Very high resolution (VHR) sensor-independent ‘profile' — framework contract (FC) enabling the supply of satellite imagery.

The supplier will be requested to provide satellite imagery, manage the scheduling of image acquisition, and ensure timely delivery.

Images to be purchased will be defined through sensor-independent ‘profiles' ('VHR profiles'). These VHR image profiles will define clear specification parameters necessary for control with remote sensing (CwRS) and land parcel identification system (LPIS) quality assessment of the common agricultural policy (CAP), which will be the main use of these images. After receiving the control zone 'areas of interest' (AOIs) and window requests of the Member States (MSs) and subsequent authorisation by the JRC, the contractor shall manage all activities from the planning/scheduling of the image acquisition through to the final image delivery. The activities shall include the tasks on the following non-exhaustive list:

— technical feasibility assessment to define best image acquisition success probability over a specific control zone in a specific temporal window,

— liaison with stakeholders (e.g. the JRC, the EC services, the MS administrations and/or their contractors appointed for the purpose, and the image providers, etc.) by restricted Web-based informatics applications,

— finalisation of optimum acquisition scenario,

— data acquisition, image validation,

— quality control (QC), delivery of data,

— data archive upload, and reporting.

It is estimated that the start date of the contract will be winter 2013 in order to start management of the image acquisition for the 2014 year CAP checks campaign.