COMPLETE · Project

Smarter Public Procurement of Optical Network Equipment Through a Shared Intelligence Platform

digitalTestedTRL 5Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you need to buy expensive networking gear for a university or government agency, but every vendor describes their products differently and you can't easily compare them. COMPLETE built an online platform that gathers technical specs from the biggest optical network vendors, puts them in a comparable format, and helps public buyers make informed decisions. Think of it like a specialized comparison-shopping site, but for the multimillion-euro telecom equipment that research networks and public institutions rely on. It also coordinated joint procurement so multiple organizations across Europe could buy together and get better deals.

By the numbers

EUR 718,250

EU contribution to the project

Partner organizations in the consortium

Countries involved (CZ, EL, PL)

Total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Public organizations buying optical network equipment face a fragmented market where vendor specs are incomparable, technical roadmaps are inaccessible, and procurement expertise is scarce. This leads to overspending, suboptimal technology choices, and missed opportunities to coordinate purchases across institutions. Many procurement processes simply cannot happen because the buying organization lacks the specialized knowledge needed to evaluate complex optical transport systems.

The solution

What was built

COMPLETE built an online information platform that standardizes and compares optical transport equipment data from major vendors, making specs measurable and comparable. The project produced 7 deliverables including a public website and defined common procurement procedures for NRENs and public entities.

Audience

Who needs this

National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) purchasing optical infrastructureGovernment IT departments procuring telecom equipmentUniversity network administrators managing campus fiber upgradesPublic-sector procurement officers responsible for network tendersIT consultancies advising on large-scale optical network investments

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications

enterprise

Target: National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) and telecom operators purchasing optical transport equipment

If you are an NREN or public telecom operator dealing with confusing vendor claims and incomparable specifications when buying optical network equipment — this project developed a common information platform that standardizes vendor data so you can compare products accurately, avoid overspending, and coordinate purchases with peer organizations across 3 European countries.

Public Administration

enterprise

Target: Government IT procurement departments and public agencies managing network infrastructure

If you are a public body struggling with procurement of optical networking solutions due to lack of technical expertise or access to vendor roadmaps — this project created organizational and technical support tools that enable procurement processes previously blocked by information gaps, helping you align purchases with EU funding programs.

IT Consulting

mid-size

Target: Technology consultancies advising public-sector clients on network infrastructure investments

If you are a consultancy helping public clients procure network infrastructure and need reliable, vendor-neutral technical comparisons — this project produced a structured platform with measurable and comparable vendor data that you can reference when advising clients on optical transport system purchases.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much did this project cost and what is the price of using the platform?

The EU contributed EUR 718,250 to the COMPLETE project over 3 years (2015-2017). Based on available project data, pricing for external use of the platform or its outputs is not specified — the project was a Coordination and Support Action aimed at public procurers, not a commercial product.

Can this platform scale to serve procurement needs across multiple countries?

Yes. The consortium spanned 3 countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Greece) and the platform was designed to coordinate procurement across National Research and Education Networks Europe-wide. The approach of standardizing vendor information is inherently scalable to additional public entities.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license the platform?

As a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), the project focused on methodology and information gathering rather than patentable technology. IP ownership typically resides with the 3 consortium partners. Based on available project data, no commercial licensing terms are published.

Does the platform comply with EU public procurement regulations?

The project was specifically designed to support public bodies in procurement procedures for optical network solutions. It aimed to define common procurement procedures aligned with EU programs, including synchronization with other European Commission initiatives.

What was actually delivered and is the platform still active?

The project produced 7 deliverables including a public website (photonics-complete.eu). It gathered standardized vendor data for optical transport systems and defined common procurement procedures. The project closed in 2017, so current availability should be verified directly.

Can this integrate with our existing procurement systems?

Based on available project data, the platform was designed as an information and comparison resource rather than a software system that plugs into existing procurement tools. It provides organizational and technical expertise to support decision-making within your existing processes.

Consortium

Who built it

The COMPLETE consortium is compact — just 3 partners across Poland, Czech Republic, and Greece, with 2 research organizations and 1 other entity. There are zero industry partners and zero SMEs, which means the project was driven entirely by the research and public sector. This is typical for a Coordination and Support Action focused on public procurement rather than commercial product development. For a business looking to adopt the results, the absence of industry partners means there is no built-in commercialization pathway — you would need to engage the research partners directly to explore how the platform and methodology could be applied to your procurement needs.

INSTYTUT CHEMII BIOORGANICZNEJ POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUKCoordinator · PL
CESNET ZAJMOVE SDRUZENI PRAVNICKYCH OSOBparticipant · CZ
NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURES FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGYparticipant · EL

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Instytut Chemii Bioorganicznej Polskiej Akademii Nauk (PSNC) in Poland — a major research computing center. SciTransfer can locate the project contact for you.

Order a report on this consortium See INSTYTUT CHEMII BIOORGANICZNEJ POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to learn how this procurement platform could help your organization buy optical network equipment smarter? SciTransfer can connect you with the project team and provide a tailored briefing.

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