SAR - CHC bestrider tap av kontrakt til Bristow i Irland - AIN

 

June 16, 2023

CHC Challenges Irish Coast Guard SAR Award

CHC Ireland has filed a High Court challenge to Ireland’s recent designation of a Bristow Group subsidiary as the “preferred bidder” for a $715 million, 10-year search-and-rescue (SAR) contract for the Irish Coast Guard. The “preferred bidder” designation is typically the de facto designation of a contract award by the Irish government, with only the finer points of the agreement to be further negotiated. Those negotiations are ongoing and expected to be concluded later this summer. The Irish government announced the Bristow Ireland Limited designation on May 30. 

The contract provides for the 24/7 operation of four helicopter bases in Sligo, Shannon, Waterford, and Dublin and also contains a fixed-wing aircraft element.

CHC holds the contract to conduct aviation SAR for the Irish Coast Guard that is due to conclude next year, but its performance came under public scrutiny following the 2017 fatal crash of one of its Sikorsky S-92A helicopters assigned to the mission.

In its challenge, CHC attacks “the validity of the tender process” for the contract and “flaws” in the conduct of the competition. In a related statement, the company said, “CHC Ireland has submitted a tender which it believes is innovative and represents the best value to the taxpayer and the best outcome for the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Search and Rescue Service.”

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