UK-Edinburgh: Hire of helicopters with crew.
Northern Lighthouse Board
UK-Edinburgh: Hire of helicopters with crew.
Section I: Contracting Authority
I.1) Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
Northern Lighthouse Board
84 George Street, Northern Lighthouse Board, Edinburgh, EH2 3DA, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1314733131, Email: procurement@nlb.org.uk
Contact: Northern Lighthouse Board
Main Address: https://www.nlb.org.uk, Address of the buyer profile: https://www.nlb.org.uk
NUTS Code: UK
I.2) Joint procurement:
The contract involves joint procurement: Yes
In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not Provided
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No
I.4)Type of the contracting authority:
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity:
Other activity: Aid to Navigation for UK, Scotland and the Isle of Man
Section II: Object Of The Contract
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Bi-Lateral GLA Aviation Services Project
Reference number: GLA/HELI/2221
II.1.2) Main CPV code:
60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew.
II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
II.1.4) Short description: The procurement of the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Corporation of Trinity House (together the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs)) helicopter services support for their Marine Aids to Navigation Strategy to 2037 by providing the means to access and maintain their more remote Aids to Navigation. An effective helicopter service is a vital element in the provision of the GLAs’ service to the mariner: a reliable, efficient and cost-effective network of marine Aids to Navigation. The required outcomes of this contract are:
-A reliable, integrated, passenger and cargo (internal and underslung) service.
-A helicopter service which is able to recover from weather, aircraft technical failure and other disruptions to planned activities
-A service able to respond quickly and efficiently to casualties (light or other navigational aid failures) at any time and in any place in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
* Please note this contract is being procured as a Bi-GLA.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value: 59,360,000
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
34711500 - Helicopters.
35612300 - Support helicopters.
35613000 - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
60440000 - Aerial and related services.
34711400 - Special-purpose aircraft.
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
UK - UNITED KINGDOM
Main site or place of performance:
UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement: Key Requirements:
-Capable of landing on a helipad with a safe loading of four tonnes on a footprint of 250mm x 250mm.
-Capable of operating from the helidecks of the GLA vessels.
Task examples:
- A smaller task would be to carry two technicians with small tools and emergency overnight kit to a lighthouse in the morning and return later the same day; the radius of action is likely to be between 5 and 100 nm.
- A larger task might require twelve workers, their baggage and several tons of underslung material to be carried out in several trips from a vessel close by or an onshore location nearby and brought back a few days or weeks later. In practice there are a wide variety of tasks in terms of size, distance and complexity.
A task may change to include underslung loads at any time Underslung loads represent between 15 and 32% of the operational flying tasks per year (averaging 22%). They are usually flown from a GLA vessel close by or from an accessible point on the nearest mainland to reduce the distance and duration of the operation. The support of building and renovation tasks at lighthouses creates the requirement for a great variety of weights, shapes, sizes, and natures of underslung loads with different aerodynamic characteristics.
The helicopter service will be required throughout the operating areas of the two GLAs (except Gibraltar).
II.2.5) Award criteria:
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 55
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: Financial / Weighting: 35
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of these options:Following a period of mobilisation (expected to be from July 2026 to November 2027), the anticipated term of the ASP contract is ten (10) years from the service commencement date (expected to be 1 December 2027) with an option to extend for a further two (2) years
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
II.2.14) Additional information: The GLA Helicopters are to be twin turbine helicopters equipped, certified and capable of operating single pilot Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations and to operate under Sub-Part HOFO, capable of:
- operating from legacy helidecks of GLA vessels
- operating from sub-1D elevated lantern top helipad
- operating on rough and uneven ground (including ground with bird nesting holes and burrows).
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Competitive procedure with negotiation
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement: No
IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: No
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJEU: 2024/S 000-005884
IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice: No
Section V: Award of contract
Award Of Contract (No.1)
Contract No: GLA/HELI/2221
Lot Number: Not Provided
Title: Bi-Lateral GLA Aviation Services Project
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
V.2) Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 14/06/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1 (SME - as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC)
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
Contractor (No.1)
PLM Dollar Group Ltd (trading as PDG Aviation Services), SC157532
The Heliport, Dalcross, Inverness, IV2 7XB, United Kingdom
NUTS Code: UKM
The contractor is an SME: Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 60,000,000
Total value of the contract/lot: 59,360,000
Currency: GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information: To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1035979269
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/4D48H2YJ6T
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The High Court of Justice
Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL, United Kingdom
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Northern Lighthouse Board
Edinburgh, EH2 3DA, United Kingdom
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: An economic operator which suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty owed under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the High Court.
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Northern Lighthouse Board
Edinburgh, EH2 3DA, United Kingdom
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 03/07/2026
ANNEX A
I) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
1: Contracting Authority
The Corporation of Trinity House
Trinity House, Tower Hill,, London, EC3N 4DH, United Kingdom
Email: procurement@nlb.org.uk
Main Address: https://trinityhouse.co.uk
NUTS Code: UK
Section I: Contracting Authority
I.1) Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
Northern Lighthouse Board
84 George Street, Northern Lighthouse Board, Edinburgh, EH2 3DA, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1314733131, Email: procurement@nlb.org.uk
Contact: Northern Lighthouse Board
Main Address: https://www.nlb.org.uk, Address of the buyer profile: https://www.nlb.org.uk
NUTS Code: UK
I.2) Joint procurement:
The contract involves joint procurement: Yes
In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not Provided
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No
I.4)Type of the contracting authority:
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity:
Other activity: Aid to Navigation for UK, Scotland and the Isle of Man
Section II: Object Of The Contract
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Bi-Lateral GLA Aviation Services Project
Reference number: GLA/HELI/2221
II.1.2) Main CPV code:
60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew.
II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
II.1.4) Short description: The procurement of the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Corporation of Trinity House (together the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs)) helicopter services support for their Marine Aids to Navigation Strategy to 2037 by providing the means to access and maintain their more remote Aids to Navigation. An effective helicopter service is a vital element in the provision of the GLAs’ service to the mariner: a reliable, efficient and cost-effective network of marine Aids to Navigation. The required outcomes of this contract are:
-A reliable, integrated, passenger and cargo (internal and underslung) service.
-A helicopter service which is able to recover from weather, aircraft technical failure and other disruptions to planned activities
-A service able to respond quickly and efficiently to casualties (light or other navigational aid failures) at any time and in any place in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
* Please note this contract is being procured as a Bi-GLA.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value: 59,360,000
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
34711500 - Helicopters.
35612300 - Support helicopters.
35613000 - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
60440000 - Aerial and related services.
34711400 - Special-purpose aircraft.
II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
UK - UNITED KINGDOM
Main site or place of performance:
UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4) Description of the procurement: Key Requirements:
-Capable of landing on a helipad with a safe loading of four tonnes on a footprint of 250mm x 250mm.
-Capable of operating from the helidecks of the GLA vessels.
Task examples:
- A smaller task would be to carry two technicians with small tools and emergency overnight kit to a lighthouse in the morning and return later the same day; the radius of action is likely to be between 5 and 100 nm.
- A larger task might require twelve workers, their baggage and several tons of underslung material to be carried out in several trips from a vessel close by or an onshore location nearby and brought back a few days or weeks later. In practice there are a wide variety of tasks in terms of size, distance and complexity.
A task may change to include underslung loads at any time Underslung loads represent between 15 and 32% of the operational flying tasks per year (averaging 22%). They are usually flown from a GLA vessel close by or from an accessible point on the nearest mainland to reduce the distance and duration of the operation. The support of building and renovation tasks at lighthouses creates the requirement for a great variety of weights, shapes, sizes, and natures of underslung loads with different aerodynamic characteristics.
The helicopter service will be required throughout the operating areas of the two GLAs (except Gibraltar).
II.2.5) Award criteria:
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 55
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: Financial / Weighting: 35
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of these options:Following a period of mobilisation (expected to be from July 2026 to November 2027), the anticipated term of the ASP contract is ten (10) years from the service commencement date (expected to be 1 December 2027) with an option to extend for a further two (2) years
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
II.2.14) Additional information: The GLA Helicopters are to be twin turbine helicopters equipped, certified and capable of operating single pilot Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations and to operate under Sub-Part HOFO, capable of:
- operating from legacy helidecks of GLA vessels
- operating from sub-1D elevated lantern top helipad
- operating on rough and uneven ground (including ground with bird nesting holes and burrows).
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Competitive procedure with negotiation
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement: No
IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: No
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJEU: 2024/S 000-005884
IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice: No
Section V: Award of contract
Award Of Contract (No.1)
Contract No: GLA/HELI/2221
Lot Number: Not Provided
Title: Bi-Lateral GLA Aviation Services Project
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
V.2) Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 14/06/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1 (SME - as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC)
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
Contractor (No.1)
PLM Dollar Group Ltd (trading as PDG Aviation Services), SC157532
The Heliport, Dalcross, Inverness, IV2 7XB, United Kingdom
NUTS Code: UKM
The contractor is an SME: Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 60,000,000
Total value of the contract/lot: 59,360,000
Currency: GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information: To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1035979269
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/4D48H2YJ6T
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The High Court of Justice
Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL, United Kingdom
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Northern Lighthouse Board
Edinburgh, EH2 3DA, United Kingdom
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: An economic operator which suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty owed under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the High Court.
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Northern Lighthouse Board
Edinburgh, EH2 3DA, United Kingdom
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 03/07/2026
ANNEX A
I) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
1: Contracting Authority
The Corporation of Trinity House
Trinity House, Tower Hill,, London, EC3N 4DH, United Kingdom
Email: procurement@nlb.org.uk
Main Address: https://trinityhouse.co.uk
NUTS Code: UK