---
title: "Contract for the Provision of SCF02017 (SEASOLUTIONS)"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-58515762-57e1-4e37-a66e-4e2864bcf37f"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-58515762-57e1-4e37-a66e-4e2864bcf37f"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-58515762-57e1-4e37-a66e-4e2864bcf37f.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-58515762-57e1-4e37-a66e-4e2864bcf37f.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL"
published: "2020-06-15"
---

# Contract for the Provision of SCF02017 (SEASOLUTIONS)

Buyer: DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-58515762-57e1-4e37-a66e-4e2864bcf37f

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## Summary

The procurement process involves the Defra Network, which is located in London, England. This tender, titled "Contract for the Provision of SCF02017 (SEASOLUTIONS)", falls under the industry category of Research services. The procurement method employed is open procedure, which is suitable for projects above the threshold. The contract period commenced on 1st February 2020 and is set to conclude on 31st March 2023. The award notice for this contract was published on 15th June 2020, reflecting a total value of £169,738, aimed at addressing the environmental impact of ruminant production through sustainable seaweed use as a feed additive.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses aiming to contribute to innovative agricultural practices focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Companies specialising in sustainable agriculture, marine biology, feed production, and environmental science would be particularly well-suited to compete. The collaboration across multiple countries implies that businesses with cross-border capabilities or partnerships can leverage their expertise in this sector, thus facilitating potential growth through advanced research and service offerings tailored to enhance livestock productivity while achieving environmental sustainability.

## Notice

Ruminant production is responsible for ~9% of anthropogenic CO2 emission and 37% of CH4 emissions, thus contributing towards greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. This release of methane from the rumen microbiome also results in 6-12% less energy being available to the animal therefore reducing methane emissions in ruminants will also likely improve upon their growth. Current agricultural policies have been designed to encourage agricultural practices which secure high yields of healthy food, but also must ensure environmental goals such as minimizing emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). However, a common notion is that the required environmental performances necessarily result in lower productivity, but this may be due to a lack of knowledge and innovation. Novel, economically-viable solutions are required that secure high environmental performance while sustaining or even increasing productivity, enabling future food security for a growing population. Utilisation of seaweeds (or seaweed byproducts) as an additive in ruminant feed represent a novel approach which has the potential to meet these requirements. To date, some chemical compounds and seaweeds (3NOP, Asparagopsis taxiformis (tropical) and Asparagopsis armata (temperate)) have shown methane inhibitory effects in the laboratory (up to 99% reduction) and in limited animal studies. However, 3NOP and Asparagopsis sp. are not commercially viable due to (1) limited supply of seaweeds/seaweed bioactives; (2) animal health and food safety issues (potential carcinogen) and environmental concerns (negative effects on the ozone layer); (3) prohibitive costs and (4) limited aquaculture of Asparagopsis seaweeds. What is required is sustainably sourced seaweeds that can be used in animal feeds to modulate the rumen microbiome and reduce ruminant methane emissions, whilst ensuring animal health, fertility and productivity. SEASOLUTIONS proposes to use natural and natively abundant seaweeds (harvested by licensed harvesting companies) as a source of feed additive to reach the requirements of long-term methane reduction, without negative effects on feed intake, the environment, productivity of animals or food and animals safety. This will be achieved by a cross disciplinary consortium of experts from 5 countries in Europe (Republic of Ireland, UK, Sweden, Norway and Germany) and 1 in North America (Canada). This team will: 1) investigate sustainable harvesting and preservation techniques for native seaweeds in sufficient quantities for use in animal feeds; 2) Characterise and select native seaweed species for lab and animal trials as feed additives based on their bioactive and safety profiles; 3) Evaluate the effects of selected seaweeds on total CH4 and nutrient production both in laboratory and in animal trials; 4) Identify the mechanisms through which the seaweed additives reduce methane in the rumen microbiome; 5) Explore novel cost-effective options for seaweed-based feed ingredients Additional information: Please note that Defra procurement uses an E-tendering system for Procurement activities. This is currently provided by Bravo Solutions. To access appropriate tendering and contractual documents, please access the E-Tendering portal at https://defra.bravosolution.co.uk", ensuring that your registration includes "Defra". If you have any problems with this system, please contact Bravo on their telephone helpline number 0800 368 4850 or by emailing them at help@bravosolution.co.uk. "

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/58969550-e478-44a0-97ef-bc42e06d2784 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure (above threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Jun 2020 |
| Submission deadline | 1 Jan 2020 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 1 Jan 2020 |
| Contract period | 1 Feb 2020 - 31 Mar 2023 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £169,738 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £169,738 |
| 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 | DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3JR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73110000 - Research services

## Release History

- 15 Jun 2020 at 13:30 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/58969550-e478-44a0-97ef-bc42e06d2784

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/58969550-e478-44a0-97ef-bc42e06d2784
  15th June 2020 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/0315f6ca-3dd4-4509-82e5-6a97e98bf868
  n/a

## Notice URLs

- https://defra.bravosolution.co.uk

## Provenance

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