Transportation car rental services in Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia

Frontex has launched an open procurement (FRONTEX/2026/OP/0052) to award a single framework contract for transportation car rental services in Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia. The estimated total value is €15,000,000 excluding VAT and the framework may run up to 48 months (24 months initial period plus two 12‑month renewals). Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission by 21 September 2026 at 16:00 Europe/Warsaw with public opening on 22 September 2026 at 10:00 Europe/Warsaw. Award will be made on the best price-quality ratio (technical 60% / financial 40%) and bidders must satisfy the exclusion, selection and minimum technical requirements and submit mandatory templates including the financial proposal.

Opportunity type

Key facts

Open public tender (FRONTEX/2026/OP/0052) to award a single framework service contract for provision of geographically clustered car rental services (multiple vehicle categories) covering Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia.

Who can apply:Natural and legal persons established in the scope of the Treaties and eligible third country operators where international agreements apply; tenders may be submitted by single economic operators or joint tenders, with subcontracting and reliance on third parties allowed subject to selection/exclusion requirements ¹.

1. 1Estimated total procedure value: €15,000,000 (maximum FWC ceiling; contracting authority may increase ceiling up to 50% under conditions).
2. 2Contract duration: initial 24 months, renewable twice (total up to 48 months).
3. 3Delivery model: single framework contract implemented by Order Forms / Requests for Service; minimum hire period 1 month, no contractual mileage limits in prices.
4. 4Submission: electronic only via eSubmission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; public opening: 22/09/2026 10:00 Europe/Warsaw; tender deadline: 21/09/2026 16:00 Europe/Warsaw.

Main requirements:fleet availability across the five countries (small cars, 5-seat cars, 8-seat minivans), vehicle age/mileage limits, insurance and assistance included, maintenance and replacement obligations, data protection rules for any vehicle tracking.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement dossier (Invitation to tender, Tender specifications, Terms of Reference, draft FWC and templates) is published on the Funding & Tenders Portal Tender page.

Essential facts

Procuring authority:European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). Procedure reference: FRONTEX/2026/OP/0052, TED reference 157/2026 567286-2026. Procedure type: open tender to establish a single framework service contract for transportation car rental services covering Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. Main CPV: 60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services. Nature of contract: services (framework agreement, without reopening of competition). Estimated total value (maximum overall FWC ceiling): €15,000,000 (exclusive of VAT). Maximum contract duration: 48 months (initial 24 months with two 12-month renewals possible). Award method: best price-quality ratio (technical 60% / financial 40%). Submission method: electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. Publication date: 17/08/2026. Deadline for receipt of tenders: 21/09/2026 16:00 Europe/Warsaw. Public opening: 22/09/2026 10:00 Europe/Warsaw.

Official source:The call and full procurement dossier are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal FRONTEX tender details ¹.

What this procurement is

FRONTEX is seeking one supplier to sign a single framework service contract to supply geographically clustered, operational transportation car rental services in five countries: Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia. The contract covers mandatory daily rental categories (small 4-seat cars, 5-seat cars, mini-vans) plus mandatory accessories and services (winter tyres, snow chains, vignettes) and optional items (child seats, second keys). Services include delivery, maintenance, repairs, periodic technical inspections, insurance (TPL, CDW, LDW/TP, Green Card), roadside assistance and vehicle replacement obligations. The framework contract will be implemented by Order Forms and Requests for Services (RfS).

Key dates and milestones

1. 1TED publication and documents published: 17/08/2026.
2. 2Deadline for tenders: 21/09/2026 16:00 Europe/Warsaw (electronic submission only).
3. 3Virtual public opening: 22/09/2026 10:00 Europe/Warsaw.
4. 4Cut-off for questions: contracting authority not bound to reply to questions submitted after 11/09/2026 23:59 Europe/Warsaw.
5. 5Framework contract planned duration: initial 24 months, renewable 2 times for 12 months each (total maximum 48 months).

Procurement structure and value

Single framework agreement (no lots). Estimated overall contract amount / maximum FWC ceiling €15,000,000 excluding VAT for the whole duration. Frontex may increase the ceiling by up to 50% under negotiated procedures without prior publication, subject to conditions in the Financial Regulation and the draft FWC.

Who can apply and eligible applicant types

Open to natural and legal persons, single economic operators or groups/consortia. Participation is also open to economic operators established in non-EU countries that have procurement access under relevant agreements (EEA, Stabilisation and Association Agreements, Association Agreements). Subcontractors and entities whose capacities are relied upon must be identified and meet exclusion criteria. The procurement documents expressly cover subcontracting rules, commitments and templates (Annex VII commitment letters).

Eligible applicant types (summary)

• Startups: allowed if they meet selection criteria.
• SMEs and large enterprises: allowed.
• Universities/research institutes: allowed if offering required services (less typical).
• Nonprofits/NGOs: allowed if meeting requirements.
• Government bodies: allowed where permitted.
• Consortia / joint ventures: allowed; must appoint a leader and accept joint and several liability.
• Subcontractors and other entities on whose capacities the tenderer relies: allowed, must be declared and evidenced.

Funding type and commercial model

This is a procurement (tender) opportunity. Financial mechanism:public procurement / framework contract. The contracting authority will pay the successful contractor(s) for services delivered under Order Forms. This is not a grant, loan or equity instrument.

Funding Type:Procurement (service contract / framework agreement).

Consortium requirement and participation format

The tender may be submitted by a single entity or by a group of economic operators (joint tender). No special legal form is required for a consortium, but a Group/Consortium leader must be appointed and all members must assume joint and several liability. Subcontracting is allowed but subject to rules and prior approval for changes during procurement. The tender dossier provides templates for Power of Attorney, Commitment Letters and Tender Submission Form (Annexes VI, VII, XI).

Geographic eligibility (beneficiary scope)

Procurement covers services in the following countries:Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia. Participation is open to entities from EU Member States, EEA states, and non-EU countries that have public procurement access agreements with the EU (e.g., Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine and Western Balkan participants under specified conditions). The Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications include detailed eligibility and access rules. Frontex will not use the rented vehicles in areas of armed conflict.

Target sector and service scope

Sector:Transport / Mobility / Fleet services for operational use. Services required: delivery and pick-up of rental vehicles; vehicle categories (small transportation cars 4-seat, transportation cars 5-seat, 8-seater mini-vans); mandatory accessories (winter tyres, snow chains, vignettes); insurance packages (TPL, CDW, LDW/TP, Green Card); roadside assistance; maintenance, repairs, periodic technical inspections; replacement vehicles where vehicles are unfit for use; optional extras such as child seats and second set of keys; cross-border use and occasional returns to different locations. Data protection requirements apply where vehicle tracking is used: processors and controller obligations and a draft Data Processing Agreement are included (Appendix 2 to the Terms of Reference).

Project stage and expected maturity

This is an operational procurement for service delivery. Required maturity:mature commercial service provider with established fleet management, authorised maintenance network and operational capacity to deliver immediate rental services in the listed countries. Tenderers must demonstrate recent experience (selection criterion T1) with at least three similar contracts in the last three years, each with minimum value €500,000, delivered for at least two different customers.

Funding amount and pricing

Estimated total procedure value:€15,000,000 (maximum overall contract amount for the FWC duration). Tenderers submit unit prices and a Total Reference Price using Annex IV - Financial Proposal. Prices must be quoted in EUR, net (without VAT) and must include all costs related to the services and supplies required in Annex II (Terms of Reference), including transport to pick-up/return, maintenance, repair and technical inspection costs. Frontex will cover fuel, AdBlue, windshield liquids and tolls during the rental period. Price revision is foreseen (index formula using HICP Euro area).

Typical contract volume by vehicle type (indicative):Indicative yearly fleet plan provided in the ToR: Small transportation cars (4-seat): 200 units; Transportation cars (5-seat): 90 units; Minivans (8-seat): 15 units; Total indicative number 305 units. These figures are indicative and non-binding.

Application and submission

Submission method:electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. EU Login and Participant Identification Code (PIC) required. Tender documents must follow mandatory templates and attachments as set out in the procurement dossier. Late or non-electronic submissions will be disregarded.

Application type:Open call (open procedure) with fixed deadline (21/09/2026 16:00 Europe/Warsaw).

Nature of support and what winners receive

Winners will enter a public procurement framework contract and will receive monetary payments from Frontex for services delivered under Order Forms. This means the contractor receives contract revenue (money) for executed services. The contract also requires the provision of non-financial deliverables (vehicles, documentation, maintenance, data processing compliance).

Application stages and selection process

1. 11 Initial eligibility and exclusion checks (Declaration on honour Annex V and documentary evidence on request).
2. 22 Selection criteria verification: legal capacity, economic & financial standing (minimum average turnover over last three years > €2,500,000), and technical & professional capacity (T1: at least 3 similar contracts in last 3 years each >= €500,000).
3. 33 Technical compliance and technical evaluation (Annex VIII, Annex X award criteria table) – minimum threshold 50/100 technical points; non-compliant offers rejected.
4. 44 Financial evaluation (Annex IV) for tenders passing technical threshold; final ranking by Final Score = 0.6 x Technical score + 0.4 x Financial score.
5. 55 Award and signature of framework contract; subsequent Order Forms issued under FWC as needed.

Number of stages for award:effectively 3 main stages (administrative/eligibility, selection/qualification, award (technical and financial evaluation)), but implementation then proceeds by multiple Order Forms under the signed FWC.

Success rates

Success rates are not published in the procurement notice. Typical competitive procurement success rates depend on the number and quality of tenders received; Frontex does not provide an estimated acceptance rate in the dossier.

Co-funding and financial commitments by bidders

No co-funding from bidders is required. This is a paid services contract:the contractor is paid by Frontex for services performed. Tenderers must demonstrate economic and financial capacity (minimum turnover threshold) and provide prices inclusive of all service-related costs as required.

Mandatory templates, forms and dossier contents (how the application looks)

The procurement dossier includes a comprehensive set of templates and mandatory annexes to be completed and submitted with the tender. These templates define the structure of the submission, the technical and financial offer formats, and legal declarations. Failure to use mandatory templates or to provide required unit prices for mandatory items results in rejection.

1. 1Invitation to Tender (Invitation_to_tender_FRONTEX2026OP0052_V1.pdf) – procedural instructions and contact details.
2. 2Annex I – Tender Specifications (detailed procurement rules and requirements).
3. 3Annex II – Terms of Reference (ToR) (detailed service requirements, vehicle categories, service levels, data protection requirements).
4. 4Annex III – Draft Framework Service Contract (FWC) (contract terms and general conditions).
5. 5Annex IV – Financial Proposal (Excel template, mandatory) (unit prices, mandatory and optional items, Total Reference Price).
6. 6Annex V – Declaration on Honour (exclusion and selection criteria declaration, mandatory).
7. 7Annex VI – Tender Submission Form (identification of entities and roles).
8. 8Annex VII – Power of Attorney / Commitment Letter templates (joint tender leader authorisations, subcontractor / other entity commitment letters).
9. 9Annex VIII – Technical Compliance Grid (mandatory technical template).
10. 10Annex IX – Declaration of Confidentiality (staff confidentiality undertaking).
11. 11Annex X – Award Criteria Table (technical scoring template, mandatory).
12. 12Annex XI – Selection Criteria T1 template (reference contract sheet template for proof of experience).
13. 13Appendix 1 to ToR – Request for Service (RfS) template (used during implementation to request specific rentals).
14. 14Appendix 2 to ToR – Draft Data Processing Agreement (DPA) (mandatory if vehicle tracking or processing of PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE LOCATION data is used).

How to structure the application files (recommended outline, matching dossier templates):

1. 1Administrative package: Completed Annex V (Declaration on Honour), Annex VI (Tender Submission Form), evidence of legal establishment (company register extract), evidence of authorisation of signatory (power of attorney or equivalent).
2. 2Selection evidence: Financial statements / bank statements or turnover declaration demonstrating average annual turnover > €2,500,000; Annex XI completed and at least three Contract Reference Sheets with reference letters showing three similar contracts >= €500,000 each in last 3 years.
3. 3Technical proposal: Completed Annex VIII Technical Compliance Grid, completed Annex X Award Criteria Table with supporting evidence (vehicle descriptions, SIPP codes, photos, compliance certificates), description of implementation concept, staff CVs (Contract Manager) demonstrating required experience, privacy policy and data processing documentation.
4. 4Financial proposal: Completed Annex IV Financial Proposal Excel template with all mandatory unit prices and optional item prices. Prices in EUR, net (without VAT).
5. 5Subcontracting / reliance evidence: Annex VII commitment letters and subcontractor Declarations on Honour as required.

Minimum technical and contract requirements (high priority items)

Key, non-negotiable minimums extracted from the Terms of Reference and draft contract:

1. 1Vehicle age and mileage: vehicles handed over to Frontex must be no older than 3 years from first registration and have mileage below 100,000 km.
2. 2Insurance and assistance: rental price must include Third Party Liability (TPL), Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) with non-waivable excess, Loss Damage Waiver / Theft Protection (LDW/TP) with non-waivable excess, Green Card insurance and roadside assistance including towing. Extension of insurance to Third Countries when requested (e.g., Moldova) is required.
3. 3No mileage caps: Annex IV must not include maximum mileage limitations in the rental price for evaluation purposes.
4. 4Delivery and replacement: contractor must deliver vehicles as per countersigned Order Form; replacement vehicles for vehicles unfit for driving must be supplied (for vans and transportation vehicles within max 14 calendar days; other replacement obligations specified in ToR).
5. 5Maintenance and repairs: contractor is responsible for routine maintenance, repairs, technical inspections and associated transport to workshops at its cost; replacement vehicles provided if vehicle unavailable > 5 calendar days for maintenance/repair/inspection.
6. 6Equipment and safety: vehicles must be provided with legally required documents and accessories (Green Card, emergency triangle, fire extinguisher, reflective jacket, first aid kit, etc.).
7. 7Data protection: where vehicle tracking is used, contractor is processor and must sign DPA (Appendix 2), ensure processing only on documented instruction, implement technical and organisational measures, store data only inside EU/EEA data centres unless otherwise authorised, and ensure location data granularity acceptable to Frontex (Fr ontex requires ability to disable tracking or limit granularity to sectors ~ 30 km accuracy or similar).
8. 8Contract management: contractor must appoint a Contract Manager with at least 3 years’ experience in fleet management or similar and command of English (B2 CEFR) and provide a management team and contact availability 08:00-18:00 Warsaw time.
9. 9Environmental criterion: tenderers must provide vehicle eco-scores (ecoscore.be) for proposed vehicles; eco-score used as award criterion (divided by 10, 0–10 points).

Award and evaluation (how winners will be selected)

Evaluation is split into:exclusion checks, selection (legal, financial, technical capacity) and award. Technical evaluation (100 points) uses a detailed grid: lead time (delivery) up to 20 points, max number of vehicles deliverable at same time up to 30 points, replacement lead time up to 20 points, optional items (child seat, second set of keys) each 10 points, eco-scoring up to 10 points. Minimum technical threshold 50/100 required to go to financial evaluation. Financial scoring is inverse-proportional to Total Reference Price submitted in Annex IV. Final score = 0.6 * Technical score + 0.4 * Financial score. Contract will be awarded to the tender with highest Final Score.

Compliance checks and audits

FRONTEX will carry out verification of exclusion and selection evidence and may request documentary evidence at short notice. Contracting authority may perform audits and on-site checks during implementation and up to five years after payment of balance; EDES registration is possible for excluded entities. The contract contains liquidated damages and reduction-in-price mechanisms for delays or non-compliance and allows substitution of the contractor for critical failures at the contractor's expense.

Risks and key considerations for bidders

1. 1Complete all mandatory templates exactly as required: failure to use the mandatory templates (Annex IV, Annex VIII, Annex X, Annex XI, Annex V, Annex VI) or to provide required unit prices for mandatory items will lead to rejection.
2. 2Prepare documentary evidence in advance: financials, three reference contracts (>= €500,000 each) and reference letters, insurance and access-to-procurement evidence, and declaration on honour. Frontex may request documents at short notice.
3. 3Data protection compliance: if offering vehicle tracking or telematics, include privacy policy, processing operations description and be ready to sign the Data Processing Agreement (Appendix 2). Ensure data hosting and access are within EU/EEA or specifically authorised.
4. 4Operational readiness: delivery lead times, capacity to deliver large numbers of vehicles at the same time and replacement times are key scoring elements. Prepare to demonstrate network of delivery and maintenance locations across the five countries.
5. 5Price completeness: prices must be net EUR, inclusive of maintenance, insurance and transport to handover/return/repair. Fuel and tolls are excluded from the contractor price and covered by Frontex during rental periods.
6. 6Legal and financial thresholds: average turnover for last three years must be > €2,500,000 for consolidated tenderer capacities. Ensure accounting records and turnover declarations match the tender submission.

Annexes and templates available in the procurement dossier

Dossier items available at publication (list of documents bidders must download and use):Invitation to Tender; Annex I Tender Specifications; Annex II Terms of Reference (+ Appendix 1 RfS template and Appendix 2 Draft Data Processing Agreement); Annex III Draft FWC (FWC conditions, special and general conditions and Annexes III and IV: Privacy Notice and Order Form template); Annex IV Financial Proposal (Excel); Annex V Declaration on Honour (tender); Annex VI Tender Submission Form; Annex VII Power of Attorney / Commitment Letter templates; Annex VIII Technical Compliance Grid; Annex IX Declaration of Confidentiality; Annex X Award Criteria Table (technical scoring table); Annex XI Selection Criteria T1 template and Contract Reference Sheet. All these documents are mandatory templates or mandatory references for the submission and evaluation.

Success factors — how to prepare a competitive tender

1. 1Submit all mandatory templates correctly and sign the Declaration on Honour (Annex V).
2. 2Demonstrate operational capacity across the five countries with evidence of delivery and maintenance network, vehicle availability and logistic procedures.
3. 3Prove past performance (Annex XI) with three contract references >= €500,000 in last three years and two client reference letters.
4. 4Offer short lead times for delivery and replacements and show the ability to deliver large simultaneous fleets to score well in technical evaluation.
5. 5Provide compliant and complete Financial Proposal (Annex IV) with all mandatory and optional unit prices — missing unit price for offered optional services leads to rejection.
6. 6If offering any vehicle tracking or telematics, include full data protection documentation and be ready to sign the DPA. Propose acceptable location data granularity or ability to disable continuous precise tracking.
7. 7Ensure turnover and financial evidence meet the minimum threshold (average last three years > €2,500,000) or rely on other entities with documented commitment lines to back your capacities.

Additional operational details and obligations

Mandatory service periods:minimum rental duration per vehicle 1 month up to end of FWC validity; vehicles must be handed over fully tanked and returned fully tanked. Contractor must support cross-border use within the countries listed and provide Green Card and extend insurances for third countries when required. Contractor must allow multiple drivers, permit installation of portable emergency blue lights and sirens (no roof modification), and ensure vehicles meet EU emission standards (minimum Euro 6).

Questions, clarifications and tender help

All questions must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal Q&A function. The contracting authority is not obliged to respond to questions received after the date indicated in the procurement notice. For eSubmission technical issues, contact the eSubmission Helpdesk and consult the eSubmission Quick Guide and system requirements on the Portal.

This summary reproduces the procurement information available in the published dossier. For every legal, contractual and procedural requirement bidders must consult the full procurement documents available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and use the mandatory templates provided in the tender dossier. Submission without fully complying with the mandatory templates and required evidence risks rejection.

How would I explain this opportunity?:FRONTEX seeks a single supplier to operate a multi-country car rental framework providing vehicles and associated operational services in Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia for a total estimated ceiling of €15 million over up to 48 months. The procurement is an open procedure requiring electronic submission via the EU F&T Portal using mandatory templates (financial, technical, declarations). Bidders must demonstrate fleet capacity, operational delivery and maintenance networks, insurance and data protection compliance, and meet financial and experience thresholds. Award will be to the economically most advantageous tender based on a 60/40 technical/price split. Successful bidders will sign a framework contract and supply vehicles via Order Forms on request.

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement dossier, procedural rules and downloadable templates are available from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal FRONTEX call page.

This is an open procurement launched by Frontex to conclude a single framework contract for transportation car rental services across Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia, with an estimated total value of €15,000,000 and a maximum duration of 48 months. The procedure is electronic, uses the best price-quality ratio award method, and is structured as a framework agreement without reopening of competition[1].

What the contract is about

The contract is intended to provide professionally managed, high quality transportation car rental services for operational use and passenger transportation. The tender covers vehicle categories including small transportation cars, transportation cars and minivans, and it is organized as a single framework contract rather than as separate lots[1].

• The service scope includes daily rental of vehicles for operational transport needs[1].
• The financial proposal also covers ancillary items such as winter tyres, snow chains and vignettes[1].
• Optional items include a child seat or booster and a second pair of keys if offered by the tenderer[1].
• The contract is designed for geographically clustered service delivery in the listed countries[1].

Who can apply

Participation is open to natural and legal persons within the scope of the EU Treaties and to international organisations, provided they are not subject to EU restrictive measures and are not in any exclusion situation. Tenderers must also demonstrate legal capacity, economic and financial standing, and technical and professional capacity to perform the contract[1].

1. 1A tender can be submitted by a single operator or by a joint tender group[1].
2. 2Subcontracting is allowed, but subcontractors must be identified and their scope of work clearly described[1].
3. 3If relying on the capacity of another entity, the tenderer must provide a commitment letter and supporting evidence that the resources are available[1].
4. 4All involved entities, including consortium members, subcontractors and relied upon entities, must satisfy the exclusion requirements[1].
5. 5Tenderers must have no professional conflicting interests in relation to the contract[1].

Key financial and commercial conditions

Prices must be submitted in EUR, net of VAT, and must include all costs associated with the required services and supplies. The financial proposal states that failure to quote any unit price for an offered service can lead to rejection of the tender as incomplete, so pricing completeness is a critical compliance requirement[1].

Documents and submission requirements

The tender submission must include the declaration on honour, tender submission form, technical compliance grid, award criteria table, technical description of the proposed vehicles, company profile, implementation concept, data protection documentation, and evidence of legal, economic, financial, technical and professional capacity. Joint tenders require a power of attorney, and subcontracting or reliance on other entities requires commitment letters and related supporting documents[1].

• Submission is electronic and must be made through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal eSubmission system[1].
• An EU Login account is required to submit the tender and to access the submission area[1].
• A Participant Identification Code is required for the tenderer and for each consortium member[1].
• Tenderers should check the system requirements and file format rules before submission[1].
• A tender submitted after the deadline will be rejected[1].

Deadlines and procedural milestones

1. 1Deadline for receipt of tenders is 21 September 2026 at 16:00 Europe/Warsaw[1].
2. 2The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 11 September 2026 at 23:59 Europe/Warsaw[1].
3. 3The public opening session is scheduled for 22 September 2026 at 10:00 Europe/Warsaw[1].
4. 4The procedure was published in TED on 17 August 2026[1].

Practical takeaways for applicants

This opportunity is most relevant for established car rental, fleet management or passenger transport operators that can provide compliant cross-border service coverage in the listed countries. The main competitive priorities are likely to be technical compliance, the quality of the proposed vehicle fleet and service concept, and a fully completed financial offer aligned with the mandatory and optional pricing structure[1].