--- title: "Testing eDNA metabarcoding as a technique for monitoring subtidal sediment condition - marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "NATURAL ENGLAND" published: "2023-11-20" --- # Testing eDNA metabarcoding as a technique for monitoring subtidal sediment condition - marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme Buyer: NATURAL ENGLAND Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901.json) ## Summary The public procurement contracting process is led by Natural England under the title "Testing eDNA metabarcoding as a technique for monitoring subtidal sediment condition - marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme" in the environmental services category. The buying organisation, Natural England, is located in York, England. The procurement stage is at the tender stage, with a deadline for submissions by 17:00 on Monday 29th August 2023. The procurement method for this open procedure contract valued at £20,000 GBP is an Open procedure (below threshold). The contract period will run from September 2023 to March 2024. This tender presents an opportunity for businesses in the environmental services sector, particularly those well-versed in DNA metabarcoding and marine ecosystem assessment. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are well-suited to compete for this contract. Interested businesses must submit quotations meeting the requirements outlined in the Request for Quotation (RFQ) by the stated deadline. The focus of the project is to deliver evidence on marine natural capital assets and ecosystem conditions, with a specific interest in bacterial and meiofaunal diversity as well as wider community diversity. The contract aims to assess the condition of marine sediments to enhance ecosystem service delivery potential. ## Notice This project is part of the Marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) Programme which is a three-year Defra-funded programme that looks to deliver evidence on the extent and condition of marine natural capital assets, along with tools and guidance to support decision-making using the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) approach. This particular project is testing DNA metabarcoding as a technique for tracking sedimentary ecosystem asset condition. DNA metabarcoding will be used alongside traditional morphological infauna ID to understand how eDNA of benthic fauna responds to anthropogenic pressure (such as pollution, contaminants, disturbance, etc.). The outputs will be used to assess if these metabarcoding techniques can be used in future monitoring scenarios that will enable more effective and efficient monitoring of impacts on the seabed at greater spatial scales, and with greater ease, than is currently possible. Natural England is collecting traditional benthic infauna grab samples and eDNA sediment samples along pressure gradients in up to two sites, including the Solent and the Thames Estuary. The surveys will be conducted in September-October 2023. The aim of this contract is to produce DNA metabarcoding data for benthic eDNA sediment samples, and examine this data in the context of pressure gradients and associated infauna data. Metabarcoding and traditional taxonomic output will be evaluated for their respective potential to be used as a method for determining the condition of marine sediments and therefore as a driver of their ecosystem service delivery potential. The primary interest is to see if there is a change in community composition in response to known pressure gradients. As such we are particularly interested in bacterial and meiofaunal diversity as well as wider community diversity (fish, invertebrates etc). The timeline for this work will be from October 2023 - March 2024. Additional information: To apply for this opportunity you must submit your quotation meeting the requirements detailed in the Request for Quotation (RFQ) attached. Your response must be sent to Louise.Whatley@naturalengland.org.uk by 17:00 on Monday 28th August 2023. If you have any clarification questions linked to this opportunity or the procurement process please submit these via email to Louise.Whatley@naturalengland.org.uk. The deadline for clarifications is Friday 11th August 2023. Please note that, unless commercially sensitive, both the question and the response will be circulated to all tenderers. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a17b8639-b915-4985-aba8-fb57c7216138 | | Notice type | Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | SME | | All stages | Tender, Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 20 Nov 2023 | | Submission deadline | 28 Aug 2023 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 18 Sep 2023 | | Contract period | 4 Sep 2023 - 31 Mar 2024 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £20,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | £19,457 | | 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 | NATURAL ENGLAND | | Locality | YORK | | Post town | York | | Postcode | YO1 7PX | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber | | ITL 2 | TLE2 North Yorkshire | | ITL 3 | TLE21 York | | Local authority | York | | Electoral ward | Guildhall | | Westminster constituency | York Central | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | JMU SERVICES | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services ### Codes - 90700000 - Environmental services ## Release History - 20 Nov 2023 at 09:43 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a17b8639-b915-4985-aba8-fb57c7216138 - 21 Aug 2023 at 15:56 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 21 Aug 2023 at 15:26 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 18 Aug 2023 at 07:55 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 11 Aug 2023 at 10:04 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 9 Aug 2023 at 08:58 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 8 Aug 2023 at 09:42 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 2 Aug 2023 at 10:05 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 1 Aug 2023 at 14:50 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 - 1 Aug 2023 at 14:39 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a17b8639-b915-4985-aba8-fb57c7216138 20th November 2023 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b3efc991-571f-4c59-a171-456de3051777 21st August 2023 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/eb8e8961-29f9-47ff-97b0-ad3eaa94b6a8 RFQ document - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/d689c91b-dffa-4caf-b2f6-4a000d80367c - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/cfcf5412-aa79-4551-ac08-80cdf08f6e6a - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/719e791e-5448-4eb2-b92a-c69695a71fa2 RFQ document - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/d623b1be-4262-4372-8e63-75bc3f289c61 - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/685f7e3f-532c-47f9-b04f-4b4c4177e380 - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/bf2ac4a3-3b4f-4000-80e5-84886db627ea - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/2a593f10-15b4-4b61-a63f-19911d1bf74e RFQ - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/3cc80b19-248a-4c5b-82f4-d59f2dab80ee - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/SupplierAttachment/064e6e6e-ce44-4f7e-a4b0-14e8588db24f ## 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-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f8c67e6b-f2bc-4c16-835a-a47e2627e901.json.