FRAME CONTRACT FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF TELEMETRY, COMMAND AND TRACKING (TT&C) AND SUPPORTING SERVICES AT POLAR AND EQUATORIAL REGIONS
29, July 2016

ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8717
Open Date: 26/07/2016
Closing Date: 05/09/2016 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 16.117.01
Prog. Ref.: N/A Fund
Budget Ref.: N/A – N/A Fund
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Ground Segment / Ground Station / Baseband equipment / Telemetry and Telecommand equipment, Tracking, Ranging and Doppler measurement equipment, CODECS, …
Technology Domains: Ground Station Systems and Networks / Ground Station System / TT&C, Radar and Optical Signal & Data Processing
Establishment: ESOC
Department: Mission Operations Department
Division: Ground Facilities Operations Division
Contract Officer: Suessner, Carol
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 27/07/2016
Update Reason: Modified a Clarification (English version) 1

The main objective of this procurement proposal is the establishment of frame conditions for the competitive procurement of TTC Services. It also addresses optional supporting services, which might be required in support of specific situations or in support of ESA programmes or external customers. The planned Frame Contracts with selected suppliers (a limited number of frame contracts) will determine equal frame conditions and the prices for the Services as requested in the Agency’s Statement of Work (SOW), which specifies the Agency’s generic Service requirements. These Frame Contracts shall foresee provision of TTC Services and where required supporting services to all programmes supported by the Agency. Case-specific SOWs for specific Service requirements will be generated, as required, during the course of the contract and therefore no initial specific Service requirements or committing service volumes are included in this Contract. Specific Service requests will arise on a case-by-case basis and, if the support is awarded to the Contractor, then a corresponding Work Order, will be placed under the Contract. Operations of the contractors (tracking) facilities are to be performed solely under responsibility of the Contractor. Compliance to ESA requirements will be validated through a Portable Satellite Simulator, provided as CFI as part of a test and validation campaign. Compliance to the Space- Ground ICD of a particular spacecraft will on a case-by case basis be established through RF Compatibility Tests organised by ESA and endorsed by the supplier. Technical and commercial conditions agreed in these Frame Contracts will be made applicable to support also EU funded programmes, via a proper and compliant procurement and contracts procedure with related delegations agreements. The Frame Contracts for the Procurement of External Telemetry, Command and Tracking (TTC) Services, typically complementing or substituting he capabilities of the Agency facilities (ESTRACK), shall cover the following service elements :a) TTC Services (mandatory)These services will be required in support of critical operations, such as Launch- and Early Orbit Operations, for Spacecraft Commissioning and for Routine Operations Phases. For critical operations such as satellite launch supports, the preparation and execution will be subject to instructions provided by the assigned Operations Manager (OM) at ESOC. For routine TTC Services, coordination with the suppliers will be provided by the NOC Controllers of ESTRACK located at ESOC. Nominally, all off-line and on-line exchanges between ESOC and the supplier will be routed through the contractor’s Network Operations Centre (NOC). This includes the provision of a voice link for above operations coordination purposes. For real time satellite support, the CCSDS Space Link Extension (SLE) will form the basis of support. Communications to ESOC are to be included in the service with the Contractor providing a communications “Point of Presence” (POP) at ESOC in Darmstadt. The configuration and maintenance of the POP is the responsibility of the equipment provider. ESOC as host entity provides basic first line support on request, such as power- cycling or LRU replacement. These services will be provided for free. Provision of connectivity between the NOC and the actual ground stations is the sole responsibility of the Contractor, and is to be included in the service prices. b) Satellite Payload Data Reception Services (optional)This service will be requested on a case-by case basis in support of an ESA programme or external customer and might cover frequency bands outside the space operations bands. c) Launcher Tracking Services (optional)These services will be requested on a case-by case basis in support of an ESA programme or external customer. Dedicated antenna and operational capabilities might apply, e.g. auto-track or diversity capabilities. For this type of support, the execution will be subject to instructions provided by an ESA Operations Manager or directly by the launcher authority (e.g. CNES/CSG). All on-line exchanges will directly be with the launcher authority through dedicated equipment provided as CFI. Launcher tracking support requires a real-time connectivity for voice and data to the launcher authority and back-up links through alternative means, e.g. mobile satellite communications. d) RF Signal Search and Acquisition Support Services(optional)This service will be requested on a case-by case basis, typically in support of LEOPs 1st acquisitions or for spacecraft contingency operations and would require special antenna and operations capabilities. e) Test Validation Support Services (mandatory)The service will be requested on a case-by case basis, typically in support of validation of a provided antenna supporting a specific spacecraft or mission or in support of an RF Compatibility Test (RFCT).f) Hosting Services (optional)This Service will be requested on a case-by case basis and typically comprises the hosting of Agency equipment in support of the requested service. It is used for ground equipment provided and owned by the Agency. This would typically include installation of Agency delivered equipment, maintenance thereof, provision of site infrastructure and support, provision of communications connectivity between ESOC and the hosted equipment.

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