The standard procedure for placing contracts with ESA is the Open Competition. In this case, ESA is inviting companies and organisations to submit a Full Proposal in response to a particular subject as defined by the Agency in coordination with the needs and requirements of the user community collaborating with ESA.
Open competitive ITTs cover one of the following activities:
N.B. Please note that the Full Proposal related documents and the Management Requirements are provided here below for information only.
Please note that all the templates are ESA Unclassified releasable to public
The officially applicable versions of these documents are available in the esa-star Publication area, under the relevant Announcement of Opportunity (AO10494).
A recent conference, held in Bratislava, Slovakia, entitled .SMEs and entrepreneurs: boosting business using satellite applications" highlighted the opportunities satellite services can offer small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
The conference, co-organised by Eurisy and the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, presented successful examples of how SMEs can benefit from economic growth, improved business processes and increased competitiveness through the use of satellite applications.
The conference brought together SMEs and entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors outside the space industry to learn about innovative and operational satellite applications for enhancing business processes and creating new business and services.
Delegates were able to find out more about satellite services and how they might help address their business needs by hearing testimonial from SME end-users of satellite applications on how satellite technology has benefitted their businesses.
Representatives from SMEs shared concrete examples of how satellite applications are used in different sectors and highlighted success stories from the use of satellite services in the Slovak region, with early adopters of satellite applications reporting their value for money was proven in daily operations.
Key issues discussed at the one day event included the need to help SMEs access satellite applications in order for them to compete in the global market and the barriers which prevent them from adopting satellite services. It was highlighted that SMEs need dedicated support in order to overcome some of the obstacles preventing their use of satellite applications.
One of the major issues discussed was how the take up of satellite services by SMEs is impacted by a lack of sufficient resources, preventing SMEs from penetrating new markets and developing solutions to meet their needs. SMEs may be financially vulnerable since they generate modest profits and have little access to private capital. However they are a vital part of the European economy and therefore have a crucial role in its success and competitiveness.
The key role that SMEs play in the European economy and the difficulties they encounter with accessing resources for implementing satellite solutions for their businesses highlights the importance of assistance from European support programmes. However, delegates reported that they find it hard to understand and access the mechanisms for funding and support in Europe.
The IAP Ambassador Platform for SMEs (APsme), hosted by Eurisy and IAP Ambassador Platform for Central and Eastern European Region (APCEE), presented information about IAP opportunities for SMEs in the Slovak Republic to both use and develop new products and services based on satellite technology.
Marie-Laure Germain, APsme manager explained; .Helping to unlock the potential within the SME market for satellite solutions has benefits for both the integrated applications industry and SMEs. That is why we are working with SMEs to raise awareness of the possible advantages offered to them by satellite services and help them to overcome the barriers they may encounter when trying to access satellite applications..
Conclusions and recommendations of the conference can be viewed on the Eurisy website here
The ARTES 3-4 Satcom Applications programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) is inviting public and commercial organisations to propose ideas, suggestions and business innovations for space-based applications and services related to satellite communications addressing European and Global market segments. The aim is to generate ideas that will improve business performance and operations, help enforce new regulatory standards, or enable improved resilience.
The submissions will be reviewed by ESA to identify the most promising candidates for entering the next level of the ARTES 3-4 Satcom Applications programme, aiming at operational, self-sustaining and profitable solutions.
The ARTES 3-4 Satcom Applications programme has been created to support applications projects related to satellite telecommunications either originated by industry or in response to specific applications calls initiated by ESA. It aims to improve the competitive position of industry in ESA member states in the field of satellite telecommunications and in their associated utilisation. Being an element of the ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) programme it has successfully contributed to the development, qualification, and demonstration of applications since 1998.
Core themes which are covered in this Call for Ideas include (but are not limited to) the following areas:
The ideas submitted will be used to identify with the proposer promising ARTES 3-4 Satcom Applications projects which will likely start in 2014. Both ARTES 3-4 Study activities and Satcom Applications Projects can be financially supported by ESA up to a level of 50%.
Full details of the Call and on how to submit your ideas can be found on the IAP portal at:
http://iap.esa.int/opportunities/iap/ARTES-3-4-applications-Call-for-Id…
Your ideas and suggestions should reach us by 15th July 2013.
More than 75 participants from SMes all over Europe attended the IAP Ambassador Platform for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (APsme) launch event in Brussels on 6 March.
The event informed participants on this new initiative to facilitate the access of SMEs to satellite-related activities:
The conference was co-organised by Agoria (Belgium.s largest employer.s organisation and trade association), UEAPME (the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized enterprises), the European Space Agency, and Eurisy which has hosted the APsme since September 2012.
In addition to informative talks by representatives of the four co-organisers on the needs and context of SMEs, the IAP support mechanisms, and the role of APsme, several SMEs presented their hands-on experience of either benefitting from IAP in developing new services, or in using operational satellite applications for their needs. These case-study examples covered several sectors, such as renewable energies, agro-environment, forestry, water, finance and industrial risk management.
The event concluded with bilateral meetings between the IAP Team and participants interested to profit from the initiative.
Conference participants recognised the interest for small businesses to fully reap the benefits of the European investments made in space infrastructure, by initiating and using integrated services. The SMEs that were present also pointed out the benefits in terms of business and competitiveness in taking up IAP opportunities as service providers.
All the presentations of the day are available on the APsme web-portal: http://iap.esa.int/c/sme/
An entire afternoon of the two-day event was dedicated to ESA Space Applications. Presentations were given including Integrated Space Applications for Risk Management; Energy, water and waste management; "Space 4 Health" and the IAP Programme.
About 25 participants from the Azores, Canary and Madeira Islands attended the seminar, organised by the Regional Fund for Science and Technology of the Azores within the frame of the Transnational Cooperation Programme MAC 2007-2013 under the FEDER, and more specifically of the MaReS project (Macaronesian Research Strategy). Very active involvement was shown by all participants.
Many ideas emerged out of the discussions that showed how the area could benefit from space applications. These include;
Results and possible follow up to the discussions determined that work is required at all levels including ESA, national authorities, regional authorities and private firms. An IAP Call For Ideas and creating a dedicated Ambassador Platform within IAP are considerations for the future.
For more information visit: http://www.azores.gov.pt/Portal/pt/entidades/srecc-frc/livres/spacesmallislands.htm
More than 60 high-level representatives of satellite-based industries and experts shared knowledge, experiences and needs in view of bridging the digital divide at the launch conference of the Space for Med initiative on 23 November.
The conference took place in Barcelona during the Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders. Space For Med is led by the European Investment Bank (EIB), ESA and receives support from Luxinnovation, Luxembourg's Research and Innovation Agency.
A working session chaired by EIB and ESA produced promising results. Panellists had the opportunity to explore the satellite-based services promoted under the initiative with a view of taking them further.
Private sector participants agreed that space technologies could play a crucial role in economic development of the Mediterranean partner countries by driving innovative interventions in critical infrastructure sectors.
In a separate session, two new studies were presented. The EIB study on "Broadband Access for Mediterranean Partner Countries" and the ESA study entitled "Evaluation of Satellite Solutions for Fast Deployment" assessed how broadband Internet services can be developed throughout the region.
The Space for Med initiative intends to develop spaced-based services in three key sectors: i) water management, ii) energy and renewable energies and iii) transport and logistics in the Mediterranean region.
The anticipated outcome of the initiative will see innovative responses for the continued development of these sectors, and potential concrete implementation in large infrastructure projects typically funded by the EIB.
The Space for Med Initiative agreement between ESA and the EIB was signed at ESA headquarters in Paris on 10 Sep, 2012.
Presentations given at the launch conference are available for download to registered users of the SpaceForMed website. Visit http://artes-apps.esa.int/community-portal/spaceformed
ESA's Integrated Applications Promotion (IAP) programme has partnered with the Swiss Space Office to establish an Ambassador Platform dedicated to fostering the development of integrated space-based applications with and for the Swiss industry: AP-Swiss.
The IAP programme supports the development and validation of viable operational services relying on a combination of space systems (Telecommunication, Navigation, Earth Observation, Manned Space Technologies). By using and integrating these systems with non-space assets, improved and new services on a regional, national or global scale can be created for a wide range of users.
As with all IAP Ambassador Platforms, the role of the IAP Swiss Platform is to:
AP-Swiss helps companies to target new services, identify Swiss, European and international partners and obtain funding from ESA for awareness, feasibility and demonstration activities, up to market validation.
Such a partnership brokering is critical to develop truly integrated applications, combining multiple space and non-space systems to deliver complete solutions and reach wider markets.
AP-Swiss will have a definite Swiss focus. Its remit includes the many multinational companies and organisations that are based in the country and whose activities are global. Its focus will be on food security, water management, transport logistics and safety, renewable energy, banking and insurance, aid and health for developing countries and regional development.
The IAP Ambassador Platform for Switzerland is managed by José Achache, previously Executive Director of the Group on Earth Observations in Geneva, Deputy Director General for Research and Technology at CNES, and a former Director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA. In addition to numerous scientific publications, Professor Achache is the author of "Les Sentinelles de la Terre", an essay on space policy, space technologies and their applications.
AP-Swiss is located in the Innovation Square of the EPFL Science Park in Lausanne. This hands-on incubator was established to support innovative technology companies and projects in their early years, taking science to market. With approximately 100 start-up companies, the "innovation cells" of many large corporations and the proximity to the Swiss Space Center, the Science Park provides the perfect eco-system for AP-Swiss to mature new and innovative applications of space-based infrastructures, in close cooperation with all stakeholders in Switzerland.
The Satellite-enhanced eHealth for sub-Saharan Africa (eHSA) Programme intends to deliver economically sustainable eHealth services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The programme.s to federate stakeholders from various organizations along the service provision chain will shape its success. This portal serves as a tool facilitating exchange of news, contacts and discussion among the stakeholders.
Sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by its wide geographic extent, low population density, and vast rural areas. These factors, coupled with the drastic shortage in healthcare workers render eHealth an effective solution for the provision of healthcare in SSA. eHealth shows considerable potential for the delivery of significant and measurable improvements to health outcomes in the region.
Based on the outputs of the Telemedicine Task Force (TTF), which was initiated in Brussels in 2006, ESA began investigating the potential role of satellite-enhanced eHealth solutions and services in Africa. As an institution with no commercial interest, ESA has tried to realise the vision of the TTF and their recommendations. Currently, ESA.s SAHEL demonstration project is showing the capabilities of space technology to support the deployment of eHealth solutions in sub-Saharan Africa. This is being done in rural areas where the penetration of conventional ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) is scant. The development of sustainable eHealth services requires not only demonstrations, but also an understanding of the sub-Saharan African landscape. Additionally, the involvement of key African public and private organisations (stakeholders) is needed in order to create of a sense of African ownership over any proposed solution. These are the objectives of the eHSA programme.
In light of the magnitude of the required actions, and the common end goals of helping attain the United Nations. (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it is to the benefit of all involved stakeholders to build upon each other.s. work, networks, events, strategies, and ideas. Since the provision eHealth services is a broader undertaking than traditional healthcare, it is important to realise that the stakeholders required for the success of the programme are not just the medical community and Health ministries, but also include others coming from many other sectors, a few examples of which include ICT, academic, financial, research, and government.
The goals set out for the eHSA programme are very ambitious. This portal intends to be used by the various stakeholders involved in eHealth in the SSA region to facilitate contacts amongst them and publish news, documentation, events, and programme outputs for the benefit of the community.
Advances made in the fields of science, medicine and technology have contributed to the prevention and treatment of disease, improving the quality and expectancy of life. However, billions of people living in underdeveloped countries do not benefit from these improvements.
SAFE Haiti is a project designed for regions where access to health care is challenged due to insufficient health personnel and expertise, lack of infrastructures, communication and information.
The massive earthquake that affected areas surrounding Port-au-Prince in January 2010 has left its mark on the population, emphasising existing healthcare challenges. Two years later, there are regions in the country where communities cannot access a health unit in a timely manner. This scenario is common to many other regions around the world.
Access to accurate and timely information is crucial in healthcare. The distances that have to be travelled without knowing whether the appropriate expertise and medication is available accounts for some of the barriers from a patient.s point-of-view. From a national health system.s perspective, knowing what is occurring where provides important information for informed decision-making to help direct the proper resources and ultimately save lives.
The Institute for Space Medicine (MEDES) in France and Local Insight Global Impact (LIGI) in Portugal have successfully concluded a 5-month pilot project of an innovative health initiative - SAFE Haiti - funded by ESA and LIGI.
The system is based on an interface for smart and satellite phones and aims at ensuring universal community health outreach, epidemiological surveillance and outbreak prevention in real time.
Due to its intuitive interface, anyone anywhere can be trained to report symptoms and signs. As complex information is packed into an SMS, the costs are kept to a minimum, and the information can be sent by any phone, including satellite phones. The data can then be accessed by local and national health systems via an internet portal. Feedback on what action to take can be given within a few minutes.
The system also allows for geo-referencing thanks to satellite navigation signals, and is flexible enough to be adapted to other regions, and to focus either on specific pathologies, or to conduct general triages.
The pilot system was deployed in Carrefour and relied on 10 school teachers from urban and rural areas in the region, with the support of community leaders. The main objectives were to understand the interface usability, the capacity to train non-health professionals in its use, and to provide insights for integration at local and national levels.
The video below showcases the training and usage of the system by non-health professionals (teachers) in Carrefour, Haiti.
During the 5-month proof-of-concept a total of 4304 symptom declarations were entered by the 10 teachers. We have shown that the interface is easy to use, and that non-health professionals (in this case teachers from rural and urban areas in Carrefour) can be trained to use the system. In particular, geo-tagging of symptom records thanks to satellite navigation signals, simplified the data collection process.
A significant share of the Haitian population is still not covered by terrestrial means, and satellite communication is deemed indispensable to scale up the system nation-wide. In addition, Haiti is very exposed to hurricanes and earthquakes, which lead to major losses in the capacity of terrestrial communication assets. In those emergency situations satellite phones prove invaluable. The local health centre has emphasised the value added of this system to their work, particularly if coupled with a mobile clinic.
Furthermore, real time data can help detect trends in symptoms and signs and lead to early detection of potential outbreaks. From an epidemiological perspective, the data generated can identify trends in regions.
The project was focussed on a technical and acceptability assessment and was carried out successfully. Subsequent phases of this system may include all health units, care providers (including organisations), relevant authorities and pharmacies.
It can ultimately make basic healthcare more universal by making a more efficient and cost-effective use of resources, information and knowledge. Due to the context in Haïti, an operational service has to rely on the programs of donors. First contacts have been taken to ensure a sustainable follow up of the SAFE Haïti project.
For more information about the work please visit MEDES and LIGI´s websites.