Scope
Description
The British Geological Survey (BGS), acting on behalf of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), requires a marine coring capability and suitable vessel to operate offshore southern North Sea, Netherlands or Denmark, for a scientific drilling and coring campaign for a period of 30 days (estimated) between June and September 2026 This scientific coring project seeks to extend our understanding of Earth's dynamics during the last 50 ice ages and the warmer periods between them. The North Sea Basin is an area that was heavily impacted by these ice age cycles as climate fluctuated between fully glacial to warmer-than-present conditions. The continuous sediment accumulation found in this marine environment should be thought of as a 'tape recorder' that contain an almost complete record of glacial-interglacial episodes, providing insight on Europe's past climate, ecology, and large river systems over the last ~3.3 million years. Relatively little is known about how Europe evolved during repeated ice age cycles. In this expedition, we aim to collect geological samples to gain insight into the baseline dynamics and thresholds for depositional and ecosystem regime shifts, as well as biodiversity turnover driven by rapid climate changes. This research will help us better understand the environmental responses to modern-day warming. The Contractor must be able to supply the full operational spread including a drill rig, the vessel, and all personnel required to operate the spread. The drilling platform must be capable of recovering core to at least 1200m below seafloor in shallow water depths (28m or 60m). UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice: 2025/S 000-014119
Total value (estimated)
- 15000000.00 EUR excluding VAT
- 15000000.00 EUR including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 December 2025 to 30 September 2026
- 10 months
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 76320000 - Offshore drilling services
- 76340000 - Core drilling
Contract locations
- DK - Denmark
- DK0 - Denmark
- NL - Netherlands
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
5 September 2025, 12:00pm
Tender submission deadline
5 September 2025, 2:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
To access this opportunity please click here: https://ukri2.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a1MTm0000077Z8HMAU&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County= Please note the following steps for accessing this opportunity via the Atamis eSourcing platform: 1. Log in or create an account here: https://ukri2.my.site.com 2. Navigate to the opportunity in the Find an Opportunity section of the site or via the direct access link above. 3. Select Register Interest (you will not be able to view the tender documentation without registering an interest). 4. Go back to the main menu and navigate to the My Proposals and Quotes section of the site. 5. Select the opportunity from the list. Tender Documents for download are found in the Documents tab.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
6 November 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical / Quality | Quality | 60.00% |
| Price | Price | 40.00% |
Other information
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Contracting authority
UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDQJ-7126-JDHG
Polaris House
Swindon, Wiltshire
SN2 1FL
United Kingdom
Contact name: Kate Richardson
Telephone: +44 1793442000
Email: nercprocurement@ukri.org
Website: https://www.ukri.org/
Region: UKK14 - Swindon
Organisation type: Public authority - central government