Unawarded contract
This contract will not be signed.
Date of decision not to sign contract
13 February 2026
Reason for not signing contract
The Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) has taken the decision to formally abandon the current tender process for the West Cannock Pumping project.
Following the closure of the tender for the West Cannock Pumping Test, the MRA has identified additional constraints and received information from the Environment Agency permitting team on likely consent requirements. These have provided further risks and constraints beyond those envisaged in the tender scope for the adequate treatment of the mine water. As such, a range of additional requirements must now be included to ensure that the treatment scheme can meet the proposed environmental permit requirements and mitigate associated risks to an acceptable level to be granted a permit by the regulator. The key additional risks and constraints are:
1. Imposition of a numerical concentration consent for ammoniacal nitrogen at 3 mg/L. No previous coal mine water treatment scheme has had a numerical concentration consent for this parameter.
2. Issues relating to dissolved nickel and manganese levels in the treated mine water requiring mitigation.
3. Concerns about the treatment process potentially increasing the salinity of the discharge by increasing chloride or sulphate levels.
The above additional risks / constraints are not adequately addressed within the previous scope and therefore proceeding would expose the MRA to an unacceptable level of risk in relation to permit compliance failures and/or failure to obtain a permit. These additional risks require the following adjustments to the scope:
1. Inclusion of ammoniacal nitrogen management as an option within the overall treatment design (not previously included in the scope).
2. Inclusion of dissolved nickel and manganese management within the overall treatment design (not previously included in the scope).
3. Restriction on pH adjustment technologies to those that do not increase chloride or sulphate levels (exclusion of mineral acid addition - permitted by the previous tender).
Bidders are reminded that, as stated in Section 18 (Acceptance Procedure) of the ITT, the Authority does not bind itself to accept any tender and will not be responsible for, nor pay for, any expenses or losses incurred in the preparation of tenders. No guarantee can be given as to the value of any work or services that may be placed under any contract resulting from the tender process.
The MRA intends to issue a revised tender reflecting the updated scope, which is anticipated to go live in early March.
Contracting authority
Mining Remediation Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRPD-5825-QDVY
200 Lichfield Lane
Nottinghamshire
NG18 4RG
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@coal.gov.uk
Region: UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire
Organisation type: Public authority - central government