Pipeline

Open Access LandIS Portal

  • Defra Group Commercial

UK1: Pipeline notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-005506

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04e30b

Published 18 February 2025, 9:01am



Scope

Title

Open Access LandIS Portal

Reference

P-37121

Description

The existing LandIS agreement between Cranfield University (CU) and Defra sets out that Cranfield charges for access to its datasets and limits how they can be used, which broadly encompasses:

• The platform which is owned and hosted by Cranfield for the provision of National Soil Map (NATMAP)

• National Soil Inventory (NSI) and soil attribute data (SOILSERIES & HORIZON), and its supplementary data bases (broadly: the LandIS platform data).

All Crown bodies currently enjoy full royalty-free access to LandIS, and this available to charities and research institutions. However, non-crown bodies such as the Environment Agency or Natural England, and other public sector bodies, private individuals, consultants, and businesses do not have royalty-free access to this data, which significantly hampers the use of soil data more widely. Most significantly, the current licencing limits how Defra can use these data sets to further its policy objectives.

The decision has been taken between Defra and Cranfield University for Cranfield to make the majority of the aforementioned data openly available. This will open up access to key datasets for land managers, farmers, planners, partner organisations to support major 25 YEP initiatives such as ELMS, Nature Recovery Network, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, Agricultural Land Classification (ALC), NCEA, and also contribute to Net Zero work.

Contract type

Services

Main category (CPV code)

  • 90700000 - Environmental services

Additional categories (CPV codes)

  • 72300000 - Data services

Contract location

  • UK - United Kingdom

Contract start date (estimated)

1 July 2025

Contract end date (estimated)

30 June 2029

Maximum value (estimated, excluding VAT)

£6,500,000

Renewal

No

OptionsThe right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

4 year initial term + 3 year option to extend (subject to budget confirmation and contract negotiations)

Contract is not suitable for

  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
  • Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)

Buyer

Defra Group Commercial

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street, London

London

SW1P 4DF

United Kingdom

Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

Not on any register

NUTS code: UK - United Kingdom

Contact name: Jemma Godleman

Email: jemma.godleman@defra.gov.uk

Telephone: 03459335577


Procedure

Procurement start date (estimated)When the contract notice or equivalent will be published.

24 February 2025

Commercial approachWhether the procurement is for a new requirement or a reprocurement.

New requirement

Covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

Yes