Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UK Research & Innovation
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FL
Contact
Kate Richardson
Telephone
+44 7562167366
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK14 - Swindon
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Research
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
UKRI-3918 New England Shelf Hydrogeology
Reference number
UKRI-3918
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 76320000 - Offshore drilling services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.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 60 – 90 days (estimated) between May and August 2025. 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.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: 25,578,242.22 USD
two.2) Description
two.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
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- US - United States
Main site or place of performance
United States
two.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 60mm) from seabed to a total depth (TD) of 550 mbsf (meters below sea floor) at each of 3 pre-determined sites. Additionally, the project requires to drill (not core) 2 boreholes at 2 of the 3 pre-determined sites for groundwater testing and sampling at specific intervals selected using the results from the cored boreholes. The contractor will be responsible for supplying the vessel and personnel; and undertaking the drilling, coring and groundwater testing/sampling requirements.
Please see the Specification for full details.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical / Quality / Weighting: 70
Cost criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-025291
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
22 January 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 2
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Matrix Offshore Services, LLC
1661 Old Belfast Road
Lewisburg, TN
37091
Telephone
+1 9313596564
Country
United States
NUTS code
- US - United States
National registration number
001555286
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 25,578,242.22 USD
Total value of the contract/lot: 25,578,242.22 USD
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement. Procurement Contract Transparency Data: Redacted contract documents will be made available within the next 30 days on the UKRI website at: https://www.ukri.org/about-us/procurement-contract-transparency-data
To view this notice, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=905902719
GO Reference: GO-2025124-PRO-29220489
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
UK Research & Innovation
Swindon
SN2 1FL
Country
United Kingdom