Fused PNT Analyses based on European Infrastructure

The European Commission, through DG DEFIS (Defence Industry and Space), is planning a call for tenders titled "Fused PNT Analyses based on European Infrastructure." The objective of this tender is to explore the potential use of communication-oriented Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations to enhance existing Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services, known as Fused PNT.

The contract has an estimated value of €385,000 and is set for a duration of 12 months. The tender focuses on developing a user terminal prototype and a simulated environment that can assess the performance of Fused PNT under realistic conditions, including inter-satellite interference and multipath propagation.

Key goals of the tender include:
- Developing a software receiver compatible with 3GPP reference signals for Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
- Modeling multipath channels and inter-satellite interference to verify the software receiver performance under realistic conditions.
- Enhancing an existing end-to-end emulator by integrating multipath and interference models.
- Demonstrating the performance of Fused PNT in a representative simulated environment.
- Validating the acquisition and tracking capabilities in realistic scenarios.

Eligible applicants likely include large enterprises, research institutes, and specialized technology companies, as the tender is not suitable for small and medium enterprises due to its technical complexity. The initiative is specifically targeted toward entities within the EU or affiliated countries.

The tender will be announced in the Official Journal of the European Union, with the expected publication date for the contract notice set for September 1, 2025. The call for tenders emphasizes a service contract nature, wherein beneficiaries will receive financial compensation for the successful delivery of specified services. The comprehensive aim of this procurement is to advance Europe's capabilities in satellite positioning and navigation technologies, in line with broader strategic goals within the space sector.

Fused PNT Analyses based on European Infrastructure. This is a planned call for tenders.

The TED reference is 150/2025 518104-2025. The procedure identifier is EC-DEFIS/2025/OP/0030-PIN.

The European Commission is launching a study on the potential use of communication-oriented LEO constellations for the deployment of a complementary PNT service. This approach is normally referred to as Fused PNT.

This tender will focus on developing a user terminal prototype and a simulated environment enabling to assess the performance of Fused PNT under a realistic set of propagation conditions and inter-satellite interference.

The main goals of the European Commission are:

To develop a software receiver, supporting acquisition and tracking of 3GPP reference signals for Non-terrestrial networks (NTN).

To model multipath channel and intersatellite interference, in order to test the software receiver under the realistic satellite based propagation channel and interferences.

To consolidate and complement the part of the E2E emulator, by adding multipath and intersatellite interference models.

To demonstrate the performance of fused PNT ranging in a representative simulated environment.

To validate the acquisition and tracking performance in realistic environment.

The procedure type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication. The estimated total value is 385000 EUR. The TED publication date is 07/08/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG DEFIS Defence Industry and Space. The main classification (CPV) is 73200000 Research and development consultancy services. The nature of the contract is services. The maximum contract duration is 12 months. There is no framework agreement. The estimated date of publication of a contract notice is 01/09/2025.

A question was asked: Where can I find the procurement documents of this call for tenders? The answer is: The planned call for tenders announces the intention of the contracting authority to publish a future call for tenders. No other information or documents other than those published here are available. This was published on 17/02/2024 00:54.

In summary, this is a planned call for tenders by the European Commission, DG DEFIS, focusing on Fused PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) analyses based on European infrastructure. The project aims to study the use of communication-oriented Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations to complement existing PNT services. The core of the tender involves developing a user terminal prototype and a simulated environment to evaluate the performance of Fused PNT, considering realistic propagation conditions and inter-satellite interference. The project's objectives include developing a software receiver for 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) signals, modeling multipath channels and inter-satellite interference, enhancing an existing end-to-end (E2E) emulator, demonstrating Fused PNT ranging performance in a simulated environment, and validating acquisition and tracking performance. The estimated total value of the tender is 385,000 EUR, with a maximum contract duration of 12 months. The expected date for the contract notice publication is September 1, 2025. The project falls under research and development consultancy services.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is a call for tenders, implying that eligible applicants are likely to be companies, research organizations, or consortia capable of providing the required services. The specific types of eligible applicants are not explicitly stated but can be inferred based on the nature of the tender, which involves developing a user terminal prototype and a simulated environment. Therefore, eligible applicants would likely include entities with expertise in software development, satellite communications, signal processing, and related fields.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a call for tenders. The European Commission is seeking to procure services related to a study on Fused PNT.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, given the multidisciplinary nature of the project, involving software development, modeling, simulation, and validation, a consortium of applicants with complementary expertise might be advantageous, although a single applicant with all the necessary capabilities could also be eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. However, as this is a European Commission tender, it is highly likely that the primary target is entities located within the EU or potentially the EEA. Further details would be available in the official call documents when published.

Target Sector: The target sector is space, specifically related to Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services, satellite communications, and related technologies. It also touches upon the ICT sector, particularly in the development of software receivers and simulation environments.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is from the European Commission, implying a focus on the EU.

Project Stage: The project stage is development and validation. The tender focuses on developing a user terminal prototype, a simulated environment, and validating the performance of Fused PNT. This suggests the project is beyond the initial research phase and is geared towards practical implementation and testing.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the procurement is 385,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication (Official Journal of the European Union, Supplement S). This indicates that the call will be formally announced in the Official Journal, and applicants will need to submit a tender proposal according to the specified requirements.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered. This is a service contract.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but a typical call for tenders involves at least two stages: submission of the tender proposal and evaluation by the contracting authority. There might be additional stages such as clarification requests or contract negotiation.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned. Success rates for tenders are variable and depend on the number of applicants and the quality of the proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: There is no mention of a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a planned call for tenders by the European Commission, DG DEFIS (Defence Industry and Space), focusing on "Fused PNT Analyses based on European Infrastructure." The project aims to study the potential use of communication-oriented Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations for a complementary Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) service, referred to as Fused PNT. The tender will focus on developing a user terminal prototype and a simulated environment to assess the performance of Fused PNT under realistic conditions, including multipath channel and inter-satellite interference.

The main goals of the procurement are:

1.  To develop a software receiver supporting acquisition and tracking of 3GPP reference signals for Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
2.  To model multipath channel and intersatellite interference to test the software receiver under realistic satellite-based propagation channel and interferences.
3.  To consolidate and complement the part of the E2E emulator by adding multipath and intersatellite interference models.
4.  To demonstrate the performance of fused PNT ranging in a representative simulated environment.
5.  To validate the acquisition and tracking performance in a realistic environment.

The procedure type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication, and the estimated total value is 385,000 EUR. The maximum contract duration is 12 months. The TED publication date was 07/08/2025, and the estimated date of publication of a contract notice is 01/09/2025. The main classification (CPV) is 73200000 Research and development consultancy services.

In essence, the European Commission is seeking a contractor to conduct a study and develop a prototype system for Fused PNT, combining communication and navigation signals from LEO satellites to enhance positioning and timing services. This involves significant software development, modeling, simulation, and validation efforts. The call for tenders is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Supplement S (OJ S), around September 1, 2025, and interested parties should monitor the OJ S for the official announcement and detailed requirements.