Planning

Bridge & Reservoir Inspections

  • Forestry and Land Scotland

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-040632

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05609b

Published 16 July 2025, 4:15pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Forestry and Land Scotland

Great Glen House, Leachkin Road

Inverness

IV3 8NW

Email

procurement@forestryandland.gov.scot

Telephone

+44 3000676000

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM - Scotland

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://forestryandland.gov.scot

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA30371

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Environment


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Bridge & Reservoir Inspections

Reference number

FLS-1730

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 77300000 - Horticultural services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

FLS owns and maintains structures across the estate it manages. FLS intends to award Contracts for provision of Bridge Inspection Services and Reservoir Inspection Services over the next 4-5 months. FLS currently has a single contract in place for Bridge Inspections covering all Scottish regions within FLS, which is due to expire at the end of March 2026. FLS is looking to outsource the Reservoir Inspections due to an impending retirement of a staff member in December 2025.

This PIN notice is for prior information and market engagement only. Potential bidders who are interested in contributing their views are encouraged to complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire. Please complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire, the link is contained within the PIN document attachment or accessible via the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=R3T3DoMQ7E24nyfHZQdoQDcUqmwi_gJJo-vxU7irx_xUNjZKT0xJRE1ITEk2R0E2VVA1NlNMVlQ5TS4u

Responses must be submitted no later than Monday 4th August 2025 at 1700 hours.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Bridge Inspection - South Scotland (Tay, Scottish Lowlands, Cowal & Trossachs, Dumfries & Borders, Galloway)

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 77300000 - Horticultural services
  • 71631450 - Bridge-inspection services
  • 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
  • 71631400 - Technical inspection services of engineering structures

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM9 - Southern Scotland
  • UKM8 - West Central Scotland
  • UKM7 - Eastern Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) owns and maintains structures across the estate it manages. FLS intends to award Contracts for the provision of Bridge Inspection Services over the next 4-5 months. FLS requires inspections to be carried out for road-bridges, cycle-bridges, footbridges and a small number of rural recreational structures such as viewing platforms, towers and board walks (raised timber structure). The road-bridges are nearly all single lane, and used mainly by forest and construction traffic, as well as the public.

FLS operates an inspection regime for these structures to ensure that they remain safe to use. The PIN document (attached as additional information) provides further information on the requirements.

As part of our procurement process, we are engaging with the market on a number of key matters to inform our strategy and specification. We are therefore encouraging potential bidders who are interested in contributing their views to complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire. Please complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire, the link is contained within the PIN document attachment or accessible via the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=R3T3DoMQ7E24nyfHZQdoQDcUqmwi_gJJo-vxU7irx_xUNjZKT0xJRE1ITEk2R0E2VVA1NlNMVlQ5TS4u

Responses must be submitted no later than Monday 4th August 2025 at 1700 hours.

This PIN Notice and associated questionnaire is for information gathering and market engagement only, this is not a call for competition and response to the questionnaire will not constitute any form of contract, or commitment to contract from FLS.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Bridge Inspection - North Scotland (Moray & Aberdeenshire, North Highland, Inverness, Ross & Skye, Lochaber, West Argyll)

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 77300000 - Horticultural services
  • 71631450 - Bridge-inspection services
  • 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
  • 71631400 - Technical inspection services of engineering structures

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM5 - North Eastern Scotland
  • UKM61 - Caithness & Sutherland and Ross & Cromarty
  • UKM62 - Inverness & Nairn and Moray, Badenoch & Strathspey
  • UKM63 - Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh, Arran & Cumbrae and Argyll & Bute

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) owns and maintains structures across the estate it manages. FLS intends to award Contracts for the provision of Bridge Inspection Services over the next 4-5 months. FLS requires inspections to be carried out for road-bridges, cycle-bridges, footbridges and a small number of rural recreational structures such as viewing platforms, towers and board walks (raised timber structure). The road-bridges are nearly all single lane, and used mainly by forest and construction traffic, as well as the public.

FLS operates an inspection regime for these structures to ensure that they remain safe to use. The PIN document (attached as additional information) provides further information on the requirements.

As part of our procurement process, we are engaging with the market on a number of key matters to inform our strategy and specification. We are therefore encouraging potential bidders who are interested in contributing their views to complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire. Please complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire, the link is contained within the PIN document attachment or accessible via the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=R3T3DoMQ7E24nyfHZQdoQDcUqmwi_gJJo-vxU7irx_xUNjZKT0xJRE1ITEk2R0E2VVA1NlNMVlQ5TS4u

Responses must be submitted no later than Monday 4th August 2025 at 1700 hours.

This PIN Notice and associated questionnaire is for information gathering and market engagement only, this is not a call for competition and response to the questionnaire will not constitute any form of contract, or commitment to contract from FLS.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Reservoir Supervising Engineer - Scotland

Lot No

3

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 77300000 - Horticultural services
  • 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
  • 71631400 - Technical inspection services of engineering structures
  • 71631460 - Dam-inspection services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance

Loch an Torr (West Argyll);

Lochan A Ghleannain (Cowal & Trossachs);

Glencoe Lochan (Lochaber);

Loch Sheilah (North Highlands);

Loch Horn (Tay);

Bruntis Loch (Galloway).

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) owns and manages 7 no. reservoirs that are registered with and regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011. Annual statements are sent to SEPA for only the 6 reservoirs rated as high or medium risk, and 4 of these 6 also require a 10 yearly inspection by an All-Reservoirs Panel Engineer. For this contract we require a qualified Supervising Engineer or Engineers to be appointed for the 6 high and medium risk reservoirs to carry out the duties in accordance with section 50 of this Act. This includes carrying out annual inspections, giving notice to the reservoir manager (FLS) of things which might affect the safety of a reservoir, monitoring matters directed in any current Section 47 inspection or safety report and monitoring the compliance of the reservoir manager.

In case of emergencies. the Supervising Engineer, or a representative, must also be available to attend site to give advice etc. There may also be other occasions when the Supervising Engineer must provide advice or attend site outwith of the normal Section 50 process, and advice may also be needed for FLS’s management of our smaller reservoirs.

FLS intends to award a Contract for the provision of a Reservoir Supervising Engineer over the next 4-5 months. The PIN document (attached as additional information) provides further information on the requirements.

As part of our procurement process, we are engaging with the market on a number of key matters to inform our strategy and specification. We are therefore encouraging potential bidders who are interested in contributing their views to complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire. Please complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire, the link is contained within the PIN document attachment or accessible via the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=R3T3DoMQ7E24nyfHZQdoQDcUqmwi_gJJo-vxU7irx_xUNjZKT0xJRE1ITEk2R0E2VVA1NlNMVlQ5TS4u

Responses must be submitted no later than Monday 4th August 2025 at 1700 hours.

This PIN Notice and associated questionnaire is for information gathering and market engagement only, this is not a call for competition and response to the questionnaire will not constitute any form of contract, or commitment to contract from FLS.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

5 September 2025


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: Yes


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Please complete the Supplier Engagement Questionnaire, the link is contained within the PIN document attachment or accessible via the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=R3T3DoMQ7E24nyfHZQdoQDcUqmwi_gJJo-vxU7irx_xUNjZKT0xJRE1ITEk2R0E2VVA1NlNMVlQ5TS4u

Responses must be submitted no later than Monday 4th August 2025 at 1700 hours.

This Prior Information Notice (PIN) and associated questionnaire is for information gathering and market engagement only, this is not a call for competition and response to this questionnaire will not constitute any form of contract, or commitment to contract from Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS).

No information provided in response to this PIN will be used to form judgements regarding supplier performance, capacity or capability under any current or future procurement process. FLS are aware that your responses may contain commercially sensitive information pertaining to your business. All information submitted in response to this PIN may need to be disclosed and/or published by FLS. FLS may disclose information in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2022 (the Act). Accordingly, if you consider that any of the information provided in your response is commercially confidential, please identify it and explain what harm might result from its disclosure and/or publication. It should be noted that, even where you have indicated that information is commercially sensitive, FLS may disclose this information in accordance with the provision of the Act or any other legal duty.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=804585.

(SC Ref:804585)