Award

Specialist Science and Contingency Services

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

17 Mar 2025 at 14:20

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has completed the procurement process for a contract titled "Specialist Science and Contingency Services". This falls under the industry category of research and development services and related consultancy services (CPV code: 73000000). The contract, awarded on 17 March 2025, involves the provision of critical scientific evidence and emergency response capabilities related to food and the environment. It covers services within the United Kingdom. This procurement stage is the award stage, having directly awarded the contract to Fera Science Ltd due to the absence of competition for technical reasons. The initial contract period is for five years, with the option to extend for an additional five years (+2+1+1+1), and it will ensure a seamless continuation of statutory services. The contract's value is £345,710,030.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in environmental safety, research laboratory services, and natural resources management to engage in essential public sector work. Companies offering expertise in areas such as pollution investigation, food or feed contamination protection, and marine conservation strategy planning would benefit greatly. With Defra's focus on high-quality, reliable services and transformational capabilities, businesses that can demonstrate these qualities will be well-placed to compete. Additionally, the long-term nature and potential extensions of the contract provide stability and a platform for sustained business growth.

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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).

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

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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

FERA SCIENCE

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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