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Environmental Impact of Harvesting Marram

Historic Environment Scotland

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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30 Sep 2026 at 01:00

OJEU - F15 - Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Historic Environment Scotland commissioned specialist ecological research into the environmental and coastal effects of harvesting marram grass in the Western Isles. The work assesses whether, and how, marram can be harvested sustainably for traditional thatching. It continues an existing multi-year study, building on desktop research, baseline surveys, site selection, permissions, trial-method development and initial cutting trials. The remaining research requires consistent methods, knowledge of the study sites, interpretation of data and relationships with stakeholders throughout the programme. This is ecological research and consultancy services, delivered in the Western Isles of Scotland. The buyer is Historic Environment Scotland, which is responsible for the historic environment and heritage across Scotland.

The procurement is complete and the contract is active. Historic Environment Scotland used a limited award without a prior competition, relying on the absence of competition for technical reasons: the specialist had gathered research and data over several years and was considered critical to completing the work. Boreas Ecology was selected for the single lot, and the contract was signed on 29 September 2026. Its value is £81,100. The research programme began in 2022 and is due to conclude in 2030; the procurement covers the remaining work in that programme. The stated basis for the decision was the need to preserve continuity in methods, site knowledge, data interpretation and stakeholder relationships across the study.

For a future requirement of this kind, a credible ecological research supplier would need to demonstrate relevant marram and coastal ecology expertise, and the ability to investigate harvesting effects and sustainable practices for traditional thatching. The work calls for more than field surveys: it depends on carrying research through from baseline evidence and site selection to trial design, cutting trials, data interpretation and stakeholder engagement. Experience maintaining a consistent approach across a long-running, multi-year study would be particularly valuable. Suppliers would also need the capacity to work across Western Isles coastal sites and to build on existing permissions, methods and evidence. The award shows that continuity and established project knowledge mattered strongly to this buyer.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Environmental Impact of Harvesting Marram

Notice Description

Research examining the environmental impacts of harvesting marram in key coastel areas of the Western Isles

Lot Information

Lot 1

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) intends to award this contract under the conditions of regulation 33.4.b(ii) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) regulations. HES requires a specialist ecological consultant to continue delivery of an existing multi-year research project assessing the environmental and coastal implications of harvesting marram grass in the Western Isles, and determining whether, and how, marram grass can be harvested sustainably for traditional thatching. The project began in 2022 and is due to conclude in 2030. Four years of the eight-year programme have now been completed, including desktop research, baseline survey work, site selection, permissions, development of the trial methodology and initiation of the first year of cutting trials. The remaining work depends on maintaining consistency in methodology, site knowledge, data interpretation and stakeholder relationships across the full study period. The intention is to put in place a contract to allow completion of the research.

Procurement Information

HES intends to award to the supplier on the basis that competition is absent for technical reasons. Research and data have been gathered over the past 4-5 years by a specialist who is critical in finishing this work based on their research so far.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000844042
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP565565
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F15 - Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

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
Not specified
Contracts Value
£81,100 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
30 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Historic Environment Scotland
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH9 1SH
Postcode Area
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM64 Na h-Eileanan Siar
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
Southside/Newington
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Boreas Ecology

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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