Engaging with ESA
Duration:
5 weeks
Location:
Online
Certificate:
NFQ 9
Level 9 | 5 ECTS
Cost:
€800
Programme Overview
This short course arms you with the essential knowledge to successfully understand, win and execute work with the European Space Agency (ESA). This course teaches how to successfully engage with the Agency’s procurement process and do business with ESA from Ireland. It also teaches a highly efficient method to build winning proposals for the space market and maximize the probability of success. Finally, the key aspects for SME/RPO of
managing space programmes within European Cooperation for Space Standardization [ECSS] requirements are taught.
This Space Industry Skillnet programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. eufunds.ie
Course start date, October 23rd, 2025
Contact us to register
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Describe ESA as an organisation and the ways to best
interact with it - Register with ESA and respond to Invitation to Tenders
- Identify the key elements of an ESA Invitation to Tender [ITT] document pack and the EXPRO Proposal Template
- Complete ESA’s PSS Costing sheets & apply IP Policy
- Apply a proven, successful and efficient process to ESA proposals to make them “sell well”
- Identify the main principles and practices of space programme management
- Describe the European Cooperation on Space Standardisation [ECSS] framework and how it applies to
space programmes within an SME context
Who is the course for?
[1] Anyone wanting to understand how to initially engage with the European Space Agency and get an introduction to ESA’s tendering system and proposal requirements
[2] Anyone wanting to learn a proven proposal process to increase efficiency and proposal success rate, primarily for ESA, but applicable to any funding bid
[3] Project and Programme Managers, who are soon to be, or recently involved in, space programmes
[4] Managers, Engineers and Executives who want to gain an overview of the key aspects of managing space proposals and programmes for ESA
Modules
Part 1: Doing Business with ESA
- What is ESA and how is ESA organised
- Ireland and ESA
- Registering with ESA, esa-star & the ESA Financial system
- Introduction to PSS forms
- ESA Procurement Process
- Introduction to a typical ESA ITT
- Introduction to the EXPRO Proposal Template
- Tender Evaluation Process
Part 2: Writing Winning Proposals
The Bid/No Bid process
- Key ingredients of a successful Proposal Baseline
- Identifying Win Themes
- Governing the Proposal Process
- Writing to Win
- Identify key aspects of the EXPRO Proposal Template & desired responses
- Review of an exemplar best practice response
- Immediate practice applying the proposal process in a team exercise to build a “storyboard-level” proposal
- Evaluation of story-board proposals in a mock Tender Evaluation Board
- Part 3: Space Programme Management
- What SME managers need to know from the European Council on Space Standards [ECSS] for Programme Management Project Planning and Implementation
- Key activities when planning a space project
- Project breakdown structures
- Project phasing
- Organisation and Conduct of Reviews
- The formal review process
- Roles in a formal review
- Managing Review Item Discrepancies [RIDs]
- Configuration and Information Management
- Scope, Cost and Schedule Management
- Risk Management
- Risk Assessment Classification and Risk Register Tool
- Risk Mitigation
- Contingency: expressing risk as a cost or schedule impact
- Technology Readiness Levels
- The SME Space PM and their key interactions with: Product and Quality Assurance, Contracts, Engineering, Business Development, Space Law
Course Leader
Space Industry Skillnet Funding
Space Industry Skillnet, an organisation dedicated to fostering skills and expertise in the field of Space technology, is partnering with UCD micro-credentials to develop and support the course fee for eligible learners* on relevant, space-focused, micro-credentials.
How to access the funding:
Apply for one of the applicable micro-credentials through the UCD website.
Clearly indicate on your application that you are applying with the intention of receiving a subsidised place on the course through Space Industry Skillnet’s partnership and that you believe you are eligible for this funding.
If you are successful, you will receive an offer from UCD.
Once you have accepted your offer, and provided you meet the eligibility criteria*, you will make payment of the fees for the micro-credential fee directly to Space Industry Skillnet.
Once payment has been made, you can register and join your micro-credential.
*The eligibility criteria, as set out by the Space Industry Skillnet, are as follows:
Companies must be private enterprises based in the Republic of Ireland.
Skillnet Ireland funding is not available to public sector bodies or publicly funded organisations, such as community-based not-for-profit companies or charities.
Commercial semi-state companies are eligible, providing that income contributed to a Network is not sourced from the public purse.
Sole traders are eligible as Companies.
Eligibility for Trainees:
Key requirements regarding trainee eligibility:
Trainees must be based in the Republic of Ireland.
Trainees must be employed within private enterprise.
Space Industry Skillnet is required to collect data on the profile of trainees supported and record this data for Skillnet Ireland.