--- title: "Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire - Floating Bridge (Chain Ferry) Cowes / East Cowes" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-065c52" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-065c52" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065c52.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065c52.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL" published: "2026-02-25" --- # Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire - Floating Bridge (Chain Ferry) Cowes / East Cowes Buyer: ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-065c52 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-065c52) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065c52.json) ## Summary The Isle of Wight Council is in the planning stage of a public procurement process aimed at replacing the current Cowes Floating Bridge chain ferry with a new, improved vessel. This procurement falls within the 'goods' and 'services' categories, and the project is located in the UKJ34 region, United Kingdom. The council has initiated a preliminary market engagement process to gather insights from marine-related organisations. Key dates include the questionnaire deadline set for 31st March 2026 and the contract period anticipated to start from 1st September 2026, running through to 30th September 2028. Businesses specialising in marine construction, engineering, and ferry transport services stand to benefit significantly from participating in this tender. Given the focus on upgrading the performance standards of the ferry service, firms involved in ship and boat construction as well as repair and maintenance will find a conducive opportunity for growth and development. Organisations that can provide integrated engineering services, especially those tailored to civil engineering works, are well-suited to compete and collaborate with the council's vision for this project. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular are encouraged to engage, offering potential for expanding their reach within the public sector market. ## Notice The Isle of Wight Council (the Council) has resolved to replace the current Cowes Floating Bridge 6 chain ferry, which serves the communities of Cowes and East Cowes with a new vessel that meets improved performance standards and reduces the financial subsidy provided from the council to the service. To help inform how the Council could tender for this project it has resolved to undertake a preliminary market engagement exercise. This UK2 Notice forms the first stage of that exercise and as such the Council is seeking insight from relevant marine related organisations. The dates set out to this notice are indicative for a design build phase to commissioning into service - but would be informed by the market. ### Planning Information This is an initial engagement process - the Council may conduct further rounds of preliminary market engagement based on findings from initial supplier insight. Specifically the Council has set out a series of questions which we are seeking insight from the marine supplier market. The questionnaire can be accessed by the below link: https://forms.office.com/e/mit9rHfgKz The Council has also produced an accompany document that provides more details on the current context and how to engage. If you would like this document please contact Steve Sandercock (Procurement Consultant) steve.sandercock@iow.gov.uk ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017000-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 25 Feb 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 31 Mar 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Aug 2026 - 30 Sep 2028 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL | | Locality | NEWPORT | | Post town | Portsmouth | | Postcode | PO30 1UD | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight | | ITL 3 | TLJ34 Isle of Wight | | Local authority | Isle of Wight | | Electoral ward | Newport Central | | Westminster constituency | Isle of Wight West | | Delivery location | TLJ34 Isle of Wight | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation - 45 - Construction work - 50 - Repair and maintenance services - 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport) - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services ### Codes - 34500000 - Ships and boats - 45244000 - Marine construction works - 50240000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to marine and other equipment - 60610000 - Ferry transport services - 60640000 - Shipping operations - 71240000 - Architectural, engineering and planning services - 71322000 - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works - 71340000 - Integrated engineering services ## Release History - 25 Feb 2026 at 15:25 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017000-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/017000-2026 25th February 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://forms.office.com/e/mit9rHfgKz - https://wightnet.iow.gov.uk/ - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## 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-065c52. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065c52.json.