Cairnryan Inland Border Facility

Following the end of the EU Exit implementation period on 31 December 2020, goods entering the UK from the EU are now subject to the same border entry requirements and controls as goods from the rest of the world. Enforcement is delivered through inspection facilities located at Inland Border Facilities (IBFs) which carry out Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) checks and customs compliance checks at major ports.

These amenities are much more than merely inspection/warehouse facilities, they must comply with the retained EU Official Controls Regulations (OCR – Retained EU Regulation 1/2005) with biosecurity measures to prevent cross-consignment and external contamination. They must also be equipped to accept the bio-secure unloading of a wide range of commodities (products of animal origin, allergens, animal by-products, plants and plant products and a variety of live animals) from the full range of commercial vehicles (HGVs, vans, ISO containers, curtain sided trailers, animal trailers etc.).

In addition, under the Customs and Excise Management Act and Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Act, the facilities may also be required to act as a Government office of departure (for outbound journeys) and/or a Government office of destination (for inbound journeys), where hauliers can start and end journeys when moving goods in and out of the UK, under the Common Transit Convention (CTC – also referred to as Transit). They can also be used for Admission Temporaire or Temporary Admission (ATA) Carnets, Transport International Routiers (TIR) Carnets and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) checks

Scottish Ministers are responsible for the enforcement of checks on animals, plants, plant products, product of animal origin and high risk foods not of animal origin in Scotland and require an IBF close to the ferry terminals at Cairnryan and Loch Ryan (henceforth Cairnryan referring to both) a major port of entry to Scotland from the island of Ireland.

In most cases port operators provide the necessary infrastructure. However, the ferry terminals at Cairnryan do not have the physical space to accommodate additional facilities and so in accordance with the UK Border Operating Model, it is for Government to provide facilities at an inland site.

Scottish Ministers will be the contracting authority and are seeking to appoint Contractors to:

I. Construct a structure capable as operating as an IBF by late summer 2022 (indicative date). A site has not yet been identified however it is expected that the facility will be an entirely new structure however the construction work will include all aspects of associated civil engineering/ground works including but not limited to electricity/water/sewerage/telecoms

II. Provide Hard and Soft Facilities Management services

III. Provide Operations services including site security, traffic marshalling, logistics etc.

It is anticipated that the facility will be operational for at least five years and it is Scottish Ministers’ intention to award the operation and maintenance contracts to cover the full five year duration. Should the site be operational beyond the initial five year term there will be a new tender exercise for Facilities Management and Operations requirements. Additional information: SPPD is using Questback to collate responses, Suppliers and other interested parties should read and complete the following Request for Information Online Questionnaire using the link below:

response.questback.com/dynamic/scottishgove… ↗

The questionnaire will be available for all interested parties until 18 June 2021 at 17:00.