Germany – Environmental management – Ecological investigations of the environmental receptors benthos, biotopes and fish in the German Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Sea for the preliminary site investigation

Opportunity description

Pursuant to §§ 9 ff. WindSeeG, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) investigates the sites designated in the Site Development Plan for tendering by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and development with wind turbines. In this process, the marine environment, subsoil, wind and oceanographic conditions, as well as the suitability of the area for shipping, are investigated and reports are prepared on these matters. The BSH assesses the suitability of the site, including on the basis of information from these investigations. If the BSH concludes that the site is suitable, it determines its suitability by statutory instrument, and the investigation results are transmitted to the BNetzA for the tendering procedure. Furthermore, the results are made available through the data portal for the preliminary site investigation. Further information on the preliminary investigation, including the investigation framework, can be found at https://www.bsh.de/DE/THEMEN/Offshore/Flaechenvoruntersuchung/flaechenvoruntersuchung_node.html. The services put out to tender herein are services that serve to investigate the marine environment within the meaning of § 9 paragraphs 1 and 2 in conjunction with § 10 paragraph 1 sentence 1 No. 1 and sentences 2 and 3 No. 1 WindSeeG. The subject of the tender is the performance of ecological investigations of the environmental receptors benthos and fish in the German Exclusive Economic Zone of the North Sea for the preliminary site investigation, based on the current “Standard Investigation of the Impacts of Offshore Wind Turbines on the Marine Environment” (StUK4; available for download at: https://www.bsh.de/DE/PUBLIKATIONEN/_Anlagen/Downloads/Offshore/Standards/Standard-Auswirkungen-Offshore-Windenergieanlagen-Meeresumwelt.html?nn=281004). 5 The services for the sites correspond to those described by way of example for investigation area N-16_East. The sites covered by the overall contract are the sites located in zones 2 to 5 of the North Sea (see Figure 1) that will be designated in further FEP updates as sites to undergo central preliminary investigation and that are or will be scheduled for tendering by 2040. For the annual tender volumes, reference is made to § 2a WindSeeG and the applicable Site Development Plan. The investigation program includes vessel-based investigations of fish fauna and benthos. The investigation results must be documented in site-specific reports. The first investigations under this overall contract will take place within area N-16 during the period from 01.09.2027 to 30.11.2028. The reports for the first investigations must be completed as follows: Interim reports no later than: 30.09.2028 Final reports no later than: 31.03.2029 Procedure: neg-w-call. Review the original TED notice for the complete requirement, lots, amendments and attachments.