Marine Services Framework

Tender description

Crown Estate Scotland (CES) is now seeking to appoint suppliers who will be considered strategic delivery partners, to help us to deliver the Marine activities of the 2026-31 Corporate Plan. The three lots of expertise that CES require and have organised each as its own bespoke lot within a new Marine Services Framework: Lot 1 Technical Consultancy support Lot 2 Commercial and Economic support Lot 3 Seabed Leasing and Market Access Advice Crown Estate Scotland intends to appoint up to two suppliers per each Lot. Lot 1: Technical Consultancy Support Specialist advice To provide specialist advice and expertise on all aspects of offshore energy & infrastructure, aquaculture and marine ecosystem services areas, to support development function activities for all sectors, enabling activities and provision of technical due diligence. This work will typically include technical advice notes, reporting, and publications which will be shared by CES or in collaboration with partner organisations, or occasionally for internal CES use. This work will support production of sector profiles on the CES website, support in preparing tenant surveys, asset lifetime scenario reports, identification of commercial models for emerging sectors, and other similar commissions. Each project will have its own specific requirements; however, it should be assumed that all will require provision of project management. Additional information: Scotland Excel is acting on behalf of Crown Estate Scotland (CES) in the execution of this tender but will not be party to the contract or the management of the contract throughout its lifetime. Lot 2: Commercial & Economic Support Valuations/commercial terms advice To undertake periodic and as needed sector and/or project specific commercial reviews to inform the terms (e.g. rental) which will be applied to our seabed agreements. The terms require to be applied to each type of agreement (Exclusivity/Appraisal Agreement, Option Agreement, Lease and/or Licence) and offered in ad-hoc leasing and in leasing rounds. These commissions will typically require review of our leasing guidance documents, Heads of Terms, existing and model from agreements and other relevant policies. The specific terms to be considered include (but are not limited to): Leasing terms Application fees Option Fees Option Periods Limits on live option agreements at any one time Lease rental fees and/ or mechanisms Financial Security and liability requirements Estimated maximum loss requirements Insurance requirements Fee indexing mechanisms (e.g. CPI versus RPI) Open market rent assessments for operational leases These reviews will consider the background context within which the particular sector is developing _operating, including: current market conditions uncertainties in revenue support or business models value to the grantee arising from the rights (including in the context of specific project economics) Regulatory environments and frameworks (eg Ofgem frameworks for Regulated Assets) Specific to Energy & Infrastructure: consideration of grid reinforcements and associated grid curtailment payments; subsidy and/ or regulated asset regimes; and policy and process developments brought forward by Government and National Energy System Operator (e.g. connections reform). Specific to Aquaculture: updates to sea lice framework as result of industry legal challenge to SEPA proposed framework. Future offshore developments for finfish, shellfish &/or seaweed outwith 3 nautical miles Finfish Production Audit (current contract in place until end of Feb 2028) needing retendered Q4 2027 Additional information: Scotland Excel is acting on behalf of Crown Estate Scotland (CES) in the execution of this tender but will not be party to the contract or the management of the contract throughout its lifetime. Lot 3: Seabed Leasing and Market Access Advice Leasing Advice To work on sectoral market arrangements with an awareness of planning and regulatory environments to support leasing activities on an ad-hoc basis or in preparation for leasing rounds. CES leases seabed both on a ‘plan-led’ basis where a sectoral marine plan or equivalent policy is in place, or where no such plan exists, CES may lease seabed ‘ad-hoc’. Leasing requires market appetite and stakeholder engagement activity is important to ensure our leasing is attractive to potential applicants and partner organisations. Documents need to be developed which detail the leasing offer, and commercial terms such as application fee, Option Fee and lease rental mechanism. Applicant guidance notes are required to explain the application evaluation criteria and how submissions are scored. In all of our leasing processes we must provide clear explanation of how competing interest will be resolved. Additional information in the specification Additional information: Scotland Excel is acting on behalf of Crown Estate Scotland (CES) in the execution of this tender but will not be party to the contract or the management of the contract throughout its lifetime.