Isles of Scilly-Inter-Island Commuter Passenger Boat Service Contract - Round 2

The Council of the Isles of Scilly is inviting tenders from suitably experienced and appropriately licensed passenger boat operators to provide an Inter-Island Commuter Passenger Boat Service connecting St Agnes and St Martin’s with St Mary’s.

Operators are invited to tender for either individual route or both routes, providing opportunities for operators of different sizes and operating capabilities to participate. The Council will evaluate each route separately and may award individual contracts to different operators.

The service provides essential lifeline connections between the islands, particularly during the winter months when normal commercial services are reduced. It will support Council-facilitated travel, including Early Years, Home-to-School transport, children and young people's activities, Adult Social Care, discretionary concessionary travel and essential education-related employment journeys.

Service Options

The Council is seeking competitively priced proposals for two service options:

• Option A – Core Service (Minimum Requirement): Scheduled morning and afternoon return journeys supporting essential Council travel requirements, including specified Saturday journeys.
• Option B – Core+ Service: The Core Service plus an additional scheduled weekday community return journey, providing greater opportunities for residents to access services, shopping and other activities on St Mary’s.

Operators may submit prices for both options, with Option A representing the Council's minimum service requirement. Additional Council-instructed journeys may be commissioned where required, using the tendered unit rates.

The Council recognises that different vessels and operating arrangements may offer cost-effective solutions. Accordingly, proposals will be considered using appropriately certified vessels with passenger capacities suited to the identified demand, subject to meeting the relevant maritime safety, operational and safeguarding requirements.

Contract Periods

To recognise existing operating arrangements and encourage wider competition, the contract has been divided into two separately priced periods:

• Period 1 – Winter Service: 5 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, supporting essential commuter and community connectivity during the reduced commercial operating season.
• Period 2 – Academic Year Extension: 1 April 2027 to the end of the summer academic term in July 2027, providing the journeys necessary to support Early Years, Home-to-School transport and associated education employment requirements.

The Department for Transport has provided short-term emergency funding to support winter 2026/27 services. The Council is seeking a proportionate, reliable and affordable solution that maintains essential connectivity while providing operational evidence to inform future service arrangements.

Full service requirements, pricing schedules, evaluation criteria and tender documentation are available in the tender pack below.

Tender Timetable

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Operators wishing to arrange an individual supplier discussion on 23 October 2026 should contact procurement@scilly.gov.uk. Meetings of up to one hour may be arranged, subject to availability.

Tender Closing Date

Friday 30 October 2026 at 12:00 noon.

Tender submissions must be received by the deadline and in accordance with the submission instructions contained in the Invitation to Tender.

Tender Documents: Available below.