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Purchase & Installation of Echosounder System

Scottish Government

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

29 Oct 2026 at 12:09

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Scottish Ministers’ Marine Directorate sought a scientific, multi-frequency wideband echosounder system to replace the ageing Simrad EK60 aboard the marine research vessel Alba Na Mara. The supply includes installation and an echosounder system compatible with the vessel’s existing retractable sonar pod and newly fitted ES 38-7 transducer. The equipment measures water depth, productivity and seabed type, and supports population surveys of pelagic fish including herring, mackerel, sprat and blue whiting. The resulting data contributes to stock assessments in the North East Atlantic, the North Sea and Scotland’s sea lochs, helping inform fisheries quota advice. The work is for the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, with delivery and installation associated with the vessel’s operations around Scotland and offshore.

The buyer invited tenders through an open procedure. The submission deadline was 30 November 2026 at 12:00, and the stated contract period runs from 6 January to 31 March 2027. The estimated value is £150,000. Bids had to be submitted electronically in English, and alternatives were not permitted. Evaluation combined quality and price: quality criteria covered technical solution and delivery, key staff and resource planning, contract management and quality assurance, corporate and social responsibilities, and Fair Work First. The tender description assigns weights of 50, 25, 15, 5 and 5 respectively, with price weighted at 30. The SPD was assessed pass/fail; scored answers used a four-point scale from unacceptable to excellent. Suppliers had to keep bids valid for 180 days.

This opportunity suits suppliers able to provide and install specialist scientific echosounder equipment for a working marine research vessel, including a system compatible with the vessel’s sonar installation. The buyer sought three relevant supply or service examples from the previous five years, details of available technicians, staff, facilities, technical equipment and tools, plus supply-chain tracking and environmental management arrangements. Bidders also had to explain quality controls and permit assessment of technical capacity and quality measures. They needed either an independently accredited UKAS (or equivalent) ISO 9001 quality certificate, or a documented, senior-authorised quality management policy appropriate to the organisation and work. Financial qualification included specific annual turnover of at least £150,000 in each of the previous two years, public liability insurance of £1 million, a current ratio above 0.8 and positive net profit over the two-year cycle. The buyer required staff names and qualifications.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Purchase & Installation of Echosounder System

Notice Description

The Scottish Ministers, Marine Directorate invites tenders for the purchase and installation of a scientific, multi-frequency, wideband, echosounder system to replace the existing Simrad EK60 echosounder system on our Marine Research Vessel (MRV) Alba Na Mara.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The MRV Alba Na Mara, is currently equipped with an aging, ( ~20 years), scientific echosounder system operating at 3 individual frequencies (38, 120 and 200 kHz). The current system is now unsupported in terms of replacement components. Recently, the existing 38 kHz ES38B transducer was damaged beyond repair. A new ES 38-7 transducer was fitted in dry dock but is not supported by the current EK60 system. The transducers are mounted on a retractable sonar pod. As well as continually providing water column depth, productivity and information on seabed type these acoustic devices are the primary tools used in the creation of population indices for pelagic species including herring, mackerel, sprat and blue whiting. Data which is vital in producing accurate stock assessments for the respective species throughout the North East Atlantic, the North Sea and in Scotland's sea lochs. In co-operation with ICES partners, stock assessments, along with landing and discard data, allow Marine Directorate colleagues to provide advice around the setting of quotas for these important fish stocks.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-079368
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102561-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

CPV Codes

38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

38100000 - Navigational and meteorological instruments

38110000 - Navigational instruments

38114000 - Echo sounders

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£150,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
30 Nov 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
6 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Scottish Government
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
ABERDEEN
Postcode
AB11 9DB
Postcode Area
Aberdeen
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM5 North Eastern Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM50 Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
Delivery Location
TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Aberdeen City
Electoral Ward
Torry/Ferryhill
Westminster Constituency
Aberdeen South

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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