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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

School of Biology/SMRU: Helicopter for August Aerial Surveys of Seals in Scotland

University of St Andrews · award, contract

Tender information last checkedLast checked 26 Sept 2026, 04:42.

Opportunity overview

Helicopter for August Aerial Surveys of Seals in Scotland

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.

PDG Helicopters

Match pending…
Contract value
£273.1k
Awarded
Not supplied
Contract signed
30 Jul 2026
Award ID
075904-2026-BIO/050626/CM/SL-1
Status
active
Location
Inverness, UK, IV2 7XB, United Kingdom

Classification

  • CPV60424100 — Hire of aircraft with crew
  • CPV60424120 — Hire of helicopters with crew

Lots

  • SMRU have developed a technique for surveying seals inhabiting rocky coastlines using a thermal imaging camera in a helicopter. The survey equipment that will be used on/in the aircraft is described below under ‘Survey methods & equipment’. Available survey periods are dictated by “low tide windows”, i.e. local low water occurring in the afternoon, during the harbour seals’ annual moult season in August. Surveys are weather dependent; we cannot survey in moderate or heavy rain as seals are more likely to leave their haul-out sites in very wet conditions. Over the next three to five years, SMRU is planning to carry out seal surveys around the Scottish coastline, excluding most islands that are over 10km offshore. All surveys will be carried out in August and could require up to a total of approximately 140 hours of engine time (including transit/positioning flights) spread over 30-40 flying days. Please see tender documents for full requirements. 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 acceptedValue not stated

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/050626/CM/SL
Status
complete
Main Procurement Category
services
Procurement Method
open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
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.

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Classification

Scheme
CPV
Id
60424100
Description
Hire of aircraft with crew

Covered By

GPA

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Description
SMRU have developed a technique for surveying seals inhabiting rocky coastlines using a thermal imaging camera in a helicopter. The survey equipment that will be used on/in the aircraft is described below under ‘Survey methods & equipment’. Available survey periods are dictated by “low tide windows”, i.e. local low water occurring in the afternoon, during the harbour seals’ annual moult season in August. Surveys are weather dependent; we cannot survey in moderate or heavy rain as seals are more likely to leave their haul-out sites in very wet conditions. Over the next three to five years, SMRU is planning to carry out seal surveys around the Scottish coastline, excluding most islands that are over 10km offshore. All surveys will be carried out in August and could require up to a total of approximately 140 hours of engine time (including transit/positioning flights) spread over 30-40 flying days. Please see tender documents for full requirements. 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
Has Options
No
Status
cancelled

Award criteria

Criteria

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

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
60424120
Description
Hire of helicopters with crew

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKM72

Delivery Location

Description
UK-St Andrews

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

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

Identifier

Legal Name
University of St Andrews

Address

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

Contact

Name
Adrian Wood
Telephone
+44 1334462523

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Id
BODY_PUBLIC
Description
Body governed by public law
Entry 2
Scheme
COFOG
Id
09
Description
Education
Organisation 2
Name
PDG Helicopters
Id
GB-FTS-121850

Identifier

Legal Name
PDG Helicopters

Address

Street Address
The Heliport, Dalcros Ind Est
Locality
Inverness
Region
UK
Postal Code
IV2 7XB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Contact

Telephone
+44 1667464400

Roles

supplier

Details

Scale
sme
Organisation 3
Name
Dundee Sheriff Court
Id
GB-FTS-1026

Identifier

Legal Name
Dundee Sheriff Court

Address

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

Contact

Telephone
+44 1382229961

Roles

reviewBody

Award information

Award 1
Id
075904-2026-BIO/050626/CM/SL-1
Status
active

Related lots

1

Suppliers

Supplier 1
Id
GB-FTS-121850
Name
PDG Helicopters

Contracts and changes

Entry 1
Id
075904-2026-BIO/050626/CM/SL-1
Award ID
075904-2026-BIO/050626/CM/SL-1
Status
active
Date Signed
31 Jul 2026, 00:00

Value

Amount
273,135
Currency
GBP

Recorded locations

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

Notice and amendment history

2 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

2 VERSIONS
  1. 053199-2026tender ·
  2. 075904-2026award, contract ·