Would you like to showcase your advanced personal
equipment and gear designed for border guards and law enforcement officers? Do
you want to contribute to enhancing officer safety, mobility, and operational
effectiveness at EU external borders?
The Research & Innovation Unit at Frontex invites
you to Industry Days on Personal Equipment, a live, in-person event taking
place on 14 and 15 April 2026.
With Industry Days, Frontex aims to create a dedicated
forum for manufacturers and technology providers to present state-of-the-art
and innovative personal equipment solutions that address the needs of the
European Border and Coast Guard community.
We are looking for companies offering comprehensive personal
equipment sets for border guards, including (but not limited to) combinations
of the following categories:
- Protective clothing and ballistic
protection: including load-bearing vests (with a Fast
Response Plate Carrier function), armour plates (NIJ RF2), anti-stab vests,
soft bulletproof vests (NIJ HG2), ballistic helmets, ballistic & laser
safety glasses, and active (electronic) hearing protection.
- Duty belts, holsters, and modular carrying
systems: including load-bearing belts with MOLLE accessories systems,
pistol holsters (for high and low carry), pistol magazine pouches, handcuff
holsters, universal utility pouches, radio pouches, baton holsters.
- Portable lighting:
torch for tactical vest with MOLLE attachment, hands-free torch, headlamps,
tactical lights.
- Tools: plastic
tie wrap safety cutters.
- Integrated load-bearing and
hydration systems: Including hydration packs, MOLLE medical
pouch, and tourniquet pouches.
- Compact Operator Backpack
(35-40 L).Other innovative personal gear
improving officer safety, ergonomics, durability, and performance in
border management scenarios.
Solutions should be commercially available or
near-market, and compliant with relevant EU standards, data protection rules,
and human rights provisions.
The event will be held at a venue conveniently located
near Frontex Headquarters in Warsaw. This location ensures maximum
participation from across the Agency, including:
- Operational and Standing Corps Officers who
will evaluate the gear's practical utility.
- Legal and Procurement Staff who provide
expertise on compliance and future acquisition frameworks.
- Research & Innovation Staff focused on
the next generation of border management technology.
We anticipate approximately 100 Frontex staff members
on the first day and 50 specialised participants (primarily Standing Corps and
technical experts) on the second day.
To allow for a comprehensive practical demonstration
of the proposed solutions, Frontex is looking for participants who can provide
a complete, ready-to-wear Personal Equipment Set.
We encourage applications from companies that can
offer the full range of equipment listed in the focus areas. Our goal is to
showcase cohesive systems, not isolated components.
We welcome applications from:
- Individual manufacturers capable
of providing all listed items as a unified set.
- Multiple companies joining
forces to present one complete, integrated equipment set.
Please note that the exhibition space will be
organised to display one complete set per participant/consortium. This setup is
designed to demonstrate the given set’s ergonomics, comfort, mobility,
component compatibility, and weight distribution as a single operational unit.
Sets should be available in various sizes and adjustable
versions to allow for testing by participants, while strictly maintaining all
relevant safety and hygiene standards.
On the first day, three selected exhibitors will be
invited to deliver a 15-minute presentation to all participants, highlighting
their most significant innovations and technical advancements.
On
the second day, exhibitors will be invited to have their equipment sets tested
by Frontex Standing Corps officers. This will involve a short, immersive
experience designed to assess how the gear performs during
movement, focusing on comfort and mobility in a simulated physical environment.
Frontex invites manufacturers and consortia specialising
in advanced personal equipment for border management and law enforcement to
submit their applications. To ensure a high-quality and focused event, participation
is by invitation only.
Submission Process: Please express your interest by 22
March 2026 by completing the Online Registration Form.
Application Requirements: To be considered, your submission
must include:
- A detailed technical description
of the integrated Personal Equipment Set you intend to showcase.
- Highlighting of key innovations
to have a chance to be selected for the Day 1 Innovation Showcase (15-minute
slot).
Selection Process: After the deadline, the Frontex
Research & Innovation Unit will review all submissions based on relevance,
innovation, and completeness of the set. Selected companies will receive a
formal invitation to exhibit and demonstrate their solutions.
• Date of Industry Days: Tuesday-Wednesday, 14-15 April 2026
•
Registration deadline: 22 March 2026, 17:00 CET
•
Venue: Warsaw
•
Audience: Frontex internal units, EU Member States’ representatives
•
Registration: Online form
- This event is not a procurement
procedure. It serves the purpose of market scanning, knowledge exchange,
and potential preparation of future activities (e.g. requests for
information, testing, or pilots).
- All information provided will be
handled in accordance with Frontex rules on data protection and
confidentiality.
For any questions or clarifications,
please contact: tech.innovation@frontex.europa.eu (mailto:tech.innovation@frontex.europa.eu)
Don’t miss this opportunity to
present your personal equipment solutions directly to the European Border and
Coast Guard community!