---
title: "Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT"
published: "2025-11-28"
---

# Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme

Buyer: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48.json)

## Summary

The Scottish Government, through its Marine Directorate, is currently in the tender stage for the "Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme". This procurement falls under the "Veterinary services" industry category, aimed at providing a coordinated surveillance approach for cetacean, seal, shark, and marine turtle strandings in Scotland. Interested businesses must submit electronic bids by 9th January 2026, with the contract period starting from 7th April 2026 and lasting until 6th April 2029, with options to extend until 2031. The project is valued at £825,000 and is centrally coordinated from Aberdeen, UKM region, involving marine research services.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in marine research, veterinary services, and environmental management. Companies with a strong track record in these areas, and the ability to coordinate collaborative efforts using volunteer networks, will find this opportunity well-suited to expand their outreach and demonstrate their expertise. The contract requires a yearly turnover of £1.65 million over the past two years and technical capabilities to handle post-mortem investigations within their premises. Successful bidders will benefit from contributing to a national scheme with long-serving data collection and reporting commitments, potentially boosting their business profile and operational scope within the UK and beyond.

## Notice

The aim of the project is to provide a coordinated approach to the surveillance of cetacean, seal, sharks and marine turtle strandings, and to investigate causes of death of stranded animals in Scotland. Where required, efforts should be made to expand and develop the established volunteer network to improve reporting and strandings investigations.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Scottish Marine Strandings Scheme (SMASS) has been in operation since 1992, with principal aim of providing a coordinated approach to the surveillance of cetacean, seal, shark and marine turtle strandings, and to investigate major causes of death of stranded animals in Scotland. Along with undertaking these investigations, SMASS maintains an online database of stranding events as well as hosting annual and end of contract reports on their website. Archived tissue samples from strandings attended by the SMASS team or members of the volunteer network are also stored and managed under the SMASS programme. The data collected is used to inform reporting commitments under statutory obligations (e.g. UK Marine Strategy, OSPAR, ICES).

Renewal: Two 12 month options to extend up to 6 April 2031.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078200-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 28 Nov 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 9 Jan 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 6 Apr 2026 - 6 Apr 2029 |
| Recurrence | July 2030. |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £825,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT |
| Locality | ABERDEEN |
| Post town | Aberdeen |
| Postcode | AB11 9DB |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM5 North Eastern Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM50 Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire |
| Local authority | Aberdeen City |
| Electoral ward | Torry/Ferryhill |
| Westminster constituency | Aberdeen South |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 73112000 - Marine research services
- 85200000 - Veterinary services

## Release History

- 28 Nov 2025 at 15:36 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078200-2025

## Notice URLs

- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- http://www.scotland.gov.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000817132
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=817132
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=538689
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=817132
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10482
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eb48.json.