Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

Tender description

The purpose is to alert any interested Economic Operators that the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure intend to re-tender its contract requirements to provide a passenger and vehicle ferry service to meet all aspects of the Department's obligations to provide the lifeline service between Ballycastle and Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island. Rathlin Island is located 6 miles from the coastal town of Ballycastle, off the north-east Antrim coast of Northern Ireland and has a current resident population of around 120. The ferry service is a lifeline for Rathlin Island and a critical part of its ability to attract visitors. The Department considers that the following elements are essential requirements which must be included in the service: — Maintain the most recent summer and winter timetables as detailed at www.rathlinballycastleferry.com This timetable must be maintained as a minimum standard; — Vehicles must be carried on the Department's new purpose made MV Spirit of Rathlin (details of vessel are available at: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/new-ferries-planned-rathlin-and-strangford-ferry-services); — The period of operation must be 12 months of each year. A service must be provided on each and every day of the year, subject to agreed conditions and exemptions; — It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that the vessels and any relief vessel are suitable for use on the route and can maintain the schedule in normal operating conditions; and — The Contractor shall comply with all applicable Merchant Shipping Legislation enforced by the MCA. The contract duration will be for a period of 3 (three) years with an option to extend for a further 2 periods of 3 years each plus 1 final 12 month period (a maximum contract period of 10 years). The estimated annual value is 600 000 GBP to 750 000 GBP per annum. In addition to the MV Spirit of Rathlin, the Contractor must supply an additional vessel that provides a reasonably comfortable crossing for passengers, taking into account the likely all year round sea and weather conditions on the route. It must be capable of carrying at least 90 passengers in summer, with at least 35 of these in fully covered accommodation.