French Ministry of Education Awards €236M Generalist Software Framework to Econocom Consortium

The French Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Research and Space, together with the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Voluntary Organisations, has awarded a framework agreement for generalist software solutions to a consortium led by Econocom Products & Solutions. The framework is divided into two lots: Lot 1 (standalone workstation solutions) with a maximum value of €11.5 million, and Lot 2 (fully remote-dependent solutions) with a maximum value of €225 million. The total maximum value across both lots is €236.5 million. The contract runs for 48 months with tacit renewal.

Introduction

The French Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Research and Space, together with the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Voluntary Organisations, has conducted an open procedure for the procurement of generalist software solutions. The framework covers the needs of central and regional services of the ministries, as well as training and research establishments that are members of the Groupe Logiciel purchasing group.

The procurement is divided into two lots: Lot 1 for standalone workstation solutions (maximum €11.5 million) and Lot 2 for fully remote-dependent solutions (maximum €225 million). The framework includes licences, subscriptions, support, maintenance, expertise, and training services.

A consortium led by Econocom Products & Solutions, including SMLB – Alternative Distribution, Econocom Services & Solutions, and Econocom Exaprobe, was awarded both lots. The contracts run for an initial 12 months with three optional 12-month tacit renewals, for a total potential duration of 48 months.

Why This Contract Matters

This contract ensures that France's education and research institutions have access to a wide range of generalist software solutions, both standalone and remote-dependent.

This contract matters because it:

• Large scale: Total maximum value of €236,500,000
• Covers entire education sector: Ministries, regional services, and research establishments
• Two lots: Standalone and remote-dependent solutions
• Comprehensive services: Licences, subscriptions, support, maintenance, expertise, training
• Long-term commitment: Up to 4 years (12 months + 3 tacit renewals)
• Quality focus: 60% weighting on technical value
• Single consortium: Econocom-led consortium awarded both lots

Contract Timeline

• Previous notice: 334887-2026
• Winner chosen: 24 July 2026
• Contract concluded: 13 August 2026
• Initial duration: 12 months
• Maximum renewals: 3 (tacit, each 12 months)
• Maximum total duration: 48 months
• Notice published: 31 August 2026 (OJ S 167/2026)

Contract Overview

The French Ministry of Education conducted an open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU and the French Public Procurement Code.

Key features include:

• Two lots: Lot 1 – Standalone workstation solutions; Lot 2 – Fully remote-dependent solutions
• Total estimated value: €126,000,000
• Total maximum value: €236,500,000 (Lot 1: €11.5M, Lot 2: €225M)
• Framework type: Without reopening of competition
• Duration: 12 months initial + 3 x 12-month tacit renewals = up to 48 months
• Evaluation: Technical value (60%), Price (40%)
• Winner: Econocom consortium (Econocom Products & Solutions, SMLB – Alternative Distribution, Econocom Services & Solutions, Econocom Exaprobe)
• No subcontracting declared
• No EU funding

Key Contract Details

Detail	Information
Contracting authority	Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l'enseignement supérieur, de la recherche et de l'espace; Ministère des sports, de la jeunesse et de la vie associative
Contract title	Fourniture de licences, souscriptions, support et maintenance et prestations d'expertise et de formation pour un ensemble de solutions généralistes
Main CPV	48000000 Software package and information systems
Procedure type	Open procedure (standard regime)
Legal basis	EU Directive 2014/24/EU; French Public Procurement Code
Total estimated value (EUR)	€126,000,000.00
Total maximum value (EUR)	€236,500,000.00
Number of lots	2
Initial duration	12 months
Maximum renewals	3 (tacit, 12 months each)
Maximum total duration	48 months
EU funding	None
Covered by GPA	Yes
Evaluation criteria	Technical Value (60%), Price (40%)
Location	Various locations across France
Subcontracting	No
Number of tenders	5 (for each lot)

Lot 1 – Standalone Workstation Solutions

Lot 1: Solutions exécutées sur un poste de travail en autonomie

• Maximum value: €11,500,000
• Re-estimated value: €561,305
• Winner: Econocom consortium (Econocom Products & Solutions lead)
• Subcontracting: No
• Number of tenders: 5
• Rank: 1

Lot 2 – Fully Remote-Dependent Solutions

Lot 2: Solutions dépendant intégralement d'un service distant

• Maximum value: €225,000,000
• Re-estimated value: €6,010,226
• Winner: Econocom consortium (Econocom Products & Solutions lead)
• Subcontracting: No
• Number of tenders: 5
• Rank: 1

Lot Summary Table

Lot	Title	Max Value (€)	Re-estimated Value (€)	Winner	Tenders
1	Standalone workstation solutions	11,500,000	561,305	Econocom consortium	5
2	Fully remote-dependent solutions	225,000,000	6,010,226	Econocom consortium	5
Total		236,500,000	6,571,531

About the Contracting Authority

The Secrétariat Général of the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Research and Space, together with the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Voluntary Organisations, is the central government authority responsible for this procurement. The Sous-direction des achats (Procurement Sub-Directorate) manages the procurement process for the ministries' IT needs.

About the Winner – Econocom Consortium

The framework was awarded to a consortium of four companies led by Econocom Products & Solutions:

1. Econocom Products & Solutions (Leader)

• Size: Large enterprise
• Headquarters: Puteaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France (NUTS: FR105)
• Registration number: 33156643000384
• Specialisation: Digital services and IT solutions

2. SMLB – Alternative Distribution

• Size: Large enterprise
• Headquarters: Villebon-sur-Yvette, Essonne, France (NUTS: FR104)
• Registration number: 44072747700042
• Specialisation: IT distribution and solutions

3. Econocom Services & Solutions

• Size: Large enterprise
• Headquarters: Puteaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France (NUTS: FR105)
• Registration number: 84484409200164
• Specialisation: IT services and solutions

4. Econocom Exaprobe

• Size: Large enterprise
• Headquarters: Le Plessis Robinson, Hauts-de-Seine, France (NUTS: FR105)
• Registration number: 44073488700233
• Specialisation: IT expertise and consulting

Consortium Summary

Company	Size	Location	Role
Econocom Products & Solutions	Large	Puteaux (FR105)	Lead
SMLB – Alternative Distribution	Large	Villebon-sur-Yvette (FR104)	Member
Econocom Services & Solutions	Large	Puteaux (FR105)	Member
Econocom Exaprobe	Large	Le Plessis Robinson (FR105)	Member

Evaluation Criteria

Both lots use the same evaluation criteria:

• Technical Value (60%): Quality of the proposed solution and service delivery
• Price (40%): Overall cost of the services

Procurement Analysis

• Procedure: Open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU and the French Public Procurement Code.
• Competition: Five tenders were received for each lot, all submitted electronically.
• SME participation: No SME bidders – all winners are large enterprises.
• Subcontracting: No subcontracting was declared.
• No EU funding: The procurement was not financed with EU funds.
• No framework agreement with reopening: The framework is without reopening of competition.
• No dynamic purchasing system used.
• Review body: Tribunal administratif de Paris.

Additional Procurement Facts

• The contract is covered by the WTO's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
• No EU funds were used for this procurement.
• The framework has a total maximum value of €236,500,000.
• The contract is tacitly renewable up to 3 times (12 months each).
• Technical value is weighted at 60%.
• Price is weighted at 40%.
• The winner is a consortium of four large French companies.
• 5 tenders were received for each lot.
• No subcontracting was declared.
• Lot 2 (remote-dependent solutions) is significantly larger (€225M vs €11.5M).
• Review deadlines: Within two months of publication, third parties can challenge the contract before the Paris Administrative Court.

Market & Industry Perspective

The French public sector IT market is dominated by large framework agreements that provide comprehensive solutions across the government. Generalist software solutions are a critical component of modern IT infrastructure, covering both standalone workstation applications and remote-dependent cloud solutions.

Key trends in this market include:

• Cloud adoption: Growing shift to remote-dependent solutions
• Comprehensive services: Licences + support + expertise + training
• Long-term frameworks: Up to 4 years with tacit renewals
• Quality focus: 60% weighting on technical value
• Large volumes: High-value contracts (€236M+)

Economic Significance

At up to €236.5 million, this procurement represents a major IT investment for the French education and research sector. The contracts will:

• Modernise IT infrastructure: Provide up-to-date generalist software solutions
• Support education and research: Cover ministries, regional services, and research establishments
• Enable digital transformation: Support the digitalisation of French education
• Provide long-term stability: Up to 4 years of service continuity
• Support large enterprises: Econocom consortium is a major French IT player

Future Procurement Opportunities

With these frameworks now in place, future opportunities include:

• Re-tender: Expected after the 48-month maximum duration
• Additional services: Related IT services not covered by these frameworks
• Other government departments: Similar software procurements elsewhere in the French public sector
• Groupe Logiciel: Other software procurement by the purchasing group

Opportunities for Suppliers

While these contracts are awarded, opportunities remain for IT suppliers:

• Subcontracting: The winners may seek subcontractors for specialist services (none declared currently)
• Re-tender: Prepare for the next procurement cycle
• Other government departments: Similar software tenders in other ministries
• Groupe Logiciel: Other software procurement opportunities

What Businesses Should Watch

• French government IT procurement notices
• Ministry of Education's future tenders
• Groupe Logiciel purchasing group announcements
• Software market trends (standalone vs remote-dependent)
• Changes to French Public Procurement Code

FranceTenders Procurement Intelligence

This generalist software framework is a notable example of large-scale French government IT procurement. Several features stand out:

• Scale: Up to €236.5 million across two lots
• Two lots: Standalone and remote-dependent solutions
• Comprehensive coverage: Licences, subscriptions, support, maintenance, expertise, training
• Long-term: Up to 48 months with tacit renewals
• Quality focus: 60% weighting on technical value
• Single winner: Econocom consortium awarded both lots

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of:

• Comprehensive solutions: Offering both software and services
• Quality focus: Technical value accounts for 60% of evaluation
• Competitive pricing: Price accounts for 40%
• Consortium partnerships: Combining complementary expertise
• Long-term commitment: Ability to support 4-year frameworks

Supplier Takeaways

• Offer comprehensive generalist software solutions (licences + services)
• Demonstrate technical value – 60% of evaluation is quality-based
• Provide competitive pricing – 40% weighting
• Build partnerships for consortium bidding
• Develop capability for long-term (4-year) frameworks
• Monitor French government IT procurement opportunities

Key Takeaways

• French Ministry of Education awarded a generalist software framework to Econocom consortium
• Lot 1 (standalone): €11.5M max – Econocom consortium
• Lot 2 (remote-dependent): €225M max – Econocom consortium
• Total maximum value: €236,500,000
• Duration: 12 months + 3 x 12-month tacit renewals (up to 48 months)
• Evaluation: Technical Value (60%), Price (40%)
• 5 tenders for each lot
• No subcontracting declared

Conclusion

This generalist software framework represents a major IT infrastructure investment for the French education and research sector. By awarding two separate lots for standalone and remote-dependent solutions, the Ministry of Education ensures that its central and regional services, as well as research establishments, have access to a wide range of modern software solutions.

The 60% technical value / 40% price weighting reflects the importance of both service quality and cost-effectiveness in public sector IT procurement. The Econocom consortium's success across both lots demonstrates the company's strong position in the French public sector IT market.

With a potential duration of up to 48 months through tacit renewal, these framework agreements provide long-term stability for both the contracting authority and the successful supplier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the contracting authority?

Ans: The Secrétariat Général of the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Research and Space, together with the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Voluntary Organisations.

Q: What is the total value of the procurement?

Ans: Up to €236,500,000 across both lots (Lot 1: €11.5M, Lot 2: €225M).

Q: Who won the framework?

Ans: A consortium led by Econocom Products & Solutions, including SMLB – Alternative Distribution, Econocom Services & Solutions, and Econocom Exaprobe.

Q: What are the two lots?

Ans: Lot 1 – Standalone workstation solutions; Lot 2 – Fully remote-dependent solutions.

Q: What services are covered?

Ans: Licences, subscriptions, support, maintenance, expertise, and training for generalist software solutions.

Q: What were the evaluation criteria?

Ans: Technical Value (60%) and Price (40%).

Q: How long are the contracts?

Ans: 12 months initial + 3 x 12-month tacit renewals = up to 48 months.

Q: How many tenders were received?

Ans: 5 for each lot.

Q: Is this contract funded by the EU?

Ans: No, the procurement is not financed with EU funds.

Q: What is the review body?

Ans: Tribunal administratif de Paris (Paris Administrative Court).

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 597888-2026, OJ S 167/2026, published 31 August 2026.