As the ETCS specifications to date are written in Microsoft Word and other MS Office formats e.g. Access, a medium-/long-term approach towards formalisation and modelling is envisaged. Actually, there are several ongoing activities in this field and the sector organisations aim to solve this issue or at least significant parts of it in the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking project.

Meanwhile, ERA is working on a new release (R2) of the ETCS specifications with the aim to further consolidate ETCS baseline 3 (B3) and to incorporate the enhancements requested by the MoU 2012. R2 will contain approximately 50–60 CRs (change requests), error corrections and enhancements as well.

It is obvious that the CCM process will continue after B3 R2, therefore further CRs have to be processed too; the amount of CRs per year is estimated to be a similar figure.

This tender has to be seen as support for the ERA activity mentioned above. ERA envisages utilising the service of contractor(s) to analyse the effect of specific CR solutions, visualise the DMI (dynamic) information, with the aim to validate them at an early stage. These analyses will be contracted by means of specific contracts to be signed within the framework contract. This activity will also enable the Agency to better evaluate the added value of formal approaches to the specifications for the long term. The Agency therefore invites companies, organisations and/or persons to bid, offering their services for the provision of support activities and related services for this call for tender.