---
title: "Undertaking a Biodiversity Audit of the Environment Agency Estate - Phase 2"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Environment Agency"
published: "2026-10-12"
---

# Undertaking a Biodiversity Audit of the Environment Agency Estate - Phase 2

Buyer: Environment Agency  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75.json)

## Summary

The Environment Agency commissioned Phase 2 of a biodiversity audit of its estate, as environmental services. The work concerns land the Agency manages to support nature recovery and its wider responsibilities. The estate covers 17,309 hectares, comprising freehold and leasehold land in varied habitat types; most parcels are small and geographically dispersed across the country. Around 8,900 hectares are covered by at least one conservation designation. The project follows an earlier phase that produced an estate-wide habitat map based on satellite imagery and a roadmap for improving the map and connecting it to environmental outcomes and reporting. The broader purpose is to improve the Agency’s understanding of the biodiversity value of its estate and support nature recovery.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Ove Arup & Partners Limited. The award date was 12 October 2026, and the contract period runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The awarded value is £99,857. The procurement was a selective call-off from a framework agreement. The tender submission deadline was 25 September 2026. The requirement is described as Phase 2 of the biodiversity audit; no lots are identified. The buyer marked the opportunity as unsuitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises. The published information does not set out an evaluation formula or specific eligibility requirements.

For suppliers considering similar future work for the Environment Agency, this award demonstrates demand for specialist environmental services to assess biodiversity across a large, varied and dispersed public estate. Relevant capability would include biodiversity auditing and habitat assessment, with the ability to work across numerous small sites and land subject to conservation designations. Experience producing or improving habitat mapping using satellite imagery and UKHAB classifications would be pertinent to the preceding project work. Credible suppliers would also be able to connect habitat information with biodiversity net gain, natural capital and carbon accounting, and identify how nature-based solutions can deliver co-benefits. The buyer’s stated SME and VCSE suitability assessment suggests the requirement was not considered suitable for those organisation types in this procurement.

## Notice

Project Description Nature recovery is a key part of the Environment Agency's (EA) business and a government priority. We have committed to deliver healthy land, air and water that support nature's recovery by 2050, in our corporate strategy EA2030. One of the key mechanisms the Environment Agency has for contributing to nature recovery targets is our own estate, as this is where we have the most direct influence over securing biodiversity outcomes. Our estate comprises 17,309 ha (16,718 ha freehold, 591 ha leasehold) and is made up of a variety of habitat types. Most are small parcels of land that are geographically dispersed across the country and held for primary functional purposes linked to the EA's roles and duties. Around 8,900 ha (51%) of this land is covered by at least one conservation designation. Our current understanding of the biodiversity value of our estate was substantially improved by the initial phase on this project which delivered two products 1.) An estate wide habitat mapping layer derived from 10 m satellite imagery using UKHAB classifications. 2.) A Roadmap setting out how the quality and functionality of this mapping can be improved in the future and link to related outcomes and reporting requirements such as BNG, Natural Capital and Carbon accounting as well as facilitate the delivery of co-benefits through nature-based solutions.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/302be117-b990-414e-8f38-8d95a657877a |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Call-off from a framework agreement |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Oct 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £99,857 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £99,857 |
| 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 | Environment Agency |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 4DF |
| 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 | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Ove Arup & Partners Limited Primary |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 90700000 - Environmental services

## Release History

- 12 Oct 2026 at 12:14 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/302be117-b990-414e-8f38-8d95a657877a

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/302be117-b990-414e-8f38-8d95a657877a
  12th October 2026 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## 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-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-db5ab5ce-fd56-4353-9f81-2207630b6f75.json.