Tender

Torpoint Ferry Replacement Anchorages

  • Cornwall Council

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-016910

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03d63f

Published 14 June 2023, 3:44pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Cornwall Council

New County Hall

TRURO

TR13AY

Email

james.howarth@cornwall.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK - South West (England)

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.cornwall.gov.uk

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://procontract.due-north.com/Supplier/Advert/View?advertId=bb8b01c5-07b4-ec11-8113-005056b64545

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://procontract.due-north.com/Supplier/Advert/View?advertId=bb8b01c5-07b4-ec11-8113-005056b64545

Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at

https://procontract.due-north.com/Supplier/Advert/View?advertId=bb8b01c5-07b4-ec11-8113-005056b64545

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Torpoint Ferry Replacement Anchorages

Reference number

CORNWALL001-DN602425-87967751

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 45000000 - Construction work

two.1.3) Type of contract

Works

two.1.4) Short description

The Torpoint Ferry Service is the largest chain ferry operation in the world, carrying 2.4 million vehicles and 800 thousand foot passengers a year. It operates three chain ferries linking Plymouth with South East Cornwall, each vessel has a length of 48 metres and breadth of 20 metres and can carry up to 73 cars and 140 foot passengers.

With no means of steering each of the three chain ferries are guided across the Tamar Estuary between slipways sited at Torpoint and Devonport by a pair of 650m long parallel chains positioned 20 metres apart attached at either end to the slipways. Each ferry is propelled by two electrically driven chainwheels that draw chain into and through the vessel, the ferry being pulled through the water by the tension created in the chains.

To maintain steerage as the ferry decelerates and approaches the slipway, a system of pulleys and weights keeps a constant 6 tonnes tension in the chains which reduces lateral drift caused by tidal flow or wind.

The anchorage gantries that provide this constant tension system are time-expired and the entire system is due to be replaced.

The opportunity to do this occurs when every five years each of the three Torpoint ferries is removed from service for its mandatory refit.

This design and build contract seeks to provide a replacement suspended weight, constant tension anchorage, whether above or below ground level for both the Tamar and Lynher Ferry crossings (4 anchorages in all).

The Tamar Ferry refit is scheduled for April /May 2024 and the Lynher the same in 2025.

To complete the works the contractor is granted i) partial access during a preparatory period of 4 weeks prior to refit ii) full access for 6 weeks whilst the Ferry is away for refit and then iii) a period of 10 days for testing and commissioning on the ferry's return.

To align with the ferry refit programme the contract will commence in the Autumn of '23 with the detailed design. Subject to acceptance of the design by the Client the construction of the Tamar Ferry anchorages is scheduled for the Spring of '24 and a pause until Spring '25 for the construction of the Lynher's anchorages. The contract will be completed by June/July '25, approximately 21months duration in all.

The successful tenderer will produce an outline design which meets or surpasses the performance specification provided by the Client. As well as the clear functional requirement the client will also be swayed by designs that consider fully the ease with which the system can be inspected and maintained. The aesthetics may also be a matter of consideration - disguise, hide or even celebrate the engineering perhaps but uninspiring cladding will not win favour.

Cornwall Council is leading this procurement to procure the replacement anchorages on behalf of its Joint Authority owners in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Open Tender procedure.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £420,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 34000000 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
  • 42000000 - Industrial machinery
  • 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services
  • 51000000 - Installation services (except software)
  • 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK - South West (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Torpoint Ferry Service is the largest chain ferry operation in the world, carrying 2.4 million vehicles and 800 thousand foot passengers a year. It operates three chain ferries linking Plymouth with South East Cornwall, each vessel has a length of 48 metres and breadth of 20 metres and can carry up to 73 cars and 140 foot passengers.

With no means of steering each of the three chain ferries are guided across the Tamar Estuary between slipways sited at Torpoint and Devonport by a pair of 650m long parallel chains positioned 20 metres apart attached at either end to the slipways. Each ferry is propelled by two electrically driven chainwheels that draw chain into and through the vessel, the ferry being pulled through the water by the tension created in the chains.

To maintain steerage as the ferry decelerates and approaches the slipway, a system of pulleys and weights keeps a constant 6 tonnes tension in the chains which reduces lateral drift caused by tidal flow or wind.

The anchorage gantries that provide this constant tension system are time-expired and the entire system is due to be replaced.

The opportunity to do this occurs when every five years each of the three Torpoint ferries is removed from service for its mandatory refit.

This design and build contract seeks to provide a replacement suspended weight, constant tension anchorage, whether above or below ground level for both the Tamar and Lynher Ferry crossings (4 anchorages in all).

The Tamar Ferry refit is scheduled for April /May 2024 and the Lynher the same in 2025.

To complete the works the contractor is granted i) partial access during a preparatory period of 4 weeks prior to refit ii) full access for 6 weeks whilst the Ferry is away for refit and then iii) a period of 10 days for testing and commissioning on the ferry's return.

To align with the ferry refit programme the contract will commence in the Autumn of '23 with the detailed design. Subject to acceptance of the design by the Client the construction of the Tamar Ferry anchorages is scheduled for the Spring of '24 and a pause until Spring '25 for the construction of the Lynher's anchorages. The contract will be completed by June/July '25, approximately 21months duration in all.

The successful tenderer will produce an outline design which meets or surpasses the performance specification provided by the Client. As well as the clear functional requirement the client will also be swayed by designs that consider fully the ease with which the system can be inspected and maintained. The aesthetics may also be a matter of consideration - disguise, hide or even celebrate the engineering perhaps but uninspiring cladding will not win favour.

Cornwall Council is leading this procurement to procure the replacement anchorages on behalf of its Joint Authority owners in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Open Tender procedure.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £420,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

4 December 2023

End date

23 May 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: 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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

9 August 2023

Local time

3:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

9 August 2023

Local time

3:01pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Cornwall Council

Truro

Country

United Kingdom