Event Catering and Hospitality Services for the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union, Brussels

Ireland will take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July 2026. The requirement for catering

Event Catering and Hospitality Services for the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union, Brussels

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála

## Summary The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is procuring event catering and hospitality services for Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. This contract supports the increased representational activity associated with Ireland’s EU Council Presidency from July to December 2026.

## Scope & Deliverables - Provision of high-quality food and beverage services for meetings and events at the PRB offices (Rue Froissart and Avenue de Cortenbergh) and other Brussels venues. - Flexible catering support to handle higher volume and frequency of events during the Presidency period. - Delivery of consistent hospitality offerings to ensure positive attendee experiences and operational efficiency.

## Key Requirements - Eligibility: Open to all economic operators; SMEs are encouraged to participate, potentially via consortiums. - Qualifications: Tenderers must demonstrate technical and business capacity to meet the scope. - Compliance: Must adhere to the Light Touch Regime (Directive 2014/24/EU) and International Procurement Instrument (Regulation (EU) 2022/1031). - Sustainability: Commitment to sustainable delivery and Green Public Procurement criteria is required. - Data Protection: Confirmation of consent for processing personal data under GDPR is mandatory.

## Commercials & Timeline - Estimated Value: €255,000 (excluding VAT). - Submission Deadline: Monday, 8 June 2026, at 17:00 IST. - Contract Duration: 6 months, commencing 1 July 2026. - Framework/DPS: No framework agreement or Dynamic Purchasing System applies.

## How to Bid - Submission Method: Electronic submission via the Irish eTenders portal. - Languages: English only. - Key Documents: Complete the RFT structure including Appendix 1 (Requirements), Appendix 2 (Pricing Schedule), Appendix 3 (Tenderer’s Statement), Appendix 4 (Declaration), Appendix 5 (Contract), and Appendix 6 (Confidentiality Agreement).

## Bid Considerations - Suitability: Ideal for established hospitality providers with existing operational capacity in Brussels. - Opportunities: High visibility during a major diplomatic event; potential for SMEs to partner with larger firms. - Risks: Short 6-month duration limits long-term revenue stability; strict compliance with light regime and data protection rules required. - Uncertainty: Final award is not guaranteed, and the authority reserves the right to cancel the competition prior to contract execution.

Open procedure. Any interested supplier may submit a tender. There is no shortlisting stage — all compliant bids received by the deadline are evaluated against the published award criteria. It is the most common route for Irish public contracts and is open to SMEs and new entrants.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála has 15 tender(s) tracked on TenderScout, of which 3 are currently open. On the EU TED record this buyer has awarded 16 contract(s) worth around €8,147,337.

Recent awarded suppliers include Enterprise Rent-A-Car European Holdings Ltd_125369, Irish Council for International Students (ICOS), Securitas NV, Forvis Mazars_11843, Crown Workspace Ltd.