Awarded contract

Helicopter Services for Aerial Surveillance in Support of Plant Health Operations

  • Forestry England

F03: Contract award notice

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-004274

Published 3 March 2021, 4:32pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Forestry England

620 Coldharbour Lane, Winterbourne

Bristol

BS16 1EJ

Email

arran.price@forestryengland.uk

Telephone

+44 0300067400

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKK - SOUTH WEST (ENGLAND)

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.forestryengland.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

National or federal Agency/Office

one.5) Main activity

Environment


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Helicopter Services for Aerial Surveillance in Support of Plant Health Operations

Reference number

FEE/0794

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Provision of helicopter services for aerial surveillance and photography for plant health purposes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

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: £1,500,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 34711000 - Helicopters and aeroplanes
  • 34711500 - Helicopters
  • 35612300 - Support helicopters
  • 35612500 - Search and rescue helicopters
  • 60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK - SOUTH WEST (ENGLAND)
Main site or place of performance

SOUTH WEST (ENGLAND)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

We will be awarding a framework agreement for the supply of helicopter services for aerial surveillance and photography for plant health purposes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This framework agreement requires provision of helicopter services for aerial surveillance and is therefore not suitable for suppliers of UAV (drone) services.

Due to the legal nature of the requirement for this tender we cannot provide precise financial estimates. We cannot forward forecast the occurrence of disease, any impacts or the budget we can make available. The value of this framework agreement could therefore change subject to these parameters.

Our objective for this framework agreement is to work in close association with the successful bidder to provide expert helicopter services for aerial surveillance and photography for plant health purposes. This will enable us to generate results that are of benefit to the whole forest estate in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This surveillance work is seen as key to improving the Forestry Commission’s knowledge of tree pest and disease progression and evaluating results of controls already implemented.

As the customer on this framework contract the Forestry Commission will aim to provide operational information to the Contractor as soon as it available to help with the successful completion of the contract. There is an expectation of rapid response from the successful bidder, upon our request, to provide piloted aircraft for the work detailed in the framework contract. Due to the nature of the work required and the time frame involved, a high degree of flexibility is required once a call-off contract has been issued.

Operational flexibility is required due to the variable timing of the spring leaf flush, weather conditions, disease progression, photographic conditions, and for contingency planning. A provisional plan will be drawn up between Forestry Commission’s Plant Health Forestry (Tree Health) contacts and the Contractor to cover the peak period of April to October but a high degree of flexibility will be required when consolidating the plan and providing rapid response to flight plan requests.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Service Delivery / Weighting: 25

Quality criterion - Name: Methodology / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Resources / Weighting: 20

Cost criterion - Name: Price per hour / Weighting: 40

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: 2020/S 228-563043


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

FEE/0794 (1st supplier)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

16 February 2021

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 3

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Castle Air Limited

Trebrown

Liskeard

PL14 3PX

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKK - SOUTH WEST (ENGLAND)
National registration number

03188994

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: £1,500,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,500,000


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

FEE/0794 (2nd supplier)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

16 February 2021

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 3

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

GB Helicopters

Pickmere Lane

Knutsford

WA16 0JJ

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKD6 - Cheshire
National registration number

09305615

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: £1,500,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,500,000


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.

To view this notice, please click here:

https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=570685912

GO Reference: GO-202133-PRO-17873917

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Forestry England

620 Coldharbour Lane, Winterbourne

Bristol

BS16 1EJ

Telephone

+44 03000676400

Country

United Kingdom