Contract for the drafting of the evaluation procedure and guidelines to be used for awarding the new European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision

The European Commission will launch soon a call for tenders for a service contract of a maximum value of EUR 60 000. The European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision (hereafter "the Code") was established by the European Commission to harmonise standards across a structurally fragmented European microcredit sector. Operating as a soft-regulation instrument since 2011, the Code sets institutional standards on customer and investor relations, governance, risk management, reporting, and management information systems. A first comprehensive revision became applicable on 1 January 2021, and a further refinement of the evaluation cycle was approved in February 2024. The continuing evolution of the sector — digitalisation, the diversification of institutional models, the growing weight of social performance considerations, and the pressure on evaluation capacity — has made a further update of the Code necessary. To support this process, a targeted consultation was launched in spring 2025, engaging the Steering Group of the Code, signatory and non-signatory institutions, evaluators, and SIFTA service providers. Its findings highlighted the need for greater proportionality, transparency, and consistency in the way compliance with the Code is assessed. To accompany the revised Code, the Commission intends to procure the development of a coherent package of operational documents, comprising Guidelines for Evaluators, Guidelines for Microfinance Institutions, and a set of supporting tools (FAQ, self-assessment template, evidence checklist, and evaluation reporting template) developed in accordance with the digital tool produced internally by the Commission. The present Expression of Interest is published in the context of this action. Required expertise Interested economic operators must demonstrate proven experience in the field of microfinance, with a particular focus on the drafting of guidelines, methodological documents, and policy recommendations, as well as in the design and facilitation of multi-stakeholder consultation processes. Direct knowledge of the European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision, of microfinance evaluation methodologies, and of the European microfinance sector and its relevant stakeholders is required.

See the official notice for the place of performance.