--- title: "Open Competition - Nature Based Solutions in the Wensum and the Bure" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "DEFRA" published: "2023-09-12" --- # Open Competition - Nature Based Solutions in the Wensum and the Bure Buyer: DEFRA Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e93e9729-e94f-48ab-92bb-2b594c086494.json) ## Summary The Environment Agency (EA) and Water Resources East (WRE) are inviting tenders for a project titled "Open Competition - Nature Based Solutions in the Wensum and the Bure." This project aims to create a national evidence base for chalk catchments to support water resource considerations. The project will explore the use of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to increase water availability, improve groundwater recharge, and enhance low flows in rivers. The procurement method is an open procedure, with a tender deadline of 9th October 2023. The contract period begins on 20th October 2023 and ends on 31st March 2025, with potential extension funding until March 2028. The project falls under the main procurement category of services and is suitable for both SMEs and VCSEs. This tender presents opportunities for businesses involved in research and development consultancy services to contribute to environmental outcomes such as groundwater resilience, water quality benefits, and biodiversity enhancements. The project offers subcontracting opportunities and requires a diverse skill set. Businesses operating in London, United Kingdom, particularly suited for this tender, should focus on delivering the specified pieces of work and supporting the objectives outlined by the Environment Agency and Water Resources East. The project aligns with various environmental strategies, national programmes, and regulatory requirements aimed at achieving sustainable water resource management and environmental conservation goals. ## Notice The Environment Agency (EA) wish to support the creation of a national evidence base for chalk catchments, for use in Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) and other water resource considerations. The EA and Water Resources East (WRE) also wish to explore whether Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can be used to increase water availability, to improve groundwater recharge and support low flows in rivers. Modelling and mapping have already taken place in the chalk river catchments of the Test, Cam, Wensum, and Bure to identify the types of locations which best enable recharge. More specifically in the Wensum, modelling showed that interventions such as soil improvements and run-off attenuation features at scale could improve low flows from 5% - 15% in the catchment. A project is now being developed to evaluate these outputs in the Wensum catchment, via a comprehensive monitoring programme, which may run for several years. The outputs from this work will help the Environment Agency and Water Resource East to deliver other pieces of work, which include: Plan, projects, and strategies * Linking to the WRE's Norfolk Water Strategy Programme on nature-based solutions, which is a collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the Norfolk councils, and Anglian Water, * Aligning to the objectives of the Defra 25 Year Environment Plan - Primarily 'Clean and plentiful water' and mitigation of the impacts of climate change, 'Thriving plants and wildlife' and 'Reducing risks of harm from environmental hazards' (floods and drought), * Catchment licensing strategies by 2027 and Commitments in River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) to support implementation of the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017, * Contributing towards catchment measures as part of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), * Evidence to support the new Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS), * Evidence to support the production of Local Nature Recovery Strategies, * Support the National FCRM Strategy. * Contributing towards achievement of the CaBA Chalk Stream Strategy, and the Environment Agency's chalk streams programme. Environmental outcomes * Providing groundwater that is more resilient to the impacts of climate change, droughts and mitigating the impacts of abstraction, * Assess water quality benefits including increased baseflow values (valuable from a water quality discharge perspective) and reduced sediment deposition, * Potential biodiversity benefits arising from the temporary storage of water in the landscape. The EA/WRE wish to commission the following pieces of work. The EA and WRE are also happy with the use of sub-contractors to support this work as this project does include a wide skillset and background knowledge. We are currently programming this work to complete in March 2026 but are actively searching for additional funds to continue through to March 2028 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/40aa6476-de4c-4bd3-8173-bef388234180 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (above threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 12 Sep 2023 | | Submission deadline | 9 Oct 2023 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 19 Oct 2023 - 31 Mar 2025 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEFRA | | 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 | TLI London | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services ## Release History - 12 Sep 2023 at 10:34 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/40aa6476-de4c-4bd3-8173-bef388234180 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/40aa6476-de4c-4bd3-8173-bef388234180 12th September 2023 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/0870d3df-b6ec-41f5-b569-e239c1a50bac ITT Wensum NbS monitoring_20230829_mw (002)_SA ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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