The EOEP Data User Element (DUE), like its Data User Programme (DUP) predecessor, has the user as its top priority. The direct and active involvement of user organisations is mandatory in all DUE projects.

This involvement is aimed primarily at developing EO-based products and services responding to real user needs. The definition, implementation, integration, validation and qualification of these products and services is to be carried out in close collaboration with these end-user organisations, and in agreement with their standards and practices.

The overall DUE procurement approach aims at fostering an effective collaboration with these user communities. Part of the programme is dedicated to discovering potential users and then educating them about the capabilities of EO within their own working framework.

This is termed the "User Breeding Path" and deals mostly with public sector entities, e.g. national ministries, non-governmental organisations, international scientific programmes and international conventions.

The notion of "Champion Users" is central to DUE and implies that user organisations under consideration for participation for a DUE demonstration project should possess the following attributes:

• some representation and influence;
• some dissemination capability;
• some technical capability and data access;
• some funding capacity and prospects for future development;
• the will to explore the potential of EO technology as well as to incorporate EO technology within their internal working procedures.

The involvement of a "Champion User" at programme level is essential. The aim should be to gather the information needed by the user community before issuing an ITT in order to focus on key topics of interest for the overall user community and to better respond to specific user needs and requirements.

Having a "Champion User" at project level is also critical. This is to ensure that the final products and services derived from DUE projects respond to the specific needs of the corresponding user communities as well as allowing users to have direct contact with the products and/or services developed, so that they can appreciate the benefits and advantages of EO technology.

Conditions for user participation in a DUE project

In order to be eligible to participate in DUE demonstration projects, these "Champion Users" are requested to commit the provision of resources in support to the project execution (e.g. manpower, technical expertise, access to data and infrastructure, support to product qualification and service quality assessment). In particular, prior to the elaboration of a DUE procurement, the user organisations are required to confirm and commit the following:

• first, to agree to participate in the project and to commit an active contribution to the project execution;
• second, to federate the involvement of local partners and to identify the operational users who will contribute to the project execution, and in particular to the user requirements consolidation, to the product validation and qualification, and to the service assessment;
• third, to define the in-kind resources that will be provided in support of the project execution, including manpower and access to data;
• fourth, to compile their project requirements in a User Requirement Document (URD) that will be included in the subject ESA Invitation to Tenders (ITT) and constitute the basis of the technical requirements that will be fulfilled by the Contractors. Besides the specific requirements for products and services, the user organisations are also requested to identify the Areas of Interest (AOI) where the products are to be demonstrated and to list the local operational users who will collaborate with the project execution within these areas;
• fifth, to promote the results of the projects in their community and in particular within the local organisations that fall under their responsibility.