Award

UKRI-3918 New England Shelf Hydrogeology

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Award

24 Jan 2025 at 14:05

TenderUpdate

23 Sep 2024 at 15:05

TenderUpdate

29 Aug 2024 at 11:05

Tender

09 Aug 2024 at 15:05

TenderUpdate

24 May 2024 at 15:05

Planning

24 May 2024 at 13:05

Summary of the contracting process

The UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) awarded a contract for the project "UKRI-3918 New England Shelf Hydrogeology," classified under offshore drilling services (CPV 76320000). The project, managed by the British Geological Survey (BGS) on behalf of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), involves a scientific drilling, coring, and groundwater sampling campaign off the Atlantic continental shelf of New England, USA. The procurement process was conducted using an open procedure, concluding with an award on 24th January 2025. The campaign, slated for May to August 2025, requires services over a period of 60 to 90 days with a contract value of approximately $25,578,242 USD. The winning bidder, Matrix Offshore Services, LLC, will provide the vessel and personnel required for the operation. This contract aims to extend the understanding of groundwater flow and chemical fluxes in continental shelf systems.

Businesses involved in offshore drilling, marine coring, and groundwater sampling can significantly benefit from participating in similar tenders. SMEs are particularly encouraged as the contract offers a substantial value and duration, fostering business growth and expertise in marine science projects. Suppliers skilled in providing drilling platforms, rock-drilling equipment, and subsea drilling work positioned in or capable of operating in the USA would be well-suited for the technical and quality requirements of such projects. This project presents a prime opportunity for companies looking to expand their portfolio in the scientific and hydrogeological drilling domain.

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Notice Title

UKRI-3918 New England Shelf Hydrogeology

Notice 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.

Lot Information

Lot 1

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.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-046b5f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002542-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

43 - Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment

45 - Construction work

76 - Services related to the oil and gas industry


CPV Codes

34514000 - Floating or submersible drilling or production platforms

43124900 - Rock-drilling equipment

45262422 - Subsea drilling work

76320000 - Offshore drilling services

76340000 - Core drilling

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£26,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£26,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£25,578,242 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jan 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
11 Sep 2024Expired
Future Notice Date
30 Jun 2024Expired
Award Date
22 Jan 20251 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Contact Name
Kate Richardson
Contact Email
nercprocurement@ukri.org
Contact Phone
+44 7562167366

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Post Town
Swindon
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

MATRIX OFFSHORE SERVICES

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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