Award

CEFAS25-48 Contract for provision of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights for Hinkley Point C

CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

25 Apr 2025 at 14:16

Summary of the contracting process

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science has awarded a contract for the provision of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights for the Hinkley Point C nuclear project. The procurement falls under the "services" category, with the award made directly, bypassing competitive tendering due to its classification as below threshold. The contract covers operations in various regions across the United Kingdom, including Lowestoft, where the buying organisation is based. The contract, titled "CEFAS25-48", started on 20th February 2025 and is set to run until 31st May 2025, with possible extensions up to 30th September 2025. The overall project is aligned with UK government guidelines and seeks to ensure environmental monitoring for regulatory compliance.

This procurement presents substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialising in advanced survey solutions and environmental monitoring technologies. Firms with expertise in providing RPAs and the capability to produce high-resolution data and imagery will find this tender particularly appealing. Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) like Marine Science Support Ltd, which eventually secured the contract, demonstrate that businesses with a niche focus on marine and environmental science applications are well-suited to succeed in such tenders. The contract, valued at £52,682.29, showcases potential revenue streams for companies that can deliver precise and compliant data operations, thus expanding their footprint in the public procurement sphere.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

CEFAS25-48 Contract for provision of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights for Hinkley Point C

Notice Description

The BEEMS (British EDF Estuarine and Marine Studies) programme is funded by NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited. Through this programme, Cefas provide authoritative scientific information on the marine and transitional waters in the vicinity of potential new build nuclear power stations. Cefas require a supplier to conduct intertidal Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights, in accordance with the civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines, to monitor potential coastal change and intertidal algal coverage for the Hinkley Point C (HPC) Nuclear New Build project to meet regulatory environmental monitoring requirements. RPA flights and photography are required: (1) along the Hinkley Point foreshore, and; (2) at Combwich Wharf and the surrounding banks of the River Parrett. Flight/survey design and equipment specification must be sufficient for Cefas to create orthophotos (OPs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) with a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD, i.e. resolution) of 3cm/pixel or better (exceptions noted in Appendix 4 - Specification of Requirements).

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0507ca
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017094-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

79311000 - Survey services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£52,682 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Apr 202510 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
19 Feb 20251 years ago
Contract Period
20 Feb 2025 - 31 May 2025 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE
Contact Name
Holly Power
Contact Email
procure@cefas.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LOWESTOFT
Postcode
NR33 0HT
Post Town
Norwich
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH6 Suffolk
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH63 East Suffolk
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
East Suffolk
Electoral Ward
Kirkley & Pakefield
Westminster Constituency
Lowestoft

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

MARINE SCIENCE SUPPORT

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-0507ca-2025-04-25T15:16:45+01:00",
    "date": "2025-04-25T15:16:45+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-0507ca",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PPGW-5299-JGTN",
            "name": "Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PPGW-5299-JGTN"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Pakefield Road",
                "locality": "Lowestoft",
                "postalCode": "NR33 0HT",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKH14"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Holly Power",
                "email": "procure@cefas.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-FTS-145194",
            "name": "Marine Science Support Ltd",
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "The Convent House, Bottle Bridge Hill",
                "locality": "Newton Abbot",
                "postalCode": "TQ13 0DR",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKK43"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "info@marinesciencesupport.co.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "sme",
                "vcse": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PPGW-5299-JGTN",
        "name": "Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-0507ca",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "CEFAS25-48 Contract for provision of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights for Hinkley Point C",
        "description": "The BEEMS (British EDF Estuarine and Marine Studies) programme is funded by NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited. Through this programme, Cefas provide authoritative scientific information on the marine and transitional waters in the vicinity of potential new build nuclear power stations. Cefas require a supplier to conduct intertidal Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights, in accordance with the civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines, to monitor potential coastal change and intertidal algal coverage for the Hinkley Point C (HPC) Nuclear New Build project to meet regulatory environmental monitoring requirements. RPA flights and photography are required: (1) along the Hinkley Point foreshore, and; (2) at Combwich Wharf and the surrounding banks of the River Parrett. Flight/survey design and equipment specification must be sufficient for Cefas to create orthophotos (OPs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) with a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD, i.e. resolution) of 3cm/pixel or better (exceptions noted in Appendix 4 - Specification of Requirements).",
        "status": "complete",
        "procurementMethod": "direct",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Below threshold - without competition",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "status": "active",
            "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-FTS-145194",
                    "name": "Marine Science Support Ltd"
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "79311000",
                            "description": "Survey services"
                        }
                    ],
                    "deliveryAddresses": [
                        {
                            "region": "UKC",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKD",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKE",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKF",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKG",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKH",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKI",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKJ",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        },
                        {
                            "region": "UKK",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "contracts": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "awardID": "1",
            "title": "CEFAS25-48 Contract for provision of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) flights for Hinkley Point C",
            "status": "active",
            "period": {
                "startDate": "2025-02-20T00:00:00Z",
                "endDate": "2025-05-31T23:59:59+01:00",
                "maxExtentDate": "2025-09-30T23:59:59+01:00"
            },
            "hasRenewal": true,
            "renewal": {
                "description": "Extension option up to 30 September 2025, on a monthly basis. Extension option provides for additional costs for each survey required each month."
            },
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 63218.75,
                "amount": 52682.29,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "aboveThreshold": false,
            "dateSigned": "2025-02-19T00:00:00Z",
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "017094-2025",
                    "documentType": "contractNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK7",
                    "description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017094-2025",
                    "datePublished": "2025-04-25T15:16:45+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "language": "en"
}