Contract

MFF162 Supply and Delivery of Sphagnum Moss Plugs

  • Peak District National Park Authority

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

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-070561

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-055f22 (view related notices)

Published 3 November 2025, 4:04pm



Scope

Reference

MFF162 Supply and Delivery of Sphagnum Moss Plugs

Description

Supply & Deliver Sphagnum Moss Plugs to Delivery Sites within the Peak District National Park and South Pennines SAC.

Lot 1 - A quantity of up to 18,000,000 plugs over 6 years (up to 3,000,000 per year)- over the Contract Period. It is anticipated that the requirement each year will be no less than 300,000 Plugs per annum.


Lot 1. Lot 1

Description

Supply and delivery of a quantity of up to 18,000,000 plugs over 6 years (up to 3,000,000 per year)- over the Contract Period. It is anticipated that the requirement each year will be no less than 300,000 Plugs per annum.1. Specification1. Sphagnum Plugs must be supplied in whole growing plant form as Plugs. The form and method for production of Plugs must be detailed in the Tender Return.2. Sphagnum Plugs must be grown peat-free with the exception of paludiculture, in which case a detailed method statement should be included to demonstrate how peat is used sustainably and not extracted in the production of sphagnum plugs3. A Sphagnum Plug may consist of a single species or a mix of species. The Authority prefer a mix of species suitable for growing on blanket bog in the Peak District and South Pennines with a dominance of peat forming species as set out in the table below. The species mixes can be seen in Table 1 contained in Section 1 of the ITT.4. The Authority will permit a tolerance of up to 5% above or below the percentages set out in Table 1 contained in Section 1 of the ITT.5. Bidders may recommend in the Itemised Costs at Appendix 1 of the ITT other species or species mixes that in their opinion fits the Authority's requirements specified in the Specification.6. Important peat building hummock species are preferred. However, our requirements will vary and all species/combinations of bog surface and flush species will be considered.7. Plugs of a single species may also be considered, please detail in your Tender return which species can be provided. E.g. S. cuspidatum must form Plugs of this species only.8. The Material must only contain Sphagnum native to the United Kingdom.9. Plugs containing a proportion of foreign materials (e.g. soil, grass or other plant materials other than Sphagnum) as deemed inappropriate by the Nominated Officer may be rejected. The decision of the Nominated Officer shall be final.10. A Sphagnum Plug should consist of several Sphagnum plants and have a minimum diameter of 2.5cm, and a minimum height of 5cm, and a maximum height of 12cm.11. Propagated Sphagnum must be free from disease or pest which may be associated with growing in glass house conditions. How the absence of disease and pest will be assured should be covered in the Tenderer's Method Statement.The list of species requirements of the sphagnum plugs is set out in Table 1 of Section 1 of the Invitation to Tender2. Sphagnum Plug packaging1. Sphagnum Plugs should NOT be supplied in trays.2. Packaged Plugs should be placed into bags of a suitable size to a total weight not exceeding 10 kg. The bags should be placed into crates suitable for stacking.3. The Sphagnum must be produced and packaged to a suitable standard to withstand:3.1. multiple handling during the delivery process to the Delivery Site and Lift Site;3.2. stacking multiple crates at Delivery or Lift Site;3.3. preparation for transport;3.4. transport of the Material by helicopter, terrestrial vehicle or hand.4. Tenderers should specify how Plugs will be packaged/bundled in their Method Statement.Please see Invitation to Tender for more details.


Contract 1. Lot 1

Lots

Lot 1. Lot 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £8,430,000 excluding VAT
  • £10,116,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Date signed

30 October 2025

Contract dates

  • 30 October 2025 to 31 August 2031
  • 5 years, 10 months, 2 days

Main procurement category

Goods

CPV classifications

  • 03120000 - Horticultural and nursery products

Contract locations

  • UKC - North East (England)
  • UKD - North West (England)
  • UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
  • UKF - East Midlands (England)

Key performance indicators

Name Description Reporting frequency
Product Quality Compliance Rates

Product quality compliance rate: 90% of Sphagnum Plugs meet the Specification requirements in the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

This would be assessed by a "dip test" as set out below by Authority staff...

8 months
Meeting Scheduled Delivery Dates

Deliver 90% of scheduled orders on the date specified by the planting contractor. Any variation (by the Authority or the planting contractor) to the scheduled delivery date that the Contractor cannot...

8 months
Security of Long Term Supply

High Confidence (KPI rating 'Good') in Contractor ability to deliver up to 3,000,000 sphagnum plugs per year - this would be measured by an annual site visit to the growing facility by 2 Authority...

12 months

Signed contract documents

2025-10-30 completed contract MFF162 2025-31 redacted.pdf

Completed contract (redacted)


Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure


Supplier

MICROPROPAGATION SERVICES (E.M.) LIMITED

  • Companies House: 01947193
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVQD-1395-RRJH

Ley Springs Loughborough Road

Loughborough

LE12 6NZ

United Kingdom

Region: UKF16 - South Nottinghamshire

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Supported employment provider: No

Public service mutual: No

Contract 1. Lot 1


Contracting authority

Peak District National Park Authority

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRMG-9537-GCRD

Aldern House, Baslow Road

Bakewell

DE45 1AE

United Kingdom

Region: UKF13 - South and West Derbyshire

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government