---
title: "ES RDE 132 - Anaerobic digestion on farms: a technical and environmental assessm"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078b47"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078b47"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078b47.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078b47.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2026-10-19"
---

# ES RDE 132 - Anaerobic digestion on farms: a technical and environmental assessm

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078b47

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## Summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissioned research and consultancy to assess the feasibility and likely outcomes of expanding anaerobic digestion on or near farms. The study focuses primarily on treating feedstocks arising on farms and considers the risks and benefits of expansion, including the potential to deliver it rapidly. The work is to produce a report, rather than to build or operate digestion facilities. It falls within research and development consultancy services. Defra is the buyer; the findings are intended to inform its understanding of farm-based anaerobic digestion. The procurement is structured as one lot and concerns a UK-wide farming and environmental policy issue, rather than delivery at a named farm or site.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to RSK ADAS Ltd. Defra used a selective, below-threshold award under a framework, through a direct award route. The award was made on 18 September 2026 and the contract was signed that day. The contract runs from 30 October 2026 to 30 April 2027. Its value is £114,805 excluding VAT, or £137,766 including VAT. There is one lot, awarded as a single contract. The stated requirement is a feasibility assessment and report on the likely risks and benefits of expanding farm-based anaerobic digestion, including rapid expansion. No separate evaluation criteria are set out in the published process data.

For suppliers seeking similar Defra research, this award shows demand for evidence-led environmental and agricultural consultancy, specifically the assessment of anaerobic digestion using farm-derived feedstocks. A credible competitor would need to produce a clear, decision-useful report that tests feasibility and likely outcomes, weighs risks against benefits, and addresses the practical implications of expanding deployment quickly. Relevant capability would include understanding farm operations and feedstock supply, anaerobic digestion technology, and environmental impacts, alongside robust research, analysis and report-writing. The award went to a large consultancy, indicating that the work was placed with a supplier able to deliver a focused technical assessment for central government. Experience bringing agricultural, engineering and environmental evidence together would be directly relevant to this buyer's requirement.

## Notice

Defra Self-Service Direct Award. This project requires the supplier to produce a report that assesses the feasibility and likely outcomes (including risks and benefits) of expanding the use of anaerobic digestion (AD) on or near farms (i.e. primarily treating feedstocks arising on farms), including doing so rapidly.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098711-2026 |
| 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 | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 19 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 30 Oct 2026 - 30 Apr 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £114,805 |

## 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 | RSK ADAS 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

- 19 Oct 2026 at 18:09 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098711-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098711-2026
  19th October 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-078b47. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078b47.json.