Award

Maerl habitat mapping Project 2025-26: Fal and Helford SAC

NATURAL ENGLAND

This public procurement record has 8 releases in its history.

Award

16 Sep 2025 at 14:21

TenderUpdate

28 Aug 2025 at 14:01

TenderUpdate

22 Aug 2025 at 08:52

TenderUpdate

21 Aug 2025 at 07:21

TenderUpdate

20 Aug 2025 at 16:23

TenderUpdate

20 Aug 2025 at 15:25

TenderUpdate

20 Aug 2025 at 14:58

Tender

01 Aug 2025 at 19:54

Summary of the contracting process

The recent contracting process by Natural England, a public authority within the central government, focuses on the "Maerl habitat mapping Project 2025-26: Fal and Helford SAC". This procurement falls within the Marine survey services category. It requires an acoustic and drop-down video (DDV) survey to map maerl habitats in Cornwall, overlapping the Falmouth Bay to St Austell Bay SPA. The contract, valued at £59,998 including VAT, requires fieldwork completion by 30 November 2025, with the entire project wrapping up by February 2026. The project has moved to the award stage, with ENVISION MARINE LTD. as the selected supplier, operating under an active contract from 17 September 2025 to 31 March 2026. The open procurement method was applied, facilitating a competitive process below the threshold for open competition.

This tender opens significant business growth opportunities, particularly for SMEs with expertise in marine habitat mapping, acoustic and visual survey methods, and post-survey data analysis. Businesses equipped with sidescan sonar and appropriate vessels, and adhering to NMBAQC and MEDIN standards, will find this contract particularly fitting. Furthermore, companies capable of delivering detailed technical reports, GIS maps, and conducting quality assessments will be able to leverage this contract to build their credentials and expand their portfolio in marine survey services. The structured procurement process and clear deadlines demand strong project management skills, offering a robust platform for businesses to demonstrate their capability in delivering high-stakes government projects.

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Notice Title

Maerl habitat mapping Project 2025-26: Fal and Helford SAC

Notice Description

Natural England seeks contractors for an acoustic and drop-down video (DDV) survey in Autumn 2025 to collect high-quality data on maerl habitat within the Fal and Helford SAC overlapping the Falmouth Bay to St Austell Bay SPA. This data will assess the extent, quantify live vs dead subtidal maerl, verify acoustic survey results, analyse data, produce a report, and import datasets into Marine Recorder Online. Estimated contract value: PS59,998 (including VAT) Contract period: September 2025 - February 2026 Fieldwork completion: by 30 November 2025 Location: Fal and Helford SAC overlapping area of Falmouth Bay to St Austell Bay SPA and Manacles MCZ, Cornwall Opportunity Details The objective is to analyse data on the distribution and extent of subtidal maerl communities to provide evidence for assessing site changes and monitoring future changes. This will also provide baseline information on maerl habitats within the remaining Falmouth Bay to St Austell Bay SPA areas overlapping Fal and Helford SAC. Suppliers will be expected to: Conduct sidescan sonar and DDV surveys assessing maerl habitat extent, distribution, and condition in Falmouth Bay and Carrick Roads, following NMBAQC guidelines and building on prior work (2021-24). Analyse stills and video to assess % cover of live and dead maerl, habitat types, and boundaries in line with MEDIN and NMBAQC standards. Compare results with existing datasets (e.g., CIFCA, Envision surveys) to inform condition assessments. Produce GIS-compatible habitat maps and metadata, including confidence assessments and QA (minimum 10% of data). Supply a technical report, Marine Recorder-ready data, and a sampling plan for Natural England approval before fieldwork. Supplier Requirements: Proven expertise in marine habitat mapping, particularly maerl or similar benthic habitats, using acoustic and visual survey methods. Access to appropriate survey vessels and equipment (sidescan sonar, DDV), either owned or subcontracted, meeting NMBAQC and MEDIN standards. Capability in image and video analysis following NMBAQC's 'Epibiota Remote Monitoring' protocols, quantifying live and dead maerl per Axelsson (2023) categorisation scheme. Experience delivering detailed technical reports with GIS maps, confidence assessments, MEDIN-compliant metadata, and QA standards (>=10% image QA). Strong project management to meet deadlines and deliverables by February 2026. Procurement Process: A Request for Quotation (RFQ) with scope, deliverables, and evaluation criteria will be issued. The tender window will remain open for a minimum of three weeks. Questions will be answered via the designated procurement platform. Contract Award Target Date: 1st September 2025

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-056bd8
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057016-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

71354500 - Marine survey services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£49,999 Under £100K
Lots Value
£49,999 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£49,925 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Sep 20255 months ago
Submission Deadline
29 Aug 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
15 Sep 20255 months ago
Contract Period
16 Sep 2025 - 31 Mar 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NATURAL ENGLAND
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
marine-southwest@naturalengland.org.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
TLK South West (England)

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ENVISION MARINE

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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