Pre-CommerciAl ProCuremenT of Innovative Personal ProtectiVe Equipment for First REsponders (ACTIVE PCP)

A joint pre‑commercial procurement initiative seeks the research, design and initial production of cutting‑edge personal protective equipment (PPE) for first‑responder professionals, including police, firefighters and emergency medical teams who face chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and hazardous materials (CBRN/HAZMAT) threats. The project’s aim is to identify unmet needs through collaboration with public‑safety end users and to guide industry research and development toward practical, deployable solutions that enhance responder safety and operational effectiveness in complex emergencies such as terrorism, industrial accidents and natural disasters.

The procurement follows a staged R&D model comprising three successive phases. In Phase 1, participating contractors develop concept designs and technical specifications, for which they will secure a dedicated contract and provide a foundational blueprint. Phase 2 requires the creation of functional prototypes that meet the agreed criteria, and only those firms that succeed in design will be eligible to produce refined prototypes in Phase 3, which incorporates final validation, testing and limited first‑product output. The contracting framework allows a flexible number of contractors to progress at each stage, ensuring that the most capable proposals are advanced toward field‑ready equipment. The required PPE must provide robust protection against CBRN and HAZMAT hazards, comply with applicable EU and national safety standards, and enable rapid deployment, maintenance and decontamination.

The Pre-CommerciAl ProCuremenT of Innovative Personal ProtectiVe Equipment for First REsponders (ACTIVE PCP) project addresses critical gaps in personal protective equipment (PPE). It responds to the need to keep first responders safe and operationally effective during evolving threats, from CBRN incidents and HAZMAT situations to terrorism, industrial accidents, natural disasters, and other complex emergencies. ACTIVE PCP involves public safety buyers and end-users in defining unmet needs and guiding industry R&D towards solutions. ACTIVE PCP procures R&D services through Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP). // Tenderers are invited to propose innovative PPE solutions for first responders, police, firefighters, and emergency medical services operating in complex CBRN and HAZMAT environments. Following the phased PCP model, the procurement supports R&D up to the development of a limited volume of first products. It comprises 3 competitive Phases, with fewer Tenderers progressing at each stage so that those offering the strongest response to the PCP's technical challenge are selected. // The PCP will be implemented by means of a Framework Agreement (FA) with call-offs for specific contracts for each of the 3 R&D phases (altogether ‘Contracts’). Greek law governs the Contracts. The GDPR Processing Agreement – if applicable – will be governed by the law of the Member State in which each pilot will take place during Phase 3. The FA will remain binding for the duration of all phases for which Contractors remain in the PCP. There will be no renegotiations. // KEMEA will be the Lead Procurer throughout all the phases of ACTIVE PCP. // Tenderers that are awarded a FA will also be awarded a specific contract for Phase 1 (evaluation of tenders for the FA and Phase 1 are combined). Tenderers are therefore asked not only to submit their detailed offer for Phase 1, but also to state their goals, and to outline their plans (including price conditions) for Phases 2 and 3. // The three Phases are: (i) Phase 1: Solution Design. A FA and a Specific Contract for Phase 1 will be awarded to at least six (6) contractors; (ii) Phase 2: Prototyping. A call-off will be organised for Phase 2, with the aim of awarding at least three (3) Phase 2 contracts. Only offers from Contractors that successfully completed Phase 1 will be eligible for Phase 2. The procurers will validate the Phase 2 prototypes; and (iii) Phase 3: Original development and testing. A second call-off will be organised for Phase 3, with the aim of awarding a minimum of two (2) Phase 3 contracts. Only offers from Contractors that successfully completed Phase 2 will be eligible for Phase 3. The procurers will validate the Phase 3 prototypes. // Offers for the next phase will be requested together with the End of Phase deliverables of the previous phase. I.e., all Contractors of the previous phase have the right to submit offers for the next phase (together with their End of Phase Report). A Contractor must have been awarded a Specific Contract for Phase 1 in order to be considered eligible for Phase 2. Likewise, a Contractor must have been awarded Specific Contracts for Phases 1 and 2 in order to be considered eligible for Phase 3. The maximum total budget for this PCP is 3.650.000 EUR including VAT, taxes and other related fees and costs). // The maximum budget per phase and the maximum budget per Contractor (excluding VAT, including taxes and other related fees and costs) are as follows: For Phase 1 (Solution Design): Subcontracting cost per contractor: €47,043.00; Total subcontracting cost for phase 1: €282,258.05. For Phase 2 (Prototyping): Subcontracting cost per contractor: €483,870.97; Total subcontracting cost for phase 2: €1,451,612.90. For Phase 3 (Original development and testing): Subcontracting cost per contractor: €604,838.71; Total subcontracting cost for phase 3: €1,209,677.42. For Phase 1, contracts will be financed until the remaining budget is insufficient to fund the next best tender. The exact number of contracts finally awarded will thus depend on the prices offered and the number of Tenders passing the evaluation. The lower the offered price of Tenders, the more contracts can be awarded. However, the total value of the contracts awarded can also be lower than initially expected if there are fewer tenders than expected that meet the minimum evaluation criteria. // Unless otherwise stated in the Call Off for Phase 2, contracts will be financed until the remaining budget is insufficient to fund the next best Tender. The exact number of contracts finally awarded will thus depend on the prices offered and the number of tenders passing the evaluation. The lower the offered price of Tenders, the more contracts can be awarded. However, the total value of the contracts awarded can also be lower than initially expected if there are fewer tenders than expected that meet the minimum evaluation criteria. // Unless otherwise stated in the Call Off for Phase 3, contracts for Phase 3 will be financed until the remaining budget is insufficient to fund the next best tender. The exact number of contracts finally awarded will thus depend on the prices offered and the number of tenders passing the evaluation. The lower the offered price of Tenders, the more contracts can be awarded. However, the total value of the contracts awarded can also be lower than initially expected if there are fewer tenders than expected that meet the minimum evaluation criteria. // As leftover budget from the previous phase can be transferred to the next phase(s), the total budget available for Phases 2 and/or 3 may eventually be higher than stated here (but the maximum budget per Contractor for Phases 2 and 3 will remain the same). // Further information on ACTIVE PCP as well as the Tender Documents can be found at https://www.activepcp.eu/
Additional information: This procurement relates to a joint PCP that will be carried out by KENTRO MELETON ASFALEIAS (KEMEA), Greece, acting as Lead Procurer. KEMEA is appointed to coordinate and lead the joint PCP, and to sign and award the Framework Agreement and the specific contracts for all phases of the PCP, in the name and on behalf of the following Buyers’ Group: (i) PRIESGAISRINES APSAUGOS IR GELBEJIMO DEPARTAMENTAS PRIE VIDAUS REIKALU MINISTERIJOS FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR (PAGD); (ii) PYROSVESTIKI YPIRESIA KYPROU*FIRE SERVICE OF CYPRUS (FSC); and (iii) CENTRUM NAUKOWO-BADAWCZE OCHRONY PRZECIWPOZAROWEJ IM. JOZEFA TULISZKOWSKIEGO - PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY (CNBOP). // Further information is provided in the Procurement Documents (Tender Documents), which are accessible at https://www.activepcp.eu/call-for-tender/. Information on ACTIVE PCC can be found at https://www.activepcp.eu/
Place of performance: EL303

Lot: LOT-0001
Title: Pre-CommerciAl ProCuremenT of Innovative Personal ProtectiVe Equipment for First REsponders (ACTIVE PCP)