Incubed-2 standard call for proposal

European Space Agency (ESA) - Directorate of EO Programmes

Published: May 24, 2023

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Source: ESA - European Space Agency

About This Opportunity

Services contract by European Space Agency (ESA) - Directorate of EO (International): Incubed-2 standard call for. ICT & digital. Submission deadline Dec 2027.

This is a services contract in the information and communication technology sector. Located in International, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of EUR 500,000. Proposals must be submitted before December 31, 2027.

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 services in the information and communication technology sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. Interested parties should review the full documentation on the original source before submitting their proposal.

Description

The InCubed Element of the European Earth Watch Programme (InCubed) aims at accompanying the European economic operators in the Earth Observation market rapid evolution currently witnessed in Europe and overseas. InCubed offers a new process in ESA Earth Observation programmes to strengthen and stimulate the realization of endeavours near-to-the-market with Economic Operators. Activities to be supported include the development and/or demonstration of space assets (missions, instruments, prototype element of EO constellation), innovative mission management solution, including for future EO constellation, the development of application platforms, etc. InCubed is looking for commercial viability by the end of the activity (up to at least a minimum viable product level) and a substantial degree of innovation i.e. adding new value to the EO commercial landscape. Commercial customer engagement/involvement is mandatory. Commercial customers are encouraged to be either as part of the consortium representing the value chain or as beta testers/validators of the developed product/service. Customer engagement/involvement must be highlighted at the pitch and proposal stage. Letters of potential customer support/interest are seen as a very positive aspect. The actual scope of the proposed activities is defined by the economic operators themselves in relevance to the InCubed objectives. Two development cycles are possible within InCubed: TheDe-Risking Cycle (start TRL 4) and Product Development Cycle (startTRL 6) depending on the maturity of the concept being developed. Regarding this forthcoming Announcement of Partnership Opportunity, Economic operators are invited to register and submit idea pitches onto ideas.esa.int (InCubed channel). Following a positive pitch meeting, the second step is to fill in a Part 1 (Outline) proposal template, which must be supported by the Participating State(s) having jurisdiction over them. Following a positive assessment,the economic operators will be invited to submit a Part 2 (Full) proposal template, as per established procedure and evaluation criteria. The proposals to be supported by InCubed will have to be co-funded by the economic operators (partnership agreements), as a sign of their engagement and belief in their own business case.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from ESA - European Space Agency and was originally published on May 24, 2023. Last refreshed 5 days ago. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About European Space Agency (ESA) - Directorate of EO Programmes

European Space Agency (ESA) - Directorate of EO Programmes has issued 107 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 5 currently open and 82 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology and Environment & Climate. Tenders span 3 countries including Poland, Spain, and Italy. Notices are distributed via ESA - European Space Agency. Most recent publication: May 1, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What type of contract is this?

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

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is From €500,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

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.

When does this tender close?

The submission deadline is December 31, 2027. You have 554 days left to prepare and submit your proposal to the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

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