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Lifeline Air Services Benbecula - Stornoway 3 August 2026 - 31 March 2028

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

14 Sep 2026 at 14:26

Award Notice
Tender

12 Jun 2026 at 10:46

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar procured scheduled air transport services for additional flights on the Benbecula–Stornoway route, supplementing the existing lifeline air service schedule. The requirement covers the operation of additional passenger flights between Benbecula and Stornoway. The contracting authority is the Western Isles local authority, based in Stornoway. This is a service contract for an air operator or aviation services business able to provide scheduled regional flights on this island route. The requirement is route-specific and concerns additional capacity rather than a replacement for the current schedule. Businesses with relevant air transport operations, route planning capability and the ability to deliver reliable scheduled services in the Western Isles would be the most closely aligned with the procurement.

The procurement has completed and was awarded following an open procedure. One bid was received, from an SME, and DirectFlight was selected as supplier. The contract was signed on 1 September 2026 and is active. The contracted value is £287,500. The published estimated value was £333,333. The contract period is 26 October 2026 to 31 March 2028, while the lot record identifies the service period as 3 August 2026 to 31 March 2028. Evaluation placed 90% of the weighting on quality and 10% on price. Bids were submitted electronically in English, with a 90-day validity period. The requirement did not allow variants or provide for options or renewal. Electronic ordering and payment are supported, and electronic invoicing is allowed.

This award demonstrates demand from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for additional scheduled air capacity on the Benbecula–Stornoway lifeline route. A credible future competitor would need the operational capability to run scheduled regional passenger flights between the two islands, add services to an existing timetable and maintain dependable delivery in a remote island setting. The evaluation strongly favoured quality over price, so evidence of safe, reliable and resilient operations would be central to a competitive proposition. Relevant aviation operating capability, timetable integration, aircraft and crew availability, and experience delivering public-service or regional air links would strengthen a supplier’s position. The successful supplier was an SME, indicating that the requirement can be delivered by a focused specialist rather than only by a large national carrier.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Lifeline Air Services Benbecula - Stornoway 3 August 2026 - 31 March 2028

Notice Description

Additional services to current schedule

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b3c7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086917-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award 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

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

CPV Codes

60410000 - Scheduled air transport services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£333,333 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£333,333 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£287,500 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Sep 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
13 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
3 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
STORNOWAY
Postcode
HS1 2BW
Postcode Area
Outer Hebrides
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM2 Highlands and Islands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM20 Highlands and Islands
Delivery Location
TLM64 Na h-Eileanan Siar
Local Authority
Na h-Eileanan Siar
Electoral Ward
Steòrnabhagh a Deas
Westminster Constituency
Na h-Eileanan an Iar

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

DirectFlight

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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.

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