Ground Based Observations for the Validation of CLMS products

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, specifically the Joint Research Centre (DG JRC), for procuring Ground Based Observations (in-situ measurements) needed to validate products from the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS). The estimated total contract value is €5 million, and it will last for a maximum of 48 months, with the possibility of renewal. The procurement type is classified as a service framework contract, which means it allows for multiple contracts over a specified duration without reopening competition.

The main objective of this procurement is to systematically collect and organize ground-based observations to ensure the quality of satellite-derived land monitoring products before they are publicly disseminated. The deadline for submitting tenders is October 9, 2025, with electronic submissions required. Interested parties must have a Participant Identification Code (PIC) to participate in the tender process.

Eligible applicants include large enterprises, specialized research institutes, and technical service providers capable of meeting the complex requirements of environmental monitoring, as the procurement is not suitable for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The contracting authority will evaluate submissions based on a best price-quality ratio, weighing both the quality of the proposed services and their associated costs equally.

The tender is open to EU-wide participation, targeting specifically the environmental monitoring and IT services sectors. The call follows the standard EU public procurement regulations, accommodating entities from EU Member States and potentially the EEA. The focus of this procurement emphasizes operational services, with a clear need for established methodologies and proven capabilities in remote sensing validation.

The contract does not require co-funding from the selected contractors, as payment will be made for the delivered services based on agreed pricing schedules outlined in the tender documents. All submissions must comply with specific guidelines, including file size limits and naming conventions, as detailed in the eSubmission system requirements.

In summary, this tender represents a significant opportunity for qualified organizations to contribute to the validation of critical environmental monitoring data, supporting Europe's earth observation initiatives through the Copernicus program. The procurement process is structured to ensure accountability, transparency, and the effective allocation of public resources in achieving the desired project outcomes.

This is an invitation to tender with procedure identifier EC-JRC/IPR/2025/OP/3557. The call for tenders is for Ground Based Observations for the Validation of CLMS products. The submission method is electronic and the call is currently open for submission. The foreseen contract aims at procuring Ground Based Observations (also called in-situ) measurements, to be systematically collected, organized and made available. They are used for the Validation of the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, which is essential to ensure their quality before the dissemination. The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value is 5000000 EUR. The TED publication date is 08/09/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre. The main classification (CPV) is 72310000 - Data-processing services. The nature of the contract is services. The maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is best price-quality ratio. This is a framework agreement without reopening of competition. The date and time of public opening is 10/10/2025 10:00 Europe/Rome. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 09/10/2025 16:00 Europe/Rome. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 01/10/2025 06:00 Europe/Rome.

The TED reference numbers are 171/2025 585559-2025 and 172/2025 00587151-2025. There were change notices on 09/09/2025.

The following documents are available for download:
EN01. Invitation to tender EC-JRCIPR2025OP3557 CLMS-GBOV-3Invitation letterPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN03. Parti 1 -TENDER SPECIFICATIONS EC-JRCIPR2025OP3557Tender specifications - adm. partPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN04. Part 2 - Technical Specifications EC-JRCIPR2025OP3557Technical specificationsPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN06. Price List and Scenario Computation - v 1.1 EC-JRCIPR2025OP3557Financial offer formPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN03.1. Declaration-of-honour-tenders EC-JRCIPR2025OP3557Declaration on honour (tender)Published on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN02. Draft Service FWC EC-JRCIPR2025OP3557Draft contractPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN02.a Appendix 1 Security requirements in 2025Draft contract annexPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN02.b. Annex IV VAT shareDraft contract annexPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN02.c Annex V Statement-ipr-enDraft contract annexPublished on 08/09/2025Version 1 No translations available
EN04.1. Technical compliance grid GBOV-3 v.1.1Other invitation to tender documentPublished on 08/09/2025Version 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 brows...Published on 13/02/2025 21:52
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. You can access this link...Published on 13/02/2025 21:52
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 u...Published on 13/02/2025 21:50
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 ...Published on 17/10/2024 21:40
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. For the latest informa...Published on 17/10/2024 21:36
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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...Published on 03/08/2021 23:05

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, specifically the Joint Research Centre (JRC), to procure ground-based (in-situ) observation measurements. These measurements are needed to validate the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) products, ensuring their quality before they are disseminated. The tender is an open procedure, meaning any eligible organization can apply. The estimated total value of the contract is 5 million EUR, and the contract duration is 48 months. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The selected contractor will enter into a framework agreement with the JRC, without the need for further competitive bidding for specific tasks within the scope of the agreement. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by October 9, 2025. The tender documents, including technical specifications, administrative requirements, and financial offer forms, are available for download. A key requirement for participation is having a Participant Identification Code (PIC). The eSubmission system supports multiple languages and encrypts uploaded documents to ensure confidentiality.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely open to organizations capable of providing data-processing services and ground-based observations. This could include companies, research institutions, and other entities with the necessary expertise and resources.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is procurement through a service contract. The call is for tenders, implying a competitive bidding process to secure a service contract. It is a framework agreement, without reopening of competition.

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions 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). This suggests that both single applicants and consortia are eligible to apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU funding opportunity, it is likely open to entities within the EU and possibly associated countries. The mention of 24 official EU languages suggests a broad European scope.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily related to data-processing services, specifically in the context of Earth observation and environmental monitoring. The tender focuses on procuring ground-based observations for the validation of the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS). Therefore, it targets the environment, space, and data-processing sectors.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity is related to the European Commission and the Copernicus program, implying a focus on the EU and potentially associated countries. The mention of Europe/Rome for time zones suggests a European context.

Project Stage: The project stage is validation and operational. The tender aims to procure ground-based observations for the validation of existing Copernicus Land Monitoring Service products, which implies that the CLMS products are already in development or operational phase.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 5,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing services, specifically ground-based observation measurements and data processing.

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. There is also a declaration of honour required.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG JRC Joint Research Centre, for procuring Ground Based Observations (also called in-situ measurements) to validate the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) products. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/IPR/2025/OP/3557. The estimated total value of the contract is 5,000,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 09/10/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Rome time. The contract aims to establish a framework agreement without reopening competition.

The tender is open to organizations capable of providing data-processing services and ground-based observations. Tenderers must provide a financial offer and a declaration of honour. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The technical specifications and administrative requirements are detailed in the tender documents, which include an invitation letter, tender specifications, technical specifications, a financial offer form, a draft service contract, and annexes related to security requirements, VAT share, and intellectual property rights.

The Copernicus Land Monitoring Service is essential to ensure the quality of Earth observation data before dissemination. The tender seeks to systematically collect, organize, and make available ground-based measurements for this purpose. The eSubmission system supports various file types and has specific requirements for attachment names and sizes (less than 50 MB, with a maximum of 200 files per tender). The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information.