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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

School of Biology/SMRU: Aircraft for the Aerial Survey of Grey Seal Breeding Colonies 2025

University of St Andrews · compiled

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 03:36.

Opportunity overview

In September to December 2025, SMRU will carry out repeat aerial surveys of around 80 grey seal breeding sites around Scotland and along the east coast of England (with the aim to survey each colony 4 or 5 times throughout the season). We therefore require a twin-engine aircraft (with survey pilot) with 4-5 hours available flight time excluding reserve fuel time.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Classification

  • CPV60424100 — Hire of aircraft with crew
  • CPV34711300 — Piloted aircraft

Lots

  • In September to December 2025, SMRU will carry out repeat aerial surveys of around 80 grey seal breeding sites around Scotland and along the east coast of England (with the aim to survey each colony 4 or 5 times throughout the season). We therefore require a twin-engine aircraft (with survey pilot) with 4-5 hours available flight time excluding reserve fuel time. Several flights will be to and from relatively remote airports such as Stornoway and Kirkwall. The aircraft must accommodate two SMRU staff and SMRU’s aerial camera system (PAS150). Surveys will be carried out from mid-September 2025 until early January 2026 with 9 or 10 separate rounds of surveys (most of these taking 3 to 4 days each) spread through the season with approximately 10-day intervals between rounds. The total flying time is expected to be around 120 hours (which would probably mean around 135 hours engine time). We estimate a total number of approx. 40 flights conducted on around 30 different days will be needed. Overnights at various airports (e.g. Stornoway, Kirkwall, Perth, Norwich) will be required. Please see ITT for full details. Additional information: All tenders for the University of St Andrews are administered through our eTendering System (InTend).To Express an Interest please go to our tender website at https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofstandrews Please note that 'Notes of Interest' placed via PCS (Public Contracts Scotland) are not automatically accepted£300k

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
BIO/300525/CM/SL
Status
complete
Has Recurrence
No
Review Details
The University of St Andrews will incorporate a minimum of 10 calendar day standstill period at the point of information on the award of the contract being communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. Applicants have 2 working days from the notification of the award decision to request additional debriefing and that information has to be provided a minimum of 3 working days before the expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be requested from The University of St Andrews. If an appeal regarding the award of contract has not been successfully resolved The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2012 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rule to take action in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session. The anticipated review body in such cases would be: Dundee Sheriff Court 6 West Bell Street Dundee DD1 9AD Telephone: +44 1382 229 961 Anyone bringing court proceedings against the University of St Andrews must inform the University of St Andrews in advance of the alleged breach and its intention to bring proceedings. Any such action must be brought within 15 days of the date on which a decision is sent to them or published to challenge that decision. Proceedings seeking an ineffectiveness order must be brought within 30 days of the publication of the contract award notice in the OJEU, or 30 days from the date of a decision letter to all tenderers concerned, and any candidates concerned, containing a summary of the reason for the recipient being unsuccessful, otherwise 6 months from the date of entering into the contract or concluding the framework agreement. Where a contract has not been entered into the Court may, by interim order, suspend the procurement procedure. The court may also set aside a decision or actions taken by the University or order it to amend and document; and/or award damages. However, by express requirement the court may decide not to grant an interim order when the negative consequences of such an order are likely to outweigh the benefits, having regard to a number of considerations. If the contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the nature of the breach: make an ineffectiveness order; impose a financial penalty; shorten the duration of the contract; make any other order considered appropriate to address the consequences of ineffectiveness or shortening the duration or the contract; award damages.
Procurement Method
open
Main Procurement Category
services
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure

Covered By

GPA

Bid Opening

Date
2 Jul 2025, 12:00
Description
Appointed Procurement Staff

Address

Street Address
Procurement - University of St Andrews

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Expected award period

Starts
2 Jul 2025, 12:00

Tender Period

Ends
2 Jul 2025, 12:00

Communication

Contract terms

Has Electronic Payment
Yes
Has Electronic Ordering
Yes
Electronic Invoicing Policy
allowed

Classification

Id
60424100
Scheme
CPV
Description
Hire of aircraft with crew

Submission terms

Languages

en

Bid Validity Period

Duration In Days
90

Submission Method

electronicSubmission

Other Requirements

Requires Staff Names And Qualifications
Yes

Participation Fees

Entry 1
Id
1

Type

document

Selection criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
suitability
Description
Please see ITT.

Applies To

supplier
Criterion 2
Type
technical
Description
Please see ITT.

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
cancelled
Has Options
No
Has Renewal
Yes
Description
In September to December 2025, SMRU will carry out repeat aerial surveys of around 80 grey seal breeding sites around Scotland and along the east coast of England (with the aim to survey each colony 4 or 5 times throughout the season). We therefore require a twin-engine aircraft (with survey pilot) with 4-5 hours available flight time excluding reserve fuel time. Several flights will be to and from relatively remote airports such as Stornoway and Kirkwall. The aircraft must accommodate two SMRU staff and SMRU’s aerial camera system (PAS150). Surveys will be carried out from mid-September 2025 until early January 2026 with 9 or 10 separate rounds of surveys (most of these taking 3 to 4 days each) spread through the season with approximately 10-day intervals between rounds. The total flying time is expected to be around 120 hours (which would probably mean around 135 hours engine time). We estimate a total number of approx. 40 flights conducted on around 30 different days will be needed. Overnights at various airports (e.g. Stornoway, Kirkwall, Perth, Norwich) will be required. Please see ITT for full details. Additional information: All tenders for the University of St Andrews are administered through our eTendering System (InTend).To Express an Interest please go to our tender website at https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofstandrews Please note that 'Notes of Interest' placed via PCS (Public Contracts Scotland) are not automatically accepted

Value

Amount
300,000
Currency
GBP

Renewal

Description
2 x 12 month extensions subject to satisfactory annual review.

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Name
Quality
Type
quality
Description
60
Criterion 2
Name
Cost
Type
cost
Description
40

Contract period

Duration In Days
720

Submission terms

Variant Policy
notAllowed

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery Location

Description
UK- St Andrews

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKM72
Entry 2
Region
UKM72

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
34711300
Scheme
CPV
Description
Piloted aircraft

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
economic
Document Type
economicSelectionCriteria
Entry 2
Id
technical
Document Type
technicalSelectionCriteria

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-FTS-1904
Name
University of St Andrews

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKM72
Locality
Guardbridge
Postal Code
KY16 0US
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Walter Bower House, Eden Campus

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
BODY_PUBLIC
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Body governed by public law
Entry 2
Id
09
Scheme
COFOG
Description
Education

Identifier

Legal Name
University of St Andrews

Contact

Name
Adrian Wood
Telephone
+44 1334462523
Organisation 2
Id
GB-FTS-1026
Name
Dundee Sheriff Court

Roles

reviewBody

Address

Locality
Dundee
Postal Code
DD1 9AD
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
6 West Bell Street

Identifier

Legal Name
Dundee Sheriff Court

Contact

Telephone
+44 1382229961
Organisation 3
Id
GB-FTS-161657
Name
Cheshire Flying Services Limited Trading as Ravenair

Roles

supplier

Address

Region
UKD
Locality
Liverpool
Postal Code
L24 5GA
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Business Aviation Centre Viscount Drive , Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Details

Scale
sme

Identifier

Legal Name
Cheshire Flying Services Limited Trading as Ravenair

Contact

Telephone
+44 01514866161

Award information

Award 1
Id
058777-2025-BIO/300525/CM/SL-1
Status
active

Suppliers

Supplier 1
Id
GB-FTS-161657
Name
Cheshire Flying Services Limited Trading as Ravenair

Related lots

1

Contracts and changes

Entry 1
Id
058777-2025-BIO/300525/CM/SL-1
Status
active
Award ID
058777-2025-BIO/300525/CM/SL-1
Date Signed
25 Aug 2025, 00:00

Value

Amount
145,972.32
Currency
GBP

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Guardbridge · UKM72 · KY16 0US · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKM72

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-05295a-2025-09-23T10:18:00+01:00compiled ·