Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY (Defra Network eTendering Portal)
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Contact
Harjinder Grewal
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
Buyer's address
https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Environment
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Ecological Services Framework 4 (EcoSF4)
Reference number
C21744
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 90700000 - Environmental services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Lot 1 – Specialist Macroinvertebrate Services
This Lot covers services relating to all freshwater macroinvertebrate work in both rivers and lakes, needed to cover monitoring required for international, national and local drivers, as well as local investigatory and regulatory needs.
Lot 2 – Habitat and Species (including Invasive, Non-Native Species) Surveys, Evaluation and Report Writing Services
This Lot will be used to procure ecological surveys, reports and advice for a range of activities that will enable nature recovery as envisaged under the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023. Projects will often be of an aquatic/riparian nature, including work in and adjacent to estuaries, coastal areas, rivers, lakes and wetlands. The work will contribute to EIP species abundance and extinction risk targets for a range of threatened, protected and priority species. It will also cover services relating to protected and priority habitats and natural capital assets, as well as invasive, non-native species.
Lot 3 – Geomorphology, River Restoration and Habitat Creation Services
There are multiple drivers from within Defra to seek opportunities to restore natural processes to manage, enhance and restore rivers and other habitats. This Lot will allow the Environment Agency and Natural England staff to supplement their in-house expertise around this work area, with the additional resource and expertise that external suppliers can offer. In particular, this Lot focuses upon the supply of river restoration and habitat creation expertise to inform design and feasibility studies. This includes projects that improve natural geomorphological, hydrological and ecological processes for the purposes of reducing flood risk, restoring habitats and improving the movement of fish through catchments (specific fish pass design is covered in lot 4).
Lot 4 – Fish Passage Design Services
This Lot covers the design of fish passes that prioritise the use of nature-based solutions. This will include feasibility studies, options appraisal and detailed design. The final design will offer the maximum benefit in terms of fish passage (for multiple species), ecological connectivity, morphological processes and habitat creation.
It is the Authority’s intention to have a maximum of 8 suppliers per Lot.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1 - Specialist Macroinvertebrate Services
Lot No
Lot 1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79311000 - Survey services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Lot covers services relating to all freshwater macroinvertebrate work in both rivers and lakes, needed to cover monitoring required for international, national and local drivers, as well as local investigatory and regulatory needs.
The core services are:
Surveys of macroinvertebrates, including field survey or sample collection.
Macroinvertebrate species identification and sample analysis.
Non-core services include:
Survey design.
Data analysis and production of reports.
Species verification.
Specialist training in sample collection, analysis and/or identification.
Quality Assurance is an important aspect of this lot, to ensure we maintain the accuracy and precision of data.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 October 2024
End date
30 September 2028
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
This Lot covers services relating to all freshwater macroinvertebrate work in both rivers and lakes, needed to cover monitoring required for international, national and local drivers, as well as local investigatory and regulatory needs.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - Habitat and Species (including Invasive, Non-Native Species)
Lot No
Lot 2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Lot will be used to procure ecological surveys, reports and advice for a range of activities that will enable nature recovery as envisaged under the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023. Projects will often be of an aquatic/riparian nature, including work in and adjacent to estuaries, coastal areas, rivers, lakes and wetlands. The work will contribute to EIP species abundance and extinction risk targets for a range of threatened, protected and priority species. It will also cover services relating to protected and priority habitats and natural capital assets, as well as invasive, non-native species.
Lot 2 will cover the following services:
Habitat surveys and reports, including baseline assessments, post-project appraisal and ecological monitoring.
Species surveys and reports, including appropriate survey design, post-project appraisal and monitoring.
Surveys, advice and reports relating to the control of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS).
Advice and reports relating to mitigation and enhancement for protected species.
Advice on matters relating to licensing and legislation for both protected species and INNS.
Specialist training in survey design, survey techniques, mitigation and enhancement and/or interpretation of data.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £5,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 October 2024
End date
30 September 2028
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
This Lot will be used to procure ecological surveys, reports and advice for a range of activities that will enable nature recovery as envisaged under the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023. Projects will often be of an aquatic/riparian nature, including work in and adjacent to estuaries, coastal areas, rivers, lakes and wetlands.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 3 - Geomorphology, River Restoration and Habitat Creation Services
Lot No
Lot 3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 45246200 - Riverbank protection works
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
There are multiple drivers from within Defra to seek opportunities to restore natural processes to manage, enhance and restore rivers and other habitats. This Lot will allow the Environment Agency and Natural England staff to supplement their in-house expertise around this work area, with the additional resource and expertise that external suppliers can offer. In particular, this Lot focuses upon the supply of river restoration and habitat creation expertise to inform design and feasibility studies. This includes projects that improve natural geomorphological, hydrological and ecological processes for the purposes of reducing flood risk, restoring habitats and improving the movement of fish through catchments (specific fish pass design is covered in lot 4).
This Lot will cover the following services:
Geomorphological investigation design, including general principles for survey design, recommendations for specific surveys, and pre- and post-project appraisal.
Desk based geomorphological assessments and reports, such as historical trend analysis, aerial photograph mapping, LiDAR mapping etc.
Field-based geomorphological surveys, assessments and monitoring, such as fluvial audits, catchment baseline surveys, geodynamic assessment, MoRPH surveys, River Habitat Surveys (RHS), river reconnaissance, site walkovers, drone surveys etc.
Input into the development of Natural Flood Management schemes and proposals.
River, wetland and other habitat enhancement, restoration, creation and management.
Development and delivery of geomorphological and working with natural processes training, and technical reference material.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £5,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 October 2024
End date
30 September 2028
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
There are multiple drivers from within Defra to seek opportunities to restore natural processes to manage, enhance and restore rivers and other habitats. This Lot will allow the Environment Agency and Natural England staff to supplement their in-house expertise around this work area, with the additional resource and expertise that external suppliers can offer.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 4 - Fish Passage Design Services
Lot No
Lot 4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 90700000 - Environmental services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Lot covers the design of fish passes that prioritise the use of nature-based solutions. This will include feasibility studies, options appraisal and detailed design. The final design will offer the maximum benefit in terms of fish passage (for multiple species), ecological connectivity, morphological processes and habitat creation.
This Lot will cover the following services:
Production of feasibility reports, options appraisals and detailed designs for fish passage.
Collection of data to inform the fish passage design.
Obtaining fish passage approval for the proposed fish pass design.
Understanding of planning requirements and where required, undertake a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessment of the fish passage design.
Understanding of and conforming to the Construction, Design and Management (CDM) Regulations and how they may apply to the design, construction and future maintenance of the fish pass.
Conforming to the EA’s Safety, Health, Environmental and Welfare (SHEW) Code of Practice and Minimum Technical Requirements (MTR).
Be available to give fish passage design advice during the construction phase.
Post-construction monitoring/inspections of fish passes.
Calculate and document the carbon likely to be produced for the whole life of the project and, where possible, minimising this carbon through innovative design and material choice.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £5,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 October 2024
End date
30 September 2028
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
This Lot covers the design of fish passes that prioritise the use of nature-based solutions. This will include feasibility studies, options appraisal and detailed design. The final design will offer the maximum benefit in terms of fish passage (for multiple species), ecological connectivity, morphological processes and habitat creation.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with several operators
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Originally published as:
Date
22 April 2024
Local time
12:00pm
Changed to:
Date
7 May 2024
Local time
12:00pm
See the change notice.
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
23 April 2024
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY (Defra Network eTendering Portal)
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs