Tender

Underwater Archaeology

HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

19 Mar 2026 at 00:00

Summary of the contracting process

Historic Environment Scotland is inviting tenders for a contract titled "Underwater Archaeology," which falls under the Built Environment, Tourism, Heritage, and Conservation industry category. The buying organisation is based in Edinburgh, UK, and aims to gather quality information for investigating and conserving historic underwater assets within Scotland's waters. This tender, currently at the tender stage, follows an open procedure which allows for electronic submissions. Interested parties should submit their tenders by 20th April 2026, with the award period commencing on the same date. The contract could run for up to six years after initial service period evaluations, offering a significant project duration for successful bidders.

This tender presents business growth opportunities for entities involved in archaeological services, marine and environmental research, and conservation, including firms specialising in underwater exploration and documentation. The open procurement method used by Historic Environment Scotland encourages wider participation, offering chances for newer and established businesses alike to secure a role in a government contract. To be well-suited to compete, businesses should possess strong financial standings, as evidenced by Scotbis assessments, with requirements of substantial liability insurance coverage to assure continuity and reliability in service delivery. Community benefits throughout the contract term could further boost opportunities for local engagement and sustainable business practices.

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Notice Title

Underwater Archaeology

Notice Description

The aim of the contract is to provide quality information to HES to enable to carry out our functions in relation to investigating, recording, conserving, protecting and promoting historic assets under water, in sub tidal environments as far as the limit of UK water adjacent to Scotland (12 nautical miles), but also if required, in freshwater locations such as lochs.

Lot Information

Lot 1

For full details of the requirement please see Document 2 Specification

Renewal: After the initial 2 years, the contract has the option to be extended by a further 4 years (to be reviewed annually)

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000827016
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR552037
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

71351914 - Archaeological services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Mar 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
20 Apr 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
If all extensions are used then the contract will be re-tendered in 2032

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH9 1SH
Post Town
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM Scotland

Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
Southside/Newington
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh South

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR552037
    Underwater Archaeology - The aim of the contract is to provide quality information to HES to enable to carry out our functions in relation to investigating, recording, conserving, protecting and promoting historic assets under water, in sub tidal environments as far as the limit of UK water adjacent to Scotland (12 nautical miles), but also if required, in freshwater locations such as lochs.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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