NESA Cancels €11M RescEU UGV and UAV Procurement – No Tenders Received

The Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency (Huoltovarmuuskeskus – NESA) has cancelled its open tender for remotely operated ground (UGV) and aerial (UAV) platforms equipped with ionizing radiation measurement equipment. The procurement, valued at up to €11 million, received no tenders for any of its three lots. The procurement was part of the Finnish RescEU project under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

Introduction

The Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency (Huoltovarmuuskeskus – NESA), in cooperation with the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), conducted an open procedure for the procurement of remotely operated ground and aerial platforms equipped with ionizing radiation measurement devices. The equipment was intended to form part of the Finnish RescEU stockpile under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

The procurement was divided into three lots: Lot A (UAVs with RN sensors), Lot B (tracked/wheeled UGVs with RN sensors), and Lot C (quadruped UGVs with RN sensors). The estimated value was up to €11 million. The procurement received no tenders for any of the three lots, and the competition has been closed. No winner was chosen.

Why This Procurement Mattered

This procurement was intended to strengthen the EU's civil protection capabilities by providing advanced radiation monitoring equipment for emergency response.

This procurement mattered because it:

• Supported EU civil protection: Part of the RescEU stockpile under UCPM
• Significant value: Estimated up to €11,000,000
• International reach: Equipment for use in EU and partner countries
• Advanced technology: UGV and UAV platforms with radiation sensors
• Three lots: UAVs, tracked/wheeled UGVs, quadruped UGVs
• EU funded: Fully or partially financed with EU funds
• No tenders: Zero bids received for all lots

Procurement Timeline

• Previous notice: 432100-2025
• Request for proposal: July 2026
• Tender deadline: September 2026
• Evaluation: September 2026
• Procurement decision: November–December 2026
• Contract signing: December 2026 (planned)
• Status: Cancelled – no tenders received
• Notice published: 3 September 2026 (OJ S 170/2026)

Procurement Overview

NESA conducted an open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Key features include:

• Three lots: LOT A (UAVs), LOT B (Tracked/Wheeled UGVs), LOT C (Quadruped UGVs)
• Estimated value: €11,000,000
• Duration: 48 months
• No framework agreement: Direct procurement
• Evaluation: Price (100%)
• Status: Cancelled – no tenders received for any lot
• EU funding: Fully or partially financed with EU funds

Key Procurement Details

Detail	Information
Contracting authority	Huoltovarmuuskeskus (National Emergency Supply Agency – NESA)
Contract title	Remotely Operated Ground (UGV) and Aerial (UAV) Platforms with Ionizing Radiation Measurement Equipment
Main CPV	35120000 Surveillance and security systems and devices
Additional CPVs	42997300, 38300000, 34711200
Procedure type	Open procedure (standard regime)
Legal basis	EU Directive 2014/24/EU
Estimated value (EUR)	€11,000,000.00
Number of lots	3
Contract duration	48 months
EU funding	Fully or partially financed with EU funds
Covered by GPA	Yes
Evaluation criteria	Price (100%)
Location	Finland
Status	Cancelled – no tenders received for any lot

Lot Structure

Lot A – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with RN Sensors

• Quantity: 20 – 30 units
• Scope: UAV platforms with radiological and nuclear (RN) sensors
• CPV: 34711200 Non-piloted aircraft
• Evaluation: Price (100%)
• Status: No tenders received – competition closed

Lot B – Tracked and/or Wheeled UGVs with RN Sensors

• Quantity: 4 – 8 units
• Scope: Tracked/wheeled UGV platforms with RN sensors
• CPV: 42997300 Industrial robots
• Evaluation: Price (100%)
• Status: No tenders received – competition closed

Lot C – Quadruped UGVs with RN Sensors

• Quantity: 4 – 8 units
• Scope: Quadruped UGV platforms with RN sensors
• CPV: 42997300 Industrial robots
• Evaluation: Price (100%)
• Status: No tenders received – competition closed

Lot Summary Table

Lot	Title	Quantity	CPV	Status
A	UAVs with RN Sensors	20 – 30	34711200	No tenders – closed
B	Tracked/Wheeled UGVs with RN Sensors	4 – 8	42997300	No tenders – closed
C	Quadruped UGVs with RN Sensors	4 – 8	42997300	No tenders – closed

Procurement Background – RescEU and UCPM

• RescEU: EU-level reserve of response capacities to assist countries affected by disasters
• UCPM: EU Civil Protection Mechanism – all EU countries plus participating countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye, Moldova, Ukraine)
• Partners: NESA (lead) and STUK (Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority)
• End users: First responders, police, CBRN teams, defence forces, rescue service personnel

About the Contracting Authority

Huoltovarmuuskeskus (National Emergency Supply Agency – NESA) is a Finnish central government authority responsible for ensuring the security of supply and emergency preparedness in Finland. NESA manages strategic stockpiles and coordinates emergency supply chains.

Procurement Outcome – Cancellation

• All three lots: No winner was chosen
• Reason: Other (not specified)
• Tenders received: 0 for each lot
• Status: Competition closed for all lots

Procurement Analysis

• Procedure: Open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.
• Competition: No tenders were received for any of the three lots.
• Outcome: The entire procurement was cancelled due to lack of bids.
• EU funding: The procurement was fully or partially financed with EU funds.
• No framework agreement: This was a direct procurement.
• No dynamic purchasing system used.
• Accelerated procedure: No.
• Review body: Markkinaoikeus (Market Court of Finland).

Reasons for No Tenders

While the specific reasons for the lack of tenders are not detailed in the notice, possible factors include:

• Highly specialised requirements: Integration of UGV/UAV platforms with radiation sensors is a niche market
• Technical complexity: Fully integrated systems with RN sensors may require extensive development
• EU funding requirements: Compliance with RescEU and UCPM standards may be demanding
• Short timeline: The procurement schedule may not have allowed sufficient time for suppliers to prepare bids
• Market readiness: The combination of platforms and sensors may not yet be commercially mature

Future Procurement Opportunities

Following the cancellation, future opportunities include:

• Re-tender: NESA may re-tender with revised specifications or timelines
• Market engagement: The authority may engage with the market to understand barriers
• Alternative procurement: Use of a different procurement procedure
• Split lots: Breaking down requirements into smaller, more manageable lots

Opportunities for Suppliers

Following the cancellation, opportunities remain for UGV/UAV and radiation sensor suppliers:

• Re-tender: Prepare for a potential re-tender with revised requirements
• Market engagement: Engage with NESA and STUK to understand requirements
• Other RescEU procurements: Similar opportunities in other EU countries
• Civil protection: Emergency response and security sector procurements

What Businesses Should Watch

• NESA's future procurement notices
• Other RescEU and EU civil protection procurements
• UGV/UAV and radiation sensor market developments
• Changes to Finnish procurement regulations

FinlandTenders Procurement Intelligence

This RescEU procurement is a notable example of a cancelled tender in the Finnish defence and security sector. Several features stand out:

• Scale: €11 million across three lots
• Zero tenders: No bids received for any lot
• Specialised: UGV/UAV platforms with RN sensors
• EU funded: Fully or partially financed with EU funds
• RescEU: Part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism
• Price focus: 100% price-based evaluation

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of:

• Market readiness: Ensuring products meet specialised requirements
• Technical integration: Ability to integrate platforms and sensors
• EU compliance: Meeting RescEU and UCPM standards
• Procurement engagement: Engaging with contracting authorities before tender
• Competitive pricing: 100% price-based evaluation

Supplier Takeaways

• Monitor NESA for potential re-tender
• Engage with contracting authorities to understand requirements
• Ensure technical integration capability for UGV/UAV and RN sensors
• Meet EU funding and RescEU compliance requirements
• Prepare competitive pricing – 100% price-based evaluation

Key Takeaways

• NESA cancelled its €11M RescEU UGV/UAV procurement
• Three lots: UAVs, tracked/wheeled UGVs, quadruped UGVs
• No tenders received for any lot
• Reason: Other (not specified)
• EU funded (fully or partially)
• Evaluation: Price (100%)
• Part of EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)
• Likely re-tender in future

Conclusion

This RescEU procurement for remotely operated ground and aerial platforms with radiation sensors represents a significant cancelled tender in the Finnish defence and security sector. Despite the estimated €11 million value and EU funding, no tenders were received for any of the three lots, leading to the cancellation of the entire procurement.

The 100% price-based evaluation reflects the commodity nature of the procurement, while the highly specialised nature of integrating UGV/UAV platforms with radiation sensors may have limited the pool of potential bidders. The lack of tenders suggests that the market may not yet be ready to deliver fully integrated solutions at competitive prices within the required timeline.

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of market readiness, technical integration capability, and early engagement with contracting authorities in specialised defence and security procurements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is NESA?

Ans: Huoltovarmuuskeskus – the Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency, responsible for security of supply and emergency preparedness.

Q: What was the value of the procurement?

Ans: Estimated at €11,000,000.

Q: What was being procured?

Ans: Remotely operated ground (UGV) and aerial (UAV) platforms with ionizing radiation measurement equipment.

Q: How many lots were there?

Ans: Three lots – UAVs, tracked/wheeled UGVs, and quadruped UGVs.

Q: How many tenders were received?

Ans: Zero tenders were received for any of the three lots.

Q: Why was the procurement cancelled?

Ans: The reason is given as "Other" (not specified), but no tenders were received.

Q: Is this procurement funded by the EU?

Ans: Yes, fully or partially financed with EU funds through the RescEU project.

Q: What is RescEU?

Ans: An EU-level reserve of response capacities to assist countries affected by disasters.

Q: What is the review body?

Ans: Markkinaoikeus (Market Court of Finland).

Q: Will this be re-tendered?

Ans: Likely, as the procurement was part of the RescEU project and EU-funded.

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 607448-2026, OJ S 170/2026, published 3 September 2026.