--- title: "Deep Scientific Diving and ARMS Recovery Services in the Maldives and Seychelles" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH" published: "2026-10-30" --- # Deep Scientific Diving and ARMS Recovery Services in the Maldives and Seychelles Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4.json) ## Summary The University of Plymouth plans to procure specialist marine research support to recover 36 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Systems (ARMS) from the seabed in the Maldives and Seychelles. These plastic settlement-panel units are used to measure marine biodiversity. The work involves recovering three units at each of three depths—about 40, 60 and 90 metres—at each research site: three sites in the Maldives and one in the Seychelles. Each unit will weigh about 20kg and will have been deployed for around 36 months. A containment enclosure must be fitted before each unit is brought to the surface, so biological specimens are not lost, and transferred to the support vessel for the University’s team to process and analyse. Services include the recovery operation and its supporting personnel, equipment and logistics. This is specialist scientific diving and marine recovery work. This is at the planning stage: the University is conducting preliminary market engagement to understand suppliers’ capability, delivery approaches and possible technical solutions, before a formal tender expected later. The market engagement exercise is intended for established organisations; the buyer’s expected date for expressions of interest is 18 November 2026. Recovery operations are anticipated between January and February 2030. One combined requirement covers the Maldives and Seychelles, with no division into separate lots indicated. The buyer anticipates that the recovery may use mixed-gas technical diving, potentially with closed-circuit rebreather systems, and is also exploring alternatives that avoid diver intervention. The contract period is shown as starting in January 2027 and running to March 2030, with a possible extension to September 2030. No procurement procedure or evaluation basis is set out at this stage. The work is suited to established marine contractors with demonstrable experience and capability in deep scientific diving, technical recovery or comparable subsea operations. Suppliers should be able to plan and execute work at depths up to about 90 metres, protect biological samples during lifting, and support operations across the Maldives and Seychelles. The buyer is open to technical approaches that do not rely on divers, so capable remotely operated or other subsea solutions may be relevant alongside mixed-gas diving and closed-circuit rebreather expertise. A future tender is expected to require detailed risk assessments and method statements describing the proposed approach. Organisations must be prepared to secure permits and approvals in the relevant jurisdictions, maintain appropriate safety management documentation and insurance, and provide the necessary personnel, diving equipment, gas systems, vessels where applicable, and operational support. Individual divers and informal consortia are not sought for this market-engagement exercise. ## Notice The University of Plymouth invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced organisations for the provision of specialist services to support the delivery of two marine research projects in the Republic of Maldives and the Seychelles. The projects involve the recovery of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Systems (ARMS) from depths of approximately 40m, 60m, and 90m. The ARMS units will have been deployed for approximately 36 months prior to recovery and each unit will weigh approximately 20kg. ARMS units are stacked plastic settlement panels used to measure marine biodiversity. The units will be deployed on the seabed using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and left in situ for the duration of the monitoring period. Upon recovery, a bespoke containment enclosure must be fitted to each ARMS unit to prevent the loss of biological specimens. The enclosed unit will then be carefully recovered to the surface and transferred to the support vessel for processing and analysis by the University's scientific team. Three ARMS units will be deployed at each depth (40m, 60m, and 90m) at each site. In the Maldives, three sites will be monitored, resulting in a total of 27 deployed ARMS units. In the Seychelles, one site will be monitored, resulting in a further nine units. The total requirement therefore covers the recovery of 36 ARMS units across both projects. The University anticipates that recovery operations may require mixed-gas technical diving, potentially utilising Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) systems. However, the University is also interested in exploring alternative technical solutions that do not rely on diver intervention. Recovery operations are anticipated to take place between January and February 2030. The successful contractor would be expected to: Obtain all necessary permits and approvals required to undertake the work within the relevant jurisdictions. Produce and maintain all required safety management documentation. Hold appropriate insurance coverage. Supply all personnel, diving equipment, gas systems, vessels (where applicable), and associated operational support. Deliver the recovery operations in accordance with applicable legislation, standards, and industry best practice. The University is seeking interest from established organisations with suitable experience and capability. Expressions of interest from individual divers or informal consortia are not sought at this stage. If you seek to express interest please email megan.worth@plymouth.ac.uk confirming you are able to meet the expectations. Any future procurement process will require bidders to submit detailed Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) outlining their proposed methodology, whether diver-based or an alternative technical solution. This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise is intended to understand market capability, potential delivery approaches, and indicative solutions. A formal tender opportunity is expected to follow in due course. ### Planning Information The University is seeking interest from established organisations with suitable experience and capability. Expressions of interest from individual divers or informal consortia are not sought at this stage. If you seek to express interest please email megan.worth@plymouth.ac.uk confirming you are able to meet the expectations. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103319-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 30 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 18 Nov 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 4 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 | | 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 | UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH | | Locality | PLYMOUTH, DEVON | | Postcode area | Plymouth | | Postcode | PL4 8AA | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK4 Devon | | ITL 3 | TLK41 Plymouth | | Local authority | Plymouth | | Electoral ward | Drake | | Westminster constituency | Plymouth Sutton and Devonport | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 37 - Musical instruments, sport goods, games, toys, handicraft, art materials and accessories - 63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services - 98 - Other community, social and personal services ### Codes - 37412240 - Diving instruments or accessories - 63725000 - Salvage and refloating services - 63725100 - Vessel-salvaging services - 98361000 - Aquatic marine services - 98363000 - Diving services ## Release History - 30 Oct 2026 at 15:02 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103319-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103319-2026 30th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/about-us/university-structure/service-areas/procurement ## 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-0794d4. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0794d4.json.