Source: https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a13c16-e696-73b7-a7ca-ea606b9dd881/ss17001-provision-of-a-gravesend-to-tilbury-ferry-service awarded GB open procedure Suitable for SMEs # SS17001 Provision of a Gravesend to Tilbury Ferry Service [Kent County Council](https://tendernation.io/buyers/kent-county-council) Estimated value £1,550,000 Published 19 Jul 2017 Deadline Closed 4 Sept 2017 ## Who can bid - Buyer says suitable for SMEs The buyer ticked “suitable for SMEs” on the notice. Anyone can still bid. - Open procedure Anyone can submit a full tender; there is no shortlisting stage. [More contracts for small businesses and VCSEs](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/for-small-businesses) ## About this tender This requirement is for the provision of a Gravesend to Tilbury foot passenger ferry service promoted by Kent County Council and Thurrock Council which will connect Kent with Essex, providing links for education, social and employment purposes. This ferry service has a history dating back to the 13th century. The ferry operator is required to provide a suitable vessel including appropriately licensed skippers and crew and implement a routine of regular inspection of the vessel associated machinery/equipment to facilitate a safe reliable operation, with minimum down-time. On average around 400 daily passenger journeys are made equating to 120000 journeys each year. It is essential that the vessel, including any contingency vessel is suitable for use on this particular route and can maintain the schedule in normal operating conditions and in compliance with all applicable merchant shipping legislation, codes and guidance as applied by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and any other relevant regulatory bodies including the Port of London Authority. This contract is to be established as a 'revenue guarantee' contract with all passenger revenue taken by the ferry operator being returned to the Council through an established mechanism. It is anticipated that this contract will commence on 6.11.17 and will continue for a period of 5 years (60 months) unless terminated in accordance with the Conditions of Contract on the Kent Business Portal. The estimated value of the contract is £1.55m. However with the potential for additional sailings, an ad-hoc Sunday Service and as significant development opportunities are realised on both sides of the river (thus increasing passenger revenue), the Council has estimated an additional £530,000 could be added to the contract value but no guarantee is given as to the actual value of the contract. The Kent County Council is the Contracting Authority however this contract will be accessed by Thurrock Council ([thurrock.gov.uk](https://www.thurrock.gov.uk)). Tenderers should consult the Forms for Completion and Service Specification and Instructions to Tenderers document for further information. Expression of Interest and Tender Process Expressions of Interest will only be accepted via the Kent Business Portal ([kentbusinessportal.org.uk](https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk)). In order to submit your interest in this opportunity please select the 'Login and register interest in this Opportunity'. Note that in order to successfully submit your interest you will first need to register for an account. After registration is complete and you have received your login details you should return to the advert for the opportunity and express your interest. You will then be emailed an invitation to submit a tender. Further guidance regarding how to use this portal can be found on the public attachments section on the Kent Business Portal. Please direct all questions and communication through the Kent Business Portal via the messaging facility. Read full description ## CPV classification Ferry transport services Source Contracts Finder (UK) [View official notice](https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/c1743a11-3b23-4a3d-be12-97c5d9d7afcc) Never miss a tender like this again Get AI summaries, deadline alerts and a bid pipeline for tenders matched to your business. Free to start. [Track tenders free](https://tendernation.io/register) [Buyer profile Kent County Council: past awards and live tenders](https://tendernation.io/buyers/kent-county-council) [Sector More Transport services tenders](https://tendernation.io/sectors/transport-services) ## More tenders like this [Public road transport services – Обществен превоз на пътници по автобусни линии от утвърдените общинска и областна транспортна схема от квотата на Община Болярово по обособени позиции · ОБЩИНА БОЛЯРОВО · 32 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-cce6-722c-8b81-3fb338df4c16/bulgaria-public-road-transport-services-obshhestven-prevoz-na-pietnici-po-avtob) [Special-purpose road passenger-transport services – Freigestellter Schülerverkehr 2026 - Los 1 (32 Teillose) · Landkreis Vorpommern-Greifswald - Der Landrat · 32 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-705c-730e-9638-a182878a38db/germany-special-purpose-road-passenger-transport-services-freigestellter-sch) [Public road transport services – Διακήρυξη Ανοικτού Δημόσιου Διαγωνισμού για την ανάθεση του αποκλειστικού δικαιώματος εκτέλεσης δημόσιων τακτικών \[αστικών / υπεραστικών\] οδικών μεταφορών επιβατών με λεωφορεία στην Περιφέρεια Ιονίων Νήσων με σύμβαση παραχώρησης δημόσιας υπηρεσίας σύμφωνα με τον Κανονισμό 1370/2007 ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΥΠΟΔΟΜΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΤΑΦΟΡΩΝ 35 days left 23 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-7386-725f-9e3d-7aac2f9800da/greece-public-road-transport-services-diakiriksi-anoiktou-dimosioy-diaghonismo) [Public road transport services – 7. Vergabeverfahren 2026 (Regiobus Telfs) · Verkehrsverbund Tirol GesmbH · 32 days left · 20 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-7d90-70a9-b2c1-026905abc450/austria-public-road-transport-services-7-vergabeverfahren-2026-regiobus-te) [Aerial and related services – Flugzieldarstellung Learjet · Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr · 38 days left · 26 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-6734-7381-b767-cb7cf02aaa43/germany-aerial-and-related-services-flugzieldarstellung-learjet) [Shipping operations – Prestations de collecte en mer et de transfert des sargasses fraîches, sur le territoire de la Martinique · GIP Sargasses - Prévention et Gestion des Sargasses en Martinique · 39 days left · 27 Nov 2026](https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a156a9-72d9-7111-963d-9bc3b2beabd5/france-shipping-operations-prestations-de-collecte-en-mer-et-de-transfert-de)