EEA/ENS/TC/26/003 - Topic Centre on Air Quality Reporting, Data and Assessment Services

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published an open tender (EEA/2026/OP/0018) to establish a Topic Centre on Air Quality Reporting, Data and Assessment Services as a framework contract with an estimated value of €2,500,000 for an initial 24-month period renewable up to three times for a maximum of 54 months. Eligible tenders must be submitted by consortia of designated Topic Centre Organisations (TCOs) from different EEA member countries, with specific designation requirements referenced in the procurement documents. The contractor will collect and process mandated air quality dataflows, develop and maintain visualisations, dashboards and data viewers, and produce regular knowledge outputs including briefings, reports and datasets. Submission is by eSubmission on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 4 August 2026 at 14:00:59 CET and award criteria weigh quality 70 percent and price 30 percent.

What it funds

Scope at a glance

Framework service contract to support the European Environment Agency in meeting legal obligations on air quality dataflows, to develop and maintain visualisations, dashboards and viewers, and to produce regular knowledge outputs (briefings, reports, datasets).

Who can apply:Legal entities experienced in air quality data collection, processing and communication (consultancies, research organisations, IT/data service providers); submissions via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal are required ¹.

1. 1Services include data collection and quality checks, dashboard and viewer development, and production of assessment reports and datasets.
2. 2Contract is a framework agreement with an initial 24-month period, renewable up to three times; procurement is open to organisations able to meet the tender specifications.

Tender documents, draft framework contract and templates are published on the opportunity page of the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Tender page.

Footnotes

1. 1See the Invitation to Tender and Technical Specifications published with the call for details on eligibility, selection and award criteria, and eSubmission requirements.

Opportunity summary

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published a call for tenders to establish a Topic Centre on Air Quality Reporting, Data and Assessment Services. The contract is structured as a framework contract for services with an initial duration of 24 months and renewal options (renewable three times, total planned period 54 months). The contractor will support EEA legal obligations on specified air quality dataflows, develop and update regular visualizations, dashboards and viewers, and deliver targeted knowledge development tasks including briefings, reports and datasets. The procurement is estimated at €2,500,000 for the full duration ¹.

Deadlines and key dates

The main submission deadline is 4 August 2026, 14:00:59 (Europe/Copenhagen timezone). An open tender event is scheduled for 5 August 2026 at 10:00 local time. There is an additional earlier date referenced (1 January 2026 12:00:59) in the metadata but the published closing date for submissions is 4 August 2026. The period for additional information requests ends 27 July 2026. Candidates should consult the procurement documents and the Funding and Tenders Portal for the full timetable.

Estimated contract value:Estimated overall contract amount: €2,500,000 for the framework (currency EUR).

What the EEA requires (scope of work)

The contractor will provide services covering three core areas:collection and management of specified dataflows required by EEA legal obligations; development, maintenance and periodic updates of visualisation products including dashboards, viewers and other data presentation tools; and the production of knowledge outputs (regular briefings, technical reports, datasets, ad hoc assessments). The technical specifications are provided as Annex I to the tender specifications; contractors must follow EEA corporate standards and IT policies as set out in the procurement documents ¹.

Eligibility and applicant type

This is a public procurement tender issued by the European Environment Agency. The procurement documents specify candidate and tenderer requirements and selection criteria. Typical eligible tenderers for EEA service contracts include legal entities such as private companies (SMEs and larger enterprises), universities and research institutes, non-profit organisations, consultancies and consortia formed by such entities. The procurement documentation should be consulted for exact exclusion and eligibility grounds, and any nationality or establishment requirements for economic operators. The EEA and its Eionet network reference suggests alignment with EEA member and cooperating countries in practice ¹.

Eligible Applicant Types (detailed):Based on the nature of the tender and standard EEA procurement practice, eligible applicants may include: private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), consultancies, universities and public research institutes, non-governmental organisations and non-profit legal entities, and consortia of the above. The invitation to tender and Information for candidates and tenderers documents provide exact legal and administrative eligibility and exclusion rules which must be checked by applicants ¹.

Procurement structure and consortium requirement

The procurement is for services via a framework agreement. The procurement record references one lot (LOT-0001). The tendering terms include selection criteria and ask tenderers to consult procurement documents for details. The documents allow for tenderers to meet selection criteria individually or as part of a consortium (standard for such requests), but applicants must consult the tender specifications for rules on tenderer status, joint bids, lead partner requirements and capacity proof. Submission is by electronic eSubmission through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

Consortium Requirement:The procurement allows for a single tenderer or a consortium/joint submission in line with the selection and award rules contained in the tender documentation. The tender package contains specific tenderer qualification requests and selection criteria to be satisfied either by a single economic operator or jointly by consortium members ¹.

Geographic eligibility and beneficiaries

The contracting authority is the European Environment Agency (EEA). While the tender does not list each eligible country in the scraped summary, EEA procurement normally targets economic operators established in EEA Member States and cooperating Eionet countries; the EEA network includes EU Member States plus cooperating countries (EEA-39 and cooperating countries such as Ukraine are referenced on the EEA site). Applicants must check the tender documentation for explicit nationality or establishment requirements and allowed third-country participation ¹.

Target sectors and technical fields

Primary thematic sectors:environment and air quality information systems. Relevant technical fields: environmental data management, air quality monitoring and reporting, geospatial visualisation and dashboard development, data quality assurance, web-based viewers and dashboards, data integration and interoperability, statistical reporting and environmental assessment. The procurement references CPV codes related to building-related site works and other services (main CPV 73200000 and 90731000 appear in the record) but the descriptive scope is environmental information and technical services to support air quality reporting and data services.

Project maturity and expected deliverables

Expected maturity:operational implementation and long-term service delivery. The contract calls for ongoing operational services: collecting and processing dataflows, producing dashboards and visualizations on a recurring basis, and producing regular briefings, reports and datasets. Deliverables will include datasets, visualisation tools, technical and policy briefings and other specified outputs as set out in Annex I Technical Specifications.

Funding type and nature of support

Primary funding mechanism:public procurement (service contract / framework agreement). Nature of support: financial payment for services rendered (contract value paid under the framework contract). This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument, but a procurement of services by the EEA. No co-funding by the contractor is required as part of the award; contractors are paid under the contract terms and rates set in the financial offer template and reimbursement rules in Annex 3 to the tender specifications ¹.

Funding Type:Procurement / service contract via framework agreement. Estimated pool: €2,500,000.

Application method and stages

Submission method:required electronic eSubmission through the Funding and Tenders Portal (the procurement record references the portal and eSubmission). The tender documentation includes an Invitation to tender, Information for candidates and tenderers, draft framework contract, technical specifications and financial offer template. The submission and evaluation process will follow the procedure described in the Information for candidates and tenderers document; an open tender event is scheduled shortly after the submission deadline. The procurement uses awarding criteria weighted on quality (70) and price (30) according to the procurement metadata.

Application Stages:Typical stages for this tender: 1) Pre-submission preparation and clarification period, 2) Electronic submission by deadline, 3) Administrative and technical evaluation against selection and award criteria, 4) Contract award and signature of the framework contract. In practice applicants should expect at least two formal evaluation stages (selection and award).

Success rates and competition

No explicit success rate or number of awards is provided in the tender metadata. As a single-lot framework contract tender from an EU agency, competition is typically moderate to high; the award will be made to the tenderer providing the most economically advantageous tender based on the stated criteria. The number of successful contractors (single award or multiple) will be specified in the draft framework contract and award notice in the procurement documents; applicants should consult Annex 2 Draft FWC for details.

Co-funding and financial conditions

This is a paid service contract. There is no requirement for the tenderer to provide co-funding; instead the contractor will be remunerated per the agreed prices and reimbursement rules in the financial offer template and Annex 3 Reimbursement. Tenderers must submit a financial offer using the provided template and follow invoicing, electronic ordering and payment rules set by the EEA.

Evaluation and award criteria

Awarding criteria are provided in the procurement metadata and the tender documents. The recorded weightings are quality 70 and price 30. Tenderers must consult the tender specifications and Information for candidates and tenderers for full breakdown of quality sub-criteria, scoring, threshold requirements and administrative compliance checks.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), consultancies, universities and research institutes, NGOs/non-profits, and consortia of these (subject to tender rules).
2. 2Funding type: public procurement — service contract (framework agreement).
3. 3Consortium requirement: single tenderer or consortium permitted; consult tender specifications for joint bid rules.
4. 4Beneficiary geographic scope: EEA contracting practice; applicants established in EEA Member States and cooperating Eionet countries are typically eligible. Check tender documents for exact nationality rules.
5. 5Target sector: environment, air quality monitoring and reporting, environmental data management and visualisation; ICT for dashboards and viewers.
6. 6Project stage: operational implementation, long-term service delivery and maintenance.
7. 7Funding amount: estimated overall contract amount €2,500,000.
8. 8Application type: open public tender via electronic eSubmission on the Funding and Tenders Portal.
9. 9Nature of support: financial remuneration under a service contract (not a grant).
10. 10Application stages: multi-stage administrative and technical evaluation leading to award; at least selection and award stages.
11. 11Co-funding requirement: none; contractor receives payments under contract and follows reimbursement rules in tender documentation.

Documents provided with the tender (key templates and references)

The procurement page includes the full tender dossier. Key documents attached and their file names (as published) include: Invitation to tender (EN-INV~1_V1.pdf), Technical Specifications (EEA.ENS.TC.26.003_TS_Final_22526_V1.pdf referenced as Annex I), Draft Framework Contract (EEA.ENS.TC.26.003_Annex 2 to TS_Draft FWC_V1.pdf), Financial offer template (EEA.ENS.TC.26.003_Annex 1 to TS_Financial offer template_V1.docx), Reimbursement rules (EEA.ENS.TC.26.003_Annex 3 to TS_Reimbursement_V1.pdf), EEA corporate standards (Annex 5) and EEA IT policies (Annex 6), and checklist for eSubmission (Annex 7). Tenderers must use the Financial offer template and follow the checklist for electronic submission.

Templates and application structure:The tender provides standard templates that applicants must use or follow: 1) Financial offer form (Annex 1), 2) Draft framework contract (Annex 2) to review contractual terms, 3) Reimbursement rules (Annex 3) detailing eligible costs and invoicing, 4) Technical Specifications (Annex I) describing deliverables, scope and performance requirements, 5) Information for candidates and tenderers (Annex 5 and 6 include corporate and IT policies), 6) Checklist for eSubmission (Annex 7). Applications should be structured to respond to selection criteria (capacity, experience, financial status), and award criteria with clear technical proposals addressing quality sub-criteria, proposed methodology, workplan, personnel CVs, past performance and the completed financial template.

CPV and procurement classification

Main CPV code reported:73200000. Additional CPV listed: 90731000. Procurement type: services. The procurement project ID is EEA/2026/OP/0018 and the lot identifier is LOT-0001.

Explicitly mentioned countries and regions

The tender summary does not list a definitive set of eligible countries. The contracting authority is the European Environment Agency which operates across EEA Member States and cooperating Eionet countries; the EEA site references Eionet and cooperation with Ukraine. For the precise list of eligible countries, applicants must consult the procurement documents and the Invitation to tender ¹.

Practical advice for applicants

Carefully review Annex I Technical Specifications, Annex 1 Financial offer template and Annex 2 Draft FWC before drafting your submission. Follow the eSubmission checklist (Annex 7) and comply with EEA corporate and IT policies (Annex 5 and 6). Ensure your technical proposal aligns with the quality criteria, provides evidence of relevant experience in air quality data flows and visualisation, names key experts and includes CVs, and that the financial offer uses the provided template. Submit clarifying questions before the additional information request deadline (27 July 2026).

Final summary

This procurement seeks a qualified contractor (single entity or consortium) to operate a Topic Centre on Air Quality Reporting, Data and Assessment Services for the EEA. The contractor will support EEA legal reporting obligations by collecting and processing defined air quality dataflows, maintaining and updating visualisations and dashboards, and producing knowledge outputs such as briefings, technical reports and datasets. The procurement is a framework agreement with an estimated value of €2.5 million over the planned period and uses an eSubmission process on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Awarding will be based on a quality/price split (70/30). Interested applicants should download and follow the full tender dossier and templates (Invitation, Technical Specifications, Draft FWC, Financial offer template, Reimbursement rules, corporate and IT policies, and eSubmission checklist) and prepare a compliant electronic submission by 4 August 2026. Further details and the official procurement documents are available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal EU tender page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement documents published on the Funding & Tenders Portal include: EN-Invitation to tender (Invitation), EEA.ENS.TC.26.003 Annex I Technical Specifications, Annex 1 Financial offer template, Annex 2 Draft FWC, Annex 3 Reimbursement, Annex 5 EEA Corporate standards, Annex 6 EEA IT policies, Annex 7 Checklist for eSubmission. These documents contain the binding details on eligibility, selection and award criteria, contractual terms and submission requirements and must be consulted by applicants.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is an open tender for a framework contract to support the European Environment Agency (EEA) in fulfilling its legal obligations for air quality data collection, visualization, and knowledge development ¹. The estimated total contract value is €2,500,000, covering an initial 24-month period renewable up to three times for a maximum of 54 months ².

Who Should Apply

Eligibility is strictly restricted to designated Topic Centre Organisations (TCOs) under the Eionet network, as defined by the EEA Management Board ³. Tenders must be submitted as a consortium of at least four designated TCOs established in different EEA member countries, with one partner acting as the coordinator ³.

Key Eligibility Requirements:Consortium must include 4+ TCOs from different countries; all partners must be officially designated under Regulation (EC) No 401/2009 ³.

Scope of Services

1. 1Collection and processing of specified air quality dataflows to meet EEA legal obligations
2. 2Development and regular updates of visualizations, dashboards, and data viewers
3. 3Knowledge development including regular briefings, reports, and datasets
4. 4Support for public and policy information on air quality status

Contract Details

Deadlines and Submission

The final deadline for tender submission is 4 August 2026 at 14:00:59 CET ⁴. Additional information requests can be submitted until 27 July 2026 ⁴. Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission system ⁵.

Evaluation Criteria:Quality accounts for 70% and Price for 30% of the total score, based on best price-quality ratio ⁶.

Relevant Context

This tender supports the implementation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive (2024), which sets stricter 2030 pollution limits aligned with WHO guidelines ⁷. The EEA plays a central role in monitoring compliance across 40 member and cooperating countries, including the newly joined Ukraine ⁸.

Footnotes

1. 1Official tender details available at EU Funding Portal - Tender Details
2. 2Contract duration and renewal terms specified in draft framework contract EEA.ENS.TC.26.003_Annex 2 to TS_Draft FWC_V1.pdf
3. 3Eligibility criteria from Development Aid tender summary Development Aid - Tender View
4. 4Deadline and additional information dates from procurement documents EU Funding Portal - Tender Details
5. 5Submission method confirmed as eSubmission in procurement documents EU Funding Portal - Tender Details
6. 6Awarding criteria weights from procurement documents EU Funding Portal - Tender Details
7. 7Revised Ambient Air Quality Directive details IQAir - EU Air Pollution Standards
8. 8EEA network expansion to 40 countries including Ukraine EEA Official Website