--- title: "Aeroflow Sustainable Active Treatment (SAT) Phase 2" ocid: "ocds-kuma6s-136873" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-kuma6s-136873" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-136873.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-136873.json" source: "Sell2Wales" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "NATURAL RESOURCES WALES" published: "2024-03-05" --- # Aeroflow Sustainable Active Treatment (SAT) Phase 2 Buyer: NATURAL RESOURCES WALES Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-kuma6s-136873 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-kuma6s-136873) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-136873.json) ## Summary Natural Resources Wales, based in Cardiff, UK, has completed the procurement process for the "Aeroflow Sustainable Active Treatment (SAT) Phase 2" project within the environmental protection category. The procurement method used was an Award procedure without prior publication for lab and pilot trials involving Cambrian Environmental Technologies Ltd. The contracting process was initiated on 5th March 2024, with a focus on trialing an alternative treatment method for neutral pH mine water to improve water quality and reduce pollution. This tender creates business growth opportunities, particularly for SMEs in the environmental technology sector. Companies offering innovative water treatment solutions, like Cambrian Environmental Technologies Ltd, would find this project suitable for competing. The project aims to develop cost-effective and sustainable remediation solutions for Metal (Non-Coal) Mine Programme, focusing on reducing energy consumption and waste disposal costs. By leveraging patented technologies for mine water treatment, the project presents a chance to provide long-term environmental benefits and cost savings to the public sector. ## Notice Abandoned Metal Mines cause multiple failures of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) standards in Wales, with c.1,300 mines impacting over 700 km of rivers. 11% of our rivers fail their required quality objectives. In the Western Wales River Basin District mine waters cause 23% of water body failures. Nine of the ten catchments most polluted by abandoned mines in the UK are in Wales. Cambrian Environmental Technologies (CET) has presented a potential alternative solution for treating neutral pH mine water. The CET Aeroflow SAT (Sustainable Active Treatment) system has been developed based on the need for a flexible and adaptive modular system to account for the complexity and site-specific nature of water treatment requirements in a mining context. This purchase is to undertake lab and pilot trials to enable NRW to determine whether Aeroflow SAT is a suitable, alternative treatment method, which could potentially provide resource, energy and waste saving, generating a cost-effective remediation solution. Following the completion of Phase 1 (lab trials), this VEAT notice is being published to cover the additional costs for Phase 2 (field trials). ### Lot Information Lot 1 Abandoned metal mines cause multiple failures of WFD standards in Wales, with c.1,300 mines impacting over 700 km of rivers. The Failing Waterbodies Report (Coal Authority, 2020) commissioned by NRW identified that remedial works at the 129 highest priority sites would be circa 278 million GBP. The Metal Mine Programme is therefore committed to identifying new treatment technologies that could reduce on-going operation and maintenance costs. Typical categorisation of active or passive treatment systems does not account for recent technological advancement. Passive systems typically require maintenance/refurbishment during their whole life (40 years) to ensure that performance remains effective, enabling metal removal. Fully active systems, such as High Density Sludge (HDS), often have high CAPEX and OPEX costs, and a large constituent of OPEX are energy and reagent costs as well as sludge disposal. Spent media in passive systems and sludge possess high metal content and current advice is that this must be disposed of as hazardous waste to landfill in England. Metal recovery from sludge is also difficult, warranting separate research and development. At higher mine water flow rates, greater energy or treatment media is required, increasing costs. CET has presented a potential alternative solution for treating circum-neutral pH mine water. CET is a newly formed 50/50 joint venture research company owned and managed by Mine Environment Management Ltd (MEM) and Maelgwyn Mineral Services Ltd (MMS). CET has created a technical team from MMS and MEM that has identified degassing circum-neutral mine water using the MMS-patented Aachen(tm) reactor and oxidation using patented slot aerator can increase the pH sufficiently enabling sorption to remove metals. The CET Aeroflow SAT system has been developed based on the need for a flexible and adaptive modular system to account for the complexity and site-specific nature of water treatment requirements in a mining context. Degassing and oxidation as options have the potential to be less expensive in material, energy and carbon than traditional HDS systems. Metal removal by sorption can be achieved by adding media, with the process eliminating or vastly reducing sludge production, improving potential metal recovery and reducing residual waste costs. The Aeroflow SAT provides an opportunity to develop a flexible, cost-effective and more sustainable remediation solution for our treatment toolbox with lower energy and waste disposal costs. Following the completion of Phase 1 (lab trials), this VEAT notice is being published to cover the additional costs for Phase 2 (field trials). ### Procurement Information This arrangement is in accordance with Regulation 32(b)(ii) & (iii) of the Public Contract Regulations (2015) which allows for the negotiated procedure without prior publication to be used for public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts where (b) the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator due to (ii) competition being absent for technical reasons or (iii) the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights. MMS has registered exclusive patented Intellectual Property rights which are required for the Aeroflow SAT system. The first is the Aachen(tm) reactor system (Patent No: EP 1831411) used originally when capturing gold pulp of a defined fraction. The patent application was submitted in 2006 and is valid for a period of 20 years. The second is the slot aerator system (Patent No: EP 2054143) a device for dispersing a gas into a liquid. The patent application was submitted in 2007 and is valid for a period of 20 years. These patents will be combined in the trials to enable effective degassing and safe removal of metals. Addressing the caveat that no reasonable alternatives or substitutes need to exist in order for regulations (ii) & (iii) to be used; whilst other active or passive metal mine water treatment systems exist, they either produce hazardous sludge or spent media. Whilst each mine site has its own demands typical to the constraints present, no treatment methodology known has the potential to be considered as an alternative to the Aeroflow SAT solution in this instance. The Aeroflow SAT offers an opportunity to future-proof the Metal (Non-Coal) Mine Programme, providing an alternative treatment solution that is both cost-effective and sustainable with significantly lower energy and waste disposal costs. The two patented technologies to degas and oxidise the mine water aiding subsequent treatment, capture and removal of metals, offer long-term savings to the public purse. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Sell2Wales | | Latest notice | https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=136873 | | Notice type | OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Limited | | Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | SME | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 5 Mar 2024 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 19 Jun 2020 | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £383,998 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Complete | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NATURAL RESOURCES WALES | | Locality | CARDIFF | | Post town | Cardiff | | Postcode | CF24 0TP | | 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 | Plasnewydd | | Westminster constituency | Cardiff East | | Delivery location | TLL Wales | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | CAMBRIAN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 24 - Chemical products - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services ### Codes - 24962000 - Water-treatment chemicals - 71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis ## Release History - 5 Mar 2024 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=136873 - 29 Nov 2023 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F15 - Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=136873 ## Documents - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV458862 Aeroflow Sustainable Active Treatment (SAT) Phase 2 - Abandoned Metal Mines cause multiple failures of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) standards in Wales, with c.1,300 mines impacting over 700 km of rivers. 11% of our rivers fail their required quality objectives. In the Western Wales River Basin District mine waters cause 23% of water body failures. Nine of the ten catchments most polluted by abandoned mines in the UK are in Wales. Cambrian Environmental Technologies (CET) has presented a potential alternative solution for treating neutral pH mine water. The CET Aeroflow SAT (Sustainable Active Treatment) system has been developed based on the need for a flexible and adaptive modular system to account for the complexity and site-specific nature of water treatment requirements in a mining context. This purchase is to undertake lab and pilot trials to enable NRW to determine whether Aeroflow SAT is a suitable, alternative treatment method, which could potentially provide resource, energy and waste saving, generating a cost-effective remediation solution. Following the completion of Phase 1 (lab trials), this VEAT notice is being published to cover the additional costs for Phase 2 (field trials). - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAR469288 Aeroflow Sustainable Active Treatment (SAT) Phase 2 - Abandoned Metal Mines cause multiple failures of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) standards in Wales, with c.1,300 mines impacting over 700 km of rivers. 11% of our rivers fail their required quality objectives. In the Western Wales River Basin District mine waters cause 23% of water body failures. Nine of the ten catchments most polluted by abandoned mines in the UK are in Wales. Cambrian Environmental Technologies (CET) has presented a potential alternative solution for treating neutral pH mine water. The CET Aeroflow SAT (Sustainable Active Treatment) system has been developed based on the need for a flexible and adaptive modular system to account for the complexity and site-specific nature of water treatment requirements in a mining context. This purchase is to undertake lab and pilot trials to enable NRW to determine whether Aeroflow SAT is a suitable, alternative treatment method, which could potentially provide resource, energy and waste saving, generating a cost-effective remediation solution. Following the completion of Phase 1 (lab trials), this VEAT notice is being published to cover the additional costs for Phase 2 (field trials). ## Notice URLs - http://naturalresourceswales.gov.uk - https://api.sell2wales.gov.wales/v1?lang=cy/Notice?id=ocds-kuma6s-136873 ## 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-kuma6s-136873. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-136873.json.