Contract

LIFE R4ever Kent Project (LIFE20 NAT/UK/001001013) - eDNA monitoring for freshwater invertebrate species

  • Natural England

UK7: Contract details notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-025242

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04ef2f (view related notices)

Published 22 May 2025, 4:18pm



Scope

Reference

eDNALRKeK

Description

he LIFE R4ever Kent project (2021 -2026) aims restore and revitalise the River Kent Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in South Cumbria and its wider catchment, so it is more resilient to environmental pressures. This unique river, located on the fringes of the English Lake District is home to internationally important populations of bullhead, white-clawed crayfish, freshwater pearl mussel and water crowfoot (Ranunculus) habitat. A key deliverable of the project is to trial new monitoring techniques by implementing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling for testing for the presence of Freshwater Pearl Mussels, White-clawed Crayfish along with invasive Signal Crayfish and associated disease Crayfish Plague.

There are three parts to this contract:

• The provision of eDNA water sampling equipment/kits and protocols

• DNA extraction, analysis of samples taken and reporting the result

• Sequencing of qPCR products

Natural England will be responsible for the collection of water samples from sites across the River Kent Catchment.


Contract 1. LIFE R4ever Kent Project (LIFE20 NAT/UK/001001013) - eDNA monitoring for freshwater invertebrate species

Supplier

Contract value

  • £26,941.50 excluding VAT
  • £32,329.80 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Date signed

9 April 2025

Contract dates

  • 14 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
  • Possible extension to 31 August 2026
  • 1 year, 4 months, 17 days

Description of possible extension:

6 months as per standard contract

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 90711300 - Environmental indicators analysis other than for construction

Contract locations

  • UKD - North West (England)

Procedure

Procedure type

Below threshold - open competition


Supplier

Surescreen Scientifics Limited

Church Lane

Morley, Ilkeston

DE7 6DE

United Kingdom

Region: UKF13 - South and West Derbyshire

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1. LIFE R4ever Kent Project (LIFE20 NAT/UK/001001013) - eDNA monitoring for freshwater invertebrate species


Contracting authority

Natural England

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PJDG-6588-XDMM

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

United Kingdom

Region: UKI32 - Westminster

Organisation type: Public authority - central government