AI for Seamless Border (AI4SB) Pilot Project

The "AI for Seamless Border (AI4SB) Pilot Project" is a procurement opportunity initiated by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) aimed at the development, integration, and testing of artificial intelligence-powered tools for enhancing border control. The estimated value of this contract is €445,000, with a duration of 12 months. The deadline for submission of tenders is November 11, 2025, at 16:00 CET.

This procurement is classified under research and experimental development services, as indicated by its CPV codes which are 73100000 (Research and experimental development services), 73110000 (Research services), and 73120000 (Design services). The award criteria emphasize a 60% focus on quality and 40% on price, suggesting that technical capabilities are a priority.

Potential bidders must note that this tender is not suitable for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), allowing participation primarily from large enterprises, research institutes, and possibly technology consortia with expertise in artificial intelligence and border security technologies. The contract will be executed through an electronic submission method via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, utilizing specific documentation including a technical offer, financial proposal, and other required forms.

The pilot will be conducted at the Civitavecchia Border Crossing Point in Italy, representing a practical application of AI technology in real operational environments. The project aims to create efficient border crossing solutions while adhering to vital compliance concerning data protection and fundamental rights.

Submissions must include a Personal Identification Code (PIC), which is mandatory, and interested parties should prepare their documents to meet strict submission requirements, engaging with the eSubmission system that supports multilingual formats and encryption for confidentiality.

Overall, this procurement represents a significant opportunity to contribute to advanced border management initiatives within the European Union's strategic framework to enhance security while leveraging innovative technological solutions.

This is an invitation to tender, FRONTEX 2025 OP 0044, for the AI for Seamless Border (AI4SB) Pilot Project. The TED reference is 192/2025 657393-2025. The procedure identifier is FRONTEX/2025/OP/0044. The submission method is electronic and the call is open for submission.

The description of the tender is for the development, integration, and testing of AI-powered tools for seamless border control. The procedure type is 47396220. The estimated total value is 445,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 07/10/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). The main classification (CPV) is 73100000. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 12 months. The award method is the best price-quality ratio. There is no framework agreement.

Key milestones include: TED publication date: 07/10/2025, Date and time of public opening: 12/11/2025 12:00 Europe/Warsaw, Deadline for receipt of tenders: 11/11/2025 16:00 Europe/Warsaw, Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 03/11/2025 07:00 Europe/Warsaw.

The following documents are available for download:

1.  Invitation to tender FRONTEX 2025 OP 0044 AI4SBInvitation letter, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
2.  Annex I Tender Specifications AI4SBTender specifications, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
3.  Annex II ToR AI for Seamless Border ServicesTerms of reference, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
4.  Annex III - Draft contract AI4SBDraft contract, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
5.  Annex IV - Financial offer template AI4SBFinancial offer form, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
6.  Annex V Declaration on honour AI4SBDeclaration on honour (tender), published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
7.  Annex VI Tender Submission Form AI4SBOther invitation to tender document, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
8.  Annex VII PoA Commitment Letter AI4SBOther invitation to tender document, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
9.  Annex VIII - D o Confidentiality AI4SBOther invitation to tender document, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
10. Annex IX Draft template processor to subprocessor agreement to be signed before Pilot Phase 2Other invitation to tender document, published on 07/10/2025, Version 1, No translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below, using the electronic submission method.

Some frequently asked questions (FAQ) and their answers are:

How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents?
Please make sure you use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, try the following steps: 1. Clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.

Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support?
Please use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, click on the link System Requirements.

Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline?
The content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload. Thus, the system will not allow decryption after the upload.

Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal?
Depending on the type or step of procedure, you can find the submissions in one of these sections: In ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate.

Which size should attachments have?
For attaching files to your tender submission, eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size. Any larger sizes will not be accepted by the system.

How should I name attachments in eSubmission?
In eSubmission, you must name the attachments for your tender draft following the System Requirements. With regards to all attachment names, please see the following conditions: The attachment name must contain a maximum of 50 characters (including file extension). Only use Latin alphanumeric characters (a-z A-Z 0-9), underscore (_), hyphen (-) and dot (.). Other characters are automatically removed by the system.

Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported?
You can check the System Requirements of eSubmission.

I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents.
Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation. Go to F&T Portal, “My Invitations”. Click on “Select Organisation” from the “Action” column.

Do I need to validate my PIC in order to submit a tender in eSubmission?
The Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate in a call for tenders as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium). For subcontractors PIC is not mandatory.

I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do?
When uploading a file in eSubmission, you must first make sure it follows the technical requirements of the system.

How many attachments can I upload per submission?
The maximum number of documents the system will allow you to upload per tender is 200 files.

Why do tenderers need a PIC?
It is mandatory to register for a PIC if you intend to submit a tender or a request to participate. Only one PIC per organisation must be used.

How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)?
First, check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.

How many languages does the system support?
The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.

Which is the character set encoding in the system?
The character set encoding is UTF-8.

Does the system use encryption to ensure the integrity and the confidentiality of the information?
Yes, the system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.

Which file types does the system support?
The supported file types depend on the type of submission you want to make. The allowed file types are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure in question.

Can I view and edit my draft submission?
Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed and deleted.

In the submission report, under the name of our entity, "Legal form: UNKNOWN" is displayed while in the system, our legal form was correctly displayed. Is this a problem for the submission?
No, it is just a display issue. This is not blocking for you: you can submit.

I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent?
No, this is an auto-generated notification sent when the time limit of receipt defined for the call for tenders has been reached. Until then, you had the possibility of withdrawing your submission and sending a new version.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by FRONTEX for the development, integration, and testing of AI-powered tools to improve border control processes. The project, named AI4SB, aims to create seamless border services through the use of artificial intelligence. The tender is open to organizations that can provide the necessary services, with a budget of 445,000 EUR and a maximum contract duration of 12 months. The submission process is electronic, and all relevant documents, including tender specifications, terms of reference, and draft contracts, are available for download. The deadline for submitting tenders is November 11, 2025. A PIC (Participant Identification Code) is mandatory for tenderers. The eSubmission system supports various file types and uses encryption to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity details do not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, since it is a call for tenders for the development, integration, and testing of AI-powered tools, eligible applicants could include companies, research institutions, and other organizations with the necessary expertise in artificial intelligence, software development, and border control technologies. This could include SMEs, large enterprises, universities, and research institutes.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is procurement, as indicated by the "Call for tenders" title and the nature of the contract being for services.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity details do not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the FAQ mentions that a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium), suggesting that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity details do not explicitly state the geographic eligibility for applicants. However, given that the contracting authority is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), it is highly likely that the geographic eligibility includes EU member states and possibly EEA countries or other countries with agreements with the EU.

Target Sector: The target sector is security/cybersecurity, specifically focusing on border control and the application of artificial intelligence in that domain. It also touches on software services and innovation.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions Europe/Warsaw in relation to the date and time of the public opening and the deadline for receipt of tenders. This suggests that the opportunity is managed from Warsaw, Poland, but does not necessarily restrict the eligible countries for applicants. The EU is implied as the relevant region due to FRONTEX being the lead contracting authority.

Project Stage: The project stage is development, integration, and testing, as the tender is for the development, integration, and testing of AI-powered tools. This suggests the project is in the development and validation stages.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 445,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the "Open For Submission" status. The submission method is electronic.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, as this is a procurement contract.

Application Stages: The opportunity details do not explicitly state the number of stages in the application process. However, the presence of documents such as the "Tender Submission Form" and the "Financial offer template" suggests that there is at least one stage involving the submission of a technical proposal and a financial offer.

Success Rates: The opportunity details do not provide any information on success rates.

Co-funding Requirement: The opportunity details do not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) for the development, integration, and testing of AI-powered tools for seamless border control. The project, titled "AI for Seamless Border (AI4SB) Pilot Project," aims to enhance border control processes through the application of artificial intelligence. The estimated total value of the contract is 445,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 12 months.

The tender is open for electronic submissions, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is November 11, 2025. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The call is open to both single applicants and consortia. While the specific eligibility criteria are not detailed, it is expected that applicants should have expertise in artificial intelligence, software development, and border control technologies.

The successful tenderer will be responsible for developing, integrating, and testing AI-powered tools to improve border control. This includes tasks such as data processing, algorithm development, and system integration. The project is currently in the development and validation stages, and the selected contractor will play a crucial role in bringing the AI-powered tools to fruition.

To apply, interested parties must register for a Participant Identification Code (PIC) and submit their proposals electronically through the designated submission portal. The submission must include a tender submission form, a financial offer, and other required documents as outlined in the tender specifications. The system supports multiple languages and encrypts all uploaded documents to ensure confidentiality.