---
title: "ES RDE 085 - 0926S Central Fladen PSA and Macrofauna Analysis"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e6e1"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e6e1"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e6e1.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e6e1.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2026-08-18"
---

# ES RDE 085 - 0926S Central Fladen PSA and Macrofauna Analysis

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e6e1

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## Summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissioned services for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee’s Central Fladen survey. The work covers macrofaunal taxonomic analysis and particle size analysis of benthic grab samples collected during the 0926S Central Fladen survey. This is environmental and marine research support, involving laboratory analysis of seabed samples rather than construction, supply of equipment or general consultancy. The procurement is managed by Defra, with the requirement relating to survey and analysis activity at Central Fladen. The contracted service falls within research and development services and related consultancy services. It is relevant to organisations undertaking marine ecological analysis, benthic sample processing, macrofaunal identification and sediment particle size assessment for public-sector environmental monitoring or research programmes.

The procurement has been completed and awarded under a below-threshold framework arrangement using a selective, non-competitive direct award. One lot was completed, with APEM Limited selected as supplier. The award was made on 5 August 2026 and the contract was signed on the same date. The contract period runs from 6 August 2026 to 19 February 2027. Its value is £80,616.94 excluding VAT, or £96,740.33 including VAT. The requirement was evaluated and awarded through the framework route rather than an open competition. The award is active and the contract is active, covering the full Central Fladen macrofaunal and particle size analysis service associated with the 0926S survey.

This award indicates demand from Defra and its environmental science partners for specialist analysis of benthic grab samples from marine surveys. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable capability in macrofaunal taxonomy, reliable identification and reporting of seabed organisms, and particle size analysis of sediments. Experience handling survey-derived samples and converting laboratory results into defensible environmental research outputs would be important. Suppliers should also be able to manage work commissioned through a public-sector framework, operate at the scale of a defined survey analysis package, and meet the technical and reporting requirements associated with marine monitoring. The successful supplier is an SME, showing that this type of specialist environmental service can be delivered by a focused analytical business rather than only by a large multidisciplinary organisation.

## Notice

JNCC Self-Service Direct Award. JNCC is seeking to commission a contract for macrofaunal taxonomic analysis and particle size analysis (PSA) of benthic grab samples collected during the 0926S Central Fladen survey.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078686-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - award under framework |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 5 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 6 Aug 2026 - 19 Feb 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £80,616 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | 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 | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | APEM Limited |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

## Release History

- 18 Aug 2026 at 16:20 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078686-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078686-2026
  18th August 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h6vhtk-04ef64
- 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-06e6e1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e6e1.json.