---
title: "Excavation of Mersea Blockhouse"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-065835"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-065835"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065835.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065835.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-02-19"
---

# Excavation of Mersea Blockhouse

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-065835

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-065835)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065835.json)

## Summary

Essex County Council, a sub-central government authority located in Chelmsford, is managing the procurement process for the excavation of the Mersea Blockhouse, a historic artillery fort on the Essex coast. This project falls under the works category within the archaeological industry, specifically focusing on excavation and geophysical surveys at archaeological sites. The procurement process has reached the award stage, with the contract being awarded on 22 January 2026 to Colchester Archaeological Trust Limited, and the work is scheduled to commence on 1 February 2026, concluding on 1 March 2028. The procurement was conducted through a limited, below-threshold competition, reflecting the specialised nature of the services required.

This tender offers substantial opportunities for growth in the field of archaeological excavation services, particularly for SMEs with expertise in historical site analysis and reporting. Businesses that specialise in archaeological assessments, analyses, and documentation are well-positioned to benefit from such government-related projects. Companies with experience in geophysical surveys and those with a focus on preserving cultural heritage will find similar tenders to be advantageous platforms for showcasing their expertise and securing long-term governmental contracts.

## Notice

The project is for a full archaeological excavation, assessment, analysis, reporting and archiving, of the scheduled Henrician blockhouse/artillery fort and associated unscheduled foreshore (intertidal) features, that lie on the Essex coast at East Mersea.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015260-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Works |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - limited competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 19 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Jan 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Feb 2026 - 1 Mar 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £174,662 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Locality | CHELMSFORD |
| Post town | Chelmsford |
| Postcode | CM1 1QH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex |
| ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex |
| Local authority | Chelmsford |
| Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central |
| Westminster constituency | Chelmsford |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | COLCHESTER ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 45112450 - Excavation work at archaeological sites
- 71351720 - Geophysical surveys of archaeological sites
- 71351914 - Archaeological services

## Release History

- 19 Feb 2026 at 13:57 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015260-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015260-2026
  19th February 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- 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-065835. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065835.json.