---
title: "Understanding the relationship between mobile bedforms and cable installations in the North Sea"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-6c9c9f9f-eee7-4668-8807-50d8b17ab4c5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-6c9c9f9f-eee7-4668-8807-50d8b17ab4c5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-6c9c9f9f-eee7-4668-8807-50d8b17ab4c5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-6c9c9f9f-eee7-4668-8807-50d8b17ab4c5.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATURAL ENGLAND"
published: "2023-04-04"
---

# Understanding the relationship between mobile bedforms and cable installations in the North Sea

Buyer: NATURAL ENGLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-6c9c9f9f-eee7-4668-8807-50d8b17ab4c5

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## Summary

The public procurement contracting process for the project titled "Understanding the relationship between mobile bedforms and cable installations in the North Sea" has been completed. The buying organisation, Natural England, based in Ashford, England, initiated an open procedure below threshold for services related to technical publications and environmental impact assessment. The tender period ended on September 13, 2022, with a contract period starting on September 19, 2022, and ending on February 28, 2023.

This procurement opportunity by Natural England presents a chance for SMEs and VCSEs to engage in providing services related to technical publications and environmental impact assessment. Businesses in the marine engineering, environmental consultancy, and research sectors would find this tender well-suited for competition. The project focuses on evaluating seabed mobility, cable exposure risks, and recommendations for future projects, offering growth opportunities for businesses with expertise in marine geoscience and environmental impact assessment.

## Notice

A recurring issue for cable installations within territorial and offshore waters is the exposure of cables post installation and the subsequent need for external cable protection (e.g. Race Bank, BritNed, IFA2, Nemo, London Array). Mobile sediment bedforms (such as sandwaves and megaripples), which actively migrate across the seabed, have the potential to expose cables. In turn, cable exposure could result in scour (or secondary scour) and the removal of seabed sediments. Uncertainty regarding cable burial success and maintaining cable burial status for the lifetime of a project, needs to be addressed. the aims of this project are: 1. Literature review of current information on seabed mobility projects and outcomes. 2. Collation of current data available from developers. 3. Analysis of available data to identify seabed changes over time, bedform migration rates and trends in erosion/accretion. 4. Correlation of data and instances of cable exposure to ascertain patterns in the seabed changes and occurrences of cable exposure. 5. Categorise the seabed geomorphodynamics and sediment types. 6. Classify sediment mobilisation to facilitate predictions of future sediment distribution. 7. Ascertain whether other marine users (i.e. fisheries, aggregates) influence the requirement of external protection. 8. Provide recommendations as to how the outcomes of this project could be furthered in future projects.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/86609f6b-4ea7-4daa-bf30-c29ef43e0a78 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 4 Apr 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 13 Sep 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 25 Sep 2022 |
| Contract period | 3 Oct 2022 - 28 Feb 2023 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £24,999 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £17,093 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATURAL ENGLAND |
| Locality | ASHFORD |
| Post town | Tonbridge |
| Postcode | TN23 1HU |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent |
| ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent |
| Local authority | Ashford |
| Electoral ward | Victoria |
| Westminster constituency | Ashford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | METOC LTD, TRADING AS INTERTEK |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 22 - Printed matter and related products
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 22121000 - Technical publications
- 71313440 - Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services for construction

## Release History

- 4 Apr 2023 at 14:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/86609f6b-4ea7-4daa-bf30-c29ef43e0a78
- 30 Aug 2022 at 14:46 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/73b77140-de32-4c7c-9a62-091119dec247

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/86609f6b-4ea7-4daa-bf30-c29ef43e0a78
  4th April 2023 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/73b77140-de32-4c7c-9a62-091119dec247
  30th August 2022 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/589704b2-5cd1-410e-b7e3-3062a0e3b11f
  Request for Quotation
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/SupplierAttachment/cc842471-97a5-4e5e-9f4c-201d7dd4653f
  Redacted contract document

## Provenance

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