III.D.5. Innovator application to a PCP/ PPI tender

Estimated Execution Time

4-6 weeks

Objective

To prepare and submit a successful application for a PCP or PPI tender.

This step will allow you in developing compliant, complete, and compelling applications, ensuring that your technical, clinical, and business arguments are well aligned with the call objectives to enhance your chances of being selected for funding and collaboration.

Who is Involved

Business Development / Innovation: Leads the overall proposal process and timeline, interprets call requirements and evaluation criteria, ensures strategic alignment and coherence across sections and coordinates consortium input and submission.
Supporting Entities / Knowledge Partners (consultants, facilitators): hands-on proposal development and compliance support.
Product Development / R&D: Defines the technical approach, work packages, milestones, and deliverables, demonstrates feasibility, innovation level, and TRL progression and aligns development plan with tender objectives
Clinical / Scientific Affairs: Defines clinical validation strategy and outcome measures, ensures evidence generation plan aligns with unmet need and HTA relevance and strengthens scientific credibility of the proposal.
Finance Departments: Develops and validates the budget ensuring cost eligibility and resource allocation and assesses financial risk and compliance with funding rules.
Legal / IP Management: Reviews contractual terms and consortium agreements, ensures eligibility compliance and clarifies IP ownership and data governance provisions
Executive Management: Provides final approval and strategic endorsement and commits organizational resources

Activities / Tasks

III.D.5.1. Understand the Tender Requirements

Carefully read and interpret the full tender documentation (e.g., specifications, evaluation criteria, contractual terms, annexes) and identify eligibility criteria (e.g., SME status, legal structure, country of registration).

III.D.5.2. Align Solution with Tender Scope and Objectives

Map the buyer’s unmet need to your innovation’s features and benefits ensuring the outline of specific ways your solution meets functional requirements, impact goals, and evaluation criteria.
Position your solution in line with strategic priorities (e.g., cost-effectiveness, interoperability, environmental sustainability, digital maturity).

III.D.5.3. Develop the Technical Proposal

Describe the proposed solution, development stages (esp. for PCP), methodology, and delivery plan. Include relevant documentation such as diagrams, user flows, certifications (e.g., CE mark), TRL level, and proof-of-concept results.
Include the scientific evidence generation plan
Address scalability, implementation, and integration with healthcare systems.

III.D.5.4. Prepare the Administrative and Legal Documentation

Complete all required forms (e.g., bidder identification, legal entity form) and provide documentation for eligibility (e.g., SME self-certification, financial statements).
If in a consortium, define roles and responsibilities, and draft a consortium agreement or MoU if needed.

III.D.5.5. Prepare the Financial Proposal

Break down costs by work package, resource type, and timeframe.
Ensure pricing structure aligns with PCP or PPI funding models (e.g., phased development in PCP) and that pricing is realistic, competitive, and compliant with public procurement thresholds and VAT rules.

III.D.5.6. Review, Submit, and Follow Up

Review the full proposal against the checklist and evaluation criteria to ensure completeness and coherence.
Submit via the specified platform (e.g., national portal, TED submission, or electronic bidding system) before the deadline and track tender updates, award notifications, and be ready to respond to clarification requests or participate in presentations/interviews.

Tips / Common Pitfalls

✅ Study all tender documents carefully, clarifying eligibility, scope, and evaluation criteria early.

✅ Align your proposal with buyer needs, demonstrating clear value, feasibility, and relevance to the unmet challenge.

✅ Ensure complete and compliant documentation, using official templates and clearly defining consortium roles and IP terms.

❌ Underestimating complexity: Treating PCP/PPI tenders like standard grants or sales opportunities may lead to significant gaps in the allocation of time and resources.

❌ Ignoring administrative precision: Missing forms, unclear budgets, or late submissions often lead to automatic rejection.

Outcome / Deliverables

Submitted a complete and compliant tender proposal, all administrative, legal, technical, and financial documentation has been finalized, validated, and successfully submitted before the deadline via the required platform.

Resources

HIPAT guide for innovators to find PCP-PPI opportunities HIPAT Strategic Fit Checklist Guidelines for Healthcare Innovation Procurement (PCP/PPI)

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