Provision of Marine Survey Services

Description

The Loughs Agency, as Lead Partner for the MOSAIC (Multi-disciplinary Ocean Sensing for Adaptive International Conservation) Project, is seeking suitably qualified and experienced contractors to deliver a package of field-based ecological survey and habitat mapping services within the cross-border coastal and marine waters of Northern Ireland and Ireland. This tender supports the delivery of Work Package 2 of the MOSAIC Project, which aims to inform adaptive marine spatial planning through the development of habitat association models for threatened demersal elasmobranch species, including those listed under the OSPAR Convention. MOSAIC is a €8m, PEACEPLUS-funded marine research initiative (Project ID: PP00655) operating under Investment Area 5.2: Marine and Coastal Management. The project will deliver a multi-disciplinary, multi-sensor marine observation network across the Programme Area, with data collection underpinning species conservation strategies, policy engagement and cross-border cooperation. This procurement will commission a three-year field campaign beginning in Q1 2026 and will involve the design and delivery of coordinated in-situ ecological surveys using CTD profiling, eDNA water sampling, stereo baited remote underwater video (SBRUV) and micro-autonomous underwater vehicle (μAUV) deployments. It will also include responsibilities for survey logistics, data quality assurance and integration with project data management systems.