Dear friends,

We are pleased to inform you that the European Federation of Sexology (EFS) has just released two important Calls for Bids:

1.Call for Affiliated Societies to Host a Future EFS Congress – Affiliated national societies are invited to submit their candidatures to host an upcoming biannual EFS Congress, following the bidding rules outlined below.

2.Call for Professional Congress Organizers (PCOs) for the 2028 EFS Congress – PCOs interested in collaborating with EFS are invited to submit their proposal, as detailed in the following guidelines.

Both calls represent excellent opportunities to contribute to the success and international visibility of the Federation’s flagship event, fostering scientific exchange and collaboration across Europe and beyond.

We warmly encourage you to review the attached documents and consider applying. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@europeansexology.com

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1.Bidding rules EFS congress

• All the candidatures of affiliated associations and societies are welcome to apply for hosting the biannual EFS congresses.
• All documents must be sent to the EFS officers (President, General Secretary and Treasurer) by e-mail in Word/PDF for a first evaluation. Proposals that fulfil all the requirements stated below will be considered by the Executive Committee in cooperation with the official PCO of the Federation.
• The suitable candidates will be invited to present at the General Assembly. The final decision to approve an application to host the EFS Congress will be made by a simple majority vote of full members present at the General Assembly.

Hosting requirements

• The association who applies for organizing the next congress must be up to date with all the due EFS membership fees (including any potential arrears).
• The President of the candidate association (together with the appointed Congress Chairperson, when different) will be invited to attend a meeting of the Executive Committee to answer any enquiries regarding the plan and all the related issues. She/He/They/Ze will present the final proposal at the General Assembly.
• The appointed Congress Chairperson needs to guarantee to be in charge of the meeting in the year it will be held (with appropriate fail-safe mechanisms in case of illness, resignation, etc.). Moreover, She/He/They/Ze have to get the full support by the hosting association, in case of changes within the officers’ positions (President, General Secretary, Treasurer).
• The host venue should be settled in Europe or Mediterranean countries, with frequent international flights and good connections, able to welcome between 300 and 800 delegates, with at least 4 meetings halls fully technically equipped.
• The host association should appoint at least 2 people who will be involved in the Scientific Program, and 2 people who will need to collaborate closely with the PCO in the organization of the venue, the social events, and all the other issues regarding the best outcome of the Congress (Local Organizing Committee).
• The title for the congress should be suggested.
• It is expected that the host national society will assist the PCO to organize the meeting for the benefit of the Federation. A local scientific committee should be pointed to collaborate with the EFS Scientific Committee for the quality of the program.

To be noted:

1. whether forced circumstances may require any change, an alternative venue and/or hosting association and country will be decided even without the voting of members at the General Assembly. In an emergency, the Executive Committee is empowered to decide about these changes for the benefit of the EFS Congress but must justify its decision to the members at the next General Assembly.
2. subject to a minimum number of paid registrations based on the contract with the PCO, the host national society will receive a minimum fixed financial amount. A memorandum of understanding will be signed between the host society, EFS and the PCO that will also guarantee a proportion of any financial surplus resulting from the organization of the Congress. This will not exceed 10% of the profit. There will be no liability financial or otherwise to the host society (or EFS). Also, the host society will be able to keep all income from any host organized pre-congress workshops after all expenses.

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PCO BID 2028

BID for PCO willing to organize the 2028 EFS congress

To apply to this BID, it is necessary for the PCO to submit complete documentation regarding the following information (namely, Information Required of the PCO) and responses to the shortlist for the proposal. We request that you complete this template and return to our official email info@europeansexology.com and to our General Secretary (filipponimbi@hotmail.it) by the 1^st May 2026 to allow the officers to finalise their shortlisting procedure.

Information Required of the PCO

Attach the following information to the documentation:

1. PCO Profile: Details about offices, representatives, and departments.
2. PCO Services: A comprehensive list of services offered.
3. PCO Memberships: Evidence of compliance with international criteria and relevant certifications (e.g., ICCA, IAPCO).
4. PCO Staff Structure: Information on permanent staff assigned to the congress room, including their educational background, language proficiency, and experience level.
5. Experience in the International Meetings Industry: List of international meetings organized in the last decade, demonstrating expertise in scientific organization.
6. International References: Institutions that can vouch for the PCO’s capabilities.
7. IT Profile: Details on IT and software structures, hardware, and modules, including software facilities for registration/accommodation.
8. Financial Background & Business Volume: Financial credibility and stability, demonstrated through balance sheets and profit and loss accounts from the past three years

Shortlist for the EFS proposal