Open call for tenders: Digital Marketing Services for the European Raw Materials Academy and the European Advanced Materials Academy

1. Overview

1.1 European Raw Materials Academy and European Advanced Materials Academy

The European Raw Materials Academy (RM Academy) and the European Advanced Materials Academy (AM Academy) are flagship initiatives funded by the European Commission to support the upskilling and reskilling of Europe’s raw and advanced materials workforces. In response to growing demands for sustainability, digitalisation, and industrial resilience, the Academies aim to close critical skills gaps across the entire materials value chain from exploration and processing to recycling and circularity, and substitution using advanced materials. Designed to serve professionals, SMEs, large enterprises, and public authorities alike, the Academies will offer a portfolio of high-quality, future-oriented learning programmes aligned with evolving labour market needs and EU policy priorities, such as the Critical Raw Materials Act, the Pact for Skills, the Net Zero Industry Act, and the Green Deal Industrial Plan.

1.2 EIT RawMaterials

EIT RawMaterials is a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) created by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), aimed at promoting innovation in the raw materials sector across Europe. Established in 2015, EIT RawMaterials works to secure the sustainable supply of raw materials to the European industry by driving innovation, education, and entrepreneurship along the entire raw materials value chain.

We are a knowledge-driven business and a catalyst for industrial progress. Our offerings leverage our expertise and that of our network, the world's largest network in the raw and advanced materials sector that includes companies at every stage of evolution, from start-ups to market leaders, along with leading international universities, research organisations, and top experts and future talent from the sector.

Our activities span from mining and mineral processing to material recycling and substitution, focusing on increasing resource efficiency and fostering a circular economy. We inform policy, apply knowledge, accelerate innovation, create opportunity, and unlock commercial value – for our partners and customers throughout the raw materials value chain to develop the raw materials sector as a strategic strength and foundation for a secure, sustainable future for Europe.

Our offerings are designed to help our partners and industry to be part of Europe’s strategic agenda to ensure supply chain security and make the European Green Deal a reality that benefits the people of Europe and partner nations.

2. About the assignment

EIT RawMaterials GmbH intends to award a framework agreement to an experienced marketing and communications agency to support both Academies, run under one shared brand, EIT RawMaterials Academy, with their digital communication activities. The selected agency will act as an execution and delivery partner within the Academies’ existing strategic narrative, positioning and stakeholder alignment. As the two Academies share social channels, a joint website architecture, an editorial calendar and cross-Academy campaigns, the agency must take a holistic approach to both.

The Academies’ audiences span individual learners and early-career professionals, Learning Content Providers (LCPs) and training partners, industry professionals and large enterprises, and policymakers and EU/EIT partners.

Basic services:

• Strategic communications support: maintain the integrated marketing strategy against each Academy’s funnel stage; manage a shared editorial calendar segmented by Academy, audience and funnel stage; maintain the communications toolkit for LCPs and partners; and deliver quarterly competitive monitoring of comparable upskilling academies.
• Content and asset production: produce ongoing long- and short-format copy and video, including articles, web copy, impact stories, learner testimonials and LCP partnership content, plus a quarterly newsletter for each Academy.
• Performance marketing: run and optimise live campaigns on LinkedIn, Meta and Google (Search and Display/remarketing) to drive LCP and learner leads, with weekly check-ins and reporting on CPL, CPC, CTR, reach and conversion.
• Social media management: manage the Academy presence on LinkedIn (primary), Instagram and YouTube (to be reactivated), at a baseline of 3–4 LinkedIn and 2–3 Instagram posts per week, including community management.
• Website management: update Academy web and landing pages, provide monthly web analytics, and recommend UX and content improvements for LCP sign-up, course enrolment and contact pages.
• Event communication support: maintain a rolling calendar of European sector events and advise on which to organise, attend or exhibit at.
• Reporting and grant compliance: deliver monthly and quarterly reports split by Academy, ensure EU/EIT visibility requirements are met, maintain an audit-ready activity log and asset library, and support the Academies’ Horizon Europe communications deliverables.

Project-specific assignments (scoped and quoted separately) may include:

• A baseline audit of both Academies’ brand presence and channel performance
• Thought leadership content, including content series tied to white paper launches
• Strategy and creative for new paid campaigns, and conversion tracking and attribution set-up
• New web sections and campaign landing pages
• End-to-end communications for flagship events and webinars, including live coverage
• Mid- to long-form video production, influencer and creator collaborations, and internal training workshops

Tenderers must demonstrate:

• A dedicated team covering nine roles, from Key Account Manager to Social Media Manager, each with at least three years of relevant professional experience
• A proven track record in vocational education and training, higher education, or workforce upskilling and reskilling (alternatively: raw materials, advanced materials, sustainability or related industrial sectors)
• Experience with publicly funded programme communications, performance marketing including lead generation, and data-driven campaign optimisation; familiarity with EU-funded education or Horizon Europe/EIT-funded projects is an asset

3. The procedure

• Type: Open procedure pursuant to section 119 para. (3) Competition Act (GWB) and section 15 VgV
• Contracting entity: EIT RawMaterials GmbH, Knesebeckstr. 62, 10719 Berlin, Germany
• Lots: The contract is not divided into lots. Variant tenders are not permitted.
• Language: All tenders and communication must be in English. The contract is governed by German law.
• Contract term: Framework agreement with an initial 12-month term and up to two annual renewal options
• Award criteria: Best value for money, weighted 35% concept of approach, 35% proposed project team and 30% price
• Eligibility: Due to EIT funding conditions, tenders from members of EIT RawMaterials e.V. cannot be considered.

4. Key dates

• Launch of procurement procedure: 6 October 2026
• Deadline for questions: 2 November 2026
• Tender submission deadline: 9 November 2026, 12:00 (CET)
• Online interviews (provisional): Week of 23 November 2026
• Binding period until: 31 January 2027

5. How to participate

The procurement procedure is conducted electronically via the German Procurement Portal (Deutsches Vergabeportal, DTVP). All procurement documents are available free of charge on the platform, and tenders must be submitted there. Registration is required to participate; interested agencies are encouraged to register and test the submission tools well before the deadline.

Questions may only be submitted via the platform’s messaging function, no later than seven calendar days before the tender submission deadline. Enquiries by telephone, post, fax or email cannot be answered. Answers will be shared with all interested parties via a continuous Q&A list, which forms part of the procurement documents.