---
title: "Bycatch Monitoring Programme (BMP) - 26-27"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e964"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e964"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e964.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e964.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2026-08-21"
---

# Bycatch Monitoring Programme (BMP) - 26-27

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e964

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## Summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is procuring environmental monitoring services for the UK Bycatch Monitoring Programme. The work provides evidence for the UK’s statutory and international obligations to monitor and report the incidental capture of protected and sensitive marine species. It covers monitoring and reporting activity in English and Scottish waters, requiring a service capable of supporting marine conservation evidence and regulatory reporting. The procurement is classified as environmental monitoring other than for construction (CPV 90711500). The programme is intended to maintain continuity while Defra procures a longer-term arrangement competitively. It is therefore relevant to organisations with specialist marine monitoring, bycatch assessment, ecological evidence, data management and environmental reporting capabilities.

This completed procurement was awarded on 20 August 2026 through a direct award under Schedule 5, paragraph 6 of the Procurement Act 2023. One requirement was awarded to the University of St Andrews for £492,686 excluding VAT, or £591,223.20 including VAT. The contract period runs from 3 September 2026 to 30 June 2027, with signature scheduled for 3 September 2026 and the standstill period ending on 2 September 2026. Defra justified the direct award on the supplier’s unique expertise, established delivery model and specialist consortium partners, stating that no reasonable alternative could maintain continuity while a full competitive procurement was undertaken. The award is above the relevant threshold and was evaluated on technical reasons supporting a single supplier.

For suppliers that did not secure this award, the procurement demonstrates a defined requirement for specialist bycatch monitoring and marine species evidence in English and Scottish waters. A credible future competitor would need demonstrated expertise in monitoring the incidental capture of protected and sensitive marine species, together with reliable methods for producing evidence that meets statutory and international monitoring and reporting obligations. The selected supplier’s established delivery model and specialist consortium partners indicate that technical capability must be supported by dependable operational capacity and access to complementary expertise. Organisations should also be able to maintain continuity of monitoring activity, manage relevant environmental data, and turn field evidence into clear, defensible reports for a central government buyer.

## Notice

The UK Bycatch Monitoring Programme (BMP) delivers the evidence required to meet the UK's statutory and international obligations for monitoring and reporting the incidental capture of protected and sensitive marine species. An 11-month STA Direct Award is required to maintain continuity of monitoring and reporting activity in England and Scottish waters while a long-term contract is competitively procured.

### Procurement Information

Defra considers a direct award to the University of St Andrews justified under Schedule 5, Paragraph 6 of the Procurement Act 2023, as its unique expertise, established delivery model, and specialist consortium partners mean there is no reasonable alternative capable of maintaining continuity of the UK Bycatch Monitoring Programme while a full competitive procurement is undertaken.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079841-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 20 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 3 Sep 2026 - 30 Jun 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £492,686 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## 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 | University of St Andrews |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 90711500 - Environmental monitoring other than for construction

## Release History

- 21 Aug 2026 at 11:51 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079841-2026
- 21 Aug 2026 at 11:20 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079819-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079841-2026
  21st August 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079819-2026
  21st August 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- 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-06e964. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e964.json.