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CEFAS26-88 ISO9001 & ISO45001 Certification

CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

09 Sep 2026 at 12:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) intends to appoint an accredited external audit and certification provider. The services will cover independent certification, assurance, surveillance and recertification for Cefas’s ISO 9001 Quality Management System and ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. The work will support continuing compliance with internationally recognised standards and provide the external audits and certifications required. Cefas operates scientific, laboratory, field-based and corporate activities, with management systems intended to ensure services are delivered consistently, safely and effectively. Delivery is across Cefas’s activities in the United Kingdom. The procurement is for services, including certification and auditing, and is currently structured as one planned lot. Cefas is not seeking to create an integrated management system.

This process is at the planning and preliminary market-engagement stage, not a call for competition. Cefas is asking prospective accredited certification bodies whether they would prefer ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 to be procured as separate lots or through a single contract; responses will inform its procurement strategy. The buyer asks for questionnaire feedback by 12pm on Friday 25 September 2026, with a future notice currently expected on 19 October 2026. The planned contract is expected to start on 5 January 2027 and run to 31 March 2030, with renewal provision allowing a possible end date of 31 March 2033. Its estimated value is £140,000 excluding VAT, or £168,000 including VAT. The planned arrangement is above the relevant threshold.

This will suit certification bodies accredited to audit and certify ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 management systems, with the capability to provide independent assurance across quality and occupational health and safety requirements. Relevant suppliers should be able to plan and deliver certification audits, surveillance audits and recertification, and provide the associated certification and assurance outputs. Experience working across varied scientific, laboratory, field-based, marine, freshwater, coastal or corporate environments would be useful because Cefas operates across these activities. The buyer is considering whether the two standards should be offered separately or together, so providers may wish to prepare views on the most workable contract structure before the procurement strategy is finalised. The planned lot is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

CEFAS26-88 ISO9001 & ISO45001 Certification

Notice Description

This procurement project is for the appointment of an accredited external audit and certification provider to deliver independent certification, assurance, surveillance, and recertification services for Cefas' Health and Safety Management System (ISO 45001) and Quality Management System (ISO 9001). The contract will support ongoing compliance with internationally recognised management system standards and provide the required external audits and certifications.

Planning Information

Cefas (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) is an executive agency of Defra, providing world-leading scientific research, monitoring, advice and technical services to support the sustainable management of marine, freshwater and coastal environments. Operating across a diverse range of scientific, laboratory, field-based (land and water) and corporate activities, Cefas maintains certified management systems to provide confidence to stakeholders that its services are delivered consistently, safely and effectively. As part of its market engagement activities for future certification requirements, Cefas is seeking feedback from prospective accredited certification bodies on whether they would prefer to bid for ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management) as separate lots or as a single contract. Cefas does not currently operate an integrated management system and is not actively seeking to do so. The information gathered through this exercise will help inform Cefas's future procurement strategy, maximise market engagement, and support the development of an effective and competitive approach for both Cefas and potential suppliers. Please note that this request is for information-gathering and market research purposes only. It does not constitute a call for competition, procurement exercise, commitment to procure, or any promise of future contract opportunity. Please complete this questionnaire by 12pm on Friday, 25/09/2026. https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/WYdAnkkp1z

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f591
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085360-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79132000 - Certification services

79212000 - Auditing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£140,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Sep 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
19 Oct 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
5 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LOWESTOFT
Postcode
NR33 0HT
Postcode Area
Norwich
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH6 Suffolk
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH63 East Suffolk
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
East Suffolk
Electoral Ward
Kirkley & Pakefield
Westminster Constituency
Lowestoft

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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