Notice Information
Notice Title
Specialist Science and Contingency Services
Notice Description
This notice is for information only and is not a call for competition. Defra would like to notify their intention to directly award a service contract for Specialist Science and Contingency Services having identified no alternative provider, through extensive market engagement, with the capability and capacity to deliver the services.
Lot Information
Lot 1
The existing Long Term Service Agreement framework will expire 31 March 2025. Defra sought a replacement commercial arrangement to provide critical scientific evidence and contingency services to support its policy making and operational responsibilities including emergency response capabilities in relation to food and the environment. The contract is also used by other government departments, including but not limited to the Food Standards Agency and the Home Office. The supplier has the ability to deliver reliable, high-quality business and scientific services competitively; well-proven transition and transformational capabilities within challenging timeframes; and possesses a vision and commitment to enhance relevant scientific capability
into the future. The seamless continuation of services is essential due to statutory requirements, and Defra therefore must have a supplier that has the required capabilities in place within the timescales outlined.
The contract is awarded for an initial period of five years and has the option to extend for an additional five years (+2+1+1+1).
Procurement Information
Defra intends to direct award a contract using the negotiated procedure without prior publication, in accordance with Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) (competition absent for technical reasons) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. <br/><br/>The current contract will expire on 31 March 2025 and this contract must be made to ensure critical statutory specialist science and contingency services continue to be provided. This contract will be awarded to Fera Science Limited for the provision of specialist science and contingency services. <br/><br/>To inform its decision-making, Defra has undertaken three rounds of market engagement with interested suppliers. Before each round, it has published a prior information notice (PIN), ensuring that all interested suppliers are aware of the re-procurement and have had the opportunity to express interest and provide evidence of their capacity and capabilities to perform all or part of the services. Three elements of the specification were identified:<br/><br/>(a) those aspects where there is no competition, eg, those parts of the specification that relate to the required specialist facilities for this contract; <br/>(b) those parts where there may be genuine competition.<br/>(c) those parts where competitors have expressed an interest in supplying all or part of the requirement, but have not provided sufficient information when requested to establish that they have, or could develop in the time available, the necessary capacity or capability.<br/><br/>In relation to (b) there are some services for Government Departments, FSA, HSE, Welsh Government and DAERA where reasonable alternatives in the market were identified, as such, those services have been disaggregated and those respective Departments will identify a route to market outside of this contract. Some research and development requirements that are not related to (a), will be procured through Defra's existing RDE Framework or such other route to market. As such these services no longer form part of the specification for this contract. <br/><br/>In relation to (a) and (c), the market engagement has identified that currently there is no candidate who is able to deliver the requirements of the specification and competition is absent for technical reasons.<br/><br/>As such this contract will be awarded by direct award in accordance with Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii).
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-04ede8
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009686-2025
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- Award Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Limited
- Procurement Method Details
- Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- Large
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
80 - Education and training services
85 - Health and social work services
90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services
-
- CPV Codes
73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
73100000 - Research and experimental development services
73110000 - Research services
73111000 - Research laboratory services
73112000 - Marine research services
73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
79311300 - Survey analysis services
80000000 - Education and training services
85200000 - Veterinary services
90711500 - Environmental monitoring other than for construction
90712300 - Marine conservation strategy planning
90712400 - Natural resources management or conservation strategy planning services
90715000 - Pollution investigation services
90720000 - Environmental protection
90721000 - Environmental safety services
90721300 - Food or feed contamination protection services
90721400 - Genetic resources protection services
90721700 - Endangered species protection services
90721800 - Natural risks or hazards protection services
90722000 - Environmental rehabilitation
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- £345,710,030 £100M-£1B
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 17 Mar 202511 months ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 17 Mar 202511 months ago
- Contract Period
- Not specified - Not specified
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Not Specified
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
- Contact Name
- Leonie Cormac
- Contact Email
- sscs@defra.gov.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- LONDON
- Postcode
- SW1P 4DF
- 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 URLs
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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.
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