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    ARTES COMPETITIVENESS & GROWTH - CALL FOR OUTLINE PROPOSALS

    The ARTES Competitiveness & Growth programme element (ARTES C&G) is dedicated to the development, verification and demonstration of products for the satellite telecommunications market.

    Take the initiative and submit your Outline Proposal now!

    Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications - Laurent Jaffart

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      The ARTES Competitiveness & Growth programme element (ARTES C&G) is dedicated to the development, verification and demonstration of products for the satellite telecommunications market.

      https://connectivity.esa.int/competitiveness-growth

      Products might be any hardware, software, system or sub-system or services. 

      Contracts are awarded on the basis of proposals made by industry for the development of products for future commercial exploitation. 

      The ARTES Competitiveness & Growth programme element supports four Development Phases:

      1. The Definition Phase supports industry in the initial definition and top-level design of the product, along with any systems engineering that may be required to define it and to identify the optimal solution for the target market.
      2. The Technology Phase supports industry in mitigating key technical risks. This phase excludes qualification for space equipment and industrialisation of ground equipment.
      3. The Product Phase supports the development and verification of the product to make it ready for commercialisation in its intended operational environment.
      4. The Demonstration Phase supports market entry for space products and the validation of ground segment products in the operational environment.

      The maximum funding limits for each phase are aligned with the risk associated with those phases and specially supports Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

      IMPORTANT:

      Technology and product developments for the Strategic Programme Lines (Optical and Quantum Communication – ScyLight, Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) and 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity) are implemented in accordance with ARTES Competitiveness & Growth implementing rules and Outline Proposals addressing one of these Strategic Programme Lines can also be submitted via this Channel.

      How to apply!

      To apply for ARTES C&G, industry has to set the wheels in motion. The first step is to prepare an Outline Proposal and Financial Forecast Workbook, using the templates provided, and submit these to this Channel for review by ESA.

      ESA will aim to provide feedback on your Outline Proposal within 10 working days!

      Full Proposal submissions are confidential and negotiated directly. The corresponding ARTES C&G ‘Call for Proposals’ (CfP) is always open. The latest issue is available online on esa-star (Tender Action Number: 4-40017 CFP where a contract under procurement regulations rev5 will be placed & 4-40028 without procurement). To download the documents, registration on esa-star is required.

      The C&G Outline Proposal templates can be downloaded directly via the following link (Outline Proposal Template and Financial Forecast Workbook).  Note the same Outline Proposal Template is used for both 4-40017 CFP where a contract under procurement regulations rev5 will be placed & 4-40028 without procurement: 

      Documents – ESA CSC: Connectivity & Secure Communications

      Background information on ARTES Competitiveness & Growth can be found here:

      https://connectivity.esa.int/competitiveness-growth

       

      ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

      To submit an ARTES Competitiveness & Growth proposal, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

      1. A significant part of the business case should address SATCOM. Proposed developments can be an end-to-end SATCOM system, or the improvement or development of a SATCOM Ground Segment product such as a user terminal or gateway equipment. For the Space Segment, you may wish to improve or develop a satellite platform, a software, an advanced test system, an attitude and orbit control sub-system, a payload, an amplifier or any other satellite equipment. The development and operation of a small satellite demonstrating the required functions in orbit is also supported.
      2. ESA will only admit proposals for evaluation that come from companies or organisations – whether as Prime or Subcontractor – residing in one of the following countries:

      Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Estonia and Lithuania

      1. It is mandatory that companies (both Prime Contractor and Subcontractor(s)) obtain formal authorisation from their National Delegation to carry out the proposed activity.
      2. The economic operators need to be registered in esa-star.
      3. The submission of any Full Proposal shall be accompanied by a Letter of Support from the National Delegation.  Contact Details of National Delegations are available here

      Upon submission of your Outline Proposal:

      • ESA may discuss it with the National Delegations of the countries of your consortium.
      • ESA will assess your Outline Proposal.
      • ESA will provide written feedback typically within 10 working days from the date of the Outline Proposal submission.

      Contact details of the National Delegations can be found under


      https://connectivity.esa.int/national-delegations

      The Outline Proposal will be assessed using the following criteria:  

      1. credibility of the business plan
      2. quality and completeness of technical proposal, suitability of the proposed technical solution vs. project objectives, evaluation of the technical risks and credibility of the risk mitigation actions
      3. company experience and competence, completeness of the team in all areas required (i.e. for the proposed programme of work and for the operational/commercial exploitation of the targeted product/service), adequacy of management (incl. high level description of key activities)
      4. planning and costing, value for money, assessment of financial risk versus company resources, and co-funding capability

      The Outline Proposal will be assessed by ESA within 10 working days of submission . Four possible outcomes will result from the assessment:

      • Direct invitation to submit a Full Proposal
      • Discussions & Clarifications with the submitter (most likely scenario)
      • Possible resubmission of the Outline Proposal
      • The Outline Proposal is not considered as suitable for the ARTES C&G programme
      Attachments

      Background Information

      Innovation Area

      Connectivity and Secure Communications

      Satellite communications is the economic engine of the space industry, accounting for two thirds of overall space industry revenue. ESA keeps European and Canadian industry at the leading edge of this fiercely competitive global market by nurturing innovation.

      Learn More

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