RTE, the French electricity transmission system operator (TSO), is responsible for developing, building and operating high-voltage (HV) submarine cable links for interconnecting with neighboring countries, and for connecting offshore wind farms to its onshore transmission grid. RTE currently operates a wide range of submarine cable links on the Channel, Atlantic and Mediterranean facades. In the future, the number of submarine cable links shall further increase with the development of HVDC long distance submarine cable links to offshore wind farms. These submarine cable links can be dynamic (hanging from a platform) or static (laid on the sea floor). In this context, RTE is preparing for curative maintenance of several submarine cable links of its current and future networks on the Channel, Atlantic and Mediterranean facades. Curative maintenance of RTE grid is to be planned for HVAC (including floating technology) tripolar cable, bundled HVDC (Two power cables and one fiber optic cable, connected with strapping systems) submarine cable links, unipolar HVDC (two cable in the same trench). By issuing the present Contract notice, RTE aims to identify and short-list potential candidates to perform marine operations activities related to a curative maintenance program of submarines HV cables. This marine operations activities shall encompass the means and personnel necessary to perform Offshore cable repair preparedness, engineering and operations, including provision of vessels, personnel and equipment/tools, for offshore wind farm export cables and interconnections in the English Channel / North Sea, in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. The jointing operation is excluded from the scope of works/services. RTE is thus launching the present Contract notice to call for the application of economic operators with the technical expertise and resources necessary to carry out such services/works. The economic operators aiming to apply shall review and fulfill the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) available on RTE procurement portal BuyRTE (https://fournisseurs.buyrte.cloud-rte-france.com/portal/web/portal,login,mvc,MVCPortalLogin.vm). The applications of the present Contract notice will be evaluated and scored accordingly to the criteria defined in the PQQ. Only the Applicants selected, as a result of the assessment of the applications, will be invited to participate in the further competitive Tender to be published by RTE.

Curative maintenance of submarine HV cable links (Marine Operations) [000356]

This curative maintenance shall encompass the means and personnel necessary to perform the Marine Operations scope which comprises: 1) Repair preparedness and repair engineering activities; 2) Project, quality and HSE management throughout all preparedness, engineering and repair activities; 3) Repair activties, including: a) Mobilisation of the Contractor with the required repair vessel(s), personnel and equipment in a timeframe to minimise the asset down-time (to be specified at Tender stage). Dedicated vessel(s) on stand-by is not expected. Repair equipments shall be adapted to perfom cable repair (for cable technology among which: single tripolar HVAC cable or 3 cables bundled (1 FO + 2 x unipolar power cables), b) Overall scope of cable repair, including: i. pinpointing fault location, ii. related surveys, iii. cable system spare load out at storage facility located in French harbors, iv. cable deburial and cutting, cable handling, recovery, laying, v. repair joint deployment, cable and repair joint, vi. burial and protection of repaired cables, vii. monitoring along the repair operations, viii. design and installation of protection by rock berm in case of repair/remedial works; c) Specific activities related to cable repair at Landfall and at the Offshore Platform (including mobilisation and demobilisation of required equipment onshore or at the Offshore Platform, and cable pull-in activities); 4) Regular/annual desktop exercise – rehearsal of a repair scenario; 5) Where/if required, preventive maintenance on export cable (including dynamic sections ) and accessories; 6) Any additional works among including (but not limited to) marine growth removal on dynamic cables, Crew transfer, guard vessel, ... The scope of works/services to be published during further Tender will specify the mandatory and optional activities. The jointing operation is excluded from this scope of work. The scope of works/services to be published during further Tender will specify the mandatory and optional activities. The key parameters from the anticipated cables considered under this contract are presented in 'Tab 1.a. Submarine HV cable links' of the PQQ. Indicative Tender schedule is available in 'Tab.8. Indicative Tender timeline' of the PQQ. The Tender shall not be divided into lots. The duration of the Contract shall be as per below: - Initial period of four (4) years, - Optional three (3) extensions of one (1) year each.