CEFAS25-97 Contract for the provision of Hydrographic Expertise

The BEEMS (British Energy Estuarine and Marine Studies) programme is funded by NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited and Sizewell C Limited. Through this programme, Cefas provide authoritative scientific information on the marine and transitional waters in the vicinity of potential nuclear new build (NNB) power stations and require a competent Supplier to deliver the element described below.

Within the BEEMS programme, Cefas routinely manage, review, analyse and report on hydrographic surveys conducted by third parties to meet regulatory marine environmental monitoring requirements.

Surveys serve a range of purposes within the marine environmental monitoring programmes for Sizewell C (SZC) and Hinkley Point C (HPC) power stations. This includes bathymetric multibeam echosounder (MBES) surveys to examine:

• Geomorphological change of nearshore bars and sandbanks (including validation of remote x-band radar measurements of these features).
• Seabed change in dredging areas and dredge disposal sites.
• Scour around seabed infrastructure.

Requirement:

The Supplier will provide hydrographic services; covering specialist technical review and quality assurance of nearshore hydrographic survey data. Surveys are conducted by third parties as part of the marine environmental monitoring programmes for HPC and SZC NNB power stations. The work will be ongoing in nature, with an expected increase in survey activity in 2026. The projects are in varying stages of planning and as such, the Supplier could be required to take on work at any point in the project lifecycle. A kick off meeting will be held to discuss and agree the anticipated work requirement for each project.

The survey schedule is subject to change in accordance with weather, construction schedules and regulatory requirements. For SZC, surveys are expected to be at least quarterly throughout 2026 and likely to be similar in future years. For HPC there is no defined survey plan, but it is important that the Supplier can provide the required support as and when required.

Full details of the requirement can be found in the Bidder Pack.

Contract Details

Due to the nature of the work and the tight regulatory deadlines required to be met, Cefas is awarding the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) a Core Contract and is awarding 2 (two) additional Call-Off Contracts.

The Supplier awarded the Core Contract is contracted with the intention to deliver all Contract requirements for the duration of the Contract and any possible extensions. The Buyer has also awarded 2 (two) additional Call-Off Contracts to the Suppliers ranked in the next 2 (two) positions (2nd and 3rd) below the Most Advantageous Tender.

A Call-Off Contract will be used only in circumstances where the Core Contracted Supplier cannot provide the services. The Call-Off Contracted Suppliers will be approached in order of their ranked position (2nd, 3rd) from the evaluation process, to request provision of the required services.

The Core Contract is awarded on a call-off basis, up to a maximum value of £100,000 including VAT. Actual value is dependent on the work required.

The additional Call-Off Contracts are awarded based on no committed value or volume of work. Suppliers should understand that the Buyer may not award any work under the Call-Off Contract.