Procurement and contract management (ICM) is an indispensable link in government projects. This is especially true in the North Sea, where smart technologies provide better insight into ecological, meteorological, and nautical processes. The ICM team of the Maritime Information Provision Service Point (MIVSP) procures the sensors, equipment, and services that make this digitalisation possible. The team also ensures that procurement processes comply with regulations and that contracts are managed as effectively as possible.
The North Sea as a data source
More and more is happening on, in, and above the North Sea: wind farms are emerging, shipping is increasing, and biodiversity requires protection. Through the use of smart technology, government, market parties, and research institutes can monitor and manage all this more effectively.
“We procure bird‑detection systems, nautical radars, temperature sensors, and 5G communication equipment, for example,” says strategic contract manager Michael Berkhof.
MIVSP installs these sensors on transformer platforms operated by grid operator TenneT and on offshore wind turbines. They collect a wealth of nautical, meteorological, and ecological data.
“For example, turbine speed can temporarily be reduced to protect birds based on migration data,” Berkhof explains. “And other sensors gather information that helps improve weather forecasting and make shipping safer.”
Behind every sensor is a smart contract
What often remains invisible is the complex coordination needed to make all of this happen.
Berkhof: “We conclude contracts with equipment suppliers, but also with knowledge institutes, site owners, and contractors. To get sensors operational, we need technical advice from research institutes and engineering firms. And to install and maintain sensors, agreements are needed with contractors and site owners. The contracts we manage directly contribute to the production of data.”
These contracts vary widely in scale.
“We have maintenance contracts worth millions of euros, but also an agreement to have sheep graze at our Offshore Expertise Centre.
Every contract contributes to the bigger picture in its own way.
Tendering with practical insight
A careful procurement process precedes each contract. Procurement adviser Jaap Sütmuller helps translate the information needs of internal clients into concrete tenders that meet legal requirements.
“For instance, if ecologists request a bird‑radar system to learn more about the behaviour of migratory birds over the North Sea, it is my role to translate that need into a tender that complies with procurement law and that suppliers can respond to effectively. The clearer and more concrete the request, the better the solutions suppliers can offer.”
Contract managers are involved from the start. “We contribute during the initiation phase,” says contract manager Melissa Dijkhuizen. “This ensures that the agreements we set out are actually feasible. And once the contract is running, I monitor whether all agreements regarding quality, planning, and costs are being met.” Sütmuller adds: “That collaboration is our strength. We use each other’s expertise, which ensures everything aligns better.”
Teamwork and timing
Team dynamics are essential—especially in a rapidly growing domain.
“Every Monday morning we coordinate all contracts,” says Dijkhuizen. “This helps prevent duplicate work or things slipping through the cracks. We also make optimal use of existing contracts: if an expansion option or a legal exception applies, you don’t need to start a new tendering process. That saves a lot of time and money.”
And timing is everything.
“For major European tenders, it can take up to a year from start to award,” says Dijkhuizen. “We must ensure that equipment is delivered to shore on time so it can be transported to platforms and turbines precisely when needed. You could literally say we can’t afford to miss the boat.”
Flexibility with a View to the Future
As offshore wind farms expand, the workload of the ICM team grows too.
“We bring calm and structure to that growth,” says Berkhof. “By designing flexible contracts—with fixed and optional components—we can scale up quickly when needed. This avoids launching a new procurement trajectory later if more sensors must be added to existing platforms.”
Increasingly, the work requires creative solutions.
Much of what we do has never been done before,” Sütmuller explains. “That’s why it’s important to sometimes think outside the box.
Infectious enthusiasm
One thing stands out about the ICM team: they genuinely enjoy their work.
“I think it’s incredibly cool to contribute to a tangible result,” Berkhof says. “When I drive along the coast and see the wind farms, I think: we helped make this possible.”
Sütmuller is also proud: “You can be a procurement adviser anywhere, but what you procure makes all the difference. This work truly matters.”
And Dijkhuizen? She loves contributing to the energy transition through MIVSP: “The energy transition is a massive societal shift. Thanks to my work at MIVSP, I get to witness it up close.”
Not just any department
MIVSP started as a small project but has grown significantly.
“We introduced more structure, so contracts are now better aligned,” says Dijkhuizen.
Berkhof sees this as a key achievement: “With the same number of people, we are running an increasingly large project by concluding fewer but longer‑term contracts and working flexibly.”
And the team is proud of that.
“We’re not just a procurement and contract management department,” Berkhof concludes. “We are truly part of MIVSP.”