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CP2821-26 Study of Carbon Sequestration and Soil Health Impacts within Highway Earthworks

Devon County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

06 Oct 2026 at 08:23

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Devon County Council is seeking research services to study how highway construction affects soil carbon and soil health, and whether biochar, enhanced mineral weathering and mycorrhizal fungi can improve carbon sequestration and long-term storage. The research supports the council’s A382 Link Road development near Newton Abbot, alongside its work to reduce emissions from highway construction. Findings will concern highway earthworks and the soil in highway verges and associated landscape areas. The work is based in Devon; the project is intended to investigate potential benefits from adding these approaches to traditional highway earthworks.

The buyer invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. The procurement is one lot. The contract period is set from 20 November 2026 to 1 June 2029. The stated budget is £150,000 to £170,000, with a maximum estimated value of £170,000 excluding VAT (£204,000 including VAT). Enquiries were due by 23 October 2026 at midnight, and bids by 30 October 2026 at 12 noon. Award is based on a price and quality assessment: price is the total cost in the pricing schedule, while quality is assessed against the tender documentation. The council states that the assessment details and participation criteria are set out in that documentation.

This opportunity is suited to research providers able to investigate soil carbon and soil health in the context of highway earthworks. Relevant capability includes assessing construction impacts on soil carbon levels and evaluating biochar, enhanced mineral weathering and mycorrhizal fungi as potential additions to conventional earthworks. Suppliers should be able to consider carbon sequestration, soil improvement and longer-term carbon storage in highway verges and associated landscape areas. The project will interest businesses with expertise at the intersection of environmental research, soils and infrastructure construction. Small and medium-sized enterprises are identified as suitable to compete. The work concerns a specific road development and a focused study rather than delivery of the road construction itself.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

CP2821-26 Study of Carbon Sequestration and Soil Health Impacts within Highway Earthworks

Notice Description

Devon County Council (DCC), is delivering the A382 Link Road Development near Newton Abbot, Devon. In addition to the main scheme, additional funding has been made available through the ADEPT Live Labs 2: Decarbonising Local Roads programme to fund carbon reduction measures on the project. The scheme seeks not only to improve highway safety, network resilience and traffic flow, but also to demonstrate innovative approaches to reducing and removing carbon emissions from highway construction activities. As part of the project's carbon-negative aspirations, DCC wishes to investigate the impact of construction activities on soil carbon levels and the potential benefits of incorporating biochar, enhanced mineral weathering and mycorrhizal fungi into traditional highway earthworks operations. Emerging research suggests that these products may increase carbon sequestration rates, improve soil health and increase long-term carbon storage within highway verges and associated landscape areas. The budget available is between PS150,000 and PS170,000 further details on the cost strategy are given in the documentation.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07813a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094037-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
£170,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£170,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Oct 2026Today
Submission Deadline
30 Oct 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
20 Nov 2026 - 1 Jun 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Devon County Council
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
EX2 4QD
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
TLK43 Devon CC
Local Authority
Exeter
Electoral Ward
Newtown and St Leonard's
Westminster Constituency
Exeter

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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