---
title: "Specialist Analytical Service for NRW"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02afeb"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02afeb"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02afeb.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02afeb.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATURAL RESOURCES WALES"
published: "2025-12-18"
---

# Specialist Analytical Service for NRW

Buyer: NATURAL RESOURCES WALES  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02afeb

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## Summary

The procurement process initiated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) involves the provision of Specialist Analytical Services, focusing on laboratory services required across various environmental matrices. This procurement is categorized under services within the UK (region UKL), particularly at the NRW Analytical Services located in Swansea, with collection points to be agreed upon during implementation. The procurement is in the awardUpdate and contractUpdate stage as of 18th December 2025, with previous updates indicating active contracts from 2021-09-13 to 2026-12-31. The procurement method employed was an open procedure, allowing broad competition, structured under the legal EU directive 32014L0024, with significant emphasis on quality and price as part of the evaluation criteria. The most recent contract, valued at approximately £1,456,214.88, includes a 12-month extension announced, reflecting new contractual amendments required to accommodate ongoing and unforeseen changes related to environmental and operational needs.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for laboratories equipped with specialized analytical capabilities and the infrastructure to manage outsourced analysis contracts. Companies able to deliver reliable water quality and environmental analysis, as well as refrigerated courier services to handle diverse samples, would be well-positioned to compete. The procurement details underscore the necessity for technical skills in analysis methods that NRW lacks or deems uneconomical to conduct in-house. Key to success would be the ability to adhere to NRW's complex requirements and respond to emergency needs flagged during the contract duration. Due to the complexities and specific requirements, larger organizations with comprehensive resources like RPS Environmental Management Limited have successfully competed and can be seen as examples of suitable competitors.

## Notice

NRW is seeking to award a contract for the supply of an analytical service to NRW. The purpose of the requirement is to outsource samples for environmental analysis required by WFD, EQSD and Habitats directives, the samples are collected in a range of matrices; including freshwater, trade, treated sewage, saline, biota and sediment. Reporting limits are often required in low, or very low ranges.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

NRWAS manage an outsourced analysis contract for the wider business, delivering samples from our laboratory to a third-party laboratory for analysis. The reasons for outsourcing are generally when specialised methods are yet to be developed by NRW or where setting up in-house capability is uneconomical due to low sample numbers. The samples are collected from a range of matrices; including freshwater, trade, treated sewage, saline, biota and sediment. Reporting limits are often required in low, or very low ranges. This Invitation to Tender is for a contract to provide NRW with water quality and environmental analysis and for providing results in a suitable format. The contract also includes the provision of a refrigerated courier service to collect samples from an agreed location.

Renewal: There will be an option to extend the contract by up to a further 12 months for a total of a 36-month extension up to 31st December 2024.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084339-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Dec 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 11 Jun 2021 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 6 Sep 2021 |
| Contract period | 12 Sep 2021 - 31 Dec 2026 |
| Recurrence | On expiry of this contract. |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £800,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £4,203,196 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATURAL RESOURCES WALES |
| Locality | CARDIFF |
| Post town | Cardiff |
| Postcode | CF24 0TP |
| Country | Wales |
| ITL 1 | TLL Wales |
| ITL 2 | TLL5 South East Wales |
| ITL 3 | TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan |
| Local authority | Cardiff |
| Electoral ward | Cathays |
| Westminster constituency | Cardiff South and Penarth |
| Delivery location | TLL Wales |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | RPS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71900000 - Laboratory services

## Release History

- 18 Dec 2025 at 12:34 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084339-2025
- 18 Dec 2024 at 16:29 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040846-2024
- 22 Dec 2023 at 15:09 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037874-2023
- 6 Mar 2023 at 10:50 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006407-2023
- 15 Sep 2021 at 15:24 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022961-2021
- 12 May 2021 at 07:45 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010362-2021

## Notice URLs

- http://naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
- https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk
- https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk/
- https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0110

## 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-h6vhtk-02afeb. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02afeb.json.