---
title: "Variety Trials for AHDB's Recommended List"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e20f"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e20f"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e20f.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e20f.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board"
published: "2026-08-12"
---

# Variety Trials for AHDB's Recommended List

Buyer: Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e20f

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## Summary

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is considering procurement of agricultural services for its Recommended Lists Variety Trials programme. The work would support the trials used in developing and maintaining AHDB’s Recommended Lists, although the specific trial activities and technical scope have not yet been settled. Delivery is intended to take place across the United Kingdom. This is a service contract rather than a goods supply or construction project. The procurement is intended to involve one lot, covering the programme as a whole. AHDB is seeking views from existing and potential suppliers while it considers its future approach, including how the services could be delivered and how future contracts could be managed.

The process is at preliminary market-engagement and planning stage; it is not an invitation to tender. AHDB expects to decide its procurement approach following market research, with a future notice currently anticipated for 13 January 2027. Interested suppliers are invited to request and complete a questionnaire, with responses expected by 12 noon on 14 September 2026. The planned contract period is 15 June 2027 to 14 June 2028, with renewal possible up to 14 June 2032. One lot is planned, and the buyer has recorded the procurement value as £0 including gross value, in GBP. The engagement will explore market capability, commercial considerations, delivery approaches and improved contract management arrangements.

This will suit agricultural service providers with practical experience of variety trials, crop evaluation or related field-based research delivered across the UK. Suppliers should be prepared to explain their technical capability, operational capacity, delivery model and commercial approach for supporting a national Recommended Lists programme. Experience of planning and managing agricultural trials, collecting reliable results and working to agreed technical requirements would be relevant when AHDB develops the future specification. The buyer is also seeking ideas for improving contract management, so organisations able to demonstrate robust governance, reporting, quality assurance and performance management should be well placed. The planned lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

## Notice

AHDB is considering its future procurement approach for the Recommended Lists Variety Trials programme and is undertaking preliminary market engagement with existing and potential suppliers in relation to any future procurement of these services. The purpose of this engagement is to gather feedback to better understand market capability, commercial considerations, delivery approaches and opportunities to improve future procurement and contract management arrangements. Please note that this questionnaire is for market research purposes only. Responses will not be used to evaluate future tenders and do not commit AHDB to any particular procurement approach. Please email procurement@ahdb.org.uk to receive the questionnaire.

### Planning Information

Interested suppliers are invited to request a copy of the questionnaire by emailing Procurement@ahdb.org.uk.
AHDB may also issue the questionnaire directly to suppliers known to operate within this market. However, any interested supplier that has not received a copy may request one using the email address above.
Completed questionnaires should be returned to Procurement@ahdb.org.uk no later than 12 noon on 14 September 2026.
Please quote "RL Pre-Engagement Response" in the email subject line.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076542-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 12 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 13 Jan 2027 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 15 Jun 2027 - 14 Jun 2028 |
| 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 | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board |
| Locality | COVENTRY |
| Postcode area | Coventry |
| Postcode | CV3 4PE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire |
| ITL 3 | TLG13 Warwickshire CC |
| Local authority | Warwick |
| Electoral ward | Cubbington & Leek Wootton |
| Westminster constituency | Kenilworth and Southam |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

### Codes

- 77100000 - Agricultural services

## Release History

- 12 Aug 2026 at 10:06 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076542-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076542-2026
  12th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ahdb.org.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-06e20f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e20f.json.