Technical Secretariats for the Notified Bodies Group under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and under the Fertilising Products Regulation (EU) 2019...

The European Commission DG GROW is procuring Technical Secretariat services for two Notified Bodies Groups (Lot 1: toy safety; Lot 2: fertilising products) under procedure EC-GROW/2026/OP/0014. Each lot is an independent direct service contract for up to 48 months with an estimated value of €100,000 per lot and tenders must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders eSubmission portal by 17 June 2026 at 14:30 Brussels time. Tenderers must nominate a Technical Secretary and substitute, meet minimum financial capacity (average yearly turnover above €35,000), and submit CVs plus technical and financial proposals; subcontracting is permitted subject to identification and commitment letter requirements. Awards will be made on the best price-quality ratio (quality 70 percent, price 30 percent) with payments linked to accepted interim and final activity reports.

What it funds

Scope

Provision of two Technical Secretariats to support coordination and technical work of Notified Bodies Groups: Lot 1 Toys (Toy Safety Directive/Regulation) and Lot 2 Fertilisers (Fertilising Products Regulation). Tasks include preparing and running technical meetings, circulating documents, drafting minutes, protocols, recommendations, and ad hoc technical advice.

Who can apply:Any legal or natural person or consortium established and eligible under EU procurement rules; participation possible as sole tenderer or joint tender; subcontracting allowed with prior rules. See tender documentation for exclusion and selection requirements F&T Tender Page. ¹

Key facts

1. 1Procedure: Open procedure (direct service contracts, two independent lots)
2. 2Maximum contract duration per lot: 48 months (initial 12 months + renewals)
3. 3Award method: best price-quality ratio (price 30%, quality 70%)

Deadlines:deadline for receipt of tenders 17 June 2026 14:30 Europe/Brussels; public opening 18 June 2026 11:30 Europe/Brussels. Electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required, see tender dossier for eSubmission rules).

Deliverables and payments:interim activity report (after first six months) triggers up to 50% interim payment; final activity report and handover (if applicable) trigger balance payment. Tender must include CVs for proposed Technical Secretary and substitute and the financial offer form.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement documents, submission terms and templates are on the EU Funding & Tenders portal Tender dossier.

Key facts and administrative details

Title:Technical Secretariats for the Notified Bodies Group under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and under the Fertilising Products Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. Procedure reference: EC-GROW/2026/OP/0014. TED reference: 87/2026 308925-2026. Procedure type: Open procedure. Submission method: Electronic via eSubmission (EU Login required). Languages: Documents published in English; tenders may be submitted in any official EU language. Publication date on F&T portal: 06/05/2026. Deadlines: Deadline for receipt of tenders 17/06/2026 14:30 Europe/Brussels; public opening 18/06/2026 11:30 Europe/Brussels; contracting authority not bound to reply to questions submitted after 09/06/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels.

Lead contracting authority:European Commission, DG GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, GROW.F.2 - Bioeconomy, Chemicals and Cosmetics.

Nature of contract and CPV:Service contracts (direct service contracts). Main CPV: 73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services. Additional CPV 79000000 Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security.

Purpose, scope, tasks and deliverables

Purpose:to appoint a Technical Secretariat (one Technical Secretary per lot) to organise and run the technical aspects of the Notified Bodies Groups (NBG) established under two legal acts: Lot 1 Toys: Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and newly adopted Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509; Lot 2 Fertilisers: Fertilising Products Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. The Technical Secretariat assists the Group Chair, prepares agendas and technical working documents, drafts minutes, prepares Protocols and Recommendations, monitors relevant Expert Group work and standards developments, manages content on CIRCABC coordination groups in cooperation with the Administrative Secretariat, and provides technical advice to Commission services when requested (response within four weeks where specified).

1. 1Prepare, take part in and run meetings of the Notified Bodies Group: prepare agendas, technical working documents; draft minutes, protocols and recommendations. Documents to be ready normally two weeks in advance.
2. 2Report to the Group on progress in the relevant Expert Group and in European standardisation.
3. 3Use and coordinate with CIRCABC coordination groups and cooperate with the Administrative Secretariat, including uploading documents and granting access where appropriate.
4. 4Provide technical advice to Commission services upon request within four weeks.
5. 5Participate in a minimum of 2 plenary NBG meetings per 12-month period (physical meetings where applicable); estimated preparation time 2–3 days per meeting.
6. 6Deliverables per 12-month period: interim activity report (within 30 days after first six-months), final activity report (within 60 days after the 12-month period), handover report when contract is not renewed.

Meetings and activity workload estimate:minimum two plenary meetings/year; estimated preparation time two to three working days per meeting; participation in meetings in Member States when physical meetings occur; electronic support and file distribution expected; handover and management reports are contract deliverables.

Lots, contract duration, budget and award method

Who can apply and eligibility

Eligible applicant types:Any natural or legal person, including public bodies, private companies, research institutes, consultancies, NGOs, and groups of economic operators (joint tenders). The tender allows sole tenderers and joint tenders (groups) with joint and several liability. Subcontracting is permitted subject to rules; identified subcontractors (over 20% of contract or relied upon for selection criteria) must be listed and provide commitment letters. Entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (not subcontractors) must provide commitment letters.

Geographic eligibility:open to entities within the scope of the EU Treaties. Services and data processing must be performed within the EU/EEA territory; transfers outside EU/EEA require prior written authorisation and must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 (data protection). Applicants from third countries may participate only if rules on access to procurement permit (specific agreements).

Eligible applicant types (summary):Universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, consultancies, nonprofits/NGOs, public bodies, consortia / joint tenders, subcontractors and entities providing capacity assurances.

Selection, exclusion and evaluation rules

Exclusion:Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) mandatory. Tenderers in exclusion situations under Article 138 of the Financial Regulation will be rejected. The contracting authority may consult the EU Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES). Evidence may be requested from the presumed successful tenderer before award. Evidence can be pre-submitted if previously supplied to the Commission within a year.

1. 1Economic & financial selection criterion: consolidated average yearly turnover of last two financial years above €35,000 (per lot). Evidence: profit & loss and balance sheets or bank statements; may be requested later.
2. 2Technical & professional selection criteria: consolidated proof of relevant experience for the nominated Technical Secretary and substitute. Minimum: at least two similar projects (scope/complexity), each at least 1-year, completed in last five years for criteria P1-P3. Evidence: CVs of Technical Secretary and substitute submitted with tender; additional evidence may be requested.
3. 3Professional conflicting interests: all involved entities and subcontractors must declare absence of conflicting interests.

Evaluation and award:each lot is evaluated independently. Award method best price-quality ratio: Price 30% and Quality 70%. Quality criteria (per lot) and weights: 1) Approach to role of Technical Secretariat: minimum 10 points of 20, weight 20; 2) Methodology to perform tasks: minimum 25 points of 50, weight 50; 3) Planning and organisation incl. quality control and risk management: minimum 15 points of 30, weight 30. Tenders with overall score under 60% or scoring below 50% on any single quality criterion will be excluded. Final score formula: (Technical score x 0.7) + [(Lowest price / Tender price) x 100] x 0.3.

Application and submission details

Submission method:exclusively electronic via the eSubmission application on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. EU Login account is required; from 30 June 2026 two-factor authentication is required. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is required for organisations and must be used when preparing the tender. Tenderers must upload required documents in eSubmission in the relevant sections for the sole tenderer or group members and identified subcontractors. Maximum of 200 files per submission; individual attachment limits and file types per system requirements (see eSubmission guidance on portal).

1. 1Mandatory forms and annexes: Invitation to tender, Tender specifications (Annex I), Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Financial offer form (Annex 6), Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tender (Annex 3), list of identified subcontractors (Annex 4), commitment letters (Annex 5.1/5.2).
2. 2Required technical submission: Technical tender with CVs of Technical Secretary and substitute, methodology, work plan, quality control and risk management details, evidence for selection criteria if requested.
3. 3Required financial submission: Financial tender using Annex 6 financial offer template, expressed in EUR and excluding VAT.
4. 4Signature policy: documents should be signed with qualified electronic signature (QES) where possible; handwritten signatures acceptable but originals must be retained for five years and provided on request.

Deadlines and timeline reminders:submission deadline 17/06/2026 14:30 Brussels time. Contract duration 48 months. Public opening 18/06/2026 11:30. Contracting authority not bound to reply to questions submitted after 09/06/2026 23:59.

Budget, payments and VAT

Estimated value:tender publications indicate an estimated total value of €200,000 across both lots; estimated value per lot €100,000. Payments: interim payment up to 50% upon acceptance of interim activity report; balance on acceptance of final activity report and handover report where applicable. Invoices must follow VAT rules described in tender: the EU is exempt from VAT; where local VAT rules apply (Belgium, Luxembourg or other Member State), specific wording and certificates are required; in case of joint tenders, an annex listing group members' shares for VAT purposes must be provided.

Contract management, reporting, IP and security

Contract management and reporting:interim activity report (within 30 days after first six month period) and final activity report (within 60 days after the 12-month performance). Handover report when the contract is not renewed. Payments tied to acceptance of reports. The Commission may request copies of documents produced by the Technical Secretary.

Intellectual property:the Union acquires ownership of the results created under the contract. Pre-existing rights must be identified and licensed to the Union on a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable basis allowing reuse and adaptation by the Union and its partners in the modes listed in the contract. A list of pre-existing rights or a declaration that none exist must be provided with the invoice for payment of the balance at the latest, together with supporting documentary evidence as requested.

Security requirements:Contractors and personnel must comply with the Commission's Security Requirements (Appendix 1). Personnel who are granted access to Commission premises or IT systems may be subject to background checks and security advice by Belgian authorities; screening fees are to be borne by the contractor. Remote access and handling of Commission information must comply with the Security Baseline for External Connections, and all personal data processing must take place within the EU/EEA unless authorised in advance and in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.

Administrative, legal and practical points

1. 1One-stage procurement: submission is a single-stage open procedure. Tender evaluation and award occur after the single submission. No multi-stage selection process is described.
2. 2Consortium requirement: Not mandatory. Single tender or group (consortium) allowed. If joint tender, group leader must be appointed and sign Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3). All group members are jointly and severally liable.
3. 3Co-funding: No co-funding requirement is specified in the tender documents.
4. 4Support & Q&A: Questions are submitted through the F&T Portal Questions & answers section; Q&A publication and deadline rules apply; contracting authority not bound to reply to questions after 09/06/2026 23:59.
5. 5Format and templates: financial offer form (Annex 6) sets yearly staff/day-rate breakdown and summary table by year; Declaration on Honour template (Annex 2); List of identified subcontractors (Annex 4); commitment letters templates (Annex 5.1 and 5.2).

Evaluation and success chances

Award method:Best price-quality ratio with weighting Price 30% and Quality 70%. Minimum thresholds: tenders must reach overall minimum 60% and at least 50% per individual quality criterion to remain in evaluation. Exact numerical scoring method is published in tender specifications. No official success rate is published by the contracting authority; success rates depend on number and quality of rivals and are not available in the public call documents.

Templates and application form structure (what to prepare and where to upload)

The tender package includes standard templates and required annexes. Key document list and where to upload in eSubmission is given in Tender Specifications Annex 1. Required items include: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Agreement/Power of Attorney for joint tenders (Annex 3), list of identified subcontractors (Annex 4) and their commitment letters (Annex 5.1) and commitment letters from entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (Annex 5.2), financial offer form (Annex 6), CVs for the Technical Secretary and substitute, technical proposal (methodology, workplan, quality control, risk management), and supporting evidence for selection criteria when requested. Financial offer must be in EUR, free of VAT, and should use the Annex 6 template with year-by-year breakdown and staff day rates. Signatures: QES preferred; handwritten signatures allowed but originals must be retained and produced on request.

1. 1Technical tender: Methodology, Work Plan, Staffing (CVs of proposed Technical Secretary and substitute), Quality control, Risk mitigation, Evidence of relevant projects and roles.
2. 2Administrative forms: Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3) for joint tenders, Participant Register PIC.
3. 3Subcontracting information: Annex 4 list and Annex 5.1 commitment letters (for identified subcontractors) and Annex 5.2 for entities providing capacities.
4. 4Financial tender: Annex 6 financial offer form, expressed in EUR, excluding VAT, with staff day rates and other costs, summary table by year.

Other practical constraints and clauses to note

Security screening and access to Commission premises:contracting authority may require background checks and security advice for personnel accessing Commission buildings or IT assets. Screening fees borne by contractor. Data location: personal data processing must remain in EU/EEA unless authorised; pre-approval required for transfer outside EU/EEA. Checks and audits: the Commission, Court of Auditors, OLAF and EPPO have audit and investigation rights; records must be kept for five years after payment of balance. Fraud prevention: contractor must include fraud prevention obligations in subcontracting and personnel contracts. Intellectual property: contractor must list pre-existing rights and provide evidence; Union acquires ownership of newly created results.

Categorisation answers (structured extraction)

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: startups (if registered and meeting criteria), SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, non-profits/NGOs, consultancies, public bodies, joint tenders/consortia, subcontractors, entities providing capacity assurances.
2. 2Funding Type: tender / procurement / service contract (contract for services).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: not required; single tenderer acceptable; consortium/joint tender permitted and common. If joint tender, group leader mandatory and joint & several liability applies.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU / EEA entities primarily; participation open to natural and legal persons within scope of EU Treaties. Third-country participation allowed only when procurement access rules permit; data processing and hosting limited to EU/EEA unless explicit authorisation.
5. 5Target Sector: regulatory compliance / product safety / conformity assessment / standardisation support across the toys sector and fertilising products sector; thematic sectors include: environment / agriculture / chemicals / product safety / market surveillance / standards / conformity assessment.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: No specific Member States required for bidders; Commission address in Brussels, Belgium is contracting authority location. Contract references to Member States for meeting venues. Region mentioned: European Union (EU).
7. 7Project Stage: operational / implementation and coordination of ongoing regulatory group work (mature operational stage), not R&D or commercialization.
8. 8Funding Amount: estimated total value €200,000 for both lots; estimated value per lot €100,000. Maximum contract duration 48 months. Interim payment scheme: up to 50% on interim report acceptance; remainder on final report acceptance.
9. 9Application Type: open call / single-stage tender via eSubmission on Funding & Tenders Portal (open procedure).
10. 10Nature of Support: monetary payment for contracted services (service contract); no grant funding. Payments against deliverables and invoices.
11. 11Application Stages: single-stage tender submission and evaluation; likely two administrative/evaluation steps (administrative compliance, exclusion/selection checks, technical & financial evaluation) but one formal submission step. For contracting, pre-award documentary checks requested from presumed winner (exclusion/selection evidence).
12. 12Success Rates: not published; no success-rate data provided in tender documents.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: none specified; the contract price covers all requirements and no co-funding is required.

How to prepare a compliant bid (practical checklist)

1. 1Register organisation and obtain Participant Identification Code (PIC) in Participant Register and ensure EU Login with required authentication (2FA required from 30 June 2026).
2. 2Decide whether to tender for Lot 1 (Toys), Lot 2 (Fertilisers) or both. Prepare separate technical and financial bids per lot.
3. 3Prepare technical proposal: methodology, proposed Technical Secretary and substitute CVs, evidence of relevant projects (two similar projects of at least one year each within last five years), workplan, quality control and risk mitigation, use of CIRCABC and digital working methods, approach to drafting meeting minutes, protocols and recommendations.
4. 4Complete Declaration on Honour (Annex 2) for all involved entities as required and ensure no exclusion situations apply. Prepare supporting evidence in advance (financial statements, judicial extracts) in case requested.
5. 5Prepare financial offer using Annex 6 template: show staff day rates, man-days per role, other costs, four-year summary. Quote in EUR and exclude VAT.
6. 6If joint tender, prepare Agreement/Power of Attorney (Annex 3). If subcontractors play significant role (>20%) or are relied upon for selection criteria, list them (Annex 4) and include commitment letters (Annex 5.1). If relying on other entities for capacity, include Annex 5.2 commitment letter.
7. 7Sign documents (preferably using qualified electronic signature) and upload required attachments in the correct eSubmission sections. Validate file types and size limits (attachments < 50 MB per file typically).
8. 8Submit via eSubmission and retain submission receipt timestamp. If later changes required before deadline, withdraw and resubmit as allowed by the system.

Key evaluation pitfall to avoid:failing to meet minimum quality thresholds (overall < 60% or <50% on any quality criterion) will exclude tenders; insufficient CV detail for the Technical Secretary and substitute or missing evidence for selection criteria are common grounds for rejection; failure to follow Annex 6 financial template or to submit required declarations in the designated eSubmission fields will lead to non-compliance.

Final summary

What this opportunity is about and how to explain it:The European Commission DG GROW is procuring two separate Technical Secretariat service contracts to support the coordination and technical work of Notified Bodies Groups in two regulatory domains: Toys (Toy Safety Directive and the new Toy Safety Regulation) and Fertilising Products (FPR 2019/1009). Each lot will appoint a Technical Secretary (with a named substitute) whose role is to assist the Group Chair, prepare and run technical meetings, prepare working documents, draft minutes, protocols and recommendations, liaise with Commission Expert Groups and standardisation activities, maintain the relevant CIRCABC coordination group in cooperation with the Administrative Secretariat, and provide technical advice on request. The procurement is an open procedure with electronic submission; evaluation follows a best price-quality ratio with heavy emphasis on quality (70%) relative to price (30%). Tenderers must demonstrate specific technical experience through CVs and past projects, meet modest financial turnover criteria and comply with security, data protection, VAT and IP requirements. The estimated total budget for both lots is €200,000 and each lot is estimated at €100,000 for the contract period; contracts run up to 48 months with annual reporting deliverables and interim/final payment structure. Interested organisations should prepare a clear technical methodology, name qualified Technical Secretary personnel, complete the Annex templates and Declaration on Honour, and submit separate technical and financial offers for each lot via the EU Funding & Tenders eSubmission portal before the deadline.

Source and procurement documents:All official procurement documents (Invitation to tender, Tender specifications and annexes, Draft contract, Financial offer templates, Declaration templates, Security Annex) are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page for EC-GROW/2026/OP/0014 and the TED reference listed above. The portal contains the full set of annexes, Q&A functionality, and eSubmission link Opportunity details on Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Opportunity page and all procurement documents available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Overview

The European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) is seeking qualified contractors to provide Technical Secretariat services for two separate Notified Bodies Groups. This is an open procurement procedure divided into two independent lots, each covering a different regulatory framework. The opportunity is structured as a direct service contract with a maximum duration of 48 months per lot.

Procedure Reference:EC-GROW/2026/OP/0014

What This Procurement Is About

This call for tenders seeks to establish Technical Secretariats that will organise and support the coordination and cooperation activities of Notified Bodies Groups operating under EU product legislation. Notified Bodies are conformity assessment bodies designated by Member States to perform conformity assessment procedures for products subject to EU harmonisation legislation. The Technical Secretariat will provide essential support to ensure consistent technical application of conformity assessment procedures across the European Union.

Lot 1: Toy Safety Directive

This lot covers the Technical Secretariat for the Notified Bodies Group under Directive 2009/48/EC on toy safety and the upcoming Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 on toy safety. The Technical Secretariat will support the coordination of notified bodies responsible for assessing toy safety compliance across the EU.

Lot 2: Fertilising Products Regulation

This lot covers the Technical Secretariat for the Notified Bodies Group under Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 on fertilising products. The Technical Secretariat will support the coordination of notified bodies responsible for assessing fertilising product compliance across the EU.

Key Responsibilities of the Technical Secretariat

The Technical Secretariat will be headed by a Technical Secretary, with a designated substitute to ensure continuity. The contractor must nominate both individuals, and any permanent change of Technical Secretary requires prior written approval from the European Commission. The main responsibilities include:

• Assisting the Coordination Chair of the Notified Bodies Group in carrying out its duties
• Preparing, participating in and running meetings of the Notified Bodies Group
• Preparing agendas, drafting technical working documents, and creating records of meetings, protocols and recommendations
• Ensuring meeting documents are ready at least two weeks in advance, except in exceptional cases
• Monitoring progress in relevant Expert Groups and implementing EU legislation in European standardisation
• Making full use of information technologies, particularly the CIRCABC Coordination Groups platform
• Providing technical advice within four weeks upon request from Commission services on subjects relating to the applicable Regulation
• Maintaining continuity of the Technical Secretariat's work throughout the contract duration

The Technical Secretariat will be supported by a separate Administrative Secretariat responsible for logistical aspects such as meeting room arrangements, hotel reservations, technical equipment, and translation of documents. The Administrative Secretariat will also manage the CIRCABC platform, including user access and document uploads.

Workload and Time Requirements

The activities of the Technical Secretariat are expected to require a minimum of two to three days for preparation of each meeting per 12-month period. The contractor must participate in a minimum of 2 plenary meetings of the respective Notified Bodies Group in any Member State per year. This includes both meeting attendance and preparation work.

Deliverables and Reporting

The contractor must provide all required reports and documents in English, in both .doc and .pdf electronic formats. The reporting structure includes:

• Interim activity report due no later than 30 days after the end of the first six-month period, detailing work achieved, work in progress, future tasks forecast, and attendance documentation for all meetings
• Final activity report due no later than 60 days after the 12-month deadline, with the same detailed information as the interim report
• Handover report required when the contract is not renewed, submitted with the final report covering the last 12-month period, detailing all outstanding issues and tasks for the successor contractor

The Commission reserves the right to request copies of all documents drawn up by the Technical Secretary and to provide comments within 20 days. The contractor has 20 days to amend reports based on Commission remarks.

Funding and Financial Information

Total Estimated Value:€200,000 for the entire call for tenders ¹

Value per Lot:€100,000 per lot (Lot 1 and Lot 2 each)

Contract Duration:48 months maximum per lot

Payment Structure:One interim payment of maximum 50 percent of the contract price upon acceptance of the interim activity report; balance payment of minimum 50 percent upon acceptance of the final activity report and, if applicable, the handover report

Future Extension Possibility:Within three years following contract signature, the Commission may use the negotiated procedure to procure new services from the contractor up to a maximum of 50 percent of the initial contract value per lot, subject to successful completion and availability of funding

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

This is an open procedure where any interested economic operator may submit a tender. Eligible participants include natural persons, legal persons, and groups of economic operators (joint tenders). Participation is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons coming within the scope of the EU Treaties, as well as to international organisations. Participation is also open to natural and legal persons established in third countries provided the country has a special agreement with the European Union in the field of public procurement.

Participation is NOT open to natural and legal persons established in countries that have ratified the Agreement on Government Procurement concluded within the World Trade Organisation.

Registration Requirements

All economic operators must be registered in the European Commission's Participant Register to submit a tender. Upon registration, each participant obtains a Participant Identification Code (PIC), a 9-digit unique identifier. Participants need to register only once and can reuse their PIC in other EU calls for tenders or proposals. Each participant must ensure that its SME status in the Participant Register is registered and kept up to date.

Joint Tenders

Economic operators may submit tenders as a group (joint tender). All group members assume joint and several liability towards the Commission for the performance of the contract as a whole. The group must appoint a group leader as the single point of contact authorised to act on their behalf. All group members must sign an Agreement/Power of Attorney in the model provided by the Commission. The joint tender must clearly indicate the role and tasks of each group member.

Subcontracting

Subcontracting is permitted. All contractual tasks may be subcontracted unless the procurement documents expressly reserve certain critical tasks to the sole tenderer or group member. Tenderers must identify subcontractors whose individual share of the contract is above 20 percent or on whose capacities the tenderer relies to fulfil selection criteria. Identified subcontractors must provide a commitment letter signed by their authorised representative. Changes to identified subcontractors during the procedure require prior written approval from the Commission.

Selection Criteria and Minimum Requirements

Tenderers must meet specific selection criteria to demonstrate they have the legal, regulatory, economic, financial, technical and professional capacity to perform the contract. ²

Economic and Financial Capacity

For both Lot 1 and Lot 2, the minimum level of capacity is an average yearly turnover of the last two financial years above €35,000. This criterion applies to the tenderer as a whole, meaning a consolidated assessment of the combined capacities of all involved entities will be carried out. Evidence must include copies of profit and loss accounts and balance sheets for the last two years for which accounts have been closed, or appropriate statements from banks. The most recent year must have been closed within the last 18 months. This evidence does not need to be provided with the tender but may be requested by the Commission or EU Validation Services at any time during the procedure.

Technical and Professional Capacity for Lot 1 (Toy Safety)

The Technical Secretary and substitute must demonstrate experience and knowledge in three key areas:

• Experience in the field of toy safety, chemical products legislation or other products legislation subject to the new legislative approach, with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed in the last five years
• Experience and knowledge on EU product legislation, particularly regarding conformity assessment, standards and the role of notified bodies, with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed in the last five years
• Experience in preparing and conducting secretarial work for technical meetings, ability to draft meeting agendas, working documents and minutes, and to provide overviews, draft reports and summaries in English, with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed in the last five years

Evidence must include a curriculum vitae for each person involved in service provision and execution of tasks, with examples of relevant professional experience highlighted to justify their roles. The precise contractual link with the tenderer must also be described. Only the curricula vitae of the Technical Secretary and substitute must be provided with the tender.

Technical and Professional Capacity for Lot 2 (Fertilising Products)

The Technical Secretary and substitute must demonstrate experience and knowledge in three key areas:

• Experience in the field of fertilising products, chemical products legislation or other products legislation subject to the new legislative approach, with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed in the last five years
• Experience and knowledge on EU product legislation, particularly regarding conformity assessment, standards and the role of notified bodies, with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed in the last five years
• Experience in preparing and conducting secretarial work for technical meetings, ability to draft meeting agendas, working documents and minutes, and to provide overviews, draft reports and summaries in English, with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed in the last five years

Evidence requirements are identical to Lot 1, with curricula vitae for each person involved, highlighting relevant professional experience and describing the precise contractual link with the tenderer.

Professional Conflicting Interests

All involved entities and subcontractors must not be subject to professional conflicting interests which may negatively affect contract performance. Where the Commission establishes such conflicting interests, it may conclude that the tenderer or involved entity does not possess the required professional capacity to perform the contract to an appropriate quality standard. The presence of conflicting interests will be examined during evaluation based on statements made through Declarations on Honour and commitment letters.

Exclusion Criteria

Tenderers found to be in an exclusion situation will be rejected. As evidence of non-exclusion, each tenderer must submit with its tender a Declaration on Honour in the model provided by the Commission. The declaration must be signed by an authorised representative of the entity providing the declaration.

Exclusion situations include bankruptcy or insolvency, breach of tax or social security payment obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal offences, significant deficiencies in contract performance, irregularities, creation of entities to circumvent legal obligations, resistance to investigations or audits, and other similar situations as defined in Article 138(1) of the EU Financial Regulation.

Initial verification of non-exclusion will be done based on submitted declarations and consultation of the European Union's Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES). Evidence will be requested only from the presumed successful tenderer before the award decision, without prejudice to the possibility for the Commission to ask any tenderer at any moment during the procedure to submit an updated declaration or supporting documents.

Restrictive Measures

Tenderers must ensure that no involved entities, subcontractors, or entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies are subject to EU restrictive measures adopted under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union or Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. Such measures consist of prohibitions to make available or transfer funds or economic resources or to provide financing or financial assistance directly or indirectly, or of an asset freeze. The prohibition applies throughout the whole performance of the contract.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

Tenders will be evaluated on the basis of the best price-quality ratio. The evaluation consists of two main components:

Price Component:30 percent weighting. The price considered for evaluation is the total price of the tender, covering all requirements set out in the tender specifications.

Quality Component:70 percent weighting. Quality is evaluated based on three criteria: the quality of the tenderer's approach to the role of Technical Secretariat (20 points maximum); the quality of the proposed methodology to perform the tasks described in the technical specifications (50 points maximum); and the quality of proposed planning and organisation of the technical secretariat to fulfil contract obligations in the required timeframe, including quality control and risk management (30 points maximum).

Tenders scoring less than 60 percent in overall points or less than 50 percent in points awarded for a single criterion will be excluded from the rest of the assessment procedure. Tenders will be ranked according to their total score, with the highest-scoring tender being the most economically advantageous.

Important Deadlines

Tender Submission Deadline:17 June 2026 at 14:30 Brussels time (Europe/Brussels timezone)

Public Opening Date and Time:18 June 2026 at 11:30 Brussels time

Deadline for Questions:09 June 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time. The Commission is not bound to reply to questions submitted after this deadline.

Tender Validity Period:Tenderers may not modify the terms of their tenders during the validity period specified in the contract notice.

Submission Procedures

Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the electronic submission system (eSubmission) available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Tenders submitted in any other way, such as by email or letter, will be disregarded. No more than one tender per lot can be considered per tenderer. If the same tenderer submits more than one tender per lot without withdrawing the earlier one, only the latest tender will be considered.

Before submitting a tender, tenderers must ensure they are familiar with the eSubmission system and its requirements, including accepted file formats and system requirements. The maximum file size for attachments is 50 MB, and the maximum number of documents per tender is 200 files. Supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements.

After submitting a tender but before the deadline, a tenderer may definitively withdraw its tender or withdraw and replace it with a new one. A withdrawal receipt will be provided by eSubmission as proof of withdrawal. All costs incurred for tender preparation and submission are borne by tenderers and will not be reimbursed.

Required Documents

Tenderers must submit the following documents with their tender:

• Declaration on Honour on exclusion and selection criteria, signed by an authorised representative
• Agreement/Power of Attorney (for joint tenders, signed by all group members)
• List of identified subcontractors and proportion of subcontracting (if applicable)
• Commitment letters from identified subcontractors (if applicable)
• Commitment letters from entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies (if applicable)
• Financial tender form with detailed breakdown of costs
• Curricula vitae of the proposed Technical Secretary and substitute
• Technical proposal describing the approach, methodology, and planning for performing the tasks

All documents must be submitted in English or another official EU language. Documents must be signed with a qualified electronic signature (QES) as defined in Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS Regulation), or with a handwritten signature if electronic signature is not available.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

If processing a reply to the invitation to tender involves recording and processing of personal data such as name, address and CV, such data will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. Personal data will be processed solely for evaluation purposes under the call for tenders by the European Commission acting as data controller.

Tenderers' personal data may be registered in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) if the tenderer is in one of the situations mentioned in Article 138 of the Financial Regulation. Once the Commission has opened tenders, they become its property and shall be treated confidentially.

General Conditions and Important Notes

This invitation to tender is in no way binding on the Commission. The Commission's contractual obligation commences only when the contract with the successful tenderer is signed by both parties. Up to the point of signature, the Commission may cancel the procurement procedure without tenderers being entitled to claim any compensation. This decision must be substantiated and tenderers notified.

Submission of a tender implies acceptance of all terms and conditions set out in the procurement documents and, where appropriate, waiver of the tenderer's own general or specific terms and conditions. The submitted tender is binding on the tenderer to whom the contract is awarded for the duration of the contract.

Contacts between the Commission and tenderers are prohibited throughout the procedure save in exceptional circumstances. Upon request, the Commission may provide additional information solely for the purpose of clarifying the procurement documents. Any request for additional information must be made in writing through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by clicking 'Create a question' in the Questions and Answers section. EU Login registration is required to submit a question.

The Commission may correct obvious clerical errors in the tender after confirmation of the correction by the tenderer. Such information, clarification or confirmation shall not substantially change the tender. Tenderers who have failed to submit evidence or make statements as required may be contacted by the Commission to provide missing information or clarify supporting documents.

If a tenderer to whom the contract is awarded has established debt(s) owed to the Union, the European Atomic Energy Community or an executive agency, such debt(s) may be offset against any payment due under the contract in line with Articles 101(1) and 102 of the Financial Regulation and conditions set out in the draft contract.

Contract Implementation

The contracts resulting from this call for tenders will be direct service contracts. In direct contracts all terms governing the provision of services are defined at the outset. Once signed, they can be implemented directly without any further contract procedures.

Services will be performed at the contractor's premises and at the venues where different meetings of the Cooperation Groups of Notified Bodies take place (only in case meetings are physical). For all exchanges with contractors during contract implementation and for future possible subsequent proceedings, including for EDES purposes, the Commission may use an electronic exchange system meeting the requirements of Article 151 of the Financial Regulation. At the request of the Commission, use of such a system shall become mandatory for contractors at no additional cost to the Commission.

The contractor must assist the Commission in its efforts on fraud prevention and detection and must impose fraud prevention obligations upon subcontractors and personnel in relevant contracts signed with them. Environmental considerations shall be taken into account by the contractor throughout the complete life cycle of providing services. The contractor shall observe a policy on the promotion of equality and diversity in contract implementation, applying principles of non-discrimination and equality set out in EU Treaties.

Contact Information and Support

For technical problems with eSubmission, tenderers should contact the eSubmission Helpdesk as soon as possible. Detailed instructions on how to submit a tender are available in the eSubmission Quick Guide. Supported browsers, file types, attachment sizes and other system requirements can be consulted in the system requirements documentation.

For questions about the procurement procedure, tenderers should submit written requests through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by clicking 'Create a question' in the Questions and Answers section. The Commission is not bound to reply to requests for additional information received less than six working days before the tender submission deadline.

Tenderers may request to attend the virtual opening session by sending an email to grow-procurement@ec.europa.eu as soon as possible and not later than three hours before the scheduled start. The request must include the full names and email addresses of representatives, the name of the represented tenderer and the submission receipt generated by eSubmission. A maximum of two representatives per tender may attend.

Access to Procurement Documents

All procurement documents are available in the EU Funding and Tenders Portal at the following link: Link to Opportunity. Documents are published in English only. That language version constitutes the sole authentic text and prevails over any other language versions that may be published on request of economic operators.

Subscription to the call for tenders at the above link allows interested economic operators to receive email notifications when new information or documents are published. Subscription is free of charge and does not involve any commitment to submit a tender.

The procurement documents consist of the contract notice, the invitation letter, the draft contracts and tender specifications with their respective annexes. Tenderers must take full account of the complete set of procurement documents, including the provisions of the draft contract, as the latter will define and govern the contractual relationships to be established between the Commission and successful tenderers. Special attention should be paid to provisions specifying rights and obligations of the contractor, particularly those on payments, performance of the contract, confidentiality, and checks and audits.

Key Considerations for Applicants

Applicants should note that this is a highly specialised procurement requiring deep knowledge of EU product legislation, conformity assessment procedures, and notified bodies coordination. The Technical Secretary role demands expertise in either toy safety or fertilising products legislation, depending on the lot, combined with strong secretarial and documentation skills.

The minimum financial threshold of €35,000 average yearly turnover is relatively modest, making this opportunity accessible to small consulting firms and individual experts with appropriate experience. However, the technical and professional requirements are stringent, requiring demonstrated experience with at least two similar projects of at least one year each completed within the last five years.

Applicants should carefully review the draft contract before submitting a tender, as it will govern the contractual relationship. The payment structure with interim and final payments based on activity reports means cash flow management is important. The requirement to participate in at least 2 plenary meetings per year in any Member State should be considered when planning resource allocation.

The evaluation emphasises quality over price, with quality accounting for 70 percent of the award criteria. Tenderers should invest significant effort in developing a comprehensive technical proposal that clearly demonstrates their understanding of the role, their proposed methodology, and their planning and organisation approach.

Applicants must ensure they have valid EU Login accounts with two-factor authentication activated as of 30 June 2026 to access the portal and submit tenders. All involved entities must be registered in the Participant Register with valid PICs before submission.

Footnotes

1. 1The estimated total value of €200,000 is divided equally between the two lots, with each lot valued at €100,000 for the maximum 48-month contract duration. This represents the maximum financial commitment; actual contract values may be lower depending on the quality and pricing of submitted tenders.
2. 2Selection criteria evidence does not need to be provided with the tender for economic and financial capacity but may be requested by the Commission or EU Validation Services at any time during the procedure. However, all tenderers are invited to prepare documentary evidence in advance, as they may be requested to provide such evidence within a short deadline. For technical and professional capacity, only the curricula vitae of the Technical Secretary and substitute must be provided with the tender.