Planning

Research & Development Framework

  • Health and Safety Executive

UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-023999

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-051b10

Published 21 May 2025, 2:32pm



Scope

Reference

HSE T4779

Description

The Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) wishes to establish a new research and development (R&D) framework with six specific lots (A-F).

•Lot A - Chemistry

•Lot B - Ecotoxicology

•Lot C - Efficacy

•Lot D - Fate and Behaviour

•Lot E - Residues

•Lot F - Toxicology

This framework will be structured into specialism based lots. Each lot is designed to hold more than one supplier to allow a varied skill set across each lot.

Projects will be allocated to the supplier with the most relevant expertise within each lot. When a project is identified, a specification will be written. HSE will then consider the specification against each supplier to determine which supplier's expertise is best suited to the project. If more than one supplier has the relevant experience, a cab rank system will be used. Due to the nature of the types of R&D projects that will be brought forward, we are aware that not all suppliers in a lot may necessarily be able to undertake all the projects brought forward, so this approach ensures projects will be allocated to the most relevant supplier.

HSE reserve the right to allocate projects to other suppliers in the framework, outside of the specified lot, if all the suppliers allocated to a lot are not able to undertake the project.

This framework will be open to usage from all HSE teams. The framework will enable faster turnaround of R&D. It also provides a more cost effective and less burdensome way of commissioning research projects.

The framework is designed to be a 4 year contract.

We are unsure how many times we will use each individual Lot on the R&D Framework throughout the four year period. The award of each individual Lot does not guarantee a minimum amount of work during the contract agreement period.

Details of our potential needs over the next four years are undetermined.

Commercial tool

Establishes a framework

Total value (estimated)

  • £1,666,667 excluding VAT
  • £2,000,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 11 August 2025 to 10 August 2029
  • 4 years

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Contract locations

  • UK - United Kingdom

Engagement

Engagement deadline

2 June 2025

Engagement process description

HSE is issuing this Pre-Market Engagement (PME) notice to identify potential suppliers for the Framework.

HSE will run a market engagement event via Microsoft teams on Monday 2nd June 2025 between 12:30 and 14:30 ahead of publishing the invitation to tender, expected W/C 16th June 2025. HSE therefore invites interested suppliers to contact tenders@hse.gov.uk on or before 29th May 2025 to register their interest and receive the associated documents.

Interested parties that make contact will be sent a MS Teams invitation with the draft specification attached.


Participation

Particular suitability

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

Submission

Publication date of tender notice (estimated)

16 June 2025


Contracting authority

Health and Safety Executive

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBXM-4389-TXVZ

Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside

Liverpool

L20 7HS

United Kingdom

Region: UKD73 - Sefton

Organisation type: Public authority - central government