CHC Ireland has confirmed that it has initiated a High Court challenge to the validity of the tender procedure for the Irish Coast Guard’s new search and rescue contract.
Earlier this month, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed that Bristow Ireland Ltd is the preferred bidder for the next ten-year search and rescue (SAR) contract, costing 670 million euro ex VAT.
Over 140 people have been employed by CHC Ireland at the four bases over the past 20 years of the current contract, which cost 60 million euro annually.
Bristow Ireland Ltd is a subsidiary of the Bristow group which runs search and rescue services for Britain, the Netherlands and the Falkland Islands.
CHC director of operations and accountable manager Ireland Rob Tatten said that “upon considering the outcome of the tender process as notified to CHC, CHC is concerned that there are a number of flaws in the conduct of the competition”.
“In view of the strict time limits in Irish law for taking steps to protect our rights we were left with no option but to initiate proceedings to challenge the outcome of the process,” Tatten said in a statement.
“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,” he said.
“Foremost in our thoughts are the staff who provide the service and the people who rely on it. This is consistent with our philosophy of putting people at the forefront of everything, as we have done for the past 20-plus years,” Tatten said.
Provision of a fixed wing aircraft is also included in the new Irish contract from 2025, which provides for the Air Corps to take over this element of the service after five years.
There have been fears about job losses among CHC staff once the contract is transferred. Each of the four Irish Coast Guard bases contracted to CHC Ireland is staffed by about 35 people, including up to nine pilots, winch crew and engineers, along with staff responsible for rosters, flight operations and engineering supervision.
Senator Gerard Craughwell, who has welcomed the awarding of the contract to Bristow, has called on Bristow to make a statement that it will “start considering a transfer of employment”.
Existing staff with CHC Ireland are “brave, solid heroes who put their lives on the line daily to save lives”, he said, and they deserved assurances.
The Irish Coast Guard responded to 2,699 incidents last year – the second highest number in five years -with SAR helicopters flying 829 missions.