Maintenance, Operation and Enhancement of the STCW Information System (STCW-IS)

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has issued a public procurement tender, identified as EMSA/2025/OP/0013, for the maintenance, operation, and enhancement of the STCW Information System (STCW-IS). This tender is classified as an open procedure, requiring electronic submissions through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The estimated total value of the framework contract is 500,000 EUR, which has a maximum duration of 48 months. The contract will be awarded based on the best price-quality ratio. The tender was published on June 5, 2025, with a submission deadline set for July 18, 2025, at 16:00 Europe/Lisbon time.

Eligible applicants include any organizations capable of fulfilling the tender specifications, likely encompassing IT service providers, large enterprises, and potentially SMEs. The geographic eligibility is primarily for entities based in EU member states, reflecting the EU context of the agency.

The focus of the contract is within the ICT sector, specifically targeting software maintenance and repair services as denoted by the main CPV code of 72267000. This initiative is set in the operational phase, pertaining to an existing system rather than development of a new one.

The application process is single-staged, in which tenders must include both technical and financial proposals. The evaluation is weighted at 70% for quality and 30% for cost. There is no co-funding requirement attributed to the nature of procurement contracts, where the contracting authority fully funds the services rendered.

Interested parties must ensure they have a valid Personal Identification Code (PIC) to participate, whether applying as a sole tenderer or as part of a consortium. The technical submission guidelines specify that files should not exceed 50 MB and the total number of files allowed is up to 200.

FAQs accompanying the tender clarify the electronic submission process and provide technical support details, including browser recommendations and file type specifications. Key milestones include the public opening of bids occurring on July 22, 2025, at 10:00.

In summary, the EMSA tender seeks contractors with the technical and professional capacity to maintain and enhance its STCW-IS system, with key deadlines and criteria laid out to assist potential bidders in preparing their proposals. The focus is on experienced IT firms familiar with European public procurement procedures.

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has published a call for tenders, EMSA/2025/OP/0013, for the Maintenance, Operation, and Enhancement of the STCW Information System (STCW-IS). This is an open procedure with electronic submission. The TED reference is 107/2025 364810-2025.

The framework contract will cover the maintenance and enhancement of the STCW-IS, which is developed and operated by EMSA. The contract will also cover the operation of the system by the contractor. The estimated total value of the contract is 500,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 05/06/2025. The lead contracting authority is the European Maritime Safety Agency, EMSA. The main classification (CPV) code is 72267000, which refers to software maintenance and repair services. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. It is a framework agreement without reopening of competition.

Key milestones include:
TED publication date: 05/06/2025
Date and time of public opening: 22/07/2025 10:00 Europe/Lisbon
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 18/07/2025 16:00 Europe/Lisbon
Deadline for questions: Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 10/07/2025 06:00 Europe/Lisbon

The following documents are available for download:
ENB.01 Invitation to tender (request for offer), published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENA.01 Tenderer (Candidate) Checklist, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENB.02 Tender Specifications, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix III - STCW-IS Project Delivery requirements, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix IV - Scenario for Evaluation, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix V - Azure Naming Conventions for EMSA projects V2 0, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix VI - Technical and Professional Capacity, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENI.09 Framework contract (IT) Draft contract, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENI.55 FWC (IT) Annexes I II and VIII - XIV Draft contract annex, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENI.10 General terms and conditions for information technology contracts Draft contract annex, published on 05/06/2025, Version 1, no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission at the address provided.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
How 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.
Which Internet browsers does eSubmission support? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Refer to the System Requirements link for the most up-to-date technical recommendations.
Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender, as the system encrypts all attachments upon upload.
Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’: tenders in response to open calls for tenders, requests to participate, etc.
Which size should attachments have? eSubmission accepts files that are less than 50 MB in size.
How should I name attachments in eSubmission? Follow the System Requirements for attachment names.
Can I submit a video in eSubmission? Which formats are supported? 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).
I have an issue uploading a file in eSubmission and it’s giving me an error. What do I do? Ensure the file follows the technical requirements of the system.
How many attachments can I upload per submission? The maximum number of documents 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.
How do I register my organisation and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)? Check if the organisation is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.
What is the validity period of a PIC? A PIC is unique and its validity is not limited in time.
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 and is not blocking for submission.
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.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for a framework contract focused on the maintenance, operation, and enhancement of their STCW Information System (STCW-IS). The contract is valued at 500,000 EUR and has a maximum duration of 48 months. The procedure is open, meaning any eligible organization can apply, and submissions must be made electronically. The selection will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The tender documents provide detailed specifications, delivery requirements, evaluation scenarios, and contractual terms. Interested parties need to register for a Participant Identification Code (PIC) and adhere to specific technical requirements for electronic submissions, including file size limits and naming conventions. The deadline for submitting tenders is July 18, 2025. The call also includes a list of frequently asked questions addressing technical aspects of the submission process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the tender, it is likely that eligible applicants include companies, SMEs, large enterprises, and potentially research institutes with the technical and professional capacity to deliver software maintenance, enhancement, and operation services for an IT system. The "Tenderer (Candidate) Checklist" document suggests that any organization capable of fulfilling the tender specifications can apply.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract awarded through an invitation to tender (request for offer). The contract is a framework agreement.

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

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated. Given that it is an EU tender, it is highly likely that entities from EU member states are eligible. The specific eligibility criteria would be detailed in the tender documents.

Target Sector: The target sector is ICT, specifically software maintenance and repair services. The tender focuses on the maintenance, operation, and enhancement of the STCW Information System (STCW-IS).

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The contracting authority is the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), suggesting the opportunity is relevant to the EU.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The tender is for the maintenance, enhancement, and operation of an existing system (STCW-IS), indicating that the system is already developed and in use.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the framework contract is 500,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered under the framework contract. The support is financial compensation for the provision of software maintenance, enhancement, and operation services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there are multiple stages. These likely include: submission of the tender, evaluation of the tender based on selection criteria, and potentially negotiation or clarification phases before the final award. The tender documents, specifically the "Tender Specifications" and "Scenario for Evaluation," would provide more details on the evaluation process.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated. Typically, procurement contracts do not require co-funding, as the contracting authority fully funds the service being procured.

Summary:

This is an invitation to tender issued by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for the maintenance, operation, and enhancement of the STCW Information System (STCW-IS). The procedure identifier is EMSA/2025/OP/0013. The tender is an open procedure, meaning any eligible organization can submit a proposal. The estimated total value of the framework contract is 500,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The TED publication date was 05/06/2025, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 18/07/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Lisbon time. The date and time of the public opening is 22/07/2025 at 10:00 Europe/Lisbon time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 10/07/2025 at 06:00 Europe/Lisbon time.

The tender documents include: Invitation to tender (request for offer), Tenderer (Candidate) Checklist, Tender Specifications, STCW-IS Project Delivery requirements, Scenario for Evaluation, Azure Naming Conventions for EMSA projects, Technical and Professional Capacity requirements, a Draft Framework contract (IT), Draft contract annexes, and General terms and conditions for information technology contracts. Submissions must be sent electronically via the address for submission provided in the tender documents.

The STCW-IS is a software system developed and operated by EMSA, and the selected contractor will be responsible for its ongoing maintenance, enhancement, and operation. The tender targets organizations with the technical and professional capacity to provide these services. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation, whether as a single tenderer or as part of a consortium. The eSubmission system supports various file types and has specific requirements for attachment naming and file sizes (less than 50 MB per file, up to 200 files per submission). The system is multilingual, supporting all 24 official EU languages, and uses encryption to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information. Tenderers can view and edit their draft submissions until the deadline.