ESA is making its well-known EMITS System available to external users. The latest version, which has been available on-line since the end of July, allows industry, institutes and national agencies to use the EMITS System to issue their own invitations to tender for space-related procurements. This new version also has a more user-friendly graphic interface making navigation within the site easier.

EMITS is ESA¿s official electronic mailing system for handling invitation to tenders (ITT) and relevant information for ESA procurements. It also allows industry, and research and development organisations, to express interest in ITT activities and to add links to their web sites.

In essence, this new system allows:

  • prime contractors and major subcontractors working for ESA to publish tenders for the ESA activities for which they have industrial responsibility
  • national agencies to publish tenders on behalf of ESA, such as those for the Ariane programme and for their own programmes
  • external industries and agencies to publish tenders for their own space-related procurements

It is widely recognised by ESA and industry that EMITS:

  • serve as an important channel of communication, both between ESA and industry and between industries
  • ensure transparency and fairness in procurement procedures
  • facilitate access for innovative small and medium size enterprises (SMEs)
  • simplify the procurement process for newcomers
  • support interaction and networking between industries
  • improve the implementation of new policies

Eric Morel de Westgaver, acting head of ESA Industrial Policy and Cost Analysis Department, says “until now the system has been used exclusively by ESA in its procurement activities with great success. With this new version ESA offers industry, national space agencies and research institutes the ability to easily reach suppliers in all ESA Member States.”

“The new EMITS System provides European and Canadian industry and national space agencies with the opportunity to organise their procurement activities by using efficient and easy-to-use procedures very similar to those adopted by ESA.

“This new system will increase business opportunities for industry and make it easier to obtain timely information on new procurement opportunities and to bid for contracts which were previously less visible”.

More and more European and Canadian companies are now accessing the EMITS procurement system to follow space procurements, obtain information on SMEs and identify potential industrial partners. Last year, an average of 10 000 users logged in each month, a number which is increasing daily.

The first prime contractor to take advantage of the new system will be Alcatel, which will use EMITS for the ITTs related to subcontracts for the ESA Herschel/Planck project.