Tender

Assessment of seagrass health in response to water quality in the Solent & Poole Harbour

DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

12 May 2021 at 15:05

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Defra Network eTendering Portal is currently seeking proposals for a project titled "Assessment of seagrass health in response to water quality in the Solent & Poole Harbour." This tender falls under the environmental services category and is located in the Solent and Poole Harbour area. The procurement process is in the active tender stage, with a submission deadline set for 9th June 2021. The contract is expected to commence on 1st July 2021 and run until 20th March 2022. The procurement method employed is an open procedure, suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises.

This tender presents an excellent opportunity for businesses focused on environmental consultancy, ecological research, or related services to engage in a significant marine health project. Companies that specialise in water quality assessment, ecological surveys, or seagrass habitat improvement will find this opportunity particularly relevant. By participating in this assessment, businesses can contribute to crucial environmental work while potentially securing long-term contracts with a governmental agency.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo
All Features Pricing

Notice Information

Notice Title

Assessment of seagrass health in response to water quality in the Solent & Poole Harbour

Notice Description

Background to Project Concerns around water quality (elevated nutrients) in our estuaries is currently leading to agencies to seek for improvements to agriculture, wastewater treatment works and nutrient neutrality in development. Environment Agency data for Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, phytoplankton and opportunistic macroalgae covering littoral sediment, is currently used a proxy indicator to assess the water quality-nutrients attribute for intertidal and subtidal seagrass. Evidence is currently largely based on the impacts on mudflats from opportunistic macroalgae. However, there is concern that this current indicator of water quality is not taking account sufficiently the wider ecosystem effects of elevated nutrients in our estuaries. Water quality sampling can vary greatly throughout the year, assessments of these using these indicators are not always close to where the Zostera beds are present and there is literature that suggests seagrass health can be affected at lower nutrient concentrations than indicated by high densities of macroalgae over littoral sediment. Throughout the Solent and Poole Harbour there have been significant declines in the extent of seagrass and some loss at least has been linked to eutrophication through the smothering of plants by macroalgae. Moreover, wider literature highlights that the health of seagrass can be impacted directly through an increase in indicators of poor health e.g. incidence of Labyrynthula infection and excessive epiphytic growth, with indications that this effect occurs at lower nutrient loadings than that leading to dense macroalgae biomass on mudflats. Despite these effects of elevated nutrients on seagrass being highlighted as a concern in global literature little in the way of studies have been undertaken in the UK. This project proposes a study of the seagrass in estuaries in the Solent and Poole Harbour area over Summer 2021 in order to better understand the relationship between the health of seagrass and elevated nutrients in the Southern estuaries and whether a more suitable indicator can be found that represents how water quality - nutrients is affecting seagrass. With respect to the 'health' of seagrass (and depending on budget) the project may also include an assessment of carbon storage through analysis of sediment core samples for carbon. There is some evidence that in eutrophic waters the capability of seagrass to store carbon within their sediment is impaired (Lima et al, 2020) and their function as a blue carbon habitat diminished.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-7223d1e3-bd4d-4d8c-87e2-e33d89f8d7c0
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4bcab4cb-c44f-4810-a355-ed85392d40b7
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure (below threshold)
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

CPV Codes

90700000 - Environmental services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 May 20214 years ago
Submission Deadline
9 Jun 2021Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Jun 2021 - 20 Mar 2022 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
network.procurement@defra.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 3JR
Post Town
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-b5fd17-7223d1e3-bd4d-4d8c-87e2-e33d89f8d7c0-2021-05-12T16:05:22+01:00",
    "date": "2021-05-12T16:05:22+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-b5fd17-7223d1e3-bd4d-4d8c-87e2-e33d89f8d7c0",
    "language": "en",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "tender": {
        "id": "tender_272408/960811",
        "title": "Assessment of seagrass health in response to water quality in the Solent & Poole Harbour",
        "description": "Background to Project Concerns around water quality (elevated nutrients) in our estuaries is currently leading to agencies to seek for improvements to agriculture, wastewater treatment works and nutrient neutrality in development. Environment Agency data for Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, phytoplankton and opportunistic macroalgae covering littoral sediment, is currently used a proxy indicator to assess the water quality-nutrients attribute for intertidal and subtidal seagrass. Evidence is currently largely based on the impacts on mudflats from opportunistic macroalgae. However, there is concern that this current indicator of water quality is not taking account sufficiently the wider ecosystem effects of elevated nutrients in our estuaries. Water quality sampling can vary greatly throughout the year, assessments of these using these indicators are not always close to where the Zostera beds are present and there is literature that suggests seagrass health can be affected at lower nutrient concentrations than indicated by high densities of macroalgae over littoral sediment. Throughout the Solent and Poole Harbour there have been significant declines in the extent of seagrass and some loss at least has been linked to eutrophication through the smothering of plants by macroalgae. Moreover, wider literature highlights that the health of seagrass can be impacted directly through an increase in indicators of poor health e.g. incidence of Labyrynthula infection and excessive epiphytic growth, with indications that this effect occurs at lower nutrient loadings than that leading to dense macroalgae biomass on mudflats. Despite these effects of elevated nutrients on seagrass being highlighted as a concern in global literature little in the way of studies have been undertaken in the UK. This project proposes a study of the seagrass in estuaries in the Solent and Poole Harbour area over Summer 2021 in order to better understand the relationship between the health of seagrass and elevated nutrients in the Southern estuaries and whether a more suitable indicator can be found that represents how water quality - nutrients is affecting seagrass. With respect to the 'health' of seagrass (and depending on budget) the project may also include an assessment of carbon storage through analysis of sediment core samples for carbon. There is some evidence that in eutrophic waters the capability of seagrass to store carbon within their sediment is impaired (Lima et al, 2020) and their function as a blue carbon habitat diminished.",
        "datePublished": "2021-05-12T16:05:22+01:00",
        "status": "active",
        "classification": {
            "scheme": "CPV",
            "id": "90700000",
            "description": "Environmental services"
        },
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "countryName": "British Oversea Territories"
                    },
                    {
                        "countryName": "Channel Islands"
                    },
                    {
                        "countryName": "Europe"
                    },
                    {
                        "countryName": "Isle of Man"
                    },
                    {
                        "countryName": "Rest of the World"
                    },
                    {
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ]
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethod": "open",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Open procedure (below threshold)",
        "tenderPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2021-06-09T12:00:00+01:00"
        },
        "contractPeriod": {
            "startDate": "2021-07-01T00:00:00+01:00",
            "endDate": "2022-03-20T23:59:59Z"
        },
        "suitability": {
            "sme": true,
            "vcse": false
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "description": "Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder",
                "url": "https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4bcab4cb-c44f-4810-a355-ed85392d40b7",
                "datePublished": "2021-05-12T16:05:22+01:00",
                "format": "text/html",
                "language": "en"
            },
            {
                "id": "2",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "description": "Link to eSourcing Portal",
                "url": "https://defra.bravosolution.co.uk"
            }
        ]
    },
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-CFS-42714",
            "name": "Defra Network eTendering Portal",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Defra Network eTendering Portal"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "17 Nobel House",
                "locality": "London",
                "postalCode": "SW1P 3JR",
                "countryName": "England"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "network.procurement@defra.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-CFS-42714",
        "name": "Defra Network eTendering Portal"
    }
}