Planning

Technical Support Consultancy Services for Submarine Pipelines & Cables

  • INTERCONNECTOR SERVICES LIMITED

F04: Periodic indicative notice – utilities (periodic indicative notice only)

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-020606

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-047b1a

Published 5 July 2024, 1:35pm



Section one: Contracting entity

one.1) Name and addresses

INTERCONNECTOR SERVICES LIMITED

85 Ormeau Road

BELFAST

BT71SH

Contact

Hannah Keery

Email

Hannah.Keery@mutual-energy.com

Telephone

+44 2890437508

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKN06 - Belfast

Companies House

NI058161

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.mutual-energy.com/

Buyer's address

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/mutual-energy/aspx/Tenders/Forthcoming

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.6) Main activity

Production, transport and distribution of gas and heat


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Technical Support Consultancy Services for Submarine Pipelines & Cables

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 76522000 - Offshore supply-vessel services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Interconnector Services Limited (ISL) is issuing a Periodic Indicative Notice (PIN) in 'Find A Tender, advertising a proposed opportunity for the provision of Technical Support Consultancy Services for Mutual Energy's Submarine Pipelines & Cables

This PIN aims to provide an initial high-level summary of our base and potential support requirements for the period 2025- 2031, potentially 2025-2035, ahead of a formal Contract Notice being published in Find A Tender.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 71336000 - Engineering support services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKN - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance

Northern Ireland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

1. Contracting Entity & Assets

Interconnector Services Limited (ISL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mutual Energy Limited (MEL) (www.mutual-energy.com) which owns and operates critical energy infrastructure between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including submarine pipelines: Scotland to Northern Ireland Pipeline (SNIP), the Larne Lough Crossing (LLC) and the Belfast Lough Crossing (BLC), and the cable section of the HVDC Moyle Interconnector, a map of which can be provided on request. ISL exists to act as the contracting entity for services which are shared across the operating companies of the MEL Group, including the condition monitoring submarine survey.

2. Operational Phase Asset Integrity

A significant element of the condition monitoring of the submarine assets and their environs during their operational phase is geophysical survey. Early surveys were time-bound on installers recommendations (annual for pipelines, biennial for cables) but as the data accumulated, we moved to a more risk-based schedule (currently four-year intervals) and focused specification to capture relevant data, with the right technology, in the most cost effective manner (support and recommendations in this area which will be a base element of scope of the Contract).

3. Support Required

3.1 Term

The assets were last surveyed in 2022 and the next planned surveys are due 2026 and 2030. ISL seek Technical Submarine Consultancy Support/Advice to assist with the procurement and management of both surveys, minimum of six years 2025-2031, with the option to extend a further four years

3.2 Base Service

For planned geophysical surveys being procured by ISL, the Submarine Technical Advisor would be expected to

• Identify data requirements, advice on contract strategy and prepare the technical specification.

• Manage (technical and commercial) the survey contractor(s) including sourcing and deploying 'client representation' onboard the survey vessels for the duration of the survey campaign.

• Secure the required environmental permits and consents required for the works within both Scottish and Northern Ireland waters, including, if required, supplying fisheries liaison advice and support, and all necessary notifications such as Notice to Mariners.

• Assure the quality of data; video data, comparison charts, location of spans and exposures etc returned by the contracted surveyor.

• Assess the integrity of the submarine assets and their environment and, if necessary, recommend any remedial action to the assets as well as when they should be re-surveyed, including summary of results to third parties such as insurance underwriters.

3.3 Potential Additional Support

Should the submarine sections of the cables or pipelines be damaged, ISL might need to contract specialist submarine services, in which case, certainly at the early stages of response, ISL would rely upon the submarine advice and support of the contracted submarine advisor.

There may also be opportunity for the consultancy to advise on asset integrity management and enhance ISL's emergency preparedness.

Such Additional Support could be provided by variation to the contract and reimbursed on time and resource basis. The ability of contracting parties to provide 'Additional Support' support and associated day rates will be included in the competition.

two.2.14) Additional information

Next Stage

A Contract Notice will be published in Find a Tender and associated procurement documentation made available, to include a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) and a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), anticipated to be published in August 2024. This will be published via the Find a Tender website and conducted through our online tender portal, https://in-tendhost.co.uk/mutual-energy/aspx/Tenders/Forthcoming

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

5 August 2024


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of expressions of interest

Date

31 July 2024

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

English