---
title: "Provision for Public Service Obligation Air Services"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "Argyll and Bute Council"
published: "2026-10-23"
---

# Provision for Public Service Obligation Air Services

Buyer: Argyll and Bute Council  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446

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## Summary

Argyll and Bute Council is seeking one operator to run scheduled passenger air services linking Oban with Coll, Colonsay and Tiree. The work covers the full operation and management of the routes: aircraft and crew, maintenance, bookings and ticketing, customer service, marketing, performance reporting and related operational activities. The services are intended to provide safe, reliable and resilient air links for island communities, supporting access to education, healthcare, essential services and employment, as well as tourism and economic development. Delivery is across the Oban–Coll–Colonsay–Tiree routes in Argyll and Bute. This is a passenger air transport service, rather than an aircraft supply contract.

The Council invited offers through an open procedure for a single operator. The tender submission deadline was 15 January 2027 at 12:00, with bids submitted electronically; the contract is scheduled to run from 16 September 2027 to 15 September 2031. The maximum available Council subsidy is £1,977,796, and a tenderer's proposed contract price must not exceed it. The Council may extend the contract by up to two years, subject to satisfactory performance and agreement with the contractor. The stated evaluation gives 54 points to the service proposal and 10% to price. The tender includes suitability and technical selection criteria, and execution is reserved to a particular profession. Variants are not allowed.

This opportunity is suited to an established air operator able to deliver scheduled island passenger services as a complete operating service, rather than a supplier providing only aircraft or a single supporting function. Bidders need the operational capability to provide aircraft and crew, maintain aircraft, manage reservations and ticketing, and deliver passenger service, marketing and performance reporting. The routes require reliable service across island communities and the ability to support essential travel as well as tourism and local economic activity. The technical selection criteria reserve execution to a particular profession, so bidders must be able to meet the relevant professional requirements set out in the tender. The contract is awarded to one operator; a suitable bidder therefore needs the capacity to take responsibility for the integrated service across all four destinations.

## Notice

Argyll and Bute Council is seeking to appoint a single operator to deliver Public Service Obligation (PSO) Air Services connecting Oban with the islands of Coll, Colonsay and Tiree. The Contract is for a four-year period commencing on 16 September 2027 and ending on 15 September 2031. The Services are intended to provide safe, reliable, resilient and financially sustainable air connectivity for island communities, supporting access to education, healthcare, essential services, employment, tourism and economic development. The successful Operator shall be responsible for the operation, management and delivery of the scheduled air services, including aircraft, crew, maintenance, booking and ticketing arrangements, customer service, marketing, performance reporting and associated operational activities in accordance with the Contract requirements.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Argyll and Bute Council seeks to appoint a single operator to provide Public Service Obligation (PSO) Air Services between Oban, Coll, Colonsay and Tiree for a four-year period commencing 16 September 2027. The Contract covers the operation of safe, reliable and resilient scheduled passenger air services supporting connectivity, education, healthcare, economic development and tourism for the island communities served.. The subsidy represents the maximum funding available from the Council. The Contract Price is the amount proposed by the Tenderer to deliver the Services and must not exceed the maximum subsidy available.

Renewal: The Council anticipates that any successor contract shall be awarded no later than six (6) months prior to the expiry of the Contract to allow an appropriate mobilisation and transition period The Contract may be extended for a further period of up to two (2) years at the Council's discretion, subject to satisfactory performance and following agreement with the Contractor.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT567240 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F2 - Contract 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 | 23 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 15 Jan 2027 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 16 Sep 2027 - 15 Sep 2031 |
| Recurrence | Approximated 2 years and 6 months to 3 years. |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1,977,796 |
| Lots value | £1,977,796 |
| 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 | Argyll and Bute Council |
| Locality | LOCHGILPHEAD |
| Postcode area | Paisley |
| Postcode | PA31 8RT |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands |
| ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands |
| Local authority | Argyll and Bute |
| Electoral ward | Mid Argyll |
| Westminster constituency | Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber |
| Delivery location | TLM63 Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Arran and Cumbrae, and Argyll and Bute |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60400000 - Air transport services

## Release History

- 23 Oct 2026 at 01:00 - Tender - OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT567240

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT567240
  Provision for Public Service Obligation Air Services - Argyll and Bute Council is seeking to appoint a single operator to deliver Public Service Obligation (PSO) Air Services connecting Oban with the islands of Coll, Colonsay and Tiree. The Contract is for a four-year period commencing on 16 September 2027 and ending on 15 September 2031. The Services are intended to provide safe, reliable, resilient and financially sustainable air connectivity for island communities, supporting access to education, healthcare, essential services, employment, tourism and economic development. The successful Operator shall be responsible for the operation, management and delivery of the scheduled air services, including aircraft, crew, maintenance, booking and ticketing arrangements, customer service, marketing, performance reporting and associated operational activities in accordance with the Contract requirements.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=846446
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446
- https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-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-r6ebe6-0000846446. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000846446.json.