Demand-led innovation for civil security through Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP)

The main goal of this opportunity is to boost innovation in civil security by supporting the development and early adoption of new technology solutions. It aims to build a strong community of EU civil security practitioners who share common needs, while helping SMEs and startups access public procurement markets and grow their businesses. The program supports the commercialization of innovative solutions by offering first customer references for validation and pilot deployment. Key focus areas include increasing the market uptake of new solutions, contributing to standardization and certification, and enabling public procurers across Europe to collectively stimulate innovation. Participation is focused on organizations from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries, with open market consultations required in at least three EU countries.

• Projects must comply with the page limit and layout requirements as described in the application guidelines.
• The consortium must include at least 3 practitioners and 3 public procurers from 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. One organization can act as both practitioner and public procurer.
• Practitioners must provide specific information in the application form using the required template.
• Projects must follow the special rules for Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) or Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) actions.
• The proposal must clearly show the need for PCP, commitment from partners, and readiness for the tender process.

Examples:

• A project where police departments from three EU countries jointly seek new technologies for secure communication.
• A consortium of hospitals and health agencies from different Member States collaborating to find innovative emergency response tools.
• Public transport authorities from three countries working together to procure advanced surveillance solutions.

• Costs for Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) or Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI)
• Subcontracting expenses for work performed in at least three Member States
• Direct costs related to tendering and procurement processes
• Costs for validation and pilot deployment of solutions
• Expenses for market consultations in multiple countries
• Project management and coordination costs
• Costs for dissemination and communication activities
• Travel and meeting costs linked to project implementation
• Costs for standardization, certification, or regulatory activities

Restriction: Subcontracted work must be performed in at least three different Member States unless an exception is approved.

• Budget for this Call: 5,500,000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 1
• Budget per grant: 5,500,000€

• The consortium must include at least 3 practitioners and 3 public procurers from 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries.
• One organization can serve as both a practitioner and a public procurer.
• Applicants with practitioner status must complete the required information table in the application form.
• Projects must comply with the special rules for PCP/PPI procurements.
• Applicants must demonstrate a clear need for a PCP action and commitment from all partners.
• Participation may require forming a network or partnership with organizations from different countries.