Technical secretariat for the High Level Construction Forum

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs has issued a call for tenders, identified as EC-GROW/2025/OP/0020, to procure a technical secretariat for the High Level Construction Forum (HLCF). This forum serves as a key platform for dialogue between the Commission and stakeholders in the construction sector. The primary aim of the contract is to support the implementation and development of the Transition pathway for the construction ecosystem, which is significant given that this sector is the second largest in the EU in terms of employment and financial impact.

The total contract value is estimated at €800,000, with an annual budget of €200,000 over a period of four years, including potential renewals after the initial contract duration of 24 months. The procurement focuses on engaging various entities capable of providing technical secretariat services. While 99% of the construction sector is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the opportunity is open to a wider range of organizations, including large companies and research institutes, although the initiative aims to particularly involve SMEs in EU policy processes.

The application type is defined as an open call for tenders, with submissions due electronically by July 10, 2025. The evaluation of tenders will be based on a quality to price ratio, with a weighting of 70% for quality and 30% for price. Although the specific success rates are not disclosed, the competitive nature of this procurement suggests a low likelihood of winning, potentially under 10%.

No co-funding is required for participating entities, and there are no specific geographic restrictions, implying that applicants can be based across EU member states or associated nations. The expected services include facilitating policy dialogues, coordinating events, and monitoring implementation of the Transition pathway initiatives.

Applicants must complete an online submission through the designated eSubmission system, adhering to technical requirements such as document size limits. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is also required for participation.

Overall, this tender seeks a service provider to enhance collaboration within the construction sector, aligning stakeholder initiatives with broader EU policy objectives related to climate adaptation, digitalization, and waste management. This call highlights the importance of integrating SMEs into the conversation surrounding significant legislative and policy developments in the EU construction landscape.

The European Commission, DG GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, has published a call for tenders, EC-GROW/2025/OP/0020, for a technical secretariat for the High Level Construction Forum (HLCF). The TED reference for this call is 108/2025 366331-2025. The submission method is electronic, and the call is currently open for submission.

The purpose of this contract is to provide a technical secretariat for the HLCF to implement and further develop the Transition pathway for the Construction ecosystem. The HLCF has been a platform for dialogue between the Commission and the construction industry for a decade, supporting constructive engagement with Member States and other stakeholders. It facilitates the co-design, implementation, and dissemination of policy actions and initiatives affecting construction. The current secretariat's contract will end in May 2025. The new secretariat will support and monitor activities related to the implementation of the Transition Pathway and other construction ecosystem-related activities, helping to shape future Commission policy in this area.

The Construction ecosystem is the second largest in the EU in terms of employment and monetary value and impacts major EU policies such as climate adaptation, digitalisation, waste creation, and housing. It is highly fragmented, with 99% of companies being SMEs, mostly micro-enterprises. The HLCF serves as a vehicle to engage SMEs in EU policies. Currently, there are approximately 1,200 stakeholders registered in the HLCF mailing list.

The procurement action is planned for four years, with three annual renewals. The annual budget is EUR 200,000, leading to an estimated total value of EUR 800,000. The procedure type is an open procedure. The main classification (CPV) code is 71530000 - Construction consultancy services. 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 include a TED publication date of 06/06/2025. The date and time of the public opening are 11/07/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Brussels time. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 10/07/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority will not reply to questions submitted after 02/07/2025 at 05:00 Europe/Brussels time.

The following documents are available for download:

1. Invitation to tender EC-GROW2025OP0020 HLCF Secretariat Invitation letter, published on 06/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
2. ANNEX I TENDER SPECIFICATIONS EC-GROW2025OP0020 HLCF Secretariat (3) Tender specifications, published on 06/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
3. ANNEX I annex 2 to TS declaration-of-honour-tenders HLCF Secretariat EC-GROW2025OP0020 Declaration on honour (tender), published on 06/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
4. ANNEX II contrat-direct-service-2024 FR Recast-en Draft contract, published on 06/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
5. ANNEX II Draft contract annex 3 vat-2023-en Draft contract annex, published on 06/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
6. ANNEX II Draft contract annex 4 - IPR Draft contract annex, published on 06/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic means at the address provided in the submission terms.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to the eSubmission system:

1. How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.
2. Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Refer to the System Requirements link for technical recommendations.
3. Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content is not accessible after the deadline due to system encryption.
4. Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’ for open calls for tenders.
5. Which size should attachments have? Attachments should be less than 50 MB in size.
6. How should I name attachments in eSubmission? Follow the System Requirements for attachment names.
7. Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported? Check the System Requirements of eSubmission.
8. I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents. Select an organisation in the F&T Portal under “My Invitations”.
9. Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission? A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation.
10. I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? Ensure the file follows the technical requirements of the system.
11. How many attachments can I upload per submission? The system allows a maximum of 200 files per tender.
12. Why do tenderers need a PIC? A PIC is mandatory to submit a tender or a request to participate.
13. How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)? Check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool.
14. What is the validity period of a PIC? A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.
15. How many languages does the system support? The system supports all 24 official EU languages.
16. Which is the character set encoding in the system? The character set encoding is UTF-8.
17. Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information? Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents.
18. Which file types does the system support? The supported file types depend on the type of submission.
19. Can I view and edit my draft submission? Yes, until the submission deadline.
20. In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission? No, it is just a display issue.
21. I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent? No, this is an auto-generated notification.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG GROW, seeking a technical secretariat to support the High Level Construction Forum (HLCF) in implementing and developing the Transition Pathway for the Construction ecosystem. The selected contractor will play a crucial role in facilitating dialogue between the Commission, the construction industry, Member States, and other stakeholders. The secretariat will also support the co-design, implementation, and dissemination of policy actions affecting the construction sector. The contract is for four years, with an annual budget of EUR 200,000, and submissions must be made electronically. The call emphasizes the importance of engaging SMEs in EU policies related to the construction ecosystem, which is a significant contributor to the EU economy and employment. The eSubmission system is used for submitting tenders, and applicants must adhere to the system's technical requirements, including file size limits, naming conventions, and the use of a valid PIC.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the description, it is likely that the opportunity is open to organizations such as SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, and other entities capable of providing technical secretariat services. The description mentions that 99% of companies in the construction ecosystem are SMEs, and the HLCF is the vehicle to facilitate contact with and involve SMEs in EU policies, suggesting that SMEs are particularly encouraged to apply.

Funding Type: The funding type is a procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders to provide a technical secretariat, indicating a procurement of services.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the mention of a "group (consortium)" in the FAQ regarding the Personal Identification Code (PIC) suggests that consortia are eligible to apply. Therefore, either a single applicant or a consortium may be suitable.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU funding opportunity related to the High Level Construction Forum, it is highly likely that the eligibility extends to entities within the EU and potentially EEA countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is the construction ecosystem. This includes climate adaptation, digitalisation, waste creation, and housing. The call specifically mentions the implementation and further development of the Transition pathway for the Construction ecosystem.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is focused on the EU construction ecosystem and involves dialogue with Member States. Therefore, the relevant region is the EU.

Project Stage: The project stage is implementation and further development. The call is for providing a technical secretariat to support the implementation and further development of the Transition pathway for the Construction ecosystem.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 800,000 EUR, with an annual budget of 200,000 EUR planned over 4 years.

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 providing services. The contract is for providing a technical secretariat, which implies a service contract with financial compensation.

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

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders (EC-GROW/2025/OP/0020) by the European Commission, DG GROW, to procure a technical secretariat for the High Level Construction Forum (HLCF). The HLCF is a platform for dialogue between the Commission, the construction industry, Member States, and other stakeholders. The primary goal is to support the implementation and further development of the Transition pathway for the Construction ecosystem. The Construction ecosystem is the second biggest ecosystem regarding employment and monetary terms, affecting major EU policies – climate adaptation, digitalisation, waste creation, housing, etc. The contract is expected to last for 48 months, with an estimated total value of 800,000 EUR and an annual budget of 200,000 EUR. The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be sent electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 10/07/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. The main classification (CPV) code is 71530000 - Construction consultancy services. The opportunity is relevant to organizations capable of providing technical secretariat services, particularly those with experience in the construction ecosystem and EU policies. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200, and the maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information.