---
title: "Persistent Organic Pollutants in Institutional Mattresses Project"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2023-12-14"
---

# Persistent Organic Pollutants in Institutional Mattresses Project

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036

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## Summary

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs has awarded a tender for the project titled "Persistent Organic Pollutants in Institutional Mattresses Project" to Water Research Centre Limited. The project aims to better understand the potential impact of bromine in institutional mattresses by analysing foams and textiles for persistent organic pollutants. The total contract value is £77,141.05 and the contract period is from 30th October 2023 to 17th February 2024.

This procurement opportunity offers a chance for businesses in the research services and waste analysis sector to participate in a competitive quotation process below threshold. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly suitable for this opportunity. Interested parties must submit their response by 19th October 2023. The project location is in the United Kingdom, providing local businesses with a strategic advantage in participating.

## Notice

As part of the Chemicals Programme we need to better understand the potential impact of bromine in institutional mattresses. Brominated flame-retardants (BFRs) and chlorinated paraffins are reported to be present in foams and textile in waste institutional mattresses. These might include persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) (CAS 85535-84-8) and medium chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) (CAS 85535-85-9) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). These are comprised of multiple components such as decabrominated diphenyl ether (decaBDE) (CAS 1163-19-5). Hazardous chemicals may also be present, such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) (CAS 25637-99-4) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) (CAS 79-94-7). Institutional mattresses are mattresses that are used in facilities such as hospitals, care homes, mental health institutions, prisons and police stations, they do not include mattresses from domestic settings. This study will specifically focus on the foam mattresses with a waterproof plastic covering found in these facilities. Information for institutional mattresses suggests those used in Prison and Mental Health institutions are considered at very high risk of fire and therefore may have a higher flame retardancy. Those at nursing homes and certain hospital wards, are of medium-high risk of fire and those in a domestic setting are considered lower risk. Institutional mattresses tend to be made out of a polyurethane foam flame retardant inner with a waterproof flame-retardant PVC coated polyester textile or polyurethane outer covering. The key objectives of this project are to sample and analyse these foams and textiles to: * provide evidence on whether foam or textile in institutional mattresses contain persistent organic pollutants * provide an initial estimate of the proportion of foams and textiles removed from institutional mattresses that contain brominated flame retardants, and the levels they contain, using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) scanning * provide an initial estimate of the proportion of foams and textiles removed from institutional mattresses that contain chlorinated paraffins (specifically MCCPs and SCCPs), and the levels they contain, using XRF scanning * provide an analysis of foams and textiles identified as containing bromine or chlorine by XRF, to determine which BFRs and chlorinated paraffins are present, including any that are POPs. Analysis of other chemicals of concern (for example Dechlorane Plus, UV-328 and any other potential POPs) should be considered to maximise sampling and analysis effort. To apply please send an email notification of participation to sam.lusted@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please copy in susan.froud@environment-agency.gov.uk and chemicalsprogramme@environment-agency.gov.uk. Your final response is to be submitted no later than 23:55 on Wednesday 19 October 2023. Additional information: To apply please send an email notification of participation to sam.lusted@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please copy in susan.froud@environment-agency.gov.uk and chemicalsprogramme@environment-agency.gov.uk. Your final response is to be submitted no later than 23:55 on Wednesday 19 October 2023.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5b277c98-64a5-48fe-8551-a301e2c036d7 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Competitive quotation (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Dec 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 19 Oct 2023 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 30 Oct 2023 |
| Contract period | 30 Oct 2023 - 17 Feb 2024 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £49,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £77,141 |
| 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 | DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS |
| Locality | SHEFFIELD |
| Post town | Sheffield |
| Postcode | S9 4WF |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE3 South Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE32 Sheffield |
| Local authority | Sheffield |
| Electoral ward | Darnall |
| Westminster constituency | Sheffield South East |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | WATER RESEARCH CENTRE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 73110000 - Research services
- 79723000 - Waste analysis services

## Release History

- 14 Dec 2023 at 11:09 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5b277c98-64a5-48fe-8551-a301e2c036d7
- 5 Oct 2023 at 09:14 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/48a7b66c-2c25-4dc6-8be3-c221f191dff4

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5b277c98-64a5-48fe-8551-a301e2c036d7
  14th December 2023 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/48a7b66c-2c25-4dc6-8be3-c221f191dff4
  5th October 2023 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/d9a7862e-669a-471a-a121-2e6f1d501cd8
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/1fcd374b-ef26-48ac-8adf-56007de70faa
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/SupplierAttachment/05468cbf-27ab-4a47-addc-0ba9032bf3c5
  Signed contract (mandatory)

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-bbe5af2a-767a-437f-aed6-d0dd9d654036.json.