Prior to 2004, geological sampling in the Arctic Ocean was mainly restricted to near-surface Quaternary sediments, and therefore the long-term Pre-Quaternary geological history was poorly known. With the successful completion of the Arctic Coring Expedition — ACEX (IODP Expedition 302) in 2004, 428 meters of Quaternary, Neogene, Paleogene and Campanian sediment on Lomonosov Ridge were penetrated, providing new unique insights into the Cenozoic Arctic paleoceanographic and climatic history.

While highly successful, the ACEX record also had limitations. The ACEX sequence possibly contains either a large hiatus or an interval of strongly reduced sedimentation rates spanning the time interval from late Eocene to middle Miocene. This is a critical time interval, as it spans the time when prominent changes in global climate took place during the transition from the early Cenozoic Greenhouse world to the late Cenozoic Icehouse world. Furthermore, discontinuous recovery during ACEX prevented.

Prior to 2004, geological sampling in the Arctic Ocean was mainly restricted to near-surface Quaternary sediments, and therefore the long-term Pre-Quaternary geological history was poorly known. With the successful completion of the Arctic Coring Expedition — ACEX (IODP Expedition 302) in 2004, 428 meters of Quaternary, Neogene, Paleogene and Campanian sediment on Lomonosov Ridge were penetrated, providing new unique insights into the Cenozoic Arctic paleoceanographic and climatic history.

While highly successful, the ACEX record also had limitations. The ACEX sequence possibly contains either a large hiatus or an interval of strongly reduced sedimentation rates spanning the time interval from late Eocene to middle Miocene. This is a critical time interval, as it spans the time when prominent changes in global climate took place during the transition from the early Cenozoic Greenhouse world to the late Cenozoic Icehouse world. Furthermore, discontinuous recovery during ACEX prevented

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with

the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5

(Threshold amounts). This procurement will be

managed electronically via the Crown Commercial

Service's e-Sourcing Suite. To participate in this

procurement, participants shall first be registered on

the e-Sourcing Suite. If Bidders have not yet

registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done

online at

https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/emptoris by following the link ‘Supplier eSourcing Registration’.

Please note that, to register, Bidders must have a

valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and

Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are

registering, who will be entering into a contract if

invited to do so. Note: registration may take some

time please ensure that you allow a sufficient amount of time to register.

Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier

Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a

registered user can express an interest for a specific

procurement. This is done by emailing

ExpressionOfInterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for;

Your organisations full name as a registered supplier;

the name and contact details for the registered

individual sending the email.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) will process the

email and then enable the Bidder to access the

procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite.

The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access

to Emptoris email messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event.

II.2.5) Award criteria

II.2.6) Estimated value

(for framework agreements or dynamic purchasing systems — estimated total maximum

value for the entire duration of this lot)

II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing

system

Please note it is your responsibility to access these

emails on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information applicable to this opportunity.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing

Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service

(CCS) Helpdesk (Not UK SBS Ltd ): Freephone: 0345 010 3503

email: eenablement@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Training support to respond to a requirement is

available to bidders at

http://www.uksbs.co.uk/services/procure/Pages/supplier.aspx

Responses must be received by the date in IV.2.2.

Responses received outside or concurrently using the

eSourcing process will not be accepted or considered.