The European Commission intends to launch a call for tender for the establishment and operation of a network of independent social policy experts supporting the Commission’s work in the fields of social protection and social inclusion. The future contract will aim to provide high-quality analytical support on social protection and social inclusion policies and developments at both national and European levels, succeeding the current expert network operating until 2026. The network will support the Commission in the preparation, development, implementation and monitoring of EU social policy initiatives, including activities related to the European Semester. The services to be requested are expected to include, among others: analytical and comparative reporting on national social policy developments; expert assessments and thematic analysis in the areas of social protection and social inclusion; support for policy monitoring and evidence gathering at EU level; rapid-response analytical support on emerging policy issues; and secretarial and coordination services for the MISSOC (Mutual Information System on Social Protection) network.