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Amazon FACE - Water Cycle (WP3)

Met Office

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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24 Jul 2026 at 15:46

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Met Office procured research services for the Amazon FACE Water Cycle work package. The requirement covers field-based collection of soil moisture and plant sap-flow data, processing those measurements, and combining datasets to produce plot-level water budgets and trait-based datasets. The work supports monitoring of the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum and improves data continuity, instrument calibration and the use of observations in land-surface modelling, including JULES. Outputs include quality-controlled datasets for the AmazonFACE database and model-ready data products for the Met Office. The requirement continues existing activity and depends on access to previously collected datasets, established experimental protocols and calibrated instrumentation. The buyer is the Met Office, based in Exeter.

The procurement is complete and was awarded on 29 June 2026 to the University of Exeter. It used a selective procedure described as a below-threshold award under a framework, without a competitive process. There was one completed lot. The award value is £104,475.52 excluding VAT, or £125,370.62 including VAT. The contract period runs from 24 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Evaluation was for research services, classified under CPV 73110000. The award is active, and the planned signature date was 24 July 2026. The contract is linked to lot 3 of a wider framework process, indicating that this purchase was made through an existing framework arrangement rather than an open market competition.

This procurement indicates demand for specialist environmental research teams able to work across field measurement, data processing and scientific modelling. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need practical capability in measuring plant water use and soil moisture, maintaining and calibrating field instrumentation, and producing quality-controlled datasets suitable for integration into established research databases. Experience of soil–plant–atmosphere monitoring, plot-level water budgets and trait-based data would be directly relevant. Suppliers would also need to work with existing experimental protocols and previously collected datasets, preserving continuity rather than designing an entirely new approach. The successful organisation was the University of Exeter, showing that a university research provider with established scientific infrastructure and data expertise met the buyer’s needs.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Amazon FACE - Water Cycle (WP3)

Notice Description

The activity includes field-based data collection, processing of sap flow and soil moisture measurements, and aggregation of datasets to generate plot-level water budgets and trait-based datasets for use in land surface models such as JULES. The work contributes to the transition from baseline characterisation to sustained, integrated monitoring of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, improving data continuity, calibration of instrumentation, and integration of observations into modelling frameworks. The work is a continuation of an existing activity, requiring access to previously collected datasets, established experimental protocols, and calibrated instrumentation. Outputs will include quality-controlled datasets contributing to the AmazonFACE database and model-ready data products for the Met Office, supporting improved representation of tropical forest water cycling processes.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d395
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070431-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - award under framework
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73110000 - Research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£104,475 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
29 Jun 20263 months ago
Contract Period
24 Jul 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Met Office
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EXETER
Postcode
EX1 3PB
Postcode Area
Exeter
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK43 Devon CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Exeter
Electoral Ward
Pinhoe
Westminster Constituency
Exmouth and Exeter East

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

University of Exeter

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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