UK Research & Innovation: UKRI-3201 New England Shelf Hydrogeology

UK-Swindon: Offshore drilling services.


Preliminary Questions
   This notice is for prior information only: Yes
   This notice aims at reducing time-limits for receipt of tenders: No
   This notice is a call for competition: No
         
Section I: Contracting Authority

I.1) Name and addresses:
       UK Research & Innovation, Polaris House
       North Star Avenue, Swindon, Sn2 1FL, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 7562167366, Email: kate.richardson@ukri.orh
       Contact: Kate Richardson
       Main Address: www.ukri.org
       NUTS Code: UKK14
      Specifications and additional documents: As Above
I.2) Joint procurement:
   The contract involves joint procurement: No.
   The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No .

I.3) Communication          
   Further information can be obtained from: the above mentioned address    
   Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
      http://www.ukri.delta-esourcing.com

I.4) Type of the contracting authority    
   Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity:    
   Other activity: Research

Section II: Object
      
II.1) Scope of the procurement - 1
   II.1.1) Title: UKRI-3201 New England Shelf Hydrogeology    
          Reference number: UKRI-3201
   II.1.2) Common Procurement Vocabulary:       
      76320000 - Offshore drilling services.
   II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
   II.1.4) Short description:    
      The British Geological Survey (BGS), acting on behalf of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), requires a marine coring capability and suitable vessel to operate offshore New England, USA, for a scientific drilling, coring and groundwater sampling campaign for a period of between 75 – 90 days (estimated) between June and August 2024. This scientific coring project seeks to extend our understanding of the current and past states of fluid composition, pressure, and temperature in continental shelf environments. In many coastal settings worldwide, the distribution of freshwater within continental shelf sediments is far out of equilibrium with modern sea level. One of the most remarkable examples is found on the Atlantic continental shelf off New England where groundwater within shallow Pliocene-Pleistocene sand aquifers over 100 km offshore has low salinity (3000 mg/l or less). This project will test several hypotheses to help constrain rates, directions, and mechanisms of groundwater flow and chemical fluxes in continental shelf systems.          
   II.1.5) Estimated total value:       
      Value excluding VAT (give figures only) : 17,000,000 - USD
   II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No          
      Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: Not Provided       
      The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots: Not Provided

II.2) Lot Description          
   II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):       
      34514000 - Floating or submersible drilling or production platforms.          
      43124900 - Rock-drilling equipment.          
      45262422 - Subsea drilling work.          
      76340000 - Core drilling.       
   II.2.3) Place of performance:       
      Region Codes:               
         US - United States    
   II.2.4) Description of the procurement:       
      The project requires a contractor to provide a suitable platform from which to deploy coring apparatus to achieve near-continuous core samples (min. diameter 64mm) from seabed to a total depth (TD) of 550 mbsf (meters below sea floor) at each of 3 borehole locations. The contractor will be responsible for supplying the vessel and personnel; and undertaking the drilling and coring requirements.    
   II.2.14) Additional information          
      UKRI are seeking to engage with interested contractors prior to going to market. Contractors are encouraged to express their interest in the opportunity via the Delta esourcing portal. Following an expression of interest, contractors will be invited to a request for information exercise.    


II.3) Estimated Date of publication
         30/10/2023
      
      
Section IV: Procedure   

IV.1) Description       
   IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA )
         The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) - YES

Section VI: Complementary Information    
VI.3) Additional Information:       
   To view this notice, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=792967764
GO-2023726-PRO-23497675 TKR-2023726-PRO-23497674        

VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 26/07/2023