EC Launches Procurement Phase for Galileo System
July 1, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the procurement of the first complete constellation of Galileo, the European satellite radio navigation system.
A total of 30 dedicated navigation satellites will be put into space, monitored and controlled by a ground-based infrastructure that will be deployed around the world, with the main control centers in Europe.
The overall program objective for Galileo is the deployment, by 2013, of a European navigation system providing signals that offer five main services:
- Open Service
- Safety of Life Service
- Commercial Service
- Public Regulated Service
- Search and Rescue Service
The European Parliament and the European Council of Ministers have allocated a budget of €3.4 billion for the Galileo and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) programs for the period 2007-2013.
They have also provided for an agreement on the governance structure of these programs. This framework provides for the deployment of the full operational capability of Galileo under a public procurement scheme, entirely financed out of the European Union (EU) budget.
"By launching this procurement, we are preparing to launch Galileo into a new era where space age technology brings down-to-earth benefits for every citizen and business in Europe," said Antonio Tajani, EC vice president in charge of transport.
"With Galileo, the European Union will buy a state-of the-art satellite navigation system which will increase economic efficiency and reduce congestion and energy consumption throughout the transport sector. That means boosting growth and jobs and helping to tackle climate change, while also making daily life safer and easier."
The scope of the present contract notice, published in the EU Official Journal on July 1, consists of the procurement of the following six work packages:
- System support
- Ground mission segment
- Ground control segment
- Space segment (satellites)
- Launch services
- Operations
This procurement complements the In-Orbit-Validation contract placed by ESA for the first four satellites and associated ground control infrastructure.
The procurement of the Galileo infrastructure is particularly complex and will have to address many technical and highly sensitive issues. To this end, the EC and ESA have opted for the procurement procedure of "Competitive Dialogue," as set up in the EC Financial Regulation Implementing Rules.
This procedure will be implemented in line with the political instructions of the European Council and European Parliament, as set out in the GNSS Implementing Regulation that will enter into force shortly.
In the first phase of the procedure, interested entities may submit to ESA a "Request to Participate" and will be short-listed on the basis of predefined selection and exclusion criteria.
The selected candidates will then be invited to the dialogue phase, representing the formal kick-off of the second phase of the tendering process.
The competitive dialogue procedure will be organized and managed by the ESA as delegated procurement agent, in close coordination with the EC as contracting authority.
Organizations interested in participating in the Galileo procurement can find details on the ESA web page for the Galileo Full Operational Capability Procurement Tender Information Packet as well as the ESA web page on ESA Invitations to Tender.
For more information about Galileo, see:
Source: European Commission.