Scope
Description
All details presented here are estimates and subject to change prior to launch. This is an advance notice and not a call to Tender at this time.
The Mining Remediation Authorities mine water monitoring network provides insights into legacy mining risks and opportunities, including:
Aquifer protection
Environmental protection from interactions between mine water and surface or underground water
Subsidence risks
Mine gas migration
Opportunities for mine water heat use
Mine water heat licensing and assurance
Future emerging opportunities and risks
Boreholes form part of our groundwater and mine water monitoring network and are critical in the assessment and management of legacy mining risks. Our monitoring allows us to identify, assess and quantify risks and to develop interventions that protect water resources and the natural environment. As a secondary benefit, we can also monitor the mine water heat at these points and add this to our heat map portfolio for future potential opportunities in this area.
Over the coming years the Mining Remediation Authority will drill boreholes across the UK to support the remediation and management of rising and recovered mine water in underground coal workings. Boreholes and pumping tests are required to allow monitoring and mine water control. The activities are time critical to allow mitigations to be implemented before impacts occur, preventing pollution incidents.
Our boreholes support:
targeting deep underground mine workings
the assessment of water levels and chemistry
being a key component of our monitoring network
filling in knowledge gaps in areas where mineshafts and other monitoring options have been decommissioned or abandoned
assessing underground water systems, their behaviours, relationships, and to develop and operate effective management interventions.
Borehole testing enhances:
our understanding of system characteristics
information on the extent of influence
the assessment of the likely effectiveness or suitability of proposed management; and
the long-term management through abstraction of mine water
The Mining Remediation Authority is intending to come to market in Summer 2025 to seek suitably qualified Contractors who can aid in the delivery of our expanding Borehole programme.
We have identified the work streams we require and these are represented by the five Lots detailed further in this notice. Our intention being to maximise value for money as well as providing opportunity to as many SME as possible.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £37,000,000 excluding VAT
- £46,250,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2030
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Works
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
- UKL - Wales
- UKM - Scotland
Not the same for all lots
CPV classifications are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot 1. Drilling and Borehole Construction
Description
Typical works required under this Lot will include but may not be limited to :
Drilling of mine water monitoring and/or extraction boreholes to depths ranging from 100-700m and diameters up to and in excess of 300mm.
Other associated minor design and construction related tasks such as specification development or simple borehole design and headworks construction (Retaining walls for culverts), including Construction Design Management (CDM) responsibilities of Principal Designer and Principal Contractor
Lot value (estimated)
- £22,000,000 excluding VAT
- £27,500,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 24951110 - Drilling mud
- 24951130 - Drilling fluids
- 43130000 - Drilling equipment
- 45120000 - Test drilling and boring work
- 45221220 - Culverts
- 45221250 - Underground work other than tunnels, shafts and subways
Same for all lots
Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Borehole and Pumping Testing
Description
Typically this Lot will be for the provision of works relating to, but not limited to:
Less complex pumping tests - discharge without/minimal treatment (e.g. removal of suspended solids may be required)
Lot value (estimated)
- £4,000,000 excluding VAT
- £5,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 24951130 - Drilling fluids
- 45120000 - Test drilling and boring work
- 76532000 - Downhole pumping services
- 90733700 - Groundwater pollution monitoring or control services
Same for all lots
Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Borehole Cleaning, Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Description
This Lot is intended to provide but not limited to providing:
Borehole cleaning services such as brushing, jetting, chemical treatments, clearance pumping. It includes exploration of boreholes, operational mine water and gas management boreholes and purpose drilled monitoring and abstraction boreholes
Lot value (estimated)
- £800,000 excluding VAT
- £1,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 45120000 - Test drilling and boring work
- 76300000 - Drilling services
- 76510000 - Onshore services
- 76532000 - Downhole pumping services
- 76535000 - Downhole hole opening services
Same for all lots
Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. Consultancy Services - Design and Management
Description
This Lot is to provide but not be limited to:
Borehole design and specification - including identification of sites and targets.
Management of construction and contract including NEC accredited site supervisors and project managers.
Lot value (estimated)
- £1,000,000 excluding VAT
- £1,250,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 45120000 - Test drilling and boring work
- 71521000 - Construction-site supervision services
- 71530000 - Construction consultancy services
- 71540000 - Construction management services
- 72224000 - Project management consultancy services
Same for all lots
Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 5. Pumping and Mine Water Treatment (Complex)
Description
Lot Five is for the provision of the items below but is not limited to these:
Design & supply of temporary treatment systems to allow environmentally compliant discharge of mine waters to watercourses during test pumping.
May include sampling, analysis, bench testing and small scale pilot trials.
Lot value (estimated)
- £7,000,000 excluding VAT
- £8,750,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
CPV classifications
- 45220000 - Engineering works and construction works
- 45232152 - Pumping station construction work
- 45232422 - Sludge-treatment works
- 45232430 - Water-treatment work
- 45232450 - Drainage construction works
- 45240000 - Construction work for water projects
- 45250000 - Construction works for plants, mining and manufacturing and for buildings relating to the oil and gas industry
Same for all lots
Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
17
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Lot 1. Drilling and Borehole Construction
Lot 2. Borehole and Pumping Testing
Lot 3. Borehole Cleaning, Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Lot 4. Consultancy Services - Design and Management
Lot 5. Pumping and Mine Water Treatment (Complex)
Financial Stability
Experian Delphi report
Pass / Fail Bidders must reach an agreed score on the Experian Delphi report.
Financial Capacity
Insurance requirements (per lot)
Pass / Fail - Bidders must indicate they currently hold or are willing to obtain upon award the requirement the required insurance cover stipulated in the questionnaire
Technical ability conditions of participation
Lot 1. Drilling and Borehole Construction
Lot 2. Borehole and Pumping Testing
Lot 3. Borehole Cleaning, Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Lot 4. Consultancy Services - Design and Management
Lot 5. Pumping and Mine Water Treatment (Complex)
Technical Capacity
BDA Membership or similar trade association
Pass / Fail - Bidders must confirm they are committed to best practice and continuous development with membership of an accredited Trade Association
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Drilling and Borehole Construction
Lot 2. Borehole and Pumping Testing
Lot 3. Borehole Cleaning, Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Lot 4. Consultancy Services - Design and Management
Lot 5. Pumping and Mine Water Treatment (Complex)
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
30 June 2025
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
30 August 2025, 4:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
https://inbye.coal.gov.uk/s2c/
All interested parties can sign up using the address above.
There are no documents available to view currently.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
13 April 2026
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
Following the Conditions of Participation Bidders will be invited to a Two stage process for Lot One Borehole Construction
Documents
Associated tender documents
https://inbye.coal.gov.uk/s2c/
There are no documents available to view currently.
This is a planned procurement notice and not a call to tender.
Interested parties can sign up ahead of launch on the address above. Use of the system is free but some details will be required.
Contracting authority
Mining Remediation Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRPD-5825-QDVY
200 Lichfield Lane
Nottinghamshire
NG18 4RG
United Kingdom
Contact name: Roger Martin
Email: procurement@coal.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/mining-remediation-authority
Region: UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire
Organisation type: Public authority - central government