Open Market Consultations

OMC Document

OMC Results

FAQs

OMC Document

Request for Information (RFI) Questionnaire

Greece & Cyprus

27th of April 2026

Language: Greek

Location: Online

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 EEST

10:00 – 10:05 EEST Welcome & opening remarks
10:05 – 10:50 EEST Explanation of the ACTIVE PCP project (rationale, use cases & requirements, PCP process)
10:50 – 11:10 EEST OMC objectives and activities
11:10 – 11:20 EEST Presentation of the innovation procurement platform
11:20 – 11:55 EEST Presentation of the state-of-the-art analysis results

Interactive session
11:55 – 12:00 EEST Conclusions and next steps
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Austria & Germany

28th of April 2026

Language: German

Location: Online

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 CEST

10:00 – 10:05 CEST Welcome & opening remarks
10:05 – 10:50 CEST Explanation of the ACTIVE PCP project (rationale, use cases & requirements, PCP process)
10:50 – 11:10 CEST OMC objectives and activities
11:10 – 11:20 CEST Presentation of the innovation procurement platform
11:20 – 11:55 CEST Presentation of the state-of-the-art analysis results

Interactive session
11:55 – 12:00 CEST Conclusions and next steps
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Lithuania

29th of April 2026

Language: Lithuanian

Location: Online

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 EEST

10:00 – 10:05 EEST Welcome & opening remarks
10:05 – 10:50 EEST Explanation of the ACTIVE PCP project (rationale, use cases & requirements, PCP process)
10:50 – 11:10 EEST OMC objectives and activities
11:10 – 11:20 EEST Presentation of the innovation procurement platform
11:20 – 11:55 EEST Presentation of the state-of-the-art analysis results

Interactive session
11:55 – 12:00 EEST Conclusions and next steps
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Spain

30th of April 2026

Language: Spanish

Location: Online

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 CEST

10:00 – 10:05 CEST Welcome & opening remarks
10:05 – 10:50 CEST Explanation of the ACTIVE PCP project (rationale, use cases & requirements, PCP process)
10:50 – 11:10 CEST OMC objectives and activities
11:10 – 11:20 CEST Presentation of the innovation procurement platform
11:20 – 11:55 CEST Presentation of the state-of-the-art analysis results

Interactive session
11:55 – 12:00 CEST Conclusions and next steps
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INTERNATIONAL

07.05.2026 | Belgium

Language: English

Location: Brussels,  Permanent

Representation of Greece in EU

Time: 12:00 – 17:30 CEST

OMC event
12:00 – 12:05 CEST Welcome & opening remarks
12:05 – 12:45 CEST Explanation of the ACTIVE PCP project (rationale, use cases)
12:45 – 13:20 CEST PCP Process Explanation (and Innovation Procurement Platform)
13:20 – 13:50 CEST OMC objectives and activities
13:50 – 14:00 CEST Presentation of the state of the art analysis results
14:00 – 14:30 CEST Coffee break
14:30 – 15:15 CEST Interactive session
15:15 – 15:30 CEST Next steps
Matchmaking session
15:30 – 16:30 CEST Presentation by suppliers of their company and capabilities
16:30 – 17:30 CEST Matchmaking session (onsite only)
17:30 CEST Closure
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France, Belgium, Luxembourg & Switzerland

21st of May 2026

Language: French

Location: Online

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 CEST

10:00 – 10:05 CEST Welcome & opening remarks
10:05 – 10:50 CEST Explanation of the ACTIVE PCP project (rationale, use cases & requirements, PCP process)
10:50 – 11:10 CEST OMC objectives and activities
11:10 – 11:20 CEST Presentation of the innovation procurement platform
11:20 – 11:55 CEST Presentation of the state-of-the-art analysis results

Interactive session
11:55 – 12:00 CEST Conclusions and next steps
Download Presentation

FAQs

What kind of signature is required for the documents? Digital signature for the electronic submission and hand signature for the cover letter that must be sent by post?

No signature is required for the documents submitted on the Innovation Procurement Platform. For the cover letter that must be sent by post, the hand signature is accepted. Detailed information will be included in the Tender Documents once published for the subsequent Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement.

The ACTIVE PCP Open Market Consultation process is open to all types of operators (companies including start-ups, SMEs, large industry, etc.) regardless of their size or governance structure. However, please note that only entities eligible for Horizon Europe PCP actions (i.e. established in EU Member States and/or Horizon Europe Associated Countries and committing to perform the R&D services within those countries) will be eligible to participate in the subsequent Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement.

Detailed information on the required number of garments will be available as part of the ACTIVE PCP Tender Documents once finalized and officially published

The upcoming Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement will be implemented through a Call for Tenders to award procurement contracts; the selected tenderers, based on best value for money criteria set, will be awarded a contract to provide the R&D services procured. Detailed information will be available as part of the ACTIVE PCP Tender Documentation once finalised and officially published.

Please see A4. Entities eligible for Horizon Europe PCP actions (i.e. established in EU Member States and/or Horizon Europe Associated Countries and committing to perform the R&D services within those countries) will be eligible to participate solely or jointly in the subsequent Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement.

Yes, the recording will be made available on the activepcp.eu website under the Open Market Consultation section, along with the presentations in local languages, as well as in English.

Yes. Research institutes and universities (or other R&D organisations) may participate as part of a consortium, where permitted under the Call for Tenders. In PCP procedures, it is common for R&D organisations to team up with companies (including manufacturers and technology providers) to jointly deliver the required R&D services. The specific eligibility conditions and consortium requirements will be defined in the Tender Documents once published for the subsequent Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement.

The Call for Tenders will include a structured requirements framework, expected to cover a list of requirements across different areas (approximately 100 requirements). The aim is to provide clear guidance on operational needs and performance expectations, while still leaving room for innovation and alternative technical approaches. The final requirements set and their level of detail will be specified in the Tender Documents, once published for the subsequent Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement.

Sustainability considerations may form part of the evaluation, depending on the procurement strategy and the final tender design. The Call for Tenders will clearly describe the award criteria and the weighting applied to each criterion, so that all tenderers are informed in advance how proposals will be assessed. Any sustainability-related requirements and evaluation aspects will be reflected transparently in the Tender Documents once published for the subsequent Pre-Commercial (PCP) procurement.

This type of predictive functionality is indeed considered highly relevant and is a feature that is already being taken into account. It is closely linked to the broader objective of enhancing situational awareness during operations. In particular, in conditions involving high environmental temperatures or fire exposure, operational capacity can be significantly constrained, and the ability to anticipate physiological stress over time is of clear importance. From an operational perspective, forecasting thermophysiological responses would enable a more effective assessment of first responders’ capability to sustain activity over extended periods. In this regard, the thermal regulation performance of protective equipment, especially the fabrics used, represents a critical factor.

At the same time, it is recognised that such predictive capabilities must be assessed in light of current technological feasibility. Ongoing discussions with stakeholders, including fire service representatives, are aimed at identifying realistic thresholds based on what is currently available on the market. Feedback from market operators is therefore essential to determine the level of R&D efforts required and the extent to which such predictive features can be achieved within the scope of the project. The envisaged approach is to establish feasible performance thresholds in the current phase of the project and to progressively improve these capabilities in subsequent development stages or future initiatives. Overall, predictive monitoring of heat stress and operational endurance is considered a key priority for further exploration.

The introduction of advanced equipment and capabilities is expected to influence and potentially reshape existing SOPs. Current procedures often reflect existing limitations in equipment and operational capacity, for example, in hazardous environments, first responders may be instructed to withdraw and wait for specialised units. However, enhanced protective solutions could enable responders to safely operate in situations that are currently considered too dangerous. In such cases, SOPs would need to evolve accordingly, as improved equipment directly expands operational possibilities.

Real-life incident scenarios, including complex and multi-hazard environments, have highlighted gaps in current capabilities, particularly in prolonged operations or in remote areas where immediate specialised support may not be available. In these contexts, first responders are often required to take on multiple roles and remain operational for extended periods. Therefore, the development of new technologies is not expected to contradict SOPs, but rather to inform their adaptation. The evolution of procedures is seen as a natural and necessary consequence of improved operational capabilities, with the ultimate objective of enhancing both responder safety and effectiveness in the field.

A clear distinction is made between background and foreground IPR. Background IPR refers to pre- existing intellectual property developed prior to the procurement. Suppliers will be required to declare these background IPRs as part of their technical offer, while retaining full ownership and the ability to further use and develop them. This also enables procurers to understand any dependencies related to the proposed solution. Foreground IPR, by contrast, relates to the results generated during the implementation of the PCP. These rights remain with the supplier, who retains the ability to commercially exploit the developed solutions. At the same time, procurers are granted usage rights to the results for their own purposes, on a long-term basis. Overall, this approach ensures a balance between protecting suppliers’ prior investments and providing incentives for innovation, while also securing access rights for public procurers.

CBRN protection involves multiple components, including detection systems, respiratory equipment, and protective gear, which can be deployed through different operational models. The present project focuses specifically on the development of advanced protective equipment based on a smart textile approach, following an “all-hazards” perspective.

The objective is not to replace specialised units, but to enhance the baseline capabilities of first responders through wearable and integrated solutions that support both protection and monitoring (e.g. vital signs, geolocation). While technologies for monitoring already exist on the market, the main challenge lies in effectively integrating these functionalities into protective equipment, particularly within the fabric itself, in a way that remains practical and reliable in operational conditions.

This project should therefore be seen as one component within a broader ecosystem of solutions. Other initiatives may address complementary aspects, such as detection technologies or operational procedures (SOPs). Ultimately, a combination of these elements will be required to develop a comprehensive response approach to everyday CBRN and multi-hazard scenarios.

At this stage, it is not possible to confirm whether a PPI will follow the completion of the PCP. This depends on a range of factors, including project outcomes, uptake by end users, and decisions at the European Commission level. Both PCPs and PPIs remain relatively limited in number, and future follow-up mechanisms will depend on how the broader policy and funding landscape evolves.

Nevertheless, the PCP is designed as a pathway towards market uptake. It enables the identification of needs, the development of prototypes, and the validation of solutions through pilot testing with end users. This process brings solutions close to market readiness and supports eventual procurement. © 2026 ACTIVE PCP In addition, the PCP provides suppliers with significant added value, including direct collaboration with multiple end users across Europe, access to operational feedback, and the opportunity to validate and refine their solutions in real-life conditions. This can strengthen their position for future commercialisation, regardless of whether a formal PPI follows.

Given the large and fragmented nature of the security market, successful solutions may find significant commercial opportunities beyond the PCP itself. Overall, while a follow-up PPI cannot be guaranteed, the PCP is intended to facilitate future deployment and market adoption of the developed solutions.