Provision of ICT services for the Near Real Time STAR Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABM)

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has released a call for tenders, identified as EMSA/2025/OP/0018, for the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services focused on the Near Real Time STAR Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABM) system. This is a public procurement opportunity with an estimated total contract value of €2,000,000, structured as a framework agreement intended for a duration of up to 54 months, comprised of an initial 30-month term with two optional renewals.

The procedure type for this tender is an open procedure, allowing any qualified economic operator to submit proposals electronically. The deadline for submission of tenders is December 3, 2025, at 16:00 Lisbon time, with the tender opening scheduled for December 5, 2025, at 11:00 Lisbon time. A question-and-answer mechanism will be available for applicants to seek clarifications regarding the tender until November 21, 2025.

The procurement seeks to engage contractors for comprehensive ICT services, including the development, corrective maintenance, and helpdesk support for the STAR ABM system, which plays a critical role in maritime safety and surveillance by analyzing vessel behavior in near real time. The award will be assessed based on a quality and price ratio, with 70% weight granted to quality and 30% to price considerations.

While the procurement is directed toward capable ICT service providers—large enterprises are implicitly favored as SMEs are specifically noted as unsuitable—the tender documents provide essential details, including the Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications, Technical Capacity Checklist, and relevant evaluation criteria.

It is crucial for interested companies to review all tender documents and ensure compliance with submission requirements, timelines, and criteria specified, including the clarification that a "Letter of commitment from Guarantor" is not required for this procurement. The contract fundamentally represents a service provision arrangement, distinct from grant funding, as contractors will be remunerated for the services delivered under the framework agreement rather than receiving funds to pursue independent projects.

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has published a call for tenders, EMSA/2025/OP/0018, for the provision of ICT services related to the Near Real Time STAR Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABM). The TED reference for this call is 198/2025 676162-2025.

The procedure is an open procedure, and submissions must be made electronically. The deadline for receipt of tenders is 03/12/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Lisbon time. The date and time of the public opening is 05/12/2025 at 11:00 Europe/Lisbon time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 21/11/2025 08:00 Europe/Lisbon.

The estimated total value of this framework agreement is 2,000,000 EUR. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum contract duration of 54 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. This is a framework agreement without reopening of competition. The main classification (CPV) code is 72212461 Analytical or scientific software development services.

The available documents include:

ENB.01 Invitation to tender Invitation letter, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENB.02 Tender Specifications Tender specifications, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENA.01 Tenderer (Candidate) Checklist Other invitation to tender document, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix TS.01 Price Summary Other invitation to tender document, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix TS.02 - Technical Capacity Checklist Other invitation to tender document, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix TS.03 Scenario for Evaluation-Quality Criterion 2-3-4 Other invitation to tender document, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENAppendix TS.04 STAR ABM-Technical Overview Other invitation to tender document, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENI.09 Framework contract (IT) Draft contract, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENI.10 General terms and conditions for information technology contracts Draft contract annex, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.
ENI.55 FWC (IT) Annexes I II and VIII - XIV Draft contract annex, published on 15/10/2025, Version 1, no translations available.

A question was raised regarding the "Letter of commitment from Guarantor" listed in the Tenderer Checklist. The contracting authority confirmed that performance guarantees are not applicable to this procurement procedure, and therefore the letter is not required. This clarification was published on 17/10/2025 at 23:27.

In summary, this call for tenders is for ICT services to support the development, maintenance, and helpdesk functions for the Near Real Time STAR Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABM) system. The European Maritime Safety Agency is seeking a contractor through an open procedure with electronic submission. The contract is a framework agreement with a maximum duration of 54 months and an estimated value of 2,000,000 EUR. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Tenderers should carefully review all the provided documents, including the tender specifications, technical capacity checklist, and draft contract, and ensure they meet the deadline for submission. A "Letter of commitment from Guarantor" is not required.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that this is a call for tenders for ICT services, it is likely that eligible applicants would include companies, SMEs, large enterprises, and potentially research institutes with relevant expertise in ICT and software development.

Funding Type: This is a procurement opportunity, specifically a call for tenders. The contracting authority is seeking to procure services.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. The tender specifications documents would need to be reviewed to determine if a consortium is permissible or required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Given that this is an EU funding and tenders portal, it is highly likely that the eligibility is at least for EU member states. The tender specifications documents would need to be reviewed to confirm the geographic eligibility.

Target Sector: The target sector is ICT (Information and Communication Technology), specifically focusing on analytical or scientific software development services. The project is related to the development, corrective maintenance, and helpdesk support for the Near Real Time STAR Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABM) system.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the opportunity details. The lead contracting authority is the European Maritime Safety Agency, suggesting the opportunity is relevant to the EU region.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on development, corrective maintenance, and support, indicating that the core research or idea phase is likely complete. The opportunity is for the provision of ICT services to maintain and improve an existing system (STAR ABM).

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of this procurement is 2,000,000 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 services rendered. This is a service contract.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated. However, based on the documentation provided (Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications, Tenderer Checklist, etc.), it can be inferred that there will be multiple stages involving eligibility checks, technical capacity assessment, and evaluation of the price and quality of the proposed services.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for the provision of ICT services related to the Near Real Time STAR Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABM) system. The project involves development, corrective maintenance, and helpdesk support for the system. The procedure type is an open procedure, meaning any interested and qualified tenderer can submit a proposal. The estimated total value of the procurement is 2,000,000 EUR. The contract duration is up to 54 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The submission method is electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 03/12/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Lisbon time. Tenderers must submit their proposals exclusively at the address for submission provided in the tender documents. The tender documents include the Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications, Tenderer Checklist, Price Summary, Technical Capacity Checklist, Scenario for Evaluation, Technical Overview of STAR ABM, and draft contract documents. A question and answer mechanism is available for potential tenderers to seek clarifications, with a deadline for submitting questions by 21/11/2025. The opportunity aims to establish a framework agreement for ICT services to support the STAR ABM system, which likely involves monitoring maritime activities and behaviours. The absence of a requirement for a "Letter of commitment from Guarantor" has been clarified, indicating that performance guarantees are not applicable to this procurement procedure.