Technical Secretariats for group of notified bodies: ATEX 2014/34/EU, Machinery 2006/42/EC, EMC 2014/30/EU, Lifts 2014/33/EU, PED 2014/68/EU, SPVD 2014/29/EU, GAR 2016/426, PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 – 7 lots

The European Commission, specifically DG GROW, has issued a call for tenders regarding the provision of Technical Secretariats for coordination groups of notified bodies, divided into seven distinct lots corresponding to various EU directives. The overall estimated value of the tender is €1,127,200, with individual lot values ranging from €112,000 to €191,600. The lots cover areas such as explosive atmospheres (ATEX), machinery, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), lifts, pressure equipment, gas appliances, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Eligible applicants include any legal entities capable of providing the requisite services, though specific restrictions for SMEs are not explicitly stated. The funding type is characterized as a procurement service contract rather than a grant, meaning selected entities will be compensated for their services. Bidders can apply as single entities without a consortium being necessary, although both options are potentially allowed.

The geographical eligibility primarily encompasses EU member states, with suggestions that the Nordic and EEA countries may also have access. The project aims to deliver ongoing technical secretariat services rather than focusing on a specific project stage. Surveillance tasks include preparing and managing meetings, documentation, and stakeholder communication.

Applications must be submitted electronically by September 5, 2025, through an open call process aimed at obtaining the best price-quality ratio for the contracts awarded. There is no indication of co-funding requirements for these tenders.

In summary, this tender represents an opportunity for organizations specializing in technical secretariat functions to contribute to regulatory compliance and coordination within specific industrial sectors across Europe, with a total duration of 48 months permissible for the awarded contracts.

The European Commission, DG GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs is the lead contracting authority for a call for tenders, EC-GROW/2025/OP/0066, for Technical Secretariats related to different Directives. The TED reference is 136/2025 471873-2025. The estimated total value of the tender is 1,127,200 EUR. The TED publication date is 18/07/2025. The submission method is electronic and is currently open for submission. The procedure type is an open procedure. The main classification (CPV) code is 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services.

The call for tenders is divided into 7 lots:

Lot 1: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU. The estimated value is 112,000 EUR.
Lot 2: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. The estimated value is 191,600 EUR.
Lot 3: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive 2014/30/EU. The estimated value is 132,000 EUR.
Lot 4: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU. The estimated value is 168,000 EUR.
Lot 5: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the Simple Pressure Vessels Directive 2014/29/EU and the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU. The estimated value is 168,000 EUR.
Lot 6: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the Gas Appliances Regulation (EU) 2016/426. The estimated value is 164,000 EUR.
Lot 7: Technical secretariat for the coordination group of notified bodies under the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation (EU) 2016/425. The estimated value is 191,600 EUR.

For each lot, the description involves a service contract to provide the technical secretariat for the sector’s coordination group of notified bodies. Tasks include preparing, attending, and following up on meetings, managing members, providing documentation, and ensuring seamless communication between stakeholders. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio.

The milestones include:
TED publication date: 18/07/2025
Date and time of public opening: 08/09/2025 10:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 05/09/2025 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after: 28/08/2025 05:00 Europe/Brussels

The documents available for download include:
ENEN-Invitation to tender EC-GROW2025OP0066 Technical Secretariats 7 LotsInvitation letter, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX I - EN TENDER SPECIFICATIONS EC-GROW2025OP0066 Technical Secretariats 7 LotsTender specifications, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX I - Annex 6 - Financial Tender FormFinancial offer form, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX I - Annex 2 declaration-of-honour-tenders Technical Secretariats 7 Lots EC-GROW2025OP0066Declaration on honour (tender), published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX II - contrat-direct-service-2024 FR Recast-en OP0066Draft contract, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX II - Appendix 1 Security requirements en 2025 (2)Draft contract annex, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX II - Annex 3 to Draft contract-vat-2023-en (2) (1)Draft contract annex, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX II - Annex 4 - unit-cost-decision-travel en (1)Draft contract annex, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.
ENANNEX II - Annex 5 to Draft contract statements-ipr-en (1)Draft contract annex, published on 18/07/2025, Version 1, for all lots.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

FAQ's related to the eSubmission system:
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.
Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload.
Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? In ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate.
Which size should attachments have? eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size.
How should I name attachments in eSubmision? Follow the System Requirements.
Can I submit a video in eSbmission? Which formats are supported? Check the System Requirements of eSubmission.
I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents. Select an organisation in “My Invitations”.
Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission? The Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory.
I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? Make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system.
How many attachments can I upload per submission? The maximum number of documents is 200 files.
Why do tenderers need a PIC? It is mandatory to register for a PIC if you intend to submit a tender or a request to participate.
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.
What is the validity period of a PIC? A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.
How many languages does the system support? The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.
Which is the character set encoding in the system? The character set encoding is UTF-8.
Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information? Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.
Which file types does the system support? The supported file types depend on the type of submission you want to make.
Can I view and edit my draft submission? Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed and deleted.
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.
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 sent when the time limit of receipt defined for the call for tenders has been reached.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission for technical secretariat services to support coordination groups of notified bodies across seven different EU directives and regulations related to product safety. These areas include equipment for explosive atmospheres (ATEX), machinery, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), lifts, pressure equipment, gas appliances, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The goal is to secure service contracts for managing meetings, documentation, and communication within these groups. Companies with expertise in regulatory compliance, technical documentation, and project management within these specific sectors are encouraged to apply. The tender is divided into seven lots, allowing companies to bid for one or more areas of expertise. The overall estimated budget is 1,127,200 EUR, with individual lot values ranging from 112,000 EUR to 191,600 EUR. The deadline for submitting tenders is September 5, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the tender for "Technical Secretariats," it is likely that eligible applicants would include organizations or companies with expertise in providing technical and administrative support, such as consulting firms, research institutions, or specialized service providers.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the selected entities will be contracted to provide technical secretariat services.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. The FAQ section mentions 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 potentially eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly mentioned. Given that it is an EU funding opportunity, it is highly likely that applicants from the EU and potentially EEA countries are eligible. Further details would be needed to confirm eligibility for other countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is related to technical secretariats for groups of notified bodies under various EU directives and regulations. These include: ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU, Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive 2014/30/EU, Lifts Directive 2014/33/EU, Simple Pressure Vessels Directive 2014/29/EU and the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU, Gas Appliances Regulation (EU) 2016/426, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation (EU) 2016/425. The broader thematic areas include internal market, industry, entrepreneurship, and SMEs.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is related to EU directives and regulations, implying a focus on the European Union.

Project Stage: The project stage is for the provision of ongoing technical secretariat services. This is not a research, development, or demonstration project, but rather an operational service contract.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 1,127,200 EUR. The estimated value for each lot varies: Lot 1 (ATEX): 112,000 EUR, Lot 2 (Machinery): 191,600 EUR, Lot 3 (EMC): 132,000 EUR, Lot 4 (Lifts): 168,000 EUR, Lot 5 (PED/SPVD): 168,000 EUR, Lot 6 (Gas Appliance): 164,000 EUR, Lot 7 (PPE): 191,600 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 providing non-monetary services, specifically technical secretariat services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it involves at least one stage of submitting a tender, which will then be evaluated based on the best price-quality ratio.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:
This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG GROW, for technical secretariats to support the coordination groups of notified bodies under several EU directives and regulations related to industrial products. The tender is divided into 7 lots, each corresponding to a specific directive or regulation: ATEX, Machinery, EMC, Lifts, PED/SPVD, Gas Appliances, and PPE. The selected tenderers will be responsible for providing technical and administrative support, including preparing and following up on meetings, managing documentation, and ensuring communication between stakeholders. The total estimated value of the tender is 1,127,200 EUR, with individual lots ranging from 112,000 EUR to 191,600 EUR. The contract duration is 48 months. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 05/09/2025. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The opportunity targets organizations with expertise in providing technical secretariat services within the specified industrial sectors. The European Commission, DG GROW, is seeking service providers to act as technical secretariats for coordination groups of notified bodies across seven different product safety directives and regulations. These cover a range of sectors from equipment for explosive atmospheres (ATEX) to personal protective equipment (PPE). The selected contractors will be responsible for the logistical and administrative support of these groups, including organizing meetings, preparing documentation, and facilitating communication. The overall aim is to ensure the smooth functioning of these groups, which play a vital role in ensuring consistent interpretation and application of EU product safety rules. There are seven distinct lots, each focusing on a specific directive or regulation, allowing bidders to specialize in their area of expertise. The tender is an open procedure, meaning any interested organization can submit a bid, and the contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio.