Quantum Technologies in Defence (Action Plan and Foundational Research for Quantum Technologies in Defence)

The European Defence Agency (EDA) is inviting tenders for a project titled "Quantum Technologies in Defence," which is divided into two distinct lots. The total estimated value of the tender is €1,600,000, comprised of €600,000 for Lot 1 and €1,000,000 for Lot 2. The deadline for submissions is October 27, 2025, and the tender will be publicly opened on October 28, 2025.

Lot 1 focuses on supporting the development and implementation of a Quantum Action Plan, involving tasks such as expert consultations, organizing workshops, and drafting the action plan and its annexes, with a maximum contract duration of 48 months. The award method is based on a best price-quality ratio. Lot 1 is primarily classified under military research and technology services.

Lot 2 is aimed at launching Quantum Defence Projects for foundational research and technology. This lot involves identifying, proposing, and developing promising technologies to support the initiation or continuation of research and technology projects, acting as an incubator for early-stage innovations. This lot also spans a maximum duration of 48 months and employs a similar award method as Lot 1.

Eligible applicant types include economic operators such as companies and contractors, with a noted preference for larger organizations. Participation in a consortium is allowed, but SMEs are not considered suitable for either lot. The opportunity is open to entities within EU member states and potentially EEA countries.

The procurement is structured as a framework agreement without reopening competition for Lot 1, while Lot 2 may involve portions with reopening of competition. All submissions must be made electronically, and the electronic submission system supports various file formats, with a maximum attachment size of 50 MB.

The EDA's strategic goal for this procurement is to advance quantum technologies pertinent to defense, reflecting significant institutional investment in enhancing EU defense capabilities in this emerging technological sector.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) is launching a call for tenders, EDA/2025/OP/0007, to develop an Action Plan and Foundational Research for Quantum Technologies in Defence. The tender is divided into two lots. The estimated total value of the tender is 1,600,000 EUR. The TED reference is 181/2025 617508-2025. The publication date is 22/09/2025.

Lot 1 is titled "Support for the Development and Implementation of an Action Plan on Quantum in Defence (25.RTI.OP.077)". The estimated value for this lot is 600,000 EUR. This lot focuses on managing the administrative aspects of the ‘Quantum Action Plan’ for the RTI (Research Technology & Innovation) directorate. Tasks include proposing and consulting experts, organizing workshops, assisting EDA Project Officers, proposing a structure for the Quantum Action Plan, and drafting the Action Plan and its annexes, including roadmap proposals. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. This lot involves a framework agreement without reopening of competition. The main CPV classification is 73410000 Military research and technology. Additional CPV classifications include 71318000 Advisory and consultative engineering services, 71335000 Engineering studies, and 72220000 Systems and technical consultancy services.

Lot 2 is titled "Launching Quantum Defence Projects for Foundational Research and Technology (25.RTI.OP.091)". The estimated value for this lot is 1,000,000 EUR. Under this lot, economic operators will provide services to identify, propose, and develop promising technologies to different CapTechs or within cross CapTechs activities. The objective is to support the initiation or continuation of R&T projects and act as an incubator for early-stage innovations. This includes supporting the first steps of EDA OB studies, Cat. B projects, and/or EDF projects, or the transition from EDA OB studies to Cat. B projects and/or EDF projects, and proposing next steps including roadmaps and demonstrations. The nature of the contract is for services, with a maximum duration of 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. This lot involves a framework agreement, partly without reopening and partly with reopening of competition. The main CPV classification is 73410000 Military research and technology. Additional CPV classifications include 73400000 Research and Development services on security and defence materials and 73420000 Pre-feasibility study and technological demonstration.

Key milestones for both lots include a TED publication date of 22/09/2025, a public opening date and time of 28/10/2025 at 11:00 Europe/Brussels, a deadline for receipt of tenders on 27/10/2025 at 17:00 Europe/Brussels, and a cut-off date for replies to questions submitted after 17/10/2025 at 06:00 Europe/Brussels.

The available documents include: Invitation letter - 25.RTI.OP.077 Quantum Cluster (Invitation letter, published 22/09/2025, applicable to all lots, Version 1, no translations available); Part 1 Administrative Specifications (Tender specifications - adm. part, published 22/09/2025, applicable to all lots, Version 1, no translations available); Part 1.1 Annexes 4.1 till 4.10 (except 4.7) to Part 1 Administrative Specifications QUANTUM (Lot 1 and Lot 2) (Tender specifications - adm. part, published 22/09/2025, applicable to all lots, Version 1, no translations available); Part 2.1 Technical Specification Lot 1 Action Plan Quantum Defense (Tender specifications, published 22/09/2025, applicable to Lot 1, Version 1, no translations available); Part 2.2 Technical Specification Lot 2 Quantum Technologies (Tender specifications, published 22/09/2025, applicable to Lot 2, Version 1, no translations available); Annex 4.7.2 Draft FWC LOT 2 (Draft contract, published 22/09/2025, applicable to Lot 2, Version 1, no translations available); and Annex 4.7.1 Draft FWC LOT 1 (Draft contract, published 22/09/2025, applicable to Lot 1, Version 1, no translations available).

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

Some frequently asked questions (FAQ) are answered: 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, clear the cache and cookies. The eSubmission system supports the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Details of the submission are not accessible after the deadline due to encryption. Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’ in Manage My Area. Attachments should be less than 50 MB. Attachment names must follow the System Requirements. The system supports video submissions, check the System Requirements for supported formats. Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organisation in the F&T Portal, “My Invitations”. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory to participate. When uploading a file in eSubmission, ensure it follows the technical requirements of the system. The maximum number of documents allowed per tender is 200 files. It is mandatory to register for a PIC to submit a tender. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding. The system encrypts all uploaded documents. The supported file types depend on the type of submission and are specified within the system requirements. Submissions in draft status can be edited, viewed, and deleted until the deadline. A "Legal form: UNKNOWN" display issue in the submission report is not blocking for submission. An automatic email informing of the deadline being reached does not mean the submission was not correctly sent.

In summary, this tender opportunity from the European Defence Agency seeks to bolster Quantum Technologies in Defence through two distinct lots. Lot 1 focuses on the administrative and strategic development of a Quantum Action Plan, while Lot 2 aims to stimulate foundational research and technology development in quantum technologies for defense applications. This initiative aims to foster innovation and support the advancement of quantum technologies within the European defense sector.

Eligible Applicant Types: Economic operators are eligible applicants. This suggests that the opportunity is open to businesses, including SMEs and large enterprises, and potentially research organizations that can be considered economic operators.

Funding Type: Procurement, specifically a service contract, as the tender involves providing services to the European Defence Agency. The contract is a framework agreement.

Consortium Requirement: It is possible to apply as a single applicant or as a member of a group (consortium).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is a European Defence Agency tender, it is likely open to entities within the EU member states and potentially entities from associated countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is Quantum Technologies in Defence. This includes both the development of an action plan and foundational research. Sub-sectors include military research and technology, advisory and consultative engineering services, engineering studies, systems and technical consultancy services, research and development services on security and defence materials, and pre-feasibility study and technological demonstration.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity is from the European Defence Agency, implying that EU member states are the primary target region.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the lot. Lot 1 focuses on the development and implementation of an action plan, suggesting a development and implementation stage. Lot 2 focuses on launching quantum defence projects for foundational research and technology, suggesting a research and development stage, potentially including early-stage innovation and incubation.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the tender is 1,600,000 EUR. Lot 1 has an estimated value of 600,000 EUR, and Lot 2 has an estimated value of 1,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open call for tenders, with electronic submission.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it is implied that there is at least one stage involving the submission of a tender.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for tenders by the European Defence Agency (EDA) focused on Quantum Technologies in Defence. The tender is divided into two lots. Lot 1 is for the development and implementation of an action plan on Quantum in Defence, involving administrative tasks, expert consultation, workshop organization, and drafting the action plan. The estimated value for Lot 1 is 600,000 EUR. Lot 2 is for launching Quantum Defence Projects for Foundational Research and Technology, aiming to identify, propose, and develop promising technologies, support R&T projects, and act as an incubator for early-stage innovations. The estimated value for Lot 2 is 1,000,000 EUR. The total estimated value for the tender is 1,600,000 EUR. The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The maximum contract duration for both lots is 48 months. The award method is based on the best price-quality ratio. The TED publication date is 22/09/2025, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is 27/10/2025. Economic operators can participate as single applicants or as part of a consortium. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The eSubmission system supports various file types and has a maximum attachment size of 50 MB per file, with a limit of 200 files per submission. The system supports all 24 official EU languages and uses UTF-8 character set encoding.