Overview
Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, is issuing a call for tenders under the reference FRONTEX/2025/OP/0016 for aerial surveillance services using manned fixed-wing aircraft. This opportunity is structured as a procurement contract rather than a grant and will be processed through an open tendering procedure. Submission of tenders is required electronically, with a deadline set for 11 August 2025 at 16:00 Europe/Warsaw. The public opening of the tenders is scheduled for 12 August 2025 at 10:00 Europe/Warsaw.
The tender is divided into two distinct lots:Lot 1 focuses on aerial surveillance for land borders with an estimated value of €8,000,000, while Lot 2 pertains to coastline surveillance, estimated at €34,000,000. The total estimated value of the tender is €42,000,000. The framework agreement will have an initial duration of 24 months, with the possibility of renewal for an additional 24 months.
Eligible applicants include companies capable of providing the required aerial surveillance services, particularly those specializing in aviation services. Although smaller and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not explicitly excluded, the complexity and scale of the services suggest a greater suitability for larger enterprises. The contract will be awarded based on the most economically advantageous tender, with criteria weighted 60% on quality and 40% on price.
There are no requirements for consortium formation, allowing individual companies to apply. The geographic eligibility is open to entities from the EU/EEA and potentially other countries with applicable procurement agreements under EU rules.
For the application, a Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, whether as a sole candidate or as part of a consortium. The eSubmission system accommodates multiple file types, with a maximum attachment size of 50 MB and a total limit of 200 files.
The successful bidders will receive monetary compensation for the services rendered, and there is no co-funding requirement. The tender does not specify success rates in terms of bids submitted.
Key milestones include the public opening of the tenders following the submission deadline and the possibility of questions submitted until 1 August 2025.
In summary, the opportunity is geared towards establishing a contractual framework for aerial surveillance services to support Frontex's operations at the EU's external borders, with a total funding amount of €42 million and an evaluation process focused on quality and price.
Highlights
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) has published a call for tenders, FRONTEX/2025/OP/0016, for Frontex Surveillance Aircraft 2 with land/coastline range fixed wing aircraft. The TED reference is 123/2025 422194-2025. This is an open procedure with electronic submission.
The total estimated value of the tender is €42,000,000. The TED publication date is 01/07/2025.
The call for tenders is divided into two lots:
Lot 1:Aerial surveillance for land. The estimated value is €8,000,000.
Lot 2:Aerial surveillance for coastline. The estimated value is €34,000,000.
For both lots, the nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. It is a framework agreement with reopening of competition. The main classification (CPV) code is 60445000 Aircraft operating services.
Key milestones include:
TED publication date:01/07/2025
Date and time of public opening:12/08/2025 10:00 Europe/Warsaw
Deadline for receipt of tenders:11/08/2025 16:00 Europe/Warsaw
Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after:01/08/2025 05:00 Europe/Warsaw
The following documents are available for download:
EN Invitation to tender Invitation letter Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex I Tender specifications Tender specifications Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex II - Terms of Reference Terms of reference Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex III - FWC Draft Service Contract Draft contract Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex IV - Financial Proposal Financial offer form Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex V - Declaration on honour Declaration on honour (tender) Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex VI - Tender Submission Form Other invitation to tender document Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex VII - PoA Commitment Letter Other invitation to tender document Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex VIII - Declaration of Confidentiality Other invitation to tender document Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
EN Annex IX - Commitment Letter Fundamental Rights Other invitation to tender document Published on 01/07/2025 All lots Version 1 No translations available
Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.
FAQ regarding the eSubmission system:
To proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents, use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.
eSubmission supports the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. For the most up-to-date technical recommendations, refer to the System Requirements link.
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 deadline.
Submissions can be found in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal, specifically in ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate.
Attachments should be less than 50 MB in size.
Attachments must be named following the System Requirements.
The maximum number of documents that can be uploaded per tender is 200 files.
A 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).
To register an organization and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC), first check if the organization is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.
A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.
The system is multilingual and supports all 24 official EU languages.
The character set encoding is UTF-8.
The system encrypts all uploaded documents, using an asymmetric key as an encryption mechanism.
The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements linked to the procedure in question.
Until the deadline for the submission has been reached, submissions in the draft status can be edited, viewed, and deleted.
In the submission report, if "Legal form:UNKNOWN" is displayed, it is just a display issue and not blocking for submission.
An automatic email informing that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached does not mean that the submission was not correctly sent. It is an auto-generated notification.
In summary, this is a call for tenders by Frontex for aerial surveillance services using manned fixed-wing aircraft. The services are divided into two lots: one for land border surveillance and the other for coastline surveillance. The total estimated value is €42 million, and the contracts will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio. The submission deadline is August 11, 2025. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically and ensure they meet all the technical requirements of the eSubmission system, including obtaining a PIC and adhering to file size and naming conventions. The selected contractors will enter into a framework agreement with Frontex, and specific service requests will be competed among the framework contractors.
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Breakdown
Eligible Applicant Types:The opportunity details do not explicitly state the eligible applicant types. However, given the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include companies or organizations that can provide aircraft operating services, potentially including SMEs, large enterprises, and specialized service providers.
Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is procurement, specifically a service contract awarded through an open call for tenders. The establishment of a Framework Contract (FWC) suggests that successful tenderers will be contracted to provide aerial surveillance services.
Consortium Requirement:The opportunity details mention that a 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). Therefore, 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 it is an EU funding opportunity related to Frontex, it is highly likely that applicants from EU member states and potentially EEA countries are eligible. Further details would be found in the tender specifications.
Target Sector:The program targets the sector of aircraft operating services, specifically for aerial surveillance. This includes services related to manned fixed wing aircraft for land and coastline surveillance.
Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned, but Europe/Warsaw is mentioned in relation to the date and time of the public opening and the deadline for receipt of tenders.
Project Stage:The project stage is for service delivery, as the tender seeks providers of aerial surveillance services using manned fixed wing aircraft. This suggests a requirement for commercialization and operational readiness.
Funding Amount:The estimated total value of the tender is €42,000,000. Lot 1 (Aerial surveillance for land) has an estimated value of €8,000,000, and Lot 2 (Aerial surveillance for coastline) has an estimated value of €34,000,000.
Application Type:The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission required.
Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing aerial surveillance services, as specified in the service contract.
Application Stages:The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it involves at least one stage of submitting a tender, which will then be evaluated based on the best price-quality ratio. Further stages may be detailed in the tender specifications.
Success Rates:The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.
Co-funding Requirement:The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated.
Summary:
This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) for aerial surveillance services using manned fixed wing aircraft. The purpose is to support EU Member States in managing external sea and land borders. The tender is divided into two lots: Lot 1 focuses on aerial surveillance for land borders, with an estimated value of €8,000,000, while Lot 2 covers aerial surveillance for coastlines, with an estimated value of €34,000,000. The total estimated value of the tender is €42,000,000.
The procedure is an open call for tenders, and submissions must be made electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is August 11, 2025, at 16:00 Europe/Warsaw. The public opening of the tenders will take place on August 12, 2025, at 10:00 Europe/Warsaw. The contract duration is a maximum of 48 months, and the award method is based on the best price-quality ratio.
Interested parties must submit a tender that includes various documents, such as an invitation letter, tender specifications, terms of reference, a draft service contract, a financial proposal, a declaration on honor, a tender submission form, a PoA commitment letter, a declaration of confidentiality, and a commitment letter on fundamental rights. The eSubmission system supports multiple file types, with attachments limited to 50 MB in size and a maximum of 200 files per tender. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, whether as a sole tenderer or as part of a consortium. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents to ensure integrity and confidentiality.
Short Summary
Impact The funding aims to enhance aerial surveillance capabilities for border security operations in the EU. | Impact | The funding aims to enhance aerial surveillance capabilities for border security operations in the EU. |
Applicant Applicants should possess expertise in aviation services, particularly in operating fixed-wing aircraft for surveillance purposes. | Applicant | Applicants should possess expertise in aviation services, particularly in operating fixed-wing aircraft for surveillance purposes. |
Developments The funding will support the provision of aerial surveillance services for land and coastline monitoring. | Developments | The funding will support the provision of aerial surveillance services for land and coastline monitoring. |
Applicant Type Companies, particularly those specialized in aviation services, capable of delivering the required aerial surveillance. | Applicant Type | Companies, particularly those specialized in aviation services, capable of delivering the required aerial surveillance. |
Consortium Single applicants are permitted to apply without the need for a consortium. | Consortium | Single applicants are permitted to apply without the need for a consortium. |
Funding Amount Lot 1:€8,000,000; Lot 2: €34,000,000; Total: €42,000,000. | Funding Amount | Lot 1:€8,000,000; Lot 2: €34,000,000; Total: €42,000,000. |
Countries EU and EEA countries, with potential eligibility for other countries with mutual agreements under EU procurement rules. | Countries | EU and EEA countries, with potential eligibility for other countries with mutual agreements under EU procurement rules. |
Industry Security/cybersecurity, specifically targeting border surveillance services. | Industry | Security/cybersecurity, specifically targeting border surveillance services. |
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