🚀 PCP WISE Webstival Opening Webinar: A Strong Kick-off for Europe’s Water-Wise Innovation Journey

On 7 April 2025, the PCP WISE consortium launched its highly anticipated Webstival series with the Opening Webinar: “PCP WISE Explained & Matchmaking Launch”, gathering over 70 stakeholders from across Europe. The session marked the formal start of the PCP WISE Open Market Consultation (OMC) and the launch of an ambitious journey to foster Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) for climate-resilient water management solutions.

▶️Watch the recording of the webinar here and the meeting presentation here

The webinar was opened by Erwin Goor of the European Commission (REA), who set the tone by reinforcing the strategic value of Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) in driving forward transformative solutions to Europe’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Introducing PCP WISE: Innovation for Resilient European Water Management

Lúa Legazpi Gil (Barrabés, Project Coordinator) presented the vision behind PCP WISE: to co-develop cutting-edge climate services leveraging space and environmental observation technologies to address critical issues like floods, droughts, and resilient infrastructure. The project builds on the legacy of the PROTECT project and brings together 26 partners from 9 countries, including 11 public buyers and 15 support partners.

Dr. Hans van Leeuwen (STOWA) provided an in-depth look at the diverse water-related climate challenges tackled by PCP WISE across urban and rural areas in Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Europe. Five use cases were outlined—ranging from urban drought and water excess to rural drought-flood combinations—highlighting the project’s cross-border relevance and application potential. Learn more about the PCP WISE Challenge and use cases here

Why PCP?

Maria Kampa (Corvers Procurement Services) explained the strategic benefits of the PCP instrument. This approach enables public buyers to acquire research and development services through a phased, competitive process, supporting TRL 6–8 innovations while stimulating European industry, particularly SMEs and startups.

PCP WISE Webstival and OMC Process

Sofiane Bari (G.A.C. Group) walked participants through the timeline and structure of the OMC and tendering process. The Webstival runs from 7 to 24 April and includes six thematic webinars designed to inform, engage, and connect stakeholders. Joost Buntsma (hetWaterschapshuis) followed by presenting the PCP OMC process and, key documents and links already available and upcoming events.

Key documents and links:

Upcoming events include:

  • Following Webstival webinars’ registration is available here
  • OMC Info Day (29 May)
  • Online OMC session (3 June)
  • In-person and hybrid OMC during EXPANDEO in Brussels (12 June)

Stakeholders were encouraged to participate in the PCP WISE Community Platform and matchmaking activities, which aim to facilitate the formation of consortia and align proposals with buyers’ real-world needs.

Key questions raised during the Webinar

An engaging Q&A session followed the presentations, highlighting suppliers’ interest in the PCP WISE tender’s technical and financial aspects:

  • Budget Allocation: A common question asked whether the total PCP budget (€12M) would be split evenly between the two final projects. The consortium clarified that the distribution will vary across PCP phases, with indicative allocations available in the OMC document. Final distributions remain flexible depending on the R&D outcomes.
  • Eligibility of EO Technologies: Multiple participants inquired about the sufficiency of GNSS-based data and the eligibility of combining remote sensing with in-situ technologies. The response confirmed that satellite-based GNSS is acceptable and that hybrid solutions combining Earth Observation (EO) and ground-based sensing are encouraged, even at early-stage R&D levels.
  • Eligibility of Public Bodies: Questions also arose about whether public bodies like universities and research centres can be part of consortia. The answer was affirmative, though with a reminder that all procurement rules, including competition and IPR considerations, must be respected.
  • Cost and Hourly Rates: Participants sought clarity on eligible costs and hourly rates for the PCP call. Organisers committed to addressing these financial questions in detail through the Q&A section on the PCP WISE website and the e-Platform.

Looking ahead

The PCP WISE Opening Webinar successfully set the stage for a dynamic and collaborative procurement process. As the project moves forward, the consortium invites all interested suppliers, buyers, and stakeholders to get involved via the Community Platform, explore matchmaking opportunities, and submit questions at info-PCP-Wise@group-gac.com

Together, we’re building a smarter, more resilient, water-wise Europe! 🌊💡