Questions and Answers

Queries can be raised regarding the Competition by anyone interested in applying, in writing, to require clarification.

Questions can be sent until January 30th 2026 (up to 10 days prior to the deadline for submission) by email elinpelincenter@competition.bg

Question 28       Registered Office Address
How can I fill out the Application Form if I do not have a registered office address referenced in the form?
The Application Form is required, and participants are required to complete only the sections applicable to their specific case.
This field is for participants applying on behalf of a firm or union with a registered office address.

Question 27       Zone 1 vs Zone 2
Some of the specific design requirements for Zone 1 and Zone 2 are very similar, how should the specific design requirements for these two competition areas be distinguished?
It is correct that that design requirements for Zone 1 and 2 are similar. This is because Zone 2 Surrounding Area is the expanded project of Zone 1 City Center. However, the design requirement scope for Zone 2 does not require the same level of intervention or modification. Zone 1 addresses more use cases, but they are part of the same concept. Sections 4.2. and 4.3. of the Design Brief provide a list of aspects to be presented in the comprehensive concept.

Question 26       Design Requirements
Where can I find the design requirements for the Conceptual Design?
Chapter 1 is the overview of the goals of the competition and of the eventual realized project. Chapter 4 provides more specific design direction and aspects which are to be addressed in the proposal. They are correspondent with one another.  You can address these guidelines with visual and text material; however, the guidelines are not required to be addressed one by one.

Question 25       Project Submission
How can I submit my final project?
You have three options for project submission:
1. Through the competition website (digital)
  2. Through the CIAS portal yourself (digital)
  3. By mail to Municipality Elin Pelin

We strongly recommend that you submit your documents and project through the competition platform, so that we can ensure that everything is properly submitted. Please review section 2.4.3. in the Competition Rules:
“Each participant may also submit all competition documents and proposals via the competition website, using a specially developed participation platform: https://competition.bg/elinpelincenter/. This submission method is optional and entirely at the discretion of participants. Participants must create a personal profile on the platform by completing the following steps:
– Register on the platform;
– Confirm registration via the email address provided by the participant;
– Finalize registration by downloading, completing, and uploading the participation documents: Application Form, European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), and Power of Attorney — available in the Documentation section. Deadline 12 February 2026 The participant must submit all competition materials no later than 23:59 (EET/GMT+2) on 17 February 2026. Note: By creating a profile in the platform and signing the power of attorney attached to the documentation, the participant agrees to be represented by the authorized representative in the submission of the documentation and competition proposals. The authorized representative shall perform all necessary actions in accordance with Bulgarian legislation. The representative is solely responsible for the submission of the competition materials and their upload to the Centralized Automated Information System for Electronic Public Procurement (CAIS EPP) in the form in which they were submitted by the participant through the competition platform.”

Question 24       Source Data and Materials
The Technical Brief mentions relevant data used for the preparation of the Technical Brief such as spatial data digitization, processing, and conversion, as well as database and attribute information handling. Are all these files available?
These data are proprietary to the Municipality, and are not accessible to participants in their raw form.

Question 23       Drawing Scale
Are the scales provided in the Technical Brief mandatory?
The scales provided in the Technical Brief are suggested, not mandatory. Participants may arrange their boards in the scale they deem most appropriate.

Question 22       CAD Site Section
Does the site section provided in the CAD file correspond directly to specific building numbers in the drawings, or are they intended as a guide to architectural styles?
The building elevations correspond with Site Section 1-1, which runs along the pedestrian street in plan of the same CAD file. They are provided to give an idea of the silhouette of the street. They are drawn to scale, but do not correspond with building numbers provided in any schemes.

Question 21       Application Form
In the Application Form, must the listed intended participants be consistent with the actual participants at later stages? Is it necessary to provide identification documents during the registration stage?
In the application, you are only required to list the participants who were involved in preparation on the competition materials. In the case that your project is awarded, you may revise the team that will realize the project. This is also when you will need to submit identification and professional licensure documents, but they are not necessary for the competition registration.

Question 20       Registration Documents
How do I register and what documents are required?
You may register via the Competition platform in the “Submit Your Project” section. Finish registering by downloading, completing, and uploading the following participation documents: Application Form, ESPD, Power of Attorney, and Declaration under Article 5. If you are participating as a union, please include the Union Documentation as well. You can find all of these documents provided in the Documentation section.
The registration deadline: 12 February 2026.
The project submission deadline is 17 February 2026.
The Contract document is provided for reference purposes only and is not required to be submitted unless the participant is selected as a finalist.
Additional information can be found in section 2.4.3. of the Competition Rules

Question 19       Street Removal
With the aim of improving connectivity and providing more green spaces, is it permissible to eliminate redundant streets?
Streets may not be removed, and their function or direction of flow cannot be revised.

Question 18       Street Elevation
Are changes to street elevation permitted, and is it possible for part of a street to be below grade?
Only streets designated for the underground parking can be below grade.

Question 17       Phone number
Regarding participation in the competition, could you please provide a contact phone number for convenience?
Email is the only form of communication for the competition. Please direct all questions and inquires to elinpelincenter@competition.bg.

Question 16       Boards / Panels
Is it necessary to submit 6 boards for the project submission to be considered valid?
No, the only limitation is that participants can submit up to 6 boards. There is no mandatory minimum number of boards that must be submitted. The number depends entirely on the participant’s design proposal and their vision of how, in what way, and in how many boards they wish to present their idea.

Question 15       Changes to the Street Profiles
What is meant by “street profiles” as defined in the competition brief, and what can be proposed?
By changes to the street profile, we mean that participants may not alter the number of traffic lanes or the location of drainage elements. The function of the street may not be changed. Participants may propose solutions to improve the public realm within the existing street profile, including surface materials, landscaping, street furniture, traffic-calming measures, and related interventions.

Question 14       Age Restrictions
Can someone under 18 years of age participate in the competition?
There are no age restrictions for participants.
Participation in the competition and submission of a project do not require possession of a professional qualification. After the conclusion of the competition, and in the event that you are selected as a finalist, it will be necessary to include a team member who holds a professional license in Bulgaria for the purpose of signing the design contract.

Question 13       ESPD
What is an ESPD form and how do I fill out and submit?
The European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) is the self-declaration form required for participation in the Bulgarian public procurement system. Completion of the ESPD is mandatory for all participants, regardless of nationality. As Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, this requirement applies even when participants are based outside Europe. Complete all parts of the ESPD which apply to you, to the best of you ability. In this case, the “Procurer” is the Municipality of Elin Pelin and the “Economic Operator” is you.
If you are unable to register and submit the projects in this system, we facilitate the submission on your behalf. In order for us to do so, please ensure you have completed, signed, and uploaded the Power of Attorney document.
In the case of participation as a consortium, each of its member must complete an individual ESPD indicating their participation and naming the consortium. In addition, a separate ESPD must also be completed on behalf of the consortium as a whole.

Question 12       City Park
Can the area with the City Park, located south of the pedestrian area, be redesigned?
The City Park to the south of the pedestrian area lies outside of both Zone 1 and 2 of the competition areas, and is not part of the competition scope. However, the street along the eastern side of the park, ul. Zdrazets, is within Zone 2 and can we be modified per section 4.3 in the Technical Brief.

Question 11       Language
Is it necessary for all texts and explanations to be written in both Bulgarian and English?
It is advisable that explanatory texts, as well as labels on the projects and related documents, are provided in both Bulgarian and English. However, this is not mandatory and at the discretion of the user. The official language of the competition is Bulgarian.

Question 10       Licensing Requirements
What are the licensing requirements to participate in the competition?
The competition is open to everyone. There are no such requirements for registering or participating in the competition. Participants ranked first, second, or third in the competition will be invited by the Contracting Authorities to negotiate a design contract, at this time, they must have at least one team member capable of certifying full design qualifications. This information can be found in full in the Competition Rules document, refer to 2.1. Conditions for Participation.

Question 9       Map of Public Services and Transportation
​Whether it is possible to obtain a map of public services and public transportation, including the location of stops, as well as cycling paths and pedestrian routes, preferably in PDF or DWG format?
There is no available map of public services in Elin Pelin. Our recommendation is that you use the open data through Google Maps and similar to determine any transit stop locations and pedestrian areas. Main pedestrian areas within the competition zones have been noted in the Technical Brief, refer to section 3. Competition Territory. There are no bike lanes within the competition area.

Question 8       Location of New Monument
Where will the proposed monument to Hristo Botev, mentioned in the Technical Brief, be located?
The exact location of the monument will be at this exact location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bc8T7suetbBiyZXB7

Question 7       Resignation of the Bulgarian Government
Will the recent resignation of the Bulgarian Government have an effect on the competition?
The competition will proceed as planned. The contracting authority is the Municipality of Elin Pelin. The contracting authority is not dependent of the Government of Bulgaria, so the organization and execution of the competition will not be affected.

Question 6       Underground Parking Ramp Location
What is the location of the ramp for the underground parking of the proposed new mixed-use building, that will be constructed on the site of the existing Gaidarets Hotel? Does the ramp for the underground parking facility on the site of the existing surface parking lot have to be aligned with this ramp?
For the new mixed-use building to be constructed on the site of the existing Gaidarets Hotel, the ramp will be in the far western portion of the area designated for underground parking in the DWG basis file provided in the Documentation section of the Competition Site. The ramp for new-mixed use building will be outside of the parcel of the existing Gaidarets Hotel.
In the Technical Brief, it is recommended that the proposed ramp for the new underground parking be aligned with the ramp for the new mixed-use building. However, this suggestion, and all others provided in the Technical Brief, are not intended to be definitive. Participants are encouraged to propose alternative solutions and make adjustments where they believe this would improve the overall quality and functionality of their project.

Question 5       Individual Participant
Is it possible to participate individually, or is there a minimum number of team members required?
A single individual can prepare and submit a project, but each person participating in the competition has the right to submit only one project.

Question 4       Registration
There is a PIN/UIC in the registration form. I don’t have this PIN. I want to register but I can’t.
The PIN (Personal Identification Number) or UIC (Unique Identification Code) is the document number on a valid, government-issued document. You can use any valid document, such as a passport or another official ID, for the purposes of identity verification.