Scope
Description
Ards and North Down Borough Council seeks Participation Stage Submissions for the appointment of an Operator to operate Bangor Marina and Harbour situated in Bangor, Co. Down. Situated on the Belfast Lough, Bangor Marina and Harbour is one of the largest 5 Gold Anchor accredited marina developments on the island of Ireland. The 541-berth marina is accessible 24/7 at all states of tide and is home to an active fleet of leisure and commercial vessels. The marina attracts a considerable number of visiting vessels annually and is a real focal point within the City of Bangor, Co. Down. The operation of the Marina and Harbour has been outsourced to a private operator since 1 April 2008 with the latest agreement due to expire on 31 March 2026. An opportunity now exists for an experienced operator to take on the management of Bangor Marina and Harbour for an initial 30 month contract period with options to extend for up to a further 30 months. The potential overall contract period (including options) will be for no more than 60 months.
Total value (estimated)
- £6,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2028
- Possible extension to 31 March 2031
- 5 years
Description of possible extension:
The Contract start date is anticipated to be 1st April 2026 for an initial period of 30 months. There will be an option to extend the contract for a further 18-month period, followed by a final 12-month period.
However, due to the anticipated redevelopment works disruption of the marina, the exact length of each option period(s) will be agreed with the successful operator. The overall contract period (including options) will be for no more than 60 months from the 1st April 2026 and each extension will be subject to satisfactory performance and mutual agreement by both parties.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 98360000 - Marine services
- 98362000 - Port management services
- 79420000 - Management-related services
Contract locations
- UKN09 - Ards and North Down
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
As stated in procurement documents
Technical ability conditions of participation
As stated in procurement documents
Submission
Enquiry deadline
31 July 2025, 12:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
5 August 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Responses must be submitted via https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
3 November 2025
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 3 September 2029
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | As stated in procurement documents |
Quality | 55% |
| Revenue Schedule | As stated in procurement documents |
Cost | 40% |
| Social Value | As stated in procurement documents |
Quality | 5% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Concession
Competitive flexible procedure description
The contract will be procured in accordance with the Competitive Flexible Procedure as set out at Section 20(2(b)) of The Procurement Act 2023 (PA2023).
This Competitive Flexible Procedure will consist of the following stages:
Stage 1 - Participation Stage
Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender (inc Review of Draft Operation Agreement)
The first stage of this procurement procedure is the Participation Stage which will ascertain the capabilities and suitability of potential operators, ensuring tenderers have the necessary financial standing and professional & technical ability to deliver the Contract. Following evaluation of the Participation Stage submissions, the Council will invite those tenderers who achieve a 'Pass' rating to participate in the next part of the procedure, Stage 2 -Invitation to Tender (ITT). During the ITT stage, tenderers will be asked to provide comment on the Draft Operation Agreement prior to tender submission.
Contracting authority
Ards and North DownBorough Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTTZ-3295-PYCW
The Castle
Bangor
BT20 4BT
United Kingdom
Region: UKN09 - Ards and North Down
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland