Support to the management of the Smart Specialisation Community of Practice - 2025CE16BAT006

In 2022, the Commission tendered a service contract to establish and operate a Smart Specialisation Community of Practice (S3 CoP), to connect and support S3 stakeholders across the EU and beyond. That contract will end in September 2025. The purpose of the current tender is to ensure further development and …

CPV: 79400000 Business and management consultancy and related services
Place of execution:
Support to the management of the Smart Specialisation Community of Practice - 2025CE16BAT006
Awarding body:
European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy
Award number:
EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0010

1. Buyer

1.1 Buyer

Official name : European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy
Legal type of the buyer : EU institution, body or agency
Activity of the contracting authority : General public services

2. Procedure

2.1 Procedure

Title : Support to the management of the Smart Specialisation Community of Practice - 2025CE16BAT006
Description : In 2022, the Commission tendered a service contract to establish and operate a Smart Specialisation Community of Practice (S3 CoP), to connect and support S3 stakeholders across the EU and beyond. That contract will end in September 2025. The purpose of the current tender is to ensure further development and continued operation of the S3 CoP for the following three years, from 2025-2028. The S3 CoP serves as the EU’s one-stop-shop for guidance, networking, support and peer-learning on S3. It shall foster robust governance and good implementation of S3 across the Union. The S3 CoP shall serve all S3 stakeholders, in particular the public bodies or institutions responsible for S3 required by cohesion policy legislation and the Managing Authorities of ERDF programme with S3-related spending. The S3 CoP shall also be open to S3 actors in third countries, in particular candidate countries, in agreement with the contracting authority and within limits which might be imposed by, e.g., resources. The S3 CoP covers all elements of the S3 concept and all steps of the S3 process, including governance, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. A particular emphasis is placed on those S3 elements that are required by cohesion policy legislation. The S3 CoP shall also facilitate interregional cooperation based on shared and complementary S3 priorities, primarily by supporting the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms and Partnerships (TSSP). The main activities to be performed under this call for tender include: • Developing and operate the S3 Community of Practice, including its Secretariat. • Providing practical support to S3 practitioners in the Member States, including through targeted, on-site technical assistance, mutual learning opportunities, guidance and training material, good practice examples, workshops, webinars and seminars. • Offering analytical and expert support for the further development of the S3 concept. • Supporting, monitoring, and disseminating the work of S3 thematic platforms and partnerships (TSSPs). • Developing and managing the S3 CoP website, as well as performing other dissemination and communication activities. • Developing and managing the S3 Observatory, including the possibility to integrate this database with other existing databases (e.g. the map of regional ecosystems and sectors and the clusters, etc.).
Procedure identifier : e64de710-f2bb-4d90-b39d-7f077a050f06
Previous notice : 237749-2025
Internal identifier : EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0010
Type of procedure : Open

2.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Services
Main classification ( cpv ): 79400000 Business and management consultancy and related services

2.1.2 Place of performance

Anywhere
Additional information : Please consult the procurement documents.

2.1.3 Value

Estimated value excluding VAT : 5 000 000 Euro

2.1.4 General information

Legal basis :
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509

5. Lot

5.1 Lot technical ID : LOT-0001

Title : Support to the management of the Smart Specialisation Community of Practice - 2025CE16BAT006
Description : In 2022, the Commission tendered a service contract to establish and operate a Smart Specialisation Community of Practice (S3 CoP), to connect and support S3 stakeholders across the EU and beyond. That contract will end in September 2025. The purpose of the current tender is to ensure further development and continued operation of the S3 CoP for the following three years, from 2025-2028. The S3 CoP serves as the EU’s one-stop-shop for guidance, networking, support and peer-learning on S3. It shall foster robust governance and good implementation of S3 across the Union. The S3 CoP shall serve all S3 stakeholders, in particular the public bodies or institutions responsible for S3 required by cohesion policy legislation and the Managing Authorities of ERDF programme with S3-related spending. The S3 CoP shall also be open to S3 actors in third countries, in particular candidate countries, in agreement with the contracting authority and within limits which might be imposed by, e.g., resources. The S3 CoP covers all elements of the S3 concept and all steps of the S3 process, including governance, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. A particular emphasis is placed on those S3 elements that are required by cohesion policy legislation. The S3 CoP shall also facilitate interregional cooperation based on shared and complementary S3 priorities, primarily by supporting the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms and Partnerships (TSSP). The main activities to be performed under this call for tender include: • Developing and operate the S3 Community of Practice, including its Secretariat. • Providing practical support to S3 practitioners in the Member States, including through targeted, on-site technical assistance, mutual learning opportunities, guidance and training material, good practice examples, workshops, webinars and seminars. • Offering analytical and expert support for the further development of the S3 concept. • Supporting, monitoring, and disseminating the work of S3 thematic platforms and partnerships (TSSPs). • Developing and managing the S3 CoP website, as well as performing other dissemination and communication activities. • Developing and managing the S3 Observatory, including the possibility to integrate this database with other existing databases (e.g. the map of regional ecosystems and sectors and the clusters, etc.).
Internal identifier : EC-REGIO/2025/OP/0010

5.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Services
Main classification ( cpv ): 79400000 Business and management consultancy and related services

5.1.2 Place of performance

Anywhere
Additional information : Please consult the procurement documents.

5.1.3 Estimated duration

Duration : 42 Month

5.1.5 Value

Estimated value excluding VAT : 5 000 000 Euro

5.1.6 General information

Procurement Project fully or partially financed with EU Funds.
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) : yes

5.1.10 Award criteria

Criterion :
Type : Quality
Description : Please consult the procurement documents.
Category of award threshold criterion : Weight (percentage, exact)
Award criterion number : 70
Criterion :
Type : Price
Description : Please consult the procurement documents.
Category of award threshold criterion : Weight (percentage, exact)
Award criterion number : 30

5.1.15 Techniques

Framework agreement :
No framework agreement
Information about the dynamic purchasing system :
No dynamic purchase system

5.1.16 Further information, mediation and review

Review organisation : Court of Justice of the European Union
Organisation providing more information on the review procedures : European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy
Organisation signing the contract : European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy

6. Results

Value of all contracts awarded in this notice : 4 663 730 Euro

6.1 Result lot ldentifier : LOT-0001

At least one winner was chosen.

6.1.2 Information about winners

Winner :
Leader of tendering party : PROGNOS AG
Official name : T33 SRL ECORYS EUROPE EEIG - GEIE GAC TIPIK COMMUNICATION AGENCY SA iO Belgium
Tender :
Tender identifier : S3CoP
Identifier of lot or group of lots : LOT-0001
Value of the tender : 4 663 730 Euro
Subcontracting : No
Contract information :
Identifier of the contract : 2025CE16BAT006
Date on which the winner was chosen : 18/09/2025
Date of the conclusion of the contract : 08/10/2025
Organisation signing the contract : European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy

6.1.4 Statistical information

Received tenders or requests to participate :
Type of received submissions : Tenders submitted electronically
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 3

8. Organisations

8.1 ORG-0001

Official name : European Commission, DG REGIO - Regional and Urban Policy
Registration number : COM
Department : REGIO.G - Smart and Sustainable Growth and Programme Implementation IV
Postal address : CSM1, rue Père de Deken 23
Town : Brussels
Postcode : B-1040
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Arr. de Bruxelles-Capitale/Arr. Brussel-Hoofdstad ( BE100 )
Country : Belgium
Telephone : +32 2 299 11 11
Roles of this organisation :
Buyer
Organisation providing more information on the review procedures
Organisation signing the contract

8.1 ORG-0002

Official name : Court of Justice of the European Union
Registration number : CURIA
Postal address : Rue du Fort Niedergrünewald
Town : Luxembourg
Postcode : L-2925
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Luxembourg ( LU000 )
Country : Luxembourg
Telephone : +352 4303-1
Internet address : http://curia.europa.eu
Roles of this organisation :
Review organisation

8.1 ORG-0003

Official name : European Commission
Registration number : EUCOM
Postal address : Mondrian (CDMA), Rue du Champ de Mars 21
Town : Brussels
Postcode : B-1050
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Arr. de Bruxelles-Capitale/Arr. Brussel-Hoofdstad ( BE100 )
Country : Belgium
Telephone : +32 2 299 11 11
Roles of this organisation :
TED eSender

8.1 ORG-0004

Official name : PROGNOS AG
Size of the economic operator : Large
Registration number : CHE107308511MWST
Postal address : ST. ALBAN VORSTADT 24
Town : BASEL
Postcode : 4052
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Extra-Regio NUTS 3 ( CHZZZ )
Country : Switzerland
Telephone : +41613273200
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Group leader
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

8.1 ORG-0005

Official name : T33 SRL
Size of the economic operator : Large
Registration number : IT02343620429
Postal address : VIA CALATAFIMI 1
Town : ANCONA
Postcode : 60121
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Extra-Regio NUTS 3 ( ITZZZ )
Country : Italy
Telephone : +390719715460
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

8.1 ORG-0006

Official name : ECORYS EUROPE EEIG - GEIE
Size of the economic operator : Large
Registration number : BE0690650787
Postal address : AVENUE DES ARTS 46
Town : BRUSSELS
Postcode : 1000
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Extra-Regio NUTS 3 ( BEZZZ )
Country : Belgium
Telephone : +3227438949
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

8.1 ORG-0007

Official name : GAC
Size of the economic operator : Large
Registration number : FR50509820502
Postal address : 11-13 RUE RENE JACQUES
Town : ISSY LES MOULINEAUX
Postcode : 92130
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Extra-Regio NUTS 3 ( FRZZZ )
Country : France
Telephone : +33144822020
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

8.1 ORG-0008

Official name : TIPIK COMMUNICATION AGENCY SA
Size of the economic operator : Large
Registration number : BE0435539007
Postal address : AVENUE DE TERVUEREN 270
Town : BRUXELLES
Postcode : 1150
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Extra-Regio NUTS 3 ( BEZZZ )
Country : Belgium
Telephone : +3222355670
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

8.1 ORG-0009

Official name : iO Belgium
Size of the economic operator : Large
Registration number : BE0861085232
Postal address : ZAVELHEIDE 15
Town : HERENTALS
Postcode : 2200
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Extra-Regio NUTS 3 ( BEZZZ )
Country : Belgium
Telephone : +3214282920
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

Notice information

Notice identifier/version : ff303f8b-b14a-4c19-b315-628123bb28de - 01
Form type : Result
Notice type : Contract or concession award notice – standard regime
Notice dispatch date : 17/10/2025 18:07 +02:00
Languages in which this notice is officially available : English
Notice publication number : 00692321-2025
OJ S issue number : 202/2025
Publication date : 21/10/2025