Award

ID 6020932 DAERA - CAFRE - Horticulture Pilot Scheme

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL ENTERPRISE (CAFRE)

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

09 Feb 2026 at 12:51

Tender

06 Nov 2025 at 16:17

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process for the "ID 6020932 DAERA - CAFRE - Horticulture Pilot Scheme" is led by the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) and involves the appointment of a supplier to design, administer, and deliver professional support to stimulate growth within Northern Ireland's horticulture industry. This initiative is part of DAERA’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP) and aims to support the long-term sustainability of the horticulture sector. The procurement falls under the services category, with a contract value of approximately £5,028,000. The contracting process has followed an open procedure, and the current stage is complete, with awards announced on 9 February 2026. The contract is expected to start on 23 February 2026, lasting until 30 April 2030, with a possibility of extension for an additional year. The project's location is in Northern Ireland, with legal frameworks and regulations outlined under UKPGA 2023/54.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses, particularly those specialising in consultancy services within the agricultural sector, as well as firms capable of providing supporting services like business and management consultancy, training, and recruitment. It is especially suitable for large enterprises, given the scale and professional requirements of the Pilot Scheme, with RSK ADAS Limited, a large enterprise, already being awarded the contract. Given the focus on growth and sustainability, businesses with innovative approaches and expertise in horticultural consultancy and support services have the potential to significantly contribute to the scheme's success and leverage their participation to achieve further business growth in similar markets.

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Notice Title

ID 6020932 DAERA - CAFRE - Horticulture Pilot Scheme

Notice Description

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), are seeking to appoint a Supplier to design, administer and deliver the professional support element of the Horticulture Pilot Scheme, an initiative which aims to stimulate growth within Northern Ireland's (NI's) horticulture industry. The Pilot Horticulture Scheme is a key component of DAERA's Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP), which encompasses a range of strategic measures designed to support the long-term development and sustainability of the production horticulture industry in Northern Ireland. Suppliers should refer to the Specification Schedule for full detail on the deliverables and requirements of this contract. Neither CPD nor the Buyer can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: CAFRE reserve the right to extend the contract for an additional fifth year

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05dc28
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011355-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79600000 - Recruitment services

80500000 - Training services

80510000 - Specialist training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£5,024,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£5,024,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£5,020,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
8 Dec 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
9 Feb 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
23 Feb 2026 - 30 Apr 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL ENTERPRISE (CAFRE)
Additional Buyers

CPD - SUPPLIES & SERVICE DIVISION

Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
ssdadmin.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
ANTRIM
Postcode
BT41 4PS
Post Town
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland

Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Sydenham
Westminster Constituency
Belfast East

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

RSK ADAS

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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