Framework Contracts

2. Acknowledge Invitation and Express Willingness to Tender

The Coordinator Contacts (CoCo) of the selected Framework Contractors are notified by e-mail that a new Request for Service has been launched, and is available to them in the Funding & Tenders Portal. By following the link in the notification, the CoCo will be redirected to the Funding & Tenders Portal, where they will be able to login and access the invitation to submit their tender offer.

If a Contractor wishes to participate in the tender, they must first confirm their intention to submit an offer, so that the Contracting Authority may decide early enough on an action if an insufficient number of Framework Contractors have confirmed their intention to submit.

Please note that the invitation to participate in the tender is sent to all the Coordinator Contacts (CoCos or PCoCos) of the consortia. The Consortium Leader will coordinate with the Coordinator Contacts of the consortium, and nominate a Primary Coordinator Contact (PCoCo), who will submit the offer for the consortium. If a PCoCo has not yet been nominated for a consortium, the CoCo that initiates the submission procedure will automatically be designated as the PCoCo of the offer/tender for that consortium.

For more information on roles and permissions, please view User Roles and Permissions.

Please note that for a Request for Service launched under the Framework Contract PSF 2019 and EVA 2020, all the Framework Contractors (3 or 4 depending on the Lot) participate in the tender.

Important note:

The acknowledgement and expression of willingness to tender is limited to 1 workday (once the invitation has been sent) for Requests for Services initiated under Framework Contracts SIEA 2018, AUDIT 2018, PSF 2019, EVA 2020 and EVENTS 2020.

2.1 Acknowledge Invitation

To acknowledge the invitation to tender:

First login to the Funding & Tenders Portal, and then select “My Invitation(s)” (1) from the left main menu;
From the list of invitations on the My Invitation(s) page, click the appropriate invitation “Action” button (2), and then select the “Acknowledge” option (3) from the dropdown menu.

You will be redirected automatically to the eSubmission homepage, where you are able to view the details of the Request for Service in the Tendering data panel. Click on the “Show more” icon to expand the panel to view the full details of the request.

A document list containing the relevant attached documents (Request for Service Summary, Terms of Reference, etc.) is also available in the show more expandable panel.

Please note that the acknowledgement of the invitation only allows the contractor to view the request. The contractor needs to indicate whether they want to (or do not want to) participate in the tender through expressing willingness.

If the Contractor has questions or requires clarification concerning the Request for Service, they must contact the Contracting Authority directly - the contact details of the Contracting Authority can be found in the Terms of Reference attached in the document list.

The Contractor must also keep all the administrative documents related to the procedure/consultation, such as all the requests received (even if not awarded), as well as all the correspondence with the Contracting Authority.

2.2 Express Willingness

To express willingness to participate:

In the eSubmission service panel situated below the Tendering data panel, indicate (“Yes” or “No”) whether you want to participate in the request;
Optional - If you indicate “No”, you will be required to enter a reason in the comment textbox;
Click on the “Express Willingness” button to confirm your willingness to participate (or not).

- If you indicated “Yes” when confirming your willingness to participate:

The status of the invitation in “My Invitation(s)” changes from received to accepted;
You may continue and tick the “Yes, I have read and I accept the Terms and Conditions and I acknowledge that I have read and understood the Data Protection Notice” tick-box, then click on “New submission” to begin your submission for tender;
A draft submission is automatically generated and can be used directly as the current submission, or resume at a later stage from the "show submissions" option of the relevant invitation in "My Invitation(s"

Reminder:

Once you have started a new submission, remember to submit it before the submission deadline of the Request for Service. The submission deadline is clearly indicated either as a deadline date, or as a countdown reminder, in the details of the Request for Service and new submission.

The deadline for the submission of offers for tender, generated under the FWC SIEA 2018 and PSF 2019*, is set automatically by the system from the Authorizing Officer's approval of the Request for Service, plus:

14 calendar days for a maximum budgeted amount below 300,000 EUR; or
30 calendar days for a maximum budgeted amount of 300,000 EUR and above.

(*) For a Request for Service under the Framework Contract PSF 2019, and for duly justified exceptional cases subject to pre-approval by the Director of Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, the deadline for the submission of the offers can be halved to 7 or 15 calendar days respectively, and depending on the maximum budgeted amount.

For the Framework Contract AUDIT 2018, the allocated time for submission is min. 14 calendar days, but can be increased or decreased. If decreased, an agreement is required from the tenderers after the sending of the Request for Service.

For a Request for Service under the Framework Contract EVA 2020, the deadline for submission is min. 21 calendar days and can be increased or decreased. If decreased, an agreement is required from the Contractors after the sending of the Request for Service.

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Acknowledgement and Willingness

2. Acknowledge Invitation and Express Willingness to Tender

2.1 Acknowledge Invitation

2.2 Express Willingness