--- title: "Advancing the metabarcoding assay validation framework" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "NATURAL ENGLAND" published: "2025-07-11" --- # Advancing the metabarcoding assay validation framework Buyer: NATURAL ENGLAND Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3.json) ## Summary Natural England, a central government public authority based in London, spearheaded a procurement process titled "Advancing the metabarcoding assay validation framework." The focus is on Research and Development services, particularly consultancy related to DNA-based environmental monitoring methods. This competitive process followed the open procurement method below the threshold and aimed to validate and standardise the use of metabarcoding assays. The contract, awarded to THE JAMES HUTTON INSTITUTE for services across various regions in the UK, was officially signed on 26th June 2025 and runs from 7th July 2025 to 27th February 2026. This tender presents substantial opportunities for firms in the ecological monitoring and environmental consultancy sectors, especially those capable of contributing innovative solutions to DNA-based monitoring frameworks. With the collaborative effort to expand upon a trial and integrate a comprehensive analysis, the project sought input from the broader eDNA community, providing advantageous growth potentials for businesses specialising in scientific research and ecological data analysis. Small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, were considered suitable to apply, highlighting an ongoing commitment to fostering smaller business participation. ## Notice DNA-based methods have the potential to significantly change how we monitor and assess ecosystems. Natural England has been exploring the use of these methods for environmental monitoring for several years, delivering a series of reports which focus on the development of DNA-based methods with potential in a particular area. These methods are now being used more widely within Natural England, particularly the detection of ecological communities using environmental DNA (eDNA). This is often conducted by employing metabarcoding assays which target specific species assemblages (e.g. fish, mammals) or broader taxonomic groups (e.g. vertebrates, invertebrates, bacteria). The DNA Team aims to operationalise DNA-based methods and produces guidance for using them in monitoring projects. In order to provide sound recommendations, it is important that we understand the limitations of, and uncertainties with, DNA-based methods. Natural England staff need to be able to understand how DNA-derived data can be used, and the confidence they can have in data derived using different DNA-based methods which have been validated to different stages. Natural England previously commissioned the development of a framework to enable end users to assess confidence in metabarcoding assays and results (Pagaling and others, under review; a copy of the framework can be provided by Natural England upon request by emailing monitoring.innovation@naturalengland.org.uk). By using the checklist and levelled scale, end users can appropriately interpret results. It also provides validation and reporting standards for the development of new metabarcoding assays. The framework will enable end-users to determine the recommended scenarios for application of a given assay and improve assay performance with further validation. As part of development, the framework was trialled against five commonly used assays in the eDNA literature, with specific climate and habitat combinations to account for inherent differences in biodiversity between climates and different workflows used across habitats. Due to time and resource, only temperate climates and one or two habitats for each assay were considered, and the number of metabarcoding studies evaluated to assign a level for each assay varied. This project will advance the metabarcoding assay validation framework by expanding upon this trial to conduct a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis, covering more assays being used for different purposes and in different contexts. Feedback on the framework will be sought from the wider eDNA community and a user guide created for applying the framework. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039190-2025 | | Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Large | | All stages | Tender, Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 11 Jul 2025 | | Submission deadline | 20 Jun 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 25 Jun 2025 | | Contract period | 6 Jul 2025 - 27 Feb 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £41,666 | | Lots value | £41,666 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £41,574 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Complete | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NATURAL ENGLAND | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | 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 | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | THE JAMES HUTTON INSTITUTE | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ## Release History - 11 Jul 2025 at 10:23 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039190-2025 - 6 Jun 2025 at 16:33 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030739-2025 - 4 Jun 2025 at 12:49 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029886-2025 - 27 May 2025 at 15:19 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027852-2025 - 23 May 2025 at 15:52 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027002-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039190-2025 11th July 2025 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030739-2025 6th June 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029886-2025 4th June 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027852-2025 27th May 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027002-2025 23rd May 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-1658 RfQ - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-1659 Commercial Response Template - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-1660 Contract Draft - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-1966 Clarifications to Bidders Questions ## Notice URLs - http://www.hutton.ac.uk - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## 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-0524a3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0524a3.json.