Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2016-11-09
Buyer: Transport Scotland South East
Country: UK
Region: Edinburgh, City of
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Restricted procedure
CPV classification: 43321000 | 44212100 | 44212110 | 44212120 | 71630000
Estimated value: 3000000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2016-12-08
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Transport Scotland wishes to appoint a suitably experienced contractor to undertake an internal inspection and investigation of the main suspension cables on the Forth Road Bridge.
Transport Scotland is an agency of the Scottish Government and contracts in the name of and on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland has identified the requirement to appoint a Main Contractor to undertake an internal inspection and investigation of the main suspension cables at the Forth Road Bridge. These works are due to commence in Spring 2017, for a period of approximately 18 months, with a winter shutdown at some time during the period 1.11.2017 — 31.3.2018.
The Main Contractor will be procured through a competitive tender procedure, in accordance with the restricted procedure as stated in the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Due to project complexity, the project requires to be performed by a single contractor and as such shall not be divided into lots.
To be considered for this contract economic operators are required to complete the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) in accordance with this Contract Notice. Economic operators shall be evaluated in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, on the basis of information they have provided within the ESPD.
The Forth Road Bridge spans the Firth of Forth and carries the A90 Trunk Road between Fife and Lothian. The bridge consists of two approach viaducts and a suspension bridge which forms the main section of the structure.
The main span is 1006 metres long with side spans each of 408 metres. The deck is an open steel truss with an orthotropic stiffened plate on the main span and a reinforced concrete slab on the side spans. The suspended truss is supported by two aerially spun cables each of approximately 590mm diameter.
Following work which had been undertaken in the USA, the first internal inspection of the main cables on the Bridge was undertaken in 2004 following the recommendations of NCHRP Report 534 (Guidelines for Inspection and Strength Evaluation of Suspension Bridge Parallel Wire Cables).
Each of the main cables was opened in 5 locations (3 low level and 2 high level). The low level locations were accessed from scaffolds and the high level locations from specially constructed steel platforms.
Following the inspection, the strength of the cables were evaluated using the NCHRP Brittle Wire model.
In 2006 an acoustic monitoring system was installed on the main cables of the Bridge to monitor the number of wire breaks in the main cables.
In 2006, a contract was also awarded to install a dehumidification system to the main cables. This involved sealing the main cables to make them air tight and then pumping dehumidified air through the voids, between the individual wires which make up the cables. The 2nd internal inspection of the main cables was included within the main cable dehumidification works contract to allow the condition of the cables to be ascertained prior to the commissioning of the dehumidification system. This project was completed towards the end of 2009.
In 2012 the 3rd internal inspection of the main cables was undertaken. This involved unwrapping a total of 8 No panels to allow inspection of the internal wires.
— Removal, reinstatement and recommissioning of main cable dehumificiation and acoustic monitoring equipment.
It is intended that 5 economic operators be taken forward to tender stage. These economic operators shall be those who have:
(a) Minimum Levels of Ability — provided evidence of working on specified types of projects over a specified value; and

Eligibility requirements: Economic operators will be evaluated in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, on the basis of information provided within the ESPD. Economic operators must be enrolled in the relevant professional or trade registers kept in the Member state of its establishment (as described in Schedule 5 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015) (e.g. registered under Companies House). Economic operators should provide details under Question Ref. 4A.1. Furthermore, economic operators' site staff to be accredited under the Construction Skills Construction Safety Scheme (CSCS) or equivalent; and in performing the project shall ensure that all fabricated and completed steelwork shall be CE Marked. Economic operators should provide details under Question Ref. 4C.6 and 4C.12, in accordance with the requirements of this Contract Notice.

Award value: 3000000