---
title: "7902 Flag Fen: investigating the survival and preservation of the archaeological remains to inform a management strategy - AWARD"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-27ff2141-4d77-43ed-8ea6-532817da9e02"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-27ff2141-4d77-43ed-8ea6-532817da9e02"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-27ff2141-4d77-43ed-8ea6-532817da9e02.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-27ff2141-4d77-43ed-8ea6-532817da9e02.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "HISTORIC ENGLAND"
published: "2021-10-07"
---

# 7902 Flag Fen: investigating the survival and preservation of the archaeological remains to inform a management strategy - AWARD

Buyer: HISTORIC ENGLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-27ff2141-4d77-43ed-8ea6-532817da9e02

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## Summary

The public procurement process involves Historic England, a key buyer for heritage conservation projects, aiming to investigate the survival and preservation of archaeological remains at Flag Fen, near Peterborough. This tender, titled "7902 Flag Fen: investigating the survival and preservation of the archaeological remains to inform a management strategy - AWARD", falls under the research and development services category. The contract, which has a value of £75,000, was awarded following an open procurement method and is now complete, having commenced on 22nd February 2021 and concluded on 31st May 2022. The procurement phase ended on 12th February 2021.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in archaeological research, environmental assessments, and heritage management services. Companies that can deliver focused archaeological excavation and preservation strategies are particularly well-suited to compete, given the need for targeted investigations to fill knowledge gaps related to the Flag Fen site's fragile organic materials. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) may find themselves strategically positioned to bid for similar future projects in this field, especially as Historic England continues to seek ways to enhance the understanding and management of vulnerable archaeological sites.

## Notice

Flag Fen, near Peterborough, is a nationally important wooden Bronze Age post alignment and timber platform with associated artefacts and palaeoenvironmental remains. The archaeology is preserved within an embayment of low-lying wetland known as the Flag Fen basin. It is designated as a scheduled monument, along with adjacent dry-land Bronze Age remains at Northey (List entry 1406460; Figure 1). Preliminary work has indicated that the fragile organic remains are degrading in some parts of the site and, if unchecked, there may be catastrophic loss of rare organic archaeological evidence (Brittain 2010; Wilkinson et al. 2013; Brittain in press). The remains are currently included on the Historic England Heritage at Risk Register and there is a pressing need to formulate and implement a formal management strategy to sustain the site's potential for future research, through continued physical preservation, archaeological excavation, or a combination of the two. In order to determine the most appropriate management option, further preservation assessments are required to address the weaknesses/gaps present in our understanding. Only limited information is currently available about the preservation of the archaeological remains and how this may have changed since the site was first investigated in the 1980s. In addition, there is some ambiguity regarding the extent of the Platform, particularly the lack of timber in the trenches positioned on its northern side which has led to Brittain et al. (in press) suggesting a reduced extent of c.15,000 sqm, compared to the estimate of 22,100sqm proposed by Pryor (2001, 426). The excavation of key areas of the Platform will allow questions about the extent this feature to be investigated. This brief addresses recommendations made in (Brittain et al. in press), a desk-based project commissioned by Historic England that modelled what is currently known about the survival and preservation of the archaeological remains at Flag Fen. Targeted excavations were recommended to address gaps in our understanding and to recover objective, scientific information about the preservation of the archaeological remains. The information is needed to aid the development of an appropriate management strategy to ensure that future generations can enjoy and understand the important archaeological remains. The ultimate aim is the removal of the scheduled monument from the Heritage at Risk Register. This brief covers the excavation and assessment stage of the project.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/45687ca3-3018-4780-bb96-1f333f11dc53 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 7 Oct 2021 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Feb 2021 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 1 Sep 2019 |
| Contract period | 22 Feb 2021 - 31 May 2022 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £75,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £85,224 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | HISTORIC ENGLAND |
| Locality | SWINDON |
| Post town | Swindon |
| Postcode | SN2 2EH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon |
| Local authority | Swindon |
| Electoral ward | Mannington and Western |
| Westminster constituency | Swindon South |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CAMBRIDGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

## Release History

- 7 Oct 2021 at 14:29 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/45687ca3-3018-4780-bb96-1f333f11dc53
- 7 Oct 2021 at 14:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/45687ca3-3018-4780-bb96-1f333f11dc53

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/45687ca3-3018-4780-bb96-1f333f11dc53
  7th October 2021 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/historic-england/aspx/Home

## Provenance

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