Published date: 6 July 2023

This notice was replaced on 6 July 2023

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Opportunity (published 6 July 2023, last edited 2 August 2023)

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Mackerel - 15241500

  • Fishing, emergency and other special vessels - 34513000

  • Fishing vessels - 34513100

    • Hire of vessels with crew - 60651000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£700,000 to £840,000

Procurement reference

CF-0102100D8d000003VQwdEAG

Published date

6 July 2023

Closing date

7 August 2023

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

4 September 2023

Contract end date

3 September 2027

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

North East Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus), is a widely distributed stock which exhibits significant seasonal migrations. Having a solid understanding of these migrations, including occupancy of different areas, is critical to successfully managing the stock. To better understand stock movements, Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tags have been deployed in mackerel on the West coast of the UK and Ireland by Norway since 2011. However, areas of the North Sea are not included in Norway's tagging survey. Our study will aim to deploy tags in the North Sea, providing additional data to the international effort to understand stock characteristics, which will facilitate sustainable management of mackerel. Cefas require a suitable vessel to support the capture of mackerel and deployment of PIT tags in the North Sea. Cefas plan to deploy up to 15,000 tags on live mackerel and will provide a minimum of 6 personnel to tag the fish, working with the vessel to deliver the scientific objectives of the survey.

The exact mobbing, transit, sea-days and demobbing dates will be agreed between Cefas and the skipper, but the days at sea will need to fall between the 11th September and 19th September 2023 due to scientific staff availability. The vessel must be available for seven consecutive days at sea within this period. The 2023 survey duration is 7 days but may be increased to cover bad weather days.

Subject to confirmation of funding, further surveys in subsequent years may be required. If confirmed, these will likely be conducted within the same time period each year. Subject to funding the duration of future surveys may be extended to approximately 14 days. The Contract could therefore be extended to undertake surveys for up to a further 3 years, however each extension period will be confirmed on an annual basis subject to confirmation of funding.

Download the Bidder Pack at https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome and search for CEFAS23-97 under opportunities.

About the buyer

Contact name

Jade Peek

Address

Pakefield Road
Lowestoft
NR33 0HT
United Kingdom

Email

procure@cefas.co.uk