Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Calgary Cemetery - Further services for Full Archaeological Survey and Reporting

Argyll and Bute Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

30 Jul 2026 at 01:00

PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Argyll and Bute Council commissioned archaeological excavation and reporting services at Calgary Cemetery on Mull. The work follows the discovery of archaeological evidence during earlier cemetery investigations and is intended to establish the full extent of the site while supporting continued burial provision and compliance with planning conditions. The service includes updating the Written Scheme of Investigation, project management and site set-up, travel, excavation by three professional archaeologists, accommodation and subsistence, washing and cataloguing finds, and delivery of finds to the National Museums Scotland. It also covers a Data Structure Report, post-excavation research design, specialist analysis, radiocarbon dating, environmental analysis, publication, and entries in Discovery, Excavation and OASIS.

This procurement is complete and was awarded to Argyll Archaeology on 13 July 2026; the contract is active and was signed on that date. The awarded contract value is £71,716 GBP. It covered one archaeological excavation lot. The council used a limited procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, relying on technical knowledge of the site and the supplier’s previous reporting for the council. The authority considered an alternative supplier unreasonable because it would have required repeating completed work to establish equivalent site-specific knowledge. One bid was received, submitted electronically by an SME. The procurement was evaluated on the basis of technical exclusivity rather than an open competitive assessment.

This requirement indicates demand for specialist archaeological fieldwork linked to cemetery development and planning compliance in Argyll and Bute. A credible future competitor would need to mobilise a professional excavation team, with capacity for three archaeologists over an extended programme of site work, together with travel, accommodation, subsistence and project management. It would also need strong post-excavation capability: finds washing and cataloguing, secure transfer to National Museums Scotland, specialist analysis of flint, metalwork, pottery and environmental samples, radiocarbon dating, micromorphology and pollen analysis. Experience producing excavation reports, costed research designs and publishable outputs, and maintaining Discovery, Excavation and OASIS records, would be important. Demonstrable site knowledge and high-quality reporting for the council were central to the selected supplier’s position.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Calgary Cemetery - Further services for Full Archaeological Survey and Reporting

Notice Description

Argyll Archaeolgy were awarded Archaeology Surveys at Various Cemetery Sites within Argyll and Bute (MAR524966) at a total value of 10,660.00 GBP excluding VAT. This was to provide various services which will allow for the immediate development of sites to preserve local burial services. The council currently has several cemetery development plans ongoing. At present, planning permission has been granted for one site but with conditions. Therefore, the council would like to contract with an external consultant who would be able to provide support to the internal networks team to ensure that these grounds are met and burial services within the region remain uninterrupted. This was completed at Calgary Cemetery on Mull wherein evidence of archaeology was found. As such, a full scale excavation is now required to clarify the full extent of the site.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Archaeological Excavation. Inclusive of: - Addendum to the Written Scheme of Investigation - Project management/set up - Travel - 3 Professional archaeologists, 75 person days - Accommodation and subsistence - Washing and cataloging of finds and delivery to NMS - Production of Data Structure Report and Cost-post-excavation Research - Design - Consumables - Entry into Discovery and Excavation and OASIS. The costs of post-excavation may include specialist analysis of the finds (flint, metal artefacts, pottery, stone tools etc.), processing of bulk samples for the retrieval of charcoal and macroplant (burnt seeds/ cereals etc) and their analysis, programme of radiocarbon dating, micromorphology, pollen analysis, production of a peer-reviewed paper and its publication. A costed post-excavation research design will be produced alongside the excavation report, but generally post-excavation will cost around the same as the excavation phase.

Procurement Information

The supplier has technical knowledge of the site and has produced previous reporting on behalf of the Council to this effect. To consider an alternative supplier would not be reasonable and would require a repetition of already completed services to allow another potential supplier to hold the same site-specific knowledge.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000838822
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL561213
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71351000 - Geological, geophysical and other scientific prospecting services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£71,716 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
30 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Argyll and Bute Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LOCHGILPHEAD
Postcode
PA31 8RT
Postcode Area
Paisley
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
TLM6 Highlands and Islands
Local Authority
Argyll and Bute
Electoral Ward
Mid Argyll
Westminster Constituency
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Argyll Archaeology

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL561213
    Calgary Cemetery - Further services for Full Archaeological Survey and Reporting - Argyll Archaeolgy were awarded Archaeology Surveys at Various Cemetery Sites within Argyll and Bute (MAR524966) at a total value of 10,660.00 GBP excluding VAT. This was to provide various services which will allow for the immediate development of sites to preserve local burial services. The council currently has several cemetery development plans ongoing. At present, planning permission has been granted for one site but with conditions. Therefore, the council would like to contract with an external consultant who would be able to provide support to the internal networks team to ensure that these grounds are met and burial services within the region remain uninterrupted. This was completed at Calgary Cemetery on Mull wherein evidence of archaeology was found. As such, a full scale excavation is now required to clarify the full extent of the site.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...