CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CEI) – HERITAS Project
Enhancing Cultural Heritage through Participatory Citizen Pathways and the Creation of Community-Based Tourism Routes -- Interreg NEXT Italy–Tunisia Programme 2021–2027
Subject: Establishment of a Pool of Pre-Identified Experts and Service Providers – HERITAS Project
As part of the HERITAS project, implemented by a cross-border consortium coordinated by CESIE ETS (Italy), with Animed SARL as the Tunisian partner, Animed launches this Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) to identify and pre-select experts, companies, and service providers who may be mobilized for the implementation of various project activities.
1. Presentation of Animed and the HERITAS Project
Animed is a Tunisian enterprise operating within the social and solidarity economy, specializing in culture, heritage, inclusive training, social innovation, and sustainable territorial development. For several years, Animed has been involved in projects funded by the European Union and international donors, particularly in the areas of training, employability, social inclusion, cultural heritage valorization, and sustainable tourism.
The HERITAS project is an initiative dedicated to enhancing cultural heritage and promoting sustainable tourism as drivers of local economic development, inclusion, and social innovation. The project emphasizes the active participation of local communities, the transmission of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and capacity building for local stakeholders, particularly youth and women.
HERITAS aims to strengthen the role of culture and sustainable tourism in the economic and social development of territories, while fostering inclusion and social innovation. It is implemented in the cities of Balestrate (Italy) and Nabeul (Tunisia), as well as in their surrounding rural areas, with particular attention given to territories that are less integrated into traditional tourism circuits.
The project promotes alternative models of cultural heritage and tourism management based on sustainable, inclusive, and participatory practices.
HERITAS adopts an innovative approach by encouraging the direct involvement of local communities in the design, management, and enhancement of cultural heritage, whether tangible or intangible. Through training, co-creation, and intercultural dialogue, the project contributes to strengthening local empowerment and developing sustainable community-based tourism routes, fostering Mediterranean synergies between Sicily and Tunisia.
2. Objective of the Call for Expressions of Interest
The present Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) aims to:
Establish a list of pre-identified service providers and experts (Animed’s Expert Pool) who may be mobilized for the managerial and technical activities of the HERITAS project;
- Identify competencies, experience, and technical capacities available at both national and international levels;
- Facilitate the subsequent launch of restricted consultations, direct mandates, requests for quotations, or targeted mission letters, depending on project needs.
Participation in this CEI does not constitute a contractual commitment and does not imply any guarantee of future engagement. However, it allows applicants to be registered as potential service providers for the project.
3. Areas and Categories of Services Sought (Indicative and Non-Exhaustive List)
For the implementation of activities under the Work Packages (WPs):
- WP1. Cultural heritage valorization strategies through the involvement of local communities;
- WP2. Cultural heritage enhancement through training actions for youth and women;
- WP3. Participatory community-based and sustainable tourism routes.
Applicants may express their interest in one or more of the following categories:
A – Training, Masterclasses, and Capacity Building
- Experts to deliver training modules for youth and women, particularly in sustainable community-based tourism.
- Technical experts to conduct masterclasses in:
- Sustainable tourism;
- Creation of cultural tourism experiences and products;
- Enhancement of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
- Experts in marketing applied to sustainable tourism, particularly for masterclasses on:
- Access to tourism markets;
- Product positioning;
- Networking and professional partnerships.
- Experts in English applied to tourism (communication, hospitality, cultural mediation, and ready-to-use IT or AI tools).
B – Communication, Marketing, and Visibility
- Experts in the design of communication tools and promotional materials, particularly within the framework of a cultural and tourism entrepreneurship competition.
- Strategic marketing experts providing technical assistance and enhancing the professional visibility of entrepreneurial projects (market readiness).
- Communication experts offering individualized support to project holders (branding, storytelling, digital communication).
- Strategic planning experts supporting project holders, including:
- Business models and business plans;
- Marketing and commercial strategies;
- Project structuring and development.
C – Technical Support for Award Winners
- Experts providing individualized technical support to selected projects, particularly regarding:
- Enhancement of intangible cultural heritage;
- Hospitality, quality, and hygiene standards;
- Environmental sustainability of tourism activities;
- Adaptation of offers to local and community contexts.
- Consultants specialized in the technical and operational preparation of cultural tourism projects.
D – Organization of Workshops, Masterclasses, and Events
- Service providers for the logistical organization of trainings, masterclasses, and technical assistance workshops, including:
- Operational coordination;
- Management of venues, equipment, and materials;
- Catering services and related logistics.
- Organization and coordination of technical assistance workshops for selected projects.
E – Interpretation and Linguistic Mediation
- Interpretation service providers for masterclasses, workshops, and events (FR / EN / IT, depending on project needs).
F – Cultural Routes and Digital Tourism
- Experts in the design and development of cultural and tourism itineraries, including:
Thematic route design;
- Creation of cultural and tourism content;
- Integration of digital tools and media;
- Design of signage materials.
- Consultants specialized in the qualitative and strategic evaluation of cultural itineraries, including analysis of their cultural, tourism, and territorial relevance.
- Experts in the design and development of cultural and tourism itineraries, including:
4. Important Notes
- This CEI does not constitute a call for tenders.
- Only pre-selected service providers may be contacted at a later stage.
- Animed reserves the right not to follow up on all or part of the expressions of interest received.
- Incomplete applications may be rejected.
5. Contractual Procedures (For Selected Experts Only)
Experts and service providers selected through this Call for Expressions of Interest will be integrated into the HERITAS project’s pool of pre-identified experts and service providers.
Inclusion in this pool may, depending on project needs and the nature of assignments, lead to the signature of:
- Framework contracts, defining the general conditions of collaboration, including the legal and contractual framework, obligations of the parties, confidentiality rules, intellectual property and data protection provisions, ethics and integrity requirements, conflict-of-interest prevention measures, as well as termination and dispute resolution clauses.
- Consultants and experts will be remunerated based on Animed’s fee scale, taking into account the nature of the assignment, the level of expertise, and the available budget, specifying in particular:
– Daily rates;
– Distinctions between national and international assignments.
Final financial conditions will be established in compliance with the financial management rules of the HERITAS project and the Interreg Italy–Tunisia Programme.
Inclusion in the pool of experts and service providers does not imply any exclusivity in favor of Animed.
6. Participation Modalities and Conditions
Interested candidates are invited to submit an Expression of Interest dossier including:
- A Letter of Expression of Interest specifying the relevant categories of expertise;
- A presentation of the organization or expert (profile, experience, references);
- A detailed CV (for individual experts);
- A list of similar projects or assignments carried out;
- Basic administrative documents (for companies, if applicable: company registration number, tax identification number);
- A declaration of honor confirming the accuracy of the information provided.
Applications must be submitted electronically to the following addresses: animed.sarl@gmail.com and contact@animed-network.com No later than February 15, 2026.
Email subject line: AMI_HERITAS_Animed – Provider Name
7. Indicative Timeline
- Publication of the CEI: January 12, 2026
- Deadline for receipt of Expressions of Interest: February 15, 2026
- Selection period and establishment of the database: Ongoing throughout the project implementation period (expected until the end of 2028, with a possible extension).
8. General Principles
The selection and contracting of service providers will be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
- Transparency and equal treatment;
- Compliance with donor regulations and with the internal procedures of the project and ANIMED.