---
title: "Biological control of invasive plants 2026/27"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06ee74"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06ee74"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee74.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee74.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government"
published: "2026-08-28"
---

# Biological control of invasive plants 2026/27

Buyer: Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06ee74

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## Summary

The Welsh Government procured services to develop and apply biological controls for invasive non-native plants, specifically Himalayan balsam and Australian swamp stonecrop. The work addresses biodiversity loss, water deoxygenation and damage to invertebrate, amphibian and fish populations where conventional control methods are ineffective or herbicide use is unsuitable near waterbodies and protected nature conservation sites. It includes field-based and laboratory experiments, pilot and testing projects, and the release of relevant biological control agents, namely mites and rust fungus. The requirement is delivered in Wales. The Welsh Government is the buying organisation, and the service falls within research services. The purpose is to establish effective biological control methods that can reduce future environmental impacts and control costs.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded directly without competition as a below-threshold requirement. CABI Europe – UK was selected as the supplier, and the contract was signed on 28 August 2026. The awarded contract value is £70,000 gross. The contract runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 July 2027. There was one lot, covering the full requirement. The award concerns research services for biological control of Himalayan balsam and Australian swamp stonecrop, including field and laboratory work, pilot activity, testing and release of biological control agents. The procurement was evaluated through a direct award route rather than an open or competitive tender. The recorded award is active and the contract is active.

This requirement is relevant to organisations with specialist capability in invasive plant management, ecological research and biological control. Credible suppliers would need to design and carry out both field and laboratory experiments, run pilots and testing projects, and assess the effectiveness and practical risks of releasing biological control agents. Relevant expertise includes work with Himalayan balsam and Australian swamp stonecrop, mites, rust fungus, freshwater or terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity protection and nature conservation sites. Suppliers should be able to produce robust scientific evidence and translate experimental findings into practical control methods suitable for locations where herbicides are inappropriate, particularly near waterbodies. The award demonstrates Welsh Government demand for applied environmental research combining scientific investigation with implementation planning.

## Notice

Invasive non-native plant species like Himalayan balsam (HB) and Australian swamp stonecrop (ASS) significantly reduce biodiversity by crowding out native vegetation and limiting plant and animal species diversity. ASS deoxygenates water and reduces numbers of small invertebrates, amphibians and fish. Traditional methods for the control of HB and ASS are generally ineffective. Chemical control with herbicides is the most effective but often inappropriate next to or in waterbodies or protected nature conservation sites. The contract includes field and lab based experiments and release of relevant biological control agents (mites and rust fungus) to manage these two plant species. Pilots and testing projects are an important part of understanding the benefits and effectiveness of biological controls and the problems these species cause. This investment now in biological control methods and their effective implementation have the potential to provide considerable benefits in terms of reduced costs and impacts as described above in future years.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082135-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 28 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Sep 2026 - 31 Jul 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £70,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government |
| Locality | CARDIFF |
| Postcode area | Cardiff |
| Postcode | CF10 3NQ |
| Country | Wales |
| ITL 1 | TLL Wales |
| ITL 2 | TLL5 South East Wales |
| ITL 3 | TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan |
| Local authority | Cardiff |
| Electoral ward | Cathays |
| Westminster constituency | Cardiff South and Penarth |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CABI Europe – UK |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73110000 - Research services

## Release History

- 28 Aug 2026 at 12:06 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082135-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082135-2026
  28th August 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://gov.wales
- 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-06ee74. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ee74.json.