RE:Timeline is ticking$2-3 million seems excessive...I've shipped a rig and tooling from Pangnirtung to Montreal by sealift for $5000. We did charge for standby on equipment and mobilization costs to pick the rig up at the shipping yard, but I'd say all in costs were $50,000. To get the rig into Pang we flew from Yellowknife - Baker Lake - Iqaluit - Pang and the cost was $120,000 for the DC-3, and $150,000 all in with standby/crew charges.
I think maybe the company should look at who they're hiring, maybe put out an RFP to several drilling contractors, and not necessarily take the lowest bid, but weigh HSE, capabilities, experience, and price to determine which contractor would be best suited.
Better yet, just buy the rig from the contractor ...then they would have the equipment on site, and simply hire the drilling contractor to send operators. We did 7 runs into the Victor Project...each time we explained that it would be cheaper to buy the equipment than to demob, having the forsight that there was a lot more drilling to take place (EA, Geotechnical, Exploration, Waterwell, Hydrogeology, Foundation etc...) Each time we mobed the equipment back just to get the phone call a month or 2 later that we were needed back at the sight. Almost had to leave the rig there for a year because of a blockade on the ice road. Finally, debeers bought 2 x A5 Diamond core rigs...one to operate, and the second just sitting in a seacan just for spare parts.
Not sure the details of exactly what model the RC rig is, but if it's high end/brand new...offer $1 million or whatever the new purchase price was with tooling included and they would have a permanent rig on site. Even work in some shares if they genuinely think that they'll be worth more in the future. The contractor would be happy to oblige as they've just made money on the work, and don't have to worry about finding the next project for the rig to go on.
Many RC rigs are multipurpose so you could run RC, diamond core for exploration, automatic hammer for geotechnical sampling, augering for environmental/hydrogeology work, and DTHH or mud rotary for waterwell/dewatering/geothermal/foundation. Hopefully they have the foresight...I think having their own drill on site would significantly reduce costs for future programs, saving tens of millions over the course of the project.
PDAC usually has several rig manufacturers there...might be worth taking a look.
Cheers!