---
title: "ES RDE 120 - Updating the assignment of MHC and EUNIS classification biotopes t"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0776ae"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0776ae"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0776ae.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0776ae.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2026-09-21"
---

# ES RDE 120 - Updating the assignment of MHC and EUNIS classification biotopes t

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0776ae

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## Summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissioned research and consultancy services to update and refine the biogeographic applicability of the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland and EUNIS biotope communities. The work supports MarLIN MarESA sensitivity assessments for offshore Marine Protected Areas, so that sensitivity evidence is applied only where ecologically appropriate and does not produce precautionary advice from overly broad sensitivity ranges. This is a marine ecology and environmental classification requirement involving habitat and biotope data, ecological interpretation and the application of evidence to marine conservation assessments. The buying organisation is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with the work relating to offshore Marine Protected Areas around Britain and Ireland.

This procurement has been awarded and the tender is complete. It used a selective, non-competitive self-service direct award under a framework, below the applicable threshold. PML Applications Ltd was awarded the single lot. The contract was signed on 10 September 2026, with an award value of £19,745 excluding VAT and £23,694 including VAT. The contract runs from 14 September 2026 to 8 January 2027 and is active. The procurement was classified as research and development services and related consultancy services. The published process does not set out a competitive evaluation weighting; the route was a direct framework award rather than an open competition. Defra is the buyer and PML Applications Ltd is the selected supplier.

This requirement is most relevant to suppliers with specialist capability in marine ecology, benthic habitat classification and biogeographic analysis for UK waters. Credible competitors would need to understand both the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland and the EUNIS classification system, and be able to update assignments at biotope or community level using defensible ecological evidence. Experience applying habitat sensitivity information to Marine Protected Areas, marine conservation assessments or comparable environmental decision-making would be important. The work also favours suppliers able to translate technical classification and distribution evidence into reliable sensitivity assessments, while avoiding inappropriate extrapolation across regions. Organisations combining marine science, environmental research and consultancy delivery would be well placed to prepare for a similar requirement from Defra.

## Notice

JNCC Self-Service Direct Award. JNCC would like to update and refine the biogeographic applicability of the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (MHCBI) and EUNIS biotope communities, used in the MarLIN MarESA sensitivity assessments, for offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This is to ensure sensitivity evidence is applied only where ecologically appropriate and avoiding precautionary advice driven by broad sensitivity ranges rather than true biogeographic relevance.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089260-2026 |
| 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 | 21 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 14 Sep 2026 - 8 Jan 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £19,745 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & 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 | PML Applications 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

- 21 Sep 2026 at 15:01 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089260-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089260-2026
  21st September 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-0776ae. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0776ae.json.