Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is seeking supply chain engagement ahead of going out to tender in September 2025 with contracts for bridge and reservoir inspections.

As part of the procurement process, FLS wants to engage with the market on a number of key issues to inform its strategy and specification. The organisation is encouraging potential bidders who are interested in contributing their views to complete an online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire.

FLS owns and maintains a number of structures across the estate it manages and intends to award contracts for the provision of Bridge Inspection Services and Reservoir Inspection Services over the next 4-5 months. FLS currently has a single contract in place for Bridge Inspections covering all Scottish regions within FLS, which is due to expire at the end of March 2026.

Inspections must be carried out for road-bridges, cyclebridges, footbridges and a small number of rural recreational structures such as viewing platforms, towers and board walks (raised timber structure). The road-bridges are nearly all single lane, and used mainly by forest and construction traffic, as well as the public.

FLS also owns and manages seven reservoirs that are registered with and regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011. Annual statements are sent to SEPA for only the 6 reservoirs rated as high or medium risk, and 4 of these 6 also require a 10 yearly inspection by an All-Reservoirs Panel Engineer. FLS requires a qualified Supervising Engineer or Engineers to be appointed for the six high and medium risk reservoirs to carry out the duties in accordance with section 50 of the Act.

These include carrying out annual inspections, giving notice to the reservoir manager of issues which might affect the safety of a reservoir, monitoring matters directed in any current Section 47 inspection or safety report and monitoring the compliance of the reservoir manager.

In case of emergencies, the Supervising Engineer, or a representative, must also be available to attend site to give advice etc. and advice may also be needed for FLS’s management of its smaller reservoirs.

FLS, which is looking to outsource the Reservoir Inspections due to an impending retirement of a staff member in December 2025, intends to award a contract for the provision of a Reservoir Supervising Engineer over the next 4-5 months.

The questionnaire is for information gathering and market engagement only - no information provided will be used to form judgements regarding supplier performance, capacity or capability under any current or future procurement process.

The contract will be tendered in the following Lots:

• Lot 1 Bridge Inspection - North Scotland (Moray & Aberdeenshire, North Highland, Inverness, Ross & Skye, Lochaber, West Argyll)
• Lot 2 Bridge Inspection - South Scotland (Tay, Scottish Lowlands, Cowal & Trossachs, Dumfries & Borders, Galloway)
• Lot 3 Reservoir Supervising Engineer - Scotland

Deadline for interested suppliers to participate is Monday 4th August 2025 at 1700 hours - click here to complete the online Supplier Engagement Questionnaire.

Suppliers can register interest and obtain any additional information visit the Public Contracts Scotland web site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=804585