In general, bidding is a process in which an organization that needs goods or services invites others to submit one offer or proposal to provide such goods or services.
There are several platforms and websites that facilitate the search for tenders worldwide, such as the Assortis cooperation platform. At the European level, the European Union offers the option of finding and applying for financing and tendering opportunities through the Financing and Tendering Portal, better known as Funding and Tenders, in the Single Electronic Data Interchange Area (SEDIA).
Essentially, the EU advertises goods, services, or work in exchange for payment of an agreed sum. These public contracts are typically awarded through competitive bidding, which can be of various types: open procedures, restricted procedures, competitive negotiated procedures, competitive dialogues, innovation partnerships, and project competitions. Furthermore, some calls are open to the public, while others are open only by invitation.
These types of public contracts differ from grants, as the contracting authority obtains a good or service in exchange for payment. However, in the case of grants, the EU itself makes a contribution to a project or organization that furthers its policy objectives.
From the Funding and Tenders portal we can see the different bidding opportunities that publishes the European Commission, as well as search for other tenders and/or funding opportunities and manage the grants obtained. The portal also allows us to start our search according to our particular interestsWe can also find partners by responding to a call and, depending on the project we are interested in, it may be necessary to form a consortium. Today there are more than 30 financing programs available, such as the Justice Programme (JUST), European Parliament (EP) and Horizon Europe (HORIZON).
The procedure for participating in a tender or financing process is not difficult and can be simplified into the following steps:
1.- User registration and creation in Financing and Tenders. In this step, we must provide personal information such as first and last name, username, and email address. Once you complete the previous step, you will receive an email with a security code that will allow you to validate your account.
2.- Register your entityOnce registered, you must provide all administrative information and some legal and contact information. This step is very important, since, upon registering our entity, we will receive the Participant Identification Code, hereinafter CIPThis 9-digit number will identify each entity participating in EU funding.
3.- Self-assessment as an SMEThis step is only necessary in some cases. If the program you are participating in requires SME status, you must complete the "SME Self-Assessment." The main objective of this step is to ensure that your entity meets the requirements to be designated as such. To do this, you will need to provide the financial figures for your company's last approved accounting period.
4.- Search for programs or tendersTo find the program or tender that best suits our interests and characteristics, we must conduct an exhaustive search, taking into account certain criteria:
a) Opening date and date and time application submission deadlineIn these cases, it is important to keep in mind that the curfew is sometimes set according to the time zone of a specific territory.
b) Type of action that can be carried out: services, supplies, etc.
c) EligibilityIt's important to consider what types of organizations can apply, which countries are eligible for funding, and so on.
d) Documentation to be submitted. In addition, it is important to know how to present the proposal, the consortium, and the budget.
5.- Participation in the proposalIf we have already selected the best option in Search for Financing and Tenders, we will proceed to "Start presentation» and enter our entity's PIC number. Next, you will need to indicate the acronym and a brief summary of our society and project. In addition, you will need to provide all the required administrative documents and forms for the project. EU services will process your proposal accordingly. confidential, as well as all related information, data and documents received.
At Boleo Global, we have professionals specialized in financing and bidding processes. We'd be happy to help you find the best options for your organization and advise you throughout the entire process.
Marta Villar Pérez
Catherine Forbes
Juana María Leal Del Ojo Chamorro
Almudena Villalta García