CEFAS23-02 Contract for the provision of Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) and associated services

Description

As part of the Blue Belt Programme, a Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) network has been established across the UK Overseas Territories. The supplier is contracted to provide unique BRUV systems, along with associated services. Since the start of the programme in 2020, BRUVS kits have been delivered to thirteen OTs, held in person and online training sessions, supported survey design, visited some of the OTs to provide fieldwork support, completed analysis, shared results and knowledge within the BRUVS network, and upgraded some of the BRUVS equipment with deeper water capabilities. During the next phase of the programme, the focus will be on survey delivery, analysis, continual improvement, knowledge sharing, increasing the reach of the network, and to begin to provide educational support to the current OTs. There is the possibility that South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and Sovereign Base Areas of Administration for Cyprus may join the programme, which would require new BRUVS equipment, training and potentially visits to support initial survey fieldwork in these OTs. Contract is awarded without prior publication as there is only one economic operator due to the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights. The rig design, software and associated AI analysis rights are owned by Blue Abacus and Cefas would not be able to purchase software / AI analysis compatible with this elsewhere. BRUVS supplied by the Blue Abacus are already used in certain Overseas Territories and this purchase for Cefas would ensure that by buying the same equipment, software and AI analysis services, the data will be collected and analysed consistently with data already collected and analysed in the other Overseas Territories. Purchase of these BRUVS would support the ability to create a cross territory BRUV network as part of the Blue Belt Programme. It is therefore critical that the data informing the management and conservation of a range of species and habitats is collected in a consistent, comparable and statistically robust manner.