DfE - Aviation Route Development Scheme - Pre-Market Engagement

Tender description

In July 2019 DfE published research we had commissioned from Oxford Economics: ‘Improving Northern Ireland’s Aviation Connectivity’ which, inter alia, sought to identify a set of strategic routes which would help drive inbound tourism and business growth in NI. The Report identified the North American east coast, a Middle Eastern hub and short haul European connections as the three key route categories. Clearly, post COVID, this work will need to be updated. DfE now want to develop and implement a Northern Ireland Route Development Scheme (NIRDS) which will be focused on providing support to airlines, operating from NI airports, to enhance our international air connectivity. NIRDS will support new European, transatlantic and Middle Eastern routes to NI. DfE require the expert aviation consultants to provide quality, evidence-based advice and analysis. In advance of any procurement exercise to source a contractor for these services, A pre-market engagement exercise is being conducted now. The objectives of this exercise are to: • Gain initial supplier awareness of the business requirement, engagement and opinion, which will allow the Clients to critically assess the viability of this “requirement”; • Gain insight to the market possibilities and potential solutions; • Understand risks and issues not previously considered; • Inform any future procurement; • Prepare the market for any future procurement. **PLEASE NOTE: ALL COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA THE MESSAGING FUNCTION on eTendersNI, within this CfT, BEFORE 3PM ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2022.**