Offshore companies find new projects through a combination of competitive tendering, direct client relationships, industry networking, and monitoring public and private project pipelines. Most contracts in sectors like oil and gas, offshore wind, and maritime come through formal bid processes, but long-term relationships and a strong reputation often determine who gets invited to tender in the first place. Below, we break down the methods, processes, and practical steps that drive offshore project acquisition.
What methods do offshore companies use to win new contracts?
Offshore companies win new contracts primarily through competitive tendering, framework agreements, direct negotiations, and relationship-based referrals. The right method depends on the size of the contract, the client’s procurement policy, and the company’s existing track record with that operator or project owner.
In practice, most offshore companies use a mix of approaches at the same time. Large operators in oil and gas or offshore wind typically require a formal tender process for major contracts, while smaller scopes or repeat work may be awarded through direct negotiation with a trusted supplier.
The most common methods include:
- Competitive tendering: Responding to a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation to Tender (ITT) with a detailed technical and commercial submission
- Framework agreements: Pre-qualifying as an approved supplier so clients can call off work without going through a full tender each time
- Direct awards: Contracts awarded without a tender, usually based on an existing relationship, specialist capability, or urgency
- Joint ventures and consortia: Partnering with other companies to combine capabilities and bid on larger scopes
- Unsolicited proposals: Approaching a client proactively with a solution before they have formally issued a tender
Building a track record across multiple methods gives offshore companies more resilience. Companies that rely solely on open tenders are exposed to price competition, while those with strong framework positions or direct relationships can generate more predictable revenue.
How does the offshore tendering process work?
The offshore tendering process typically starts with a client issuing a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or Expression of Interest (EOI), followed by a formal Invitation to Tender. Shortlisted companies submit a bid covering technical approach, safety record, team qualifications, timeline, and commercial terms. The client evaluates submissions and awards the contract based on a weighted scoring system.
The process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on contract complexity. Here is a simplified overview of the typical stages:
- Pre-qualification: The client checks whether your company meets minimum requirements on safety, financial stability, and relevant experience
- Invitation to Tender: Shortlisted companies receive full project documentation and are asked to submit a formal bid
- Bid preparation: Your team develops the technical proposal, staffing plan, risk register, and pricing
- Clarification period: Both sides exchange questions and answers to resolve ambiguities before submission
- Evaluation and negotiation: The client scores bids and may negotiate final terms before awarding
- Contract award and mobilisation: The winning company receives the contract and begins preparing to deploy resources
One of the most important aspects of the tendering process is demonstrating that you can actually deliver what you promise. Clients in safety-critical offshore environments look closely at your QHSE record, your access to qualified personnel, and your ability to mobilise quickly. A technically strong bid that cannot show credible staffing plans is unlikely to win.
Where do offshore companies find new project leads?
Offshore companies find new project leads through tender portals, industry databases, government announcements, client relationships, trade press, and professional networks. The most valuable leads often come before a formal tender is published, when a project is still in the planning or FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) phase.
Useful sources for identifying upcoming offshore projects include:
- Tender portals: Platforms like Achilles, Ariba, and national procurement portals publish tenders from major operators and contractors
- Industry intelligence services: Subscription databases track project announcements, investment decisions, and contract awards across oil and gas, renewables, and maritime
- Government and regulatory announcements: Licensing rounds, offshore wind lease auctions, and infrastructure investment plans signal future project activity
- Trade press: Publications covering your sector regularly report on new project sanctions, contract awards, and operator plans
- Client relationship management: Staying close to existing clients means you often hear about upcoming work before it is advertised publicly
The companies that consistently find good leads are those that invest in monitoring these sources systematically rather than reacting to tenders after they are already published. If you only start reading the tender documents when they land in your inbox, you have already missed the opportunity to shape the scope or position your company early. You can explore offshore and maritime industries to get a better sense of where project activity is concentrated in 2026.
What role does networking play in offshore project acquisition?
Networking plays a significant role in offshore project acquisition because many contracts, especially direct awards and framework renewals, are influenced by personal relationships and reputation within a relatively small industry community. Decision-makers at operators and major contractors often prefer working with people they know and trust, particularly for high-risk or time-sensitive scopes.
Effective networking in the offshore sector happens through industry conferences, trade associations, working groups, and informal contact with clients and partners. Events like Offshore Europe, Wind Europe, and Gastech bring together the people who make procurement decisions. Being present, visible, and genuinely helpful in those spaces builds the kind of trust that eventually converts into project conversations.
Networking is not just about attending events. It also means maintaining regular contact with past clients, contributing expertise to industry discussions, and building a reputation as a company that delivers. In a sector where a bad project can damage a relationship permanently, referrals from satisfied clients carry real weight. You can find offshore project opportunities that reflect where activity is currently strongest.
How do staffing and crewing needs affect offshore project planning?
Staffing and crewing needs directly affect offshore project planning because personnel availability, lead times for mobilisation, and compliance requirements all influence whether a project can start on schedule and stay within budget. A project with a fixed start date cannot absorb delays caused by last-minute crew sourcing or incomplete certification checks.
When planning an offshore project, staffing considerations need to be built into the timeline from the earliest stages. This includes:
- Role definition and headcount: Identifying what specialist roles are needed at each phase of the project, from survey and installation to operations and maintenance
- Certification and compliance: Verifying that crew members hold the required offshore survival, medical, and role-specific certifications before mobilisation
- International payroll and contracts: Structuring employment correctly for workers deployed across multiple jurisdictions, including tax, social security, and visa requirements
- Contingency planning: Having backup options in place for key roles in case of illness, injury, or last-minute changes to project scope
Projects that treat crewing as an afterthought tend to face the most disruption. Sourcing a qualified offshore installation manager or a specialist diver at short notice is genuinely difficult, and the cost of delays in offshore operations is high. Companies that plan their staffing requirements early and work with experienced crewing partners are better positioned to hit their project milestones. In 2026, with activity levels high across offshore wind and oil and gas, competition for experienced offshore personnel is particularly strong, which makes early engagement with your crewing strategy even more important.
How iPS Powerful People helps with offshore project staffing
We work with offshore operators, contractors, and project owners across maritime, renewables, oil and gas, and civil to make sure the right people are in place before a project starts. With more than 35 years of experience in international crewing and recruitment, and a database of over 100,000 qualified professionals, we can move quickly when timelines are tight.
Here is what we offer:
- Full project crewing: We can staff an entire offshore project from survey through to completion, not just fill individual vacancies
- Compliance and certification screening: Every candidate we place meets the QHSE and safety certification requirements for their role and project location
- International payroll and contracts: We take candidates onto our own payroll, including A1 certificates within the EU and full compliance with local employment law, so you carry no administrative or legal risk
- Global reach with local knowledge: We have offices and representatives in the Netherlands, the Baltic States, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Dubai, and the US, which means we understand local labour markets and regulations wherever your project is based
- Flexible solutions: Whether you need a single specialist or a complete crew, we adapt to your project structure and timeline
We are also B Corp certified, which means we hold ourselves to high standards on social and environmental performance across everything we do.
If you are planning an offshore project and want to make sure your staffing is sorted before mobilisation day, get in touch with us. Learn more about us or contact our team to talk through your project requirements.