The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras has awarded the contract to maintain the Technical Office for Coordination of Innovation Activities at the Bay of Algeciras Port, a service aimed at organizing, managing, and supporting innovative initiatives being developed in the port facility and its business community. The contract has a base bidding budget of 602,000 euros, excluding taxes, and an estimated value of 1,034,000 euros. Interested companies may submit their bids until June 16, 2026, at 14:00 hours.
The Technical Office for Innovation has been operating at the port since 2016 and has been one of the tools used by the APBA to organize its program 'Innovation Journey.' This initiative seeks to ensure that innovation becomes part of the everyday functioning of the port, not only within the Port Authority but also among the companies and entities that make up its port community.
The new contract will continue this work and will allow for a specialized team dedicated to coordinating ideas, projects, educational activities, collaboration with technological companies, and digital transformation actions. The APBA wants this office to continue acting as a support point to turn improvement proposals into concrete projects, especially in areas related to logistics, port operations, sustainability, and the use of new technologies.
Among its functions will be the monitoring of the APBA's Innovation Management System, which has been certified since 2019 in research, development, and innovation activities applied to logistics and port operations. The technical specifications also state that, since December 2025, this system is certified under the international standard UNE EN ISO 56001:2024.
The office will be responsible for reviewing the port's innovation strategy, updating internal documentation, organizing the ideas presented, monitoring projects, and preparing periodic reports on the activities developed. It will also need to coordinate audits, dashboards, and indicators that allow for tracking the evolution of ongoing initiatives.
One of the most visible sections will be related to the innovative culture within the port. The contract includes the organization of the annual idea competition 'Innovation Journey,' creativity workshops, training sessions, and activities aimed at facilitating the participation of APBA workers and the port community. The goal is to channel proposals that can improve processes, services, or working methods in the port environment.
The specifications also grant a significant role to open innovation, that is, collaboration with startups, universities, knowledge centers, and technological companies. The Technical Office will need to seek solutions that can be applied to the port, connect APBA teams with potential external partners, and support pilot tests or projects in the initial phase. Currently, the APBA maintains active collaboration with more than 60 such entities, as stated in the technical document.
In this area, support will be included for the Algeciras Port Digital Innovation Center, designed as a space for innovation activities, technological collaboration, and digital entrepreneurship. The office will also participate in initiatives linked to the Port of Algeciras Innovation Committee and the Algeciras Port Digital Academy program, aimed at generating digital talent in the logistics-port environment.
Another important part of the contract will be the support of innovation and digital transformation projects. The specifications estimate that at least 40% of the team's work will be devoted to these tasks. This includes defining projects, preparing technical documentation for future contracts, coordinating departments, monitoring deadlines and costs, and collaborating on proof of concept with companies or startups.
The contract will have an initial duration of two years from its awarding, with the possibility of annual extensions up to a maximum of four years. The APBA has opted not to divide it into lots, as it considers that the different tasks require joint coordination to ensure the proper functioning of the service.
The awarding will be carried out through an open procedure. Bids will be evaluated with a total score of 100 points, distributed between technical and economic criteria. The price will weigh 60 points, while the quality of the proposal, the working methodology, and the experience of the technical team will form part of the remaining evaluation.
The minimum expected team will consist of a contract manager and two innovation consultants, with experience in project management, open innovation, management systems, port logistics, and information technology. Competencies in communication, organization of activities, and knowledge of English will also be valued.
With this bidding, the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras maintains a support structure to organize its innovative activity and continue the programs developed over the past few years in the context of the Port of Algeciras.