. Procurement documents are accessible at EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Selection criteria apply to the consortium as a whole unless specified otherwise. Natural persons and single-member companies when acting as sub-contractors are not subject to these criteria. Candidates may not use previous experience that caused breach of contract and termination by a contracting authority as a reference for selection criteria. Capacity-providing entities must meet the same eligibility and selection criteria as the main applicant and become jointly and severally liable for contract performance regarding economic and financial criteria.
2. 2The EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership is part of the broader EU engagement strategy in the Middle East and North Africa region, supporting sustainable development, institutional reform, and economic cooperation aligned with EU strategic interests in the region.