ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8197
Open Date: 06/02/2015
Closing Date: 05/06/2015

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 15.156.03
Prog. Ref.: Sentinel 3 MFF
Budget Ref.: E/E003-01 – Sentinel 3 MFF
Special Prov.: A+B+BG+HR+CY+CZ+DK+EE+FIN+F+D+GR+H+IRL+IS+I+LV+LT+LUX+MT+NL+PL+POR+RO+SK+SI+E+S+GB
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of EO Programmes
Department: Earth Observation Projects Department
Division: GMES Space Comp Space Segment Programme
Contract Officer: de la Feld, Francesca
Last Update Date: 06/02/2015
Update Reason: Tender issue

Following the entry into force of the Copernicus Agreement between the European Union represented by the European Commission and ESA, the Agency intends to publish the Invitation To Tender for the procurement of the Copernicus Sentinel-3C and 3D satellites. The Copernicus Sentinel-3C and -3D Satellites are a follow-on to the current series of two Copernicus Sentinel-3 Satellites, called Sentinel-3A & -3B. Copernicus is the new name for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme, previously known as GMES. Copernicus is a programme fully funded by the European Union in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) to which the Commission has entrusted the tasks relating to the Implementation of the elements of the Copernicus Space Component. ESA is developing a new family of satellites, called Sentinels specifically for the operational needs of the Copernicus programme. The Sentinel-3 mission’s main objective is to measure sea-surface topography, sea- and land- surface temperature and ocean- and land-surface colour with high-end accuracy and reliability in support of ocean forecasting systems, and for environmental and climate monitoring. The Sentinel 3A and -3B satellites are currently under development and are currently scheduled for launch respectively in late 2015 and early 2017. This pair of Sentinel-3 polar orbit satellites will enable a short revisit time of less than two days for OLCI and less than one day for SLSTR at the equator. The satellite orbit provides a 27-day repeat for the topography package, with a 4-day sub-cycle. The 3C and 3D satellites to be procured now will respond to the same requirements as the 3A and 3B units and shall be equivalent both in terms of performance and operations capability, in order to ensure continuity in the Sentinel-3 mission and cross-operability between the Sentinels. The 3C and 3D satellites shall be identical. The Sentinel-3 payload shall include the following instrument package: – A Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR), to determine global sea-surface temperatures to an accuracy of better than 0.3 K. SLSTR measures in nine spectral channels and two additional bands optimised for fire monitoring. The SLSTR has a spatial resolution in the visible and shortwave infrared channels of 500 m and 1 km in the thermal infrared channels. – An Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) with 21 bands, a design optimised to minimise sun-glint and, a resolution of 300 m over all surfaces. The swath of OCLI and nadir SLSTR fully overlap. – A dual-frequency (Ku and C band) advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar Altimeter (SRAL) which provides measurements at a resolution of ~300m in SAR mode along track. SRAL is supported by a microwave radiometer for atmospheric correction and a DORIS receiver for orbit positioning. The combined topography package will provide exact measurements of sea -surface height, which are essential for ocean forecasting systems and climate monitoring. SRAL will also provide accurate topography measurements over sea ice, ice sheets, rivers and lakes. The technical requirements for the C and D units will be specified in the ITT via a set of detailed documents; they would be equivalent to the technical requirements made applicable to the A and B units both in terms of performance and operations capability maximising the re-use of qualified space components developed by ESA and its Participating States in the context of the GMES Space Component programme. The Sentinels C and D main improvements from the corresponding technical requirements for the A and B units are limited to the following: – the bidders will be required to comply with the latest applicable ESA requirements on debris mitigation and casualty risk (resulting from satellite re-entry at end-of-life); – the bidders will be requested to quote – as part of the baseline offer – the embarkation of a GNSS receiver that will be able to exploit (in addition to the current and futuree GPS signals) also the signals from the Galileo constellation, the flagship navigation programme of the European Union. The Sentinels-3C/-3D will each include a DORIS payload, that shall be included within the bidder’s offer and that shall be procured as part of the satellite contract. The Sentinel 3 C and D will be identical satellites. The Sentinel-3 C and D spacecraft are scheduled to be launched at the end of service of the corresponding A unit (for the C model) and B unit (for the D model), nominally in the 2021-2023 timeframe. The development of the C model shall be finalised by the end of the year 2020 at the latest (July 2021 for the D model). The ITTs will cover the production phase until successful Flight Acceptance Review (FAR) of each Satellite. The ITT will be open to all Union Member States and the States participating in the Copernicus Programme. The Sentinel-3C/-3D ITT is expected to be issued in late January 2015, with an overall bidding period expected in the order of four (4) months. Some of the main ITT conditions are here below anticipated: – In order to make maximum use of prior public sector financial and infrastructure investment (particularly in the GMES/COPERNICUS programme) the bidders will be required to minimise the project risk by proposing a qualified spacecraft design based as much as feasible on qualified equipment. Inclusion in the design of non-recurrent units shall be properly justified and accompanied by a dedicated risk-reduction programme. In the exceptional case that the prime bidders offer does not (satisfactorily) cover an activity to be performed at subcontractor level, the latter shall be procured by the Prime Contractor at a later stage during the execution of the contract through a self-standing Invitation to Tender to which the ESA Best Practices procedures. For the selection of subcontractors by Prime Contractors in the frame of ESAs major procurements or parts thereof will apply. – In order to minimise risks, the bidders will be requested to include as part of their offer a complete spacecraft accompanied by a fully defined industrial consortium and a documented heritage for every proposed equipment. – In order to promote the widest industrial participation thresholds for the various industrial groups/roles will be set in the ITT.

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