UK Research & Innovation: UKRI-3918 New England Shelf Hydrogeology

UK-Swindon: Offshore drilling services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             UK Research & Innovation
             Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 7562167366, Email: NERCProcurement@ukri.org
             Contact: Kate Richardson
             Main Address: www.ukri.org
             NUTS Code: UKK14
      I.2) Joint procurement
      The contract involves joint procurement: No.
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided       
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
      I.3) Communication
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Offshore-drilling-services./BT9ZES6HV6
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Offshore-drilling-services./BT9ZES6HV6 to the abovementioned address       
      Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Offshore-drilling-services./BT9ZES6HV6
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Body governed by public law
      I.5) Main activity
            Other activity:

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: UKRI-3918 New England Shelf Hydrogeology       
      Reference Number: UKRI-3918
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      76320000 - Offshore drilling services.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: The British Geological Survey (BGS), acting on behalf of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), requires a marine coring capability and suitable vessel to operate offshore New England, USA, for a scientific drilling, coring and groundwater sampling campaign for a period of between 60 – 90 days (estimated) between May and August 2025. This scientific coring project seeks to extend our understanding of the current and past states of fluid composition, pressure, and temperature in continental shelf environments. In many coastal settings worldwide, the distribution of freshwater within continental shelf sediments is far out of equilibrium with modern sea level. One of the most remarkable examples is found on the Atlantic continental shelf off New England where groundwater within shallow Pliocene-Pleistocene sand aquifers over 100 km offshore has low salinity (3000 mg/l or less). This project will test several hypotheses to help constrain rates, directions, and mechanisms of groundwater flow and chemical fluxes in continental shelf systems.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 26,000,000       
      Currency: USD
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      34514000 - Floating or submersible drilling or production platforms.
      43124900 - Rock-drilling equipment.
      45262422 - Subsea drilling work.
      76340000 - Core drilling.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      US United States
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The project requires a contractor to provide a suitable platform from which to deploy coring apparatus to achieve near-continuous core samples (min. diameter 60mm) from seabed to a total depth (TD) of 550 mbsf (meters below sea floor) at each of 3 pre-determined sites. Additionally, the project requires to drill (not core) 2 boreholes at 2 of the 3 pre-determined sites for groundwater testing and sampling at specific intervals selected using the results from the cored boreholes. The contractor will be responsible for supplying the vessel and personnel; and undertaking the drilling, coring and groundwater testing/sampling requirements.

Please see the Specification for full details.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Criteria below
            Quality criterion - Name: Technical / Quality / Weighting: 70
                        
            Cost criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 30
                              
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 26,000,000       
      Currency: USD       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 9       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       No             
      Description of options: Not provided
      II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
      Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
      The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
      Identification of the project: Not provided             
      II.2.14) Additional information: The estimated maximum contract value is $26,000,000       


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1) Conditions for participation
      III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
      List and brief description of conditions:          
      Not Provided       
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing          
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      Not Provided    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability    
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided      
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      Not Provided   
      III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)   
      The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No       
      The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No    
      
   III.2) Conditions related to the contract
      III.2.1) Information about a particular profession    
      Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:          
      Not Provided    
      III.2.2) Contract performance conditions          
      Not Provided          
      III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
      Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract: No

Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1) Description OPEN
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO    
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: No
      Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes       
   IV.2) Administrative information
      IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: 2024/S 000 - 016466       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 11/09/2024 Time: 14:00
            
      IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English,       
      IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender:
         Duration in month(s): 3
      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 11/09/2024
         Time: 14:00
      

Section VI: Complementary Information
   VI.1) Information about recurrence
   This is a recurrent procurement: No    
   Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
   VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
   Electronic ordering will be used No       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted No       
   Electronic payment will be used No       
   VI.3) Additional Information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Offshore-drilling-services./BT9ZES6HV6

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/respond/BT9ZES6HV6
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             UK Research & Innovation
       Swindon, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    Not Provided    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
Not provided
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 09/08/2024

Annex A