---
title: "Molecular Analysis of Water Primrose (Ludwigia)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077815"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077815"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077815.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077815.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Environment Agency"
published: "2026-09-23"
---

# Molecular Analysis of Water Primrose (Ludwigia)

Buyer: Environment Agency  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077815

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## Summary

The Environment Agency commissioned molecular and genetic analysis of water primrose (Ludwigia) populations in England. The research is intended to strengthen and refine the national eradication programme, establish baseline evidence for potential biological control, and improve understanding of the species’ biology, origins and spread pathways. Water primrose is an invasive aquatic plant that can spread rapidly, form dense mats, displace native vegetation and damage freshwater ecosystems. The findings are intended to support control measures and better biosecurity, including pathway action plans. This is a specialist scientific analysis service rather than a general environmental management contract. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs managed the procurement on the Environment Agency’s behalf.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to CAB International. The Environment Agency used a direct award without competition under a below-threshold route. The contract was signed on 31 August 2026 and runs from 31 August 2026 to 31 March 2028. Its value is £80,000 excluding VAT (£96,000 including VAT). The award covers analysis services for the single lot. The procurement description ties the work to genetic analysis of Ludwigia populations in England, supporting eradication planning and research into possible biological control. No evaluation criteria are stated in the published process information.

For suppliers of molecular biology, genetics or specialist ecological research, this award shows demand for applied analysis of invasive aquatic plants, with outputs intended to inform national eradication and biosecurity decisions. A credible competitor for a comparable requirement would need to demonstrate the scientific capability to analyse Ludwigia populations and produce evidence useful for understanding origins and spread pathways, alongside an ability to work within the needs of a national species-control programme. Experience connecting population-level genetic findings to practical management, eradication planning or research into biological control would be directly relevant. The work is a focused research service, so suppliers should be able to deliver specialist analysis rather than rely only on broad environmental consultancy or field control capacity. The selected supplier is a large organisation.

## Notice

This project will undertake genetic analysis of Ludwigia populations in England to strengthen and refine the national eradication programme and provide baseline research towards a potential biological control. Ludwigia (water primrose) is a high-priority invasive non-native species due to its capacity to spread rapidly, form dense mats, outcompete native aquatic vegetation, and significantly alter freshwater ecosystems. These impacts are already well documented across continental Europe and elsewhere, where the species has caused ecological degradation and increased management costs. There is a legal commitment for Defra to eradicate water primrose under the EU Regulation 1143/2014, retained in UK law. Achieving this requires not only effective physical and chemical control, but also a stronger understanding of the species' biology, origin, and pathways of spread. This will allow us to recognise pathways of spread and manage these through good biosecurity and Pathway Action Plans.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089907-2026 |
| 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 | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 23 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £80,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Environment Agency |
| 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 | CAB International |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71620000 - Analysis services

## Release History

- 23 Sep 2026 at 09:05 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089907-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089907-2026
  23rd September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.cabi.org
- 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-077815. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077815.json.