St Helena Government launches air service tender
The St Helena Government (SHG) announced today the commencement of the process to procure an air service provider or providers to the Island of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
SHG is seeking to award a contract or contracts to a suitably qualified organisation or organisations to provide regular air services to the Island, including a direct service between St Helena and Ascension Island to meet the needs of Saints and their employers on Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands.
The requirement is for a minimum of a weekly flight, operating throughout the year, to a recognised international hub airport or to an airport with direct connections to the UK or South Africa. There are a number of potential solutions for regular scheduled air services to and from St Helena.
SHG is keen to put in place a contract with a provider that offers the best possible air service for the Island, or indeed with a number of providers, whose combined services would ensure full access. This is a unique opportunity to provide regular scheduled air services to a small island and to get in at the start of the Island’s transformation.
SHG has today published an Information Memorandum & Request for Proposals (RFP) document to support the procurement process, plus an accompanying Excel form. Potential air service providers seeking further information are invited to view the document and annex on the Publications Page of the SHG website at: http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/publications/ or to contact Marc Lockley, Corporate Procurement Executive, via: marc.lockley2@sainthelena.gov.sh
Any requests for clarification of the procurement process must be received by 12.00hrs GMT on Friday 6 January 2017. SHG wishes to appoint an operator or operators using an aircraft type capable of landing on the southern approach (Runway 02), which involves a tailwind component. This will be for a period of time, while they continue to explore the potential for scheduled services into the northern approach (Runway 20). Relevant data from July 2016 on wind speeds is included in the Information Memorandum for potential operators and updates will be provided as they become available.
Whilst all dates are provisional and dependent on the outcome of the procurement exercise, SHG aims to award a final contract by the end of May 2017. The closing date for tenders is 12.00hrs GMT on Friday 27 January 2017.
In order to continue to provide security of access to St Helena, SHG is also pleased to announce the extension of the RMS St Helena service beyond 1 July 2017. Henceforth, the future schedule for the RMS will be published to operate for 12 months ahead, at any point in time.
The new RMS schedule can be viewed at: http://rms-st-helena.com/schedules-fares
Once scheduled commercial air services are fully established, the RMS will no longer be necessary and this service will terminate. SHG 7 December 2016
In November 2011, St Helena Government signed a Design, Build and Operate (DBO) contract with Basil Read (Pty) Ltd. The contract included £201.5 million for the design and construction of the airport, an additional amount - of up to - £10 million on shared risk contingency and £35.1 million for ten years of operation.
The project aims to provide air services to St Helena, fulfilling the UK Government’s commitment to maintaining access to the Island, and provide it with a real opportunity for economic growth through tourism.
Both the St Helena Government and the UK Government hope that this will lead to eventual financial self-sustainability for St Helena.