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Call for Applications for EPSA 2025-26
Is your organisation driving change and shaping the future of public services?The 10th anniversary edition of the European Public Sector Award (EPSA) is your chance to shine!
Under the title Driving Competitiveness through Reforms and Investments, EPSA 2025-26 edition welcomes the submission of projects in three award categories:
- Innovating Government, Governance and Policies
- Investing in Infrastructure, Mobility and Energy
- Delivering User-Centric Services at Subnational Level
EPSA is Europe’s stage for public sector excellence – open to administrations at all levels of government. It’s where bold ideas and impactful projects get the recognition they deserve while inspiring others across the continent.
Submit your project by clicking on the “Submit your application here” button.
Everything you need to know to prepare your submission is provided in the Application Guide.
Don’t miss the opportunity to join a community of innovators and compete for the prestigious EPSA Award.
The call for applications is open until 30 January 2026, 17:00 (CET).
Do you have any question? We invite you to join our upcoming info session on 11 November from 13.00 to 14.30. You can find out more and register here.
Call for Applications for Special Recognition
Did you take part in a previous EPSA edition?
The EPSA 2025-26 edition offers you the chance to showcase your continuous commitment to the improvement of public services!
To share good practices of projects with tangible results over an extended time period, the 10th anniversary edition is inviting previous applicants to update their project submissions with additional information.
Demonstrate the sustainability and successful impacts of your project and receive the EPSA Special Recognition for continuous improvement.
Submit your project update by clicking on the “Submit your application for Special Recognition here” button.
Everything you need to know to prepare your submission is provided in the Application Guide Special Recognition.
The call for applications for Special Recognition is open until 30 January 2026, 17:00 (CET).
In case of questions, please contact the EPSA Helpdesk: Info.epsa@eipa.eu
The European Public Sector Award is open to public sector entities at all levels of government across Europe (see Annex II for the list of eligible countries).
“Public sector” includes all public entities such as EU institutions, departments, divisions or agencies of EU institutions, national governments, national government departments, divisions or agencies, 100% state-owned enterprises, cities, regions, provinces and other forms of sub-national authorities as well as departments, divisions or agencies of them or enterprises 100% owned by them including institutions responsible for scrutiny of public sector entities such as regulatory, audit or judicial authorities.
Projects can be submitted jointly by more than one organisation, including cross-country applications and private or mixed-capital entities, not-for-profit/third sector organisations or academic institutions, but the lead organisation must be a public sector entity.
The EPSA 2025-26 evaluation process entails five stages:
1. Online evaluation
Following the initial eligibility check by EIPA, all eligible projects will be distributed to external experts for the first evaluation. Each project will be assessed by two evaluators independently, based on the application form and against six evaluation criteria: relevance, quality, cost-effectiveness, impact, sustainability and transferability. The evaluators score projects on each evaluation criterion to develop the provisional ranking of projects in each award category.
2. Online meetings
Based on the shortlist of highest-ranking projects, representatives of the shortlisted projects will be invited to online meetings. In the meetings, representatives will have the opportunity to present their projects and provide additional information. Evaluators can ask questions to verify their initial scoring and further their appraisal of the respective projects. The online meetings allow direct interaction between project representatives and evaluators who will use the insights gained through the meetings to decide on the three winning projects per category.
3. Consensus meeting
In the Consensus Meeting, the evaluators meet in person to discuss the initial scoring of the shortlisted projects taking into account the exchange with project representatives during the online meetings. Based on this discussion, the evaluators collectively decide on the three winning projects, in no particular order, in each award category.
Moreover, during the meeting evaluators consider the shortlisted projects as well as non-shortlisted projects, which are not selected for the top three positions and decide which of these projects Good Practice Certificates shall be awarded.
4. Validation visits
Following the Consensus Meeting, EIPA conducts visits to the winning projects to validate and verify the results and to obtain additional information on-site. The visits shall include exchange with different counterparts (i.e. project staff and project leader, stakeholders, partner organisations, project sponsors, etc.) in order to validate the content of the application form, to receive answers to additional questions raised during the Consensus Meeting (if applicable) and to gather additional data for the benefit of the Jury.
5. Jury meeting
In the final step, representatives of winning projects will face a high-level jury consisting of experts in leading positions in national or international organisations, dedicated to academic and practical study and support for public sector reform. The jury will consider the information acquired throughout the evaluation process and the exchange with project representatives for its decision on first, second and third place in each award category. The Jury Meeting will take place on the margins of the Award Ceremony.
Recognition & Validation
Winning an EPSA trophy or receiving a Good Practice Certificate provides high-level, European-wide recognition for your organisation’s innovative project. This recognition validates the hard work and success of your team, and it can significantly enhance your organisation’s reputation. It also serves as a public endorsement of your project’s effectiveness and impact, which can be used to inspire others and attract future partnerships or funding.
Community & Networking
Participating in the EPSA allows you to join a community of public sector innovators and leaders. This network connects you with peers from various European countries and different levels of government, creating a valuable space for collaboration. You can build professional relationships, share experiences, and learn from others who are also at the forefront of public sector reform and excellence. This community fosters a sense of shared purpose and provides a support system for addressing common challenges.
Knowledge Sharing & Inspiration
EPSA is designed as a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing. It’s not just a competition; it’s a mechanism for mutual learning and capacity building. By submitting your project, you get to showcase your successes and contribute to a growing database of best practices. At the same time, you gain access to a wealth of knowledge from other participants, learning about their innovative solutions, policies, and practices. This exchange of ideas helps administrations to think bigger, replicate successful models, and collectively shape a smarter, more inclusive future for public services.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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