The Pre-Commercial Procurement Process

The primary objective of the project is to procure application solutions to:

  • Enable a European / Galileo based solution for time-synchronisation in the future public safety organisation’s mission-critical wireless broadband networks,
  • Improve the quality of time-synchronisation in public safety organisation’s communications networks,
  • Enable a European / Galileo based solution for secure and highly accurate location and navigation information for public safety organisation’s mission-critical wireless communications equipment,
  • Enable a European / Galileo based solution for secure and highly accurate time synchronisation of public safety organisation’s used mission-critical “Internet-of-Public-Safety-Things” (IoPST /IoT),
  • Enable a European / Galileo based solution for secure and highly accurate location information, navigation information for public safety organisation’s drone fleet management,
  • Improve the (independence) autonomy of non-European technologic solutions,
  • Create a set of solutions that can be migrated to a broader commercial use as well as upgraded to a more specific use with the Galileo PRS signal.

The BroadGNSS PCP consortium has received a grant of €3.6Million from the European GNSS Agency under Horizon 2020 (Grant No. 101004213), of which €2.5Million is reserved for the procurement of innovative solutions to exploit the distinguishing features of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Galileo signals and operational advantages in downstream public safety applications.

The Pre-Commercial Procurement process consists of three clearly defined phases: Phase 1: Solution Design, Phase 2: Prototype Development and Phase 3: Pilot (see graphic below). In each of these phases, there is significant budget available for suppliers to support their work. The total procurement budget for BroadGNSS is approximately €2,5 Millions from the European GNSS Agency under Horizon 2020 (Grant No. 101004213).

Phase 0: Preparation Stage

The preparation stage spans the requirements validation study to the selection of suppliers. The particulars involve: gathering and analysing feedback from a needs analysis of the buyer’s group, a requirement validation study, an open market consultation, preparation of the tender documents, a launch of the Request for Tender (RFT) inviting suppliers to participate in the PCP and supplier selection.

The expected outcomes of the preparation stage will be:

  • Publication of a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to raise awareness and inform the market players about future Open Market Consultation (OMC) activities,
  • Carry out a requirement validation study across a wider set of public authorities responsible for public safety communities, building upon the outcomes of the project BroadMap*,
  • Carry out an OMC to gain an understanding of market capability and state-of-the-art,
  • Publish a Contract Notice on the OJEU and launch a Request for Tender (RFT), based on the Horizon 2020 PCP model contract documents, using common functional/performance-based specifications and common evaluation criteria. This will comprise a set of documents including an RFT, the Common Challenge (technical objectives), draft framework and specific phase contracts,

Select a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 4 suppliers/supply teams, sign a joint framework agreement between the buyer’s group and the suppliers and a specific contract for the delivery of phase 1 Design Phase.

Execution Stage

The execution stage comprises of 3 sequential steps following the award of the successful suppliers to provide designs to address the BroadGNSS Challenge. It involves the implementation of the PCP contracts, the delivery of R&D services by the suppliers, in accordance with the milestones and deliverables defined in the tender documents, which in turn will be monitored and evaluated by the buyer’s group.

It is expected that the PCP procedure will commence in January 2023 and end in January 2024.

The PCP execution consist of 3 phases:

Phase 1: Design Phase
  • This phase aims to verify and assess the technical, economic and organisational feasibility of each supply team’s tender over a 3.5 month period, progressively and competitively
  • Suppliers will be invited to participate in an inter-phase competition (call-off competition) based on the results of the end of phase report for phase 1, where invited suppliers/supply teams will be requested to submit prototype proposals (offers),
  • The expected minimum numbers of contractors for the prototype phase is 3.
Phase 2: Prototype Phase
  • Supply teams will be given 8 months to develop their prototypes and testing evaluation capabilities. High levels of technology readiness will be expected.
  • Using the same selection process in phase 1, the buyer’s team will evaluate the tested prototypes with an expected minimum number of 2 contractors for phase 3. Selected contractors will further develop their prototypes for the final assessment of TRL8 pilot solutions.
Phase 3: Pilot Phase
  • Selected suppliers will have 6 months to implement TRL8 pilots and associated test processes of the best prototypes,
  • Pilot demonstration for wider community of public authorities (external end user stakeholders),
  • Original development and validation and testing of a limited set of first products or services will take place at a minimum in the countries of the buyer’s group – France, Finland and Estonia.
Phase 4: Commercial Procurement Stage

Full procurement of a solution to the BroadGNSS challenge is expected to be made.

During the PCP, the BroadGNSS consortium will seek to join the BroadWay PCP team for the formation of a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). This organisation will become the single authority for procurement and conformance of final live pan-European mobile broadband for Public Safety, to which the BroadGNSS solutions will hopefully contribute.

NOTE: Phase 4 is not within the scope of BroadGNSS and is subject to the availability of further funding.

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