Tri-partite Transfer of ownership agreement of a Satellite Communication Ground Antenna

The European Commission's Directorate General for Defence, Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) is set to issue a procurement opportunity aimed at contracting specialized legal services for preparing a tri-partite agreement. This agreement is intended to formalize the transfer of ownership of a satellite communication ground antenna located in the Flemish region of Belgium. Currently, the antenna is owned by the European Space Agency (ESA) while the land is owned by the Kingdom of Belgium. DG DEFIS seeks to acquire the antenna at no cost, necessitating a legal framework that clarifies the responsibilities and rights of all involved parties.

The procurement process will be conducted as a planned negotiated procedure, classified as a middle to low-value contract, although the exact budget has not been disclosed. The primary applicant eligibility includes legal service providers such as law firms or consultancy firms with expertise in international agreements, property law, and space law, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not particularly targeted for this opportunity.

The timeline for expressing interest begins on October 23, 2025, with a deadline set for October 31, 2025. The indicative launch date for the negotiated procedure is also stated as October 31, 2025. Interested parties must submit their expressions of interest electronically through the designated platform, and a question-and-answer feature will allow potential applicants to seek clarification on the procurement process.

This announcement serves as a prelude to a formal tender opportunity, detailing that the main activities will not require collaborative consortiums as it is expected to be fulfilled by a single qualified applicant. The services required focus specifically on the drafting and preparation of the legal agreement rather than other types of funding or grants.

Overall, this opportunity presents a concise contractual framework aimed at legal experts capable of handling this unique transfer of ownership agreement, within a defined six-month contract period.

This is a publication announcing the European Commission, DG DEFIS's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure. It is not a call for tenders. The procedure identifier is EC-DEFIS/2025/LVP/0037-EXA.

The contracting authority, DG DEFIS, contemplates acquiring as a transfer free of charge an antenna installation located in Belgium/Flemish region. The antenna is currently owned by the European Space Agency (ESA), while the Kingdom of Belgium is the owner of the land. The contracting authority seeks to outsource the preparation/drafting of a tri-partite agreement formalizing the rights and obligations of each party.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not specified. The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG DEFIS Defence Industry and Space. The main classification (CPV) is 79100000 Legal services. The nature of the contract is for services. The maximum contract duration is 6 months. There is no framework agreement.

The start date for expression of interest is 2025-10-23 Europe/Brussels. The deadline for expression of interest is 31/10/2025 06:59 Europe/Brussels. The indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-31 Europe/Brussels.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below. The method of expression of interest is electronic. To express interest, use the "Express interest" link.

A question and answer section is available. To create a question, you must log in. A public Q&A, FAQs, and a "My Q&A" section are available. You can download the Q&As in XLS format.

One question has been asked and answered: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference? The answer is that references that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure. This was published on 03/10/2024 17:32.

In summary, this is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure by the European Commission's DG DEFIS. The project involves drafting a tri-partite agreement for the transfer of ownership of a satellite communication ground antenna located in Belgium from ESA to DG DEFIS, with the Kingdom of Belgium owning the land. The contracting authority is looking for legal services to prepare the agreement. The procedure is expected to be a low or middle value contract, and the announcement provides a timeline for expressing interest and the indicative launch date of the negotiated procedure. It is important to note that this is not a call for tenders, but rather an announcement of an upcoming opportunity.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the description, it is likely that legal service providers (law firms, individual lawyers, or legal consultants) with experience in drafting tri-partite agreements are eligible.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, specifically for legal services. The contracting authority seeks to outsource the preparation/drafting of a tri-partite agreement.

Consortium Requirement: The requirement is not explicitly stated. It is possible that either a single applicant or a consortium could be eligible, but this would need to be clarified in the full call for tenders documentation when it is released.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU funding opportunity and involves the European Space Agency and the Kingdom of Belgium, it is likely that applicants from the EU and possibly the EEA are eligible.

Target Sector: The target sector is primarily legal services, with a secondary focus on space and satellite communications infrastructure.

Mentioned Countries: Belgium.

Project Stage: The project stage is at the procurement phase, where the contracting authority is seeking legal expertise to draft an agreement.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is not specified, but it is described as a "middle/low value contract." This suggests a funding range potentially under €200k, but the exact amount is not provided.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. This means that after an expression of interest, selected applicants will be invited to negotiate a contract.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing legal services, specifically the drafting of a tri-partite agreement.

Application Stages: There are at least two stages: 1) Expression of interest, and 2) a negotiated procedure for selected applicants.

Success Rates: Success rates are not specified, but given that it is a negotiated procedure, the success rate for those invited to negotiate is likely to be higher than an open call. However, the selection rate for the expression of interest phase is unknown.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not mentioned, and is likely not required.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a planned negotiated procedure by the European Commission, DG DEFIS (Defence Industry and Space). The opportunity concerns the outsourcing of legal services for the drafting of a tri-partite agreement related to the transfer of ownership of a satellite communication ground antenna located in Belgium. The antenna is currently owned by the European Space Agency (ESA), and the land is owned by the Kingdom of Belgium. DG DEFIS intends to acquire the antenna free of charge. The contracting authority seeks a legal service provider to prepare and draft the agreement formalizing the rights and obligations of each party. The procedure is classified as a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The maximum contract duration is 6 months. The start date for expression of interest is planned for 2025-10-23, with a deadline of 2025-10-31. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-31. Interested parties must submit an electronic expression of interest. This announcement is not a call for tenders, but rather a notification of the contracting authority's intention to publish a future negotiated procedure.