Acquisition of ISR devices (N° EPF-2025-18_AO1)

Courtesy translation version, only the French version is authentic

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

1. Description of the contract

DCI, an implementing actor of the European Union, has been designated by the EU Council (Council Decision 2024/1980) to implement an assistance measure for the benefit of the Armed Forces of North Macedonia under the European Peace Facility.
Within this framework, the purpose of this contract is the acquisition of surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) devices.

2. Number and titles of lots

The contract consists of three (3) lots:

• Lot 1: Supply of battlefield ground surveillance radars;
• Lot 2: Supply of thermal cameras;
• Lot 3: Supply of autonomous ground sensors.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

3. Eligibility and rule of origin

Legal entities may not take part in competitive tendering, nor be awarded a contract , if they:

• a) Entities in bankruptcy, liquidation, judicial settlement, cessation of activities, or any analogous situation resulting from similar procedures in national laws and regulations;
• b) Entities subject to bankruptcy, liquidation, judicial settlement, or any other similar procedure existing in national laws and regulations;
• c) Entities convicted by a final judgment (i.e., with no further possibility of appeal) for any crime affecting their professional integrity;
• d) Entities that have committed serious professional misconduct;
• e) Entities that have not fulfilled their obligations regarding social security contributions according to the legal provisions of their country of establishment;
• f) Entities that have not fulfilled their obligations regarding the payment of taxes and duties according to the legal provisions of their country of establishment;
• g) Entities found guilty of providing false declarations when submitting the required information for participation in a DCI contract;
• h)Shell companies created to conceal financial transactions and/or launder money from one or more other companies;
• i) Entities that have been found in serious breach of execution under another contract concluded with DCI due to failure to meet contractual obligations;
• j) Entities found guilty by final judgment of any of the following offenses:
  i.fraud, as defined in Article 3 of Directive (EU) 2017/1371 ;
  ii.corruption, as defined in Article 4(2) of Directive (EU) 2071/1371 ;
  iii.Criminal organization activities as per Article 2 of Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA;
  iv.Money laundering or terrorism financing under Article 1, Paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of Directive (EU) 2015/849;
  v.Terrorist offenses or related activities as defined in Articles 1 and 3 of Council Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA;
  vi.Child labor or human trafficking as per Article 2 of Directive 2011/36/EU.

• k) Entities that have been definitively convicted of one of the offenses listed in Articles 222-34 to 222-40, 225-4-1, 225-4-7, 313-1, 313-3, 314-1, 324-1, 324-5, 324-6, 421-1 to 421-2-4, 421-5, 432-10, 432-11, 432-12 to 432-16, 433-1, 433-2, 434-9, 434-9-1, 435-3, 435-4, 435-9, 435-10, 441-1 to 441-7, 441-9, 445-1 to 445-2-1, or 450-1 of the Penal Code, or Articles 1741 to 1743, 1746, or 1747 of the General Tax Code, or for the concealment of such offenses, as well as equivalent offenses under the laws of another EU Member State. A final conviction for one of these offenses or for concealing one of these offenses by a member of the management, administrative, executive, or supervisory body, or a person holding the power of representation, decision, or control of a legal entity, results in the exclusion of that legal entity from the procurement procedure as long as the individual holds these functions.
• l) Entities that have not submitted the required tax or social declarations or have not paid due taxes, duties, contributions, or social security contributions in the concerned country.
• m) Entities sanctioned for violating obligations under Articles L. 8221-1, L. 8221-3, L. 8221-5, L. 8231-1, L. 8241-1, L. 8251-1, and L. 8251-2 of the Labor Code, or convicted under Article L. 1146-1 of the same code or Article 225-1 of the Penal Code.

Point (a) does not apply in cases of purchasing supplies at particularly advantageous conditions, either from a supplier ceasing its commercial activities or through liquidators in an insolvency procedure, under judicial settlement, or similar legal procedures in national law.

DCI excludes companies where key persons (administrators, directors, controllers, or representatives) are in any of the above-listed situations:

• When a person who is a member of the administrative, managerial, or supervisory body of the entity, or who has powers of representation, decision, or control over that entity, is in one of the situations listed in points (c) to (i).
• When a person who is indefinitely liable for the debts of the entity is in one of the situations listed in points (a) or (b).
• When a person essential for awarding or executing the legal commitment is in one of the situations listed in points (c) to (i).

Tenderers must sign a declaration of honor affirming they are not in any of the aforementioned categories.
Entities based in countries under European Union sanctions are also excluded from participation.

4. Admissibility situations

To be considered valid, bids must be completed as requested in the consultation regulations.

5. Subcontracting possiblities

Subcontracting is permitted, provided each subcontractor is approved by DCI as detailed in the consultation regulations.

6. Bids’ validity

Bids must remain valid for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days from the submission deadline.

7. Planned start date of contract

Estimated start of execution: October 2025.

8. Implementation period

The contract will be implemented upon notification and will conclude no later than:
– Lot 1: 12/03/2026;
– Lot 2: 12/03/2026;
– Lot 3: 12/01/2026.

SELECTION AND AWARD CRITERIA

9. Selection criteria

Candidates will be selected based on their professional, technical, and financial capacities to execute the supply of surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) devices.

10. Award criteria

The award criteria are detailed in the consultation regulations.
Once DCI has selected the best bid, it will notify the bidders of the result:

• The runner-up bidder will be designated as a backup in case the selected bidder withdraws or fails to finalize the contract;
• Non-selected bidders will be notified of their rejection.

SUBMIT AN OFFER

11.How to obtain the tender documents?

The contractor must send a signed confidentiality agreement to the following email address: service.achats@groupedci.com.

Access to the consultation documentation is subject to the receipt of this signed confidentiality agreement.

The tender documentation will be accessible from June 30, 2025, via an online tool once the confidentiality agreement is received by DCI. Any questions regarding the tender must be submitted via the online platform no later than July 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM. DCI will respond by July 25, 2025.

DCI may modify the schedule if necessary and will notify candidates via the online platform.

12. Deadline for submission of offers

The deadline for bid submission is July 30, 2025, at 12:00 PM (Paris time).

Any bid received after this deadline will not be considered.