Award

UK Plant Breeders Rights, National Listing and Seed Certification (NIAB)

  • ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-083077

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05f1c2 (view related notices)

Published 15 December 2025, 6:14pm



Scope

Reference

C32250

Description

This notice is published to describe our intention to enter into two contracts with the National Institute of Agricultural Botany ("NIAB"); one service contract and one concession contract. The subject matter of both contracts is the delivery of plant breeders rights, national listing & seed certification.

The services are:

Service A: Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability, ("DUS") Testing Service

Service B - Value for Cultivation and Use ("VCU") Tests for Disease Resistance

Service C - Independent Review and Reporting of VCU Trials and Disease Resistance Tests

Service D - Seed Certification Services

Service E - Seed Testing Services

Service F - Technical Advice and Additional Services

Service G - Management of Authority IT Systems

Service H - Delivery of DUS Quality Assurance System ("QAS")

Please note: the contract start date is expected to be 1st July 2025


Contract 1. Service Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £6,100,000 excluding VAT
  • £7,320,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

2 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 2 January 2026 to 30 June 2027
  • Possible extension to 30 June 2028
  • 2 years, 5 months, 30 days

Description of possible extension:

12 month extension options

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 77100000 - Agricultural services

Contract 2. Concession Contract

Supplier

Contract value

  • £4,600,000 excluding VAT
  • £5,520,000 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

2 January 2026

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 2 January 2026 to 30 June 2027
  • Possible extension to 30 June 2028
  • 2 years, 5 months, 30 days

Description of possible extension:

12 month extension options

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 77100000 - Agricultural services

Participation

Particular suitability

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

Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Special regime

Concession

Direct award justification

Single supplier - technical reasons

Due to the nature of the services required, competition is absence for technical reasons. Niab are presently the only possible supplier of these services.


Suppliers

Niab

Niab, 93 Lawrence Weaver Road

Cambridge

CB3 0LE

United Kingdom

Region: UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 2. Concession Contract

Niab

  • Companies House: 03395389

93 Lawrence Weaver Road

Cambridge

CB3 0LE

United Kingdom

Region: UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1. Service Contract


Contracting authority

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBHC-6261-BLLQ

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

United Kingdom

Contact name: Tom Redfearn

Telephone: 07920053570

Email: tom.redfearn@defra.gov.uk

Website: https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome

Region: UKI32 - Westminster

Organisation type: Public authority - central government