Drought Chatbot for the European and Global Drought Observatories

This document outlines a planned procurement opportunity from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) focusing on the development of a "Drought Chatbot" for the European and Global Drought Observatories. The purpose of this project is to enhance accessibility and impact of drought monitoring services which are crucial in the context of increasing frequency and severity of droughts due to climate change.

The opportunity is classified as a service contract, specifically a negotiated procedure for a middle or low value contract, which suggests a contract duration of 12 months. Entities eligible to apply are primarily larger commercial service providers with expertise in IT services, software development, and chatbot technologies, as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are deemed not suitable for this project.

The contract will not involve co-funding requirements, as the contracting authority will cover the full cost of services provided. The expected launch date for expressing interest is set between August 26, 2025, and the expression of interest deadline is September 10, 2025, with the negotiated procedure expected to launch on September 12, 2025.

Successful applicants will receive monetary payment in exchange for developing the chatbot, designed to serve the existing drought observatory frameworks. The target sector includes various intersections of IT services and environmental monitoring, particularly relating to climate data systems.

While the exact funding amount has not been specified, it is suggested to be within the range typically associated with such contracts, likely between €200,000 and €1 million. The project represents an evolution of existing services rather than new exploratory research, reflecting an emphasis on building upon established technological frameworks.

In summary, this forthcoming procurement opportunity invites qualified applicants to participate in enhancing the functionality of drought monitoring systems through AI technology aimed at nurturing public access to critical environmental data.

This is a publication announcing the European Commission, DG JRC Joint Research Centre's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure, not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/IPR/2025/LVP/4347-EXA. The project aims to develop a Drought Chatbot for the European and Global Drought Observatories (EDO and GDO), which are part of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS). The goal is to increase the accessibility and impact of these services, as drought is a pressing climate extreme that is increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change and human pressures on water resources. The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not specified. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 12 months. There is no framework agreement. The start date for expression of interest is 2025-08-26 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 10/09/2025 05:59 Europe/Rome. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-09-12 Europe/Rome. The method of expression of interest is electronic, and the address for expression of interest is through the "Express interest" link. The main classification (CPV) code is 72000000 IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support. Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given.

A frequently asked question (FAQ) addresses where to find procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference. The answer clarifies that references with ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders but announcements of the contracting authority’s intent to launch a low or middle negotiated procedure in the future. This answer was published on 03/10/2024 at 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement for a future tender regarding the development of a Drought Chatbot for the European and Global Drought Observatories. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre intends to launch a negotiated procedure for a low to middle value contract. The chatbot aims to improve the accessibility and impact of drought-related information provided by the EDO and GDO, which are part of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Companies interested in this opportunity should monitor for the official launch of the negotiated procedure, with the expression of interest period planned for late August to early September 2025. The project falls under IT services, including consulting, software development, internet, and support.

Eligible Applicant Types: The information provided does not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the contract as a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract involving IT services, it is likely that eligible applicants would include SMEs, large enterprises, and potentially research institutes or consulting firms with expertise in IT services, software development, and chatbot technologies.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, specifically a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. This implies a procurement process where the contracting authority (European Commission, DG JRC) will select a provider to deliver specific services.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. Given that it is a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract, it is possible that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, but this would need to be clarified in the full call for tenders documentation when it is released.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The information does not explicitly state the geographic eligibility for applicants. However, since the contracting authority is the European Commission, DG JRC, it is highly likely that the primary geographic eligibility would be for entities located within the EU and potentially the EEA. It is possible that entities from EU candidate countries or other countries could be eligible, but this would need to be confirmed in the full call for tenders documentation. The project focuses on European and Global Drought Observatories, suggesting a broad scope, but the eligibility of applicants may still be limited to specific regions.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily IT services, with a focus on consulting, software development, Internet and support (as indicated by the CPV code 72000000). More specifically, the project targets the development of a "Drought Chatbot" for the European and Global Drought Observatories, placing it at the intersection of IT, climate, and environmental monitoring. This suggests a need for expertise in chatbot development, natural language processing, data analysis, and potentially also in drought monitoring and climate science.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The project relates to the European and Global Drought Observatories, implying a focus on Europe and the globe in general.

Project Stage: The project is at the development stage. The goal is to "develop Drought Chatbot" which implies moving from the idea or research phase into the actual creation and implementation of the chatbot.

Funding Amount: The opportunity is described as a "middle/low value contract." While the exact amount is not specified, this suggests a funding range that is likely below €200k, and possibly even under €50k, but without further information, it is difficult to provide a more precise estimate.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. This means that the contracting authority will likely invite a select number of potential providers to submit proposals, rather than an open call where anyone can apply. There is an expression of interest phase before the negotiated procedure is launched.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a service contract payment in exchange for the development and delivery of the Drought Chatbot.

Application Stages: The application process appears to involve at least two stages: an initial expression of interest, followed by a negotiated procedure where selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals.

Success Rates: Since this is a planned negotiated procedure, the success rates are difficult to estimate. In negotiated procedures, a limited number of applicants are invited to submit proposals, which generally leads to higher success rates compared to open calls. However, without knowing the number of applicants that will be invited, it is not possible to provide a more specific estimate.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. Typically, procurement contracts do not require co-funding from the applicant, as the contracting authority is paying for the full cost of the services. Therefore, it is likely that co-funding is not required, but this should be confirmed in the full call for tenders documentation.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procurement procedure by the European Commission, DG JRC, for the development of a "Drought Chatbot" for the European and Global Drought Observatories (EDO and GDO). The project aims to increase the accessibility and impact of these drought monitoring services by creating a chatbot that can provide information and support to users. The procedure is for a middle/low value contract, suggesting a relatively modest budget. The process will involve an initial expression of interest, followed by a negotiated procedure where selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals. The contract duration is expected to be 12 months. Companies or research institutions with expertise in IT services, software development, chatbot technologies, and potentially also climate/environmental science, should monitor this opportunity and prepare to submit an expression of interest when the call is formally launched. The start date for expression of interest is 2025-08-26 and the deadline for expression of interest is 2025-09-10. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-09-12.