Official UK procurement notice
Leasing Round 6 DIGITAL AERIAL SURVEY (DAS) SUPPLIER
Authority: The Crown Estate (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Crown Estate is procuring a single supplier to deliver a 24-month Digital Aerial Survey (DAS) programme for birds, marine mammals and megafauna across the Project Development Areas (PDAs) designated under Leasing Round 6 (LR6) of its offshore wind programme.
The requirement covers monthly survey flights using manned aircraft only, data capture, processing, species identification, analysis and reporting across all LR6 PDAs and associated buffer zones. Outputs must be suitable for use in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) and Marine Conservation Zone assessments for offshore wind development.
- How the procedure runs: This procurement uses the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. The process comprises two stages issued simultaneously. Stage 1: Tenderers submit a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) containing hard binary gateway questions (E1-E2) and scored gateway questions (F1.1-F1.6, minimum score 3 to pass). A fail on any gateway results in exclusion. Stage 2: Tenderers who pass all PSQ gateways submit a full ITT response evaluated on quality (60%) and commercial (40%) criteria, with a minimum score of 3 required on each quality question. The Crown Estate reserves the right to conduct a discretionary negotiation stage with the two highest-ranked Tenderers prior to preferred bidder selection, following which a Best and Final Offer may be requested. The contract will be awarded to the most advantageous tender. The PSQ can be accessed via: https://secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b5-4563-b7b6-529dcfeb28b7/requests/78622 The ITT can be accessed via: https://secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b5-4563-b7b6-529dcfeb28b7/requests/78623 The PSQ and ITT are issued simultaneously. Tenderers may therefore begin preparing their ITT response before receiving the outcome of their PSQ assessment. Tenderers should be aware that they do so entirely at their own risk. The Crown Estate will evaluate PSQ responses before ITT responses. A Tenderer that fails any PSQ gateway question - binary (Part E) or scored (Part F) - will be excluded from the procurement and its ITT response will not be evaluated, regardless of the stage of completion or submission of that ITT response. The Crown Estate accepts no liability for any costs incurred by a Tenderer in preparing an ITT response that is not evaluated as a result of PSQ failure. Tenderers must not assume that submission of an ITT response indicates that their PSQ has been assessed as a pass.
CPV: Engineering-related scientific and technical services · Environmental services · Offshore services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedPublished value£4,000,000
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Quality: 60%
- Cost: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality
- Cost
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 27 May 2026, 11:54 BST
- Last source update
- 7 Oct 2026, 16:59 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 2 Nov 2026
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-065346- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a5f0Find a Tender
- How it runs
This procurement uses the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. The process comprises two stages issued simultaneously. Stage 1: Tenderers submit a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) containing hard binary gateway questions (E1-E2) and scored gateway questions (F1.1-F1.6, minimum score 3 to pass). A fail on any gateway results in exclusion. Stage 2: Tenderers who pass all PSQ gateways submit a full ITT response evaluated on quality (60%) and commercial (40%) criteria, with a minimum score of 3 required on each quality question. The Crown Estate reserves the right to conduct a discretionary negotiation stage with the two highest-ranked Tenderers prior to preferred bidder selection, following which a Best and Final Offer may be requested. The contract will be awarded to the most advantageous tender.
The PSQ can be accessed via: secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b… ↗
The ITT can be accessed via: secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b… ↗
The PSQ and ITT are issued simultaneously. Tenderers may therefore begin preparing their ITT response before receiving the outcome of their PSQ assessment. Tenderers should be aware that they do so entirely at their own risk. The Crown Estate will evaluate PSQ responses before ITT responses. A Tenderer that fails any PSQ gateway question - binary (Part E) or scored (Part F) - will be excluded from the procurement and its ITT response will not be evaluated, regardless of the stage of completion or submission of that ITT response. The Crown Estate accepts no liability for any costs incurred by a Tenderer in preparing an ITT response that is not evaluated as a result of PSQ failure. Tenderers must not assume that submission of an ITT response indicates that their PSQ has been assessed as a pass.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 20 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
The PSQ can be accessed via: secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b… ↗
The ITT can be accessed via: secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b… ↗
The PSQ and ITT are issued simultaneously. Tenderers may therefore begin preparing their ITT response before receiving the outcome of their PSQ assessment. Tenderers should be aware that they do so entirely at their own risk. The Crown Estate will evaluate PSQ responses before ITT responses. A Tenderer that fails any PSQ gateway question - binary (Part E) or scored (Part F) - will be excluded from the procurement and its ITT response will not be evaluated, regardless of the stage of completion or submission of that ITT response. The Crown Estate accepts no liability for any costs incurred by a Tenderer in preparing an ITT response that is not evaluated as a result of PSQ failure. Tenderers must not assume that submission of an ITT response indicates that their PSQ has been assessed as a pass.
Timeline
27 May 2026 → 2 Nov 2026 · 9 dates- Planning notice published152 days ago27 May 2026, 11:54 BST
- Market engagement143 days ago5 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
The Crown Estate intends to undertake a structured programme of preliminary market engagement to inform the design of the forthcoming procurement for a Digital Aerial Survey (DAS) supplier as part of Leasing Round 6.
The scope of this engagement will cover technical delivery requirements (including survey methodology, aircraft and data acquisition approaches), commercial arrangements (including pricing models and contract duration), and legal considerations (including liability and third‑party reliance on survey data). Feedback is sought from suppliers with relevant experience and capability in offshore aerial survey and environmental monitoring.
Engagement will be conducted through a combination of:
A written Market Engagement Questionnaire (MEQ) issued to interested suppliers
Optional 1:1 supplier engagement sessions (virtual, via Microsoft Teams) to explore responses in further detail
The anticipated engagement period is May to June 2026, with 1:1 sessions expected to take place during this period at mutually agreed times. No in-person events are currently planned.
Suppliers wishing to participate should submit an expression of interest by contacting:
- Tender notice published108 days ago10 Jul 2026, 16:43 BST
- Submission deadline67 days ago20 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent20 days ago7 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published19 days ago7 Oct 2026, 16:59 BST
- Standstill ends10 days ago16 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 5 days2 Nov 2026
- Award decision expected byin 6 days2 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
Notice history
10 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 27 May 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published27 May 2026, 11:54 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published28 May 2026, 11:46 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published10 Jul 2026, 16:43 BSTUK4
- Published value published: £4,000,00010 Jul 2026, 16:43 BST
- Status changed to active10 Jul 2026, 16:43 BST
- Procurement method changed10 Jul 2026, 16:43 BST
- Deadline published: 20 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST10 Jul 2026, 16:43 BST
- Contract award notice published7 Oct 2026, 16:59 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete7 Oct 2026, 16:59 BST
- Contract signature expected2 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Published amendments (1)
n/a
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2026-05: 1 release · 27 May 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| APEM2 Nov 2026 – 30 Sept 2029 | £2,600,000 | 7 Oct 2026standstill to 16 Oct 2026 | Standstill |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3final-stage tenders | 3 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- APEM LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender