ESA opens up online tendering service
The European Space Agency (ESA) is making its EMITS system, an online procurement information system, available to external users. The EMITS system will allow industry, institutes and national agencies to issue their own invitations to tender for space related procurements. Interested parties will are also able to express interest in invitations to tender and to add links to their web sites. 'Until now, the system has been used exclusively by ESA in its procurement activities with great success,' said Eric Morel de Westgaver, acting head of ESA's industrial policy and cost analysis department. 'With this new version, ESA offers industry, national space agencies and research institutes the ability to easily reach suppliers in all ESA Member States. [...] 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,' he said. It is hoped that EMITS will serve as an important channel of communication between ESA and industry, as well as between industries and ensure transparency and fairness in procurement procedures. The facility will also ease access for innovative SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises), simplify the procurement process for newcomers and improve the implementation of new policies.