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CfT: Call for Tender for the Provision of Services in Trialling the Co-Use of Seaweed Infrastructure for Mussel Seed Collection

Name of Contracting Authority:
Bord Iascaigh Mhara - Irish Sea Fisheries Board ( BIM )
Title:
Call for Tender for the Provision of Services in Trialling the Co-Use of Seaweed Infrastructure for Mussel Seed Collection
CfT CA Unique ID:
BIM 2026-06
Evaluation Mechanism:
Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT)
Description:
BIM wishes to invite tenders for Provision of Services in Trialling the Co-Use of Seaweed Infrastructure for Mussel Seed Collection. The primary purpose of this tender is to investigate additional uses of seaweed farming infrastructure. While Ireland’s seaweed sector remains at an early stage of development, it is demonstrating growth potential, with increasing production units, expanding cultivated species, and a growing licenced footprint. However, structural and technical constraints continue to limit scale, including underutilisation of existing infrastructure. Addressing these constraints is essential to align national sector development with EU policy objectives. This project will directly address these challenges by demonstrating the co-use of seaweed cultivation infrastructure for mussel spat collection outside the primary seaweed growing season. Seaweed longlines are typically utilised between October and April, leaving infrastructure idle for significant periods of the year. Investigating the feasibility of using this infrastructure for mussel seed collection offers a clear opportunity to maximise asset utilisation, reduce capital costs, and improve farm-level viability. For the mussel sector, this approach has the potential to increase access to spat collection sites, reduce pressure on traditional collection areas, and improve resilience of seed supply. For the seaweed sector, co-use models can generate additional income streams, support earlier site activation, and improve overall economic sustainability. By trialling and evaluating these systems alongside direct seeding and new culture methods, the project will provide evidence-based guidance to support integrated aquaculture development and long-term sectoral growth. The project timeframe is 2026 until the end of 2027. This will facilitate the trialling and data capture of a number of seaweed and mussel growing seasons. For further information on this tender, please see the accompanying tender documents.
Procurement Type:
Services
CPC Category:
Directive:
2014/24/EU (Classic)
Procedure:
Open
CfT Involves:
A Public Contract
CPV Codes:
77800000-Aquaculture services
73112000-Marine research services
98361000-Aquatic marine services
98360000-Marine services
Contact Point:
procurement@bim.ie
Award per Item:
No
Inclusion of e-Auctions :
No
NUTS codes:
Estimated value (EUR):
200,000
Above or Below threshold:
Below
Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate:
20/03/2026 12:00
Deadline for dispatching invitations:
End of clarification period:
06/03/2026 12:00
Tenders Opening Date:
20/03/2026 12:30
Allow suppliers to make an online Expression Of Interest:
Yes
Contract awarded in Lots:
No
Contract duration in months or years, including any options and renewals:
30 months
Validity of Tender in days or months:
120 days
EU funding:
Yes
Multiple tenders will be accepted:
No
Date of Publication/Invitation:
20/02/2026 17:46
TED links for published notices:
Date of Awarding:
Language of publication:
EN
Number of openers:
Two