Operation & Maintenance of the Gull Wing

Concepts

• bridge operation
• gull wing across lake lothing
• ipswich
• scc
• abp
• gull wing
• highway maintenance
• maintenance of the gull wing
• operation of the maintenance of the gull wing
• maintenance elements of the contract

Location

Gull Wing, Lowestoft, Suffolk

Description

The Council appointed Farrans to construct the Gull Wing across Lake Lothing in Lowestoft. Prior to the completion of the construction Suffolk County Council (SCC) intends to appoint Associated British Ports (ABP) to undertake the operation and management and operation of the maintenance of the Gull Wing. ABP shall be given this responsibility for a period of 5 years, with the option to extend for up to a further 5 years. The awarding of the contract shall provide adequate lead in time prior to the bridge becoming operational in order to undertake training and implement a supply chain to undertake maintenance elements of the contract.

Total Quantity or Scope

The operation of and management and operation of the maintenance of the Gull Wing bridge in Lowestoft, Suffolk including but not limited to mechanical and electrical plant, the bridge structure and highway and associated maintenance.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 63712310 - Bridge operating services
• 45233139 - Highway maintenance work
• 45259000 - Repair and maintenance of plant
• 50230000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services related to roads and other equipment
• 50530000 - Repair and maintenance services of machinery
• 50712000 - Repair and maintenance services of mechanical building installations

Legal Justification

Suffolk County Council has determined that ABP are the only organisation that can successfully operate and manage the maintenance of the Gull Wing. This is due to ABP's unique position as the statutory harbour authority, the operator and first line maintainer of the A47 bascule bridge on behalf of National Highways and the operator of the Lowestoft port. Lowestoft port is a key economic hub within Lowestoft and Suffolk and the synergies that can be achieved from ABP operating both the existing bascule bridge and the Gull Wing will enable the port to remain efficient and grow the economy of Lowestoft and further afield. These efficiencies would be impacted by having a separate maintenance contractor(s) to the operator, as they would have conflicting pressures. 1. Separate operator and maintainer of the Gull Wing: There are potentially conflicting commercial pressures from having a separate operator and maintainer which could result in co-ordination difficulties and response times to issues adversely affecting road and marine traffic, and compromising the 120 year design life of the bridge. 2. Separate bridge operators for Gull Wing and existing Bascule Bridge: There are also potential navigational safety risks in having two separate bridge operators within the working port of Lowestoft, in particular the potential for the safety of vessels traversing both bridges being compromised by either coordination failures or a technical failure with equipment on one or other bridge, that is not known or understood by the other operator, this potential is increased due to the proximity of the 2 bridges and that they are both within the port of Lowestoft. Because of these conflicting pressures Suffolk County Council has concluded that to minimise the disruption upon Lowestoft and the port, ABP are the only organisation able to manage the maintenance of the Gull Wing in a manner that does not negatively impact on the economy of Lowestoft. ABP would contract with appropriately qualified third parties to undertake the maintenance of the mechanical, structure and highway elements of the Gull Wing and would be responsible for the timing of these activities to ensure the least disruption. Because of the above there is no competitive market. As such, Suffolk has decided to commence a negotiation directly with ABP to enter into a new agreement. Whilst Suffolk CC is confident that its analysis of these circumstances is correct, it remains committed to meeting its public procurement obligations and, in particular, its commitments to transparency and equal treatment. It is therefore filing this notice to ensure that no other service provider believes it could in fact meet the requirements as described above. If you do believe you can, then please contact us via martin.jennings@suffolk.gov.uk for a more detailed discussion.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** Suffolk County Council reserves the right to procure repeat requirements of a similar nature without a further call for competition pursuant to Regulation 32 of the public contracts Regulations 2015 (or such similar provisions as shall be in force in England & Wales at that time).