GT1I-805GA SECURITY FRAMEWORK FOR AI APPLICATIONS (EXPRO+)

European Space Agency (ESA)

Published: Aug 7, 2026

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a framework agreement contract in the information and communication technology, security and defense and Research sectors, with a focus on Cybersecurity, Data Analytics and artificial intelligence. Located in International, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

Published through ESA - European Space Agency, a multilateral development bank that follows standardized international procurement guidelines. Projects funded by multilateral institutions are generally open to international bidders from eligible member countries for framework agreement in the information and communication technology sector. Framework agreements establish terms for recurring procurement over a defined period. Selected firms are called upon as needs arise, making this a longer-term engagement opportunity. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

Increasingly, advances in AI applications, models, and big data capabilities are making their way intoproductive applications. Roadmaps exist to introduce AI technologies into critical functional and operationaldomains. With new technology spin-ins like AI, cybersecurity must be accounted for, considering new attacksurfaces and vulnerabilities. Currently, no specialized approach exists forsystems with AI components,necessitating an ad-hoc approach for each system. To avoid redundant efforts, a coherent security approachfor AI applications in the space domain should be defined. Common mitigation measures for identified threatsand risks related to data and models need to be integrated into the AI lifecycle, ensuring a secure and AIenabledinfrastructure. Systems today demand increased security and even security certification. Whilesecurity approaches for non-AI systems are well understood, AI components introduce new threats. Thisactivity will guide developers in creating secure AI systems and assist project teams with certificationbasesfor AI solutions. Building on previous ESA work where security threats and mitigation measures for spacesystems were identified and considering emerging policies and regulations, this activity will develop an'MLSecOps' framework, i.e. a comprehensive set of practices and tools, processes, and datasets to addressnew vulnerabilities. These will be integrated with operational MLOps infrastructure and validated in a spacesystem context. The targeted space system applications may range from engineering aids to securitymonitoring solutions. The solution will be based on public standards and knowledge bases such as the ENISAreport "Cybersecurity of AI and Standardisation," MITRE ATLAS, and OWASP Gen AI Security Project. Theseoffer a rich list of vulnerabilities and controls without considering the required adaptations for space missionspecifics. This activity will establish a set of practices and createcommon tools for AI systems to providestandardized security features and functions, easing the certification process.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from ESA - European Space Agency and was originally published on August 7, 2026. Last refreshed today. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About European Space Agency (ESA)

European Space Agency (ESA) has issued 730 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 269 currently open and 176 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Environment & Climate, and Transport & Logistics. Tenders span 10 countries including Denmark, Slovenia, and Czech Republic. Notices are distributed via ESA - European Space Agency. Most recent publication: August 7, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What type of contract is this?

This is a Framework agreement contract in the Information & Communication Technology sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in International. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit ESA - European Space Agency to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions provided by the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by European Space Agency (ESA) in International. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.