Construction Contract Leads

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1) Name and addresses

NATURAL ENGLAND (Defra Network eTendering Portal)

17 Nobel House

London

SW1P 3JR

Contact

Harjinder Grewal

Email

dgc.enquiries [at] defra.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

Buyer's address

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

I.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://defra-family.foce.com/s/Welcome

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://defra-family.foce.com/s/Welcome

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

I.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

I.5) Main activity

Environment

Section II: Object

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title

Eco-hydrology and Peat Investigation - South Cumbria Raised Bogs

II.1.2) Main CPV code

• 90700000 - Environmental services

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

Natural England are grounded in science, and it is imperative that our evidence base is strong and robust in order to restore nature.
The sites of interest in this study are The Duddon Mosses Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), part of the Duddon Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Rusland Valley Mosses SSSI and Nichols Moss SSSI (Part of Witherslack Mosses SAC) in south Cumbria. These Internationally and nationally important lowland raised mires are found on the floors of the Rusland and Duddon valleys and the valley of the River Winster.
The Duddon Mosses lie in a wide glacial valley stretching from the Furness fells to the Duddon Estuary. The underlying solid geology is Coniston Grits, part of the Silurian Ludlow series. A rise in sea level 5000 years ago deposited a mantle of estuarine clay on the coastal plain of South Cumbria. In this area the clay is over 7 metres.
The narrow Rusland valley is oriented North-South and situated due South of central Lakeland fells. It is enclosed by the low, rugged, largely wooded Furness fells. The Rusland Valleys and Fells sit entirely within an area of relatively soft Silurian Slates.
Nichols Moss is one of the three raised bogs forming part of the Witherslack mosses complex of fragmented wetland, together they form the largest remnants of a formerly extensive wetland on the coastal plain of the River Kent. The area is underlain by estuarine clay of low permeability, separating the peat from solid geology (Silurian with Carboniferous Limestone) below.
Estuarine raised bog originally covered much of the low lying coastal plain and valleys of South Cumbria. These three study sites represent the remnant raised bog domes of a once extensive coastal fringe wetland landscape.
The original hydrological environment of the valleys and plains has been significantly modified over centuries, through land reclamation and deliberate drainage. More recently, transport infrastructure and flood banks have largely divorced the floodplain wetlands from rivers and estuaries.
This has resulted on a significantly fragmented system of raised bog surrounded by peatland supporting agricultural grassland for grazing livestock.
The focus of this study are the peatland areas surrounding the Duddon Mosses SSSI, Rusland Valley Mosses SSSI and Nichols Moss SSSI. The study area includes the hydrological environment, including historical, that supplies and supports these complex wetland sites. The historical, current and future, in response to climate change, hydrological environment also forms part of the study.
The field work is largely on private land, permission for access will be arranged by Natural England prior to commencement of the contract. Private land is not to be accessed for the purpose of this tender bid, unless viewing from public road or public Right of Way.

Objectives
The purpose of this project is to review the ecohydrological status of the three SSSI’s, with a focus on the peat deposits in the surrounding landscape and the potential for the restoration of peat-forming conditions in general, and in the context of ombrotrophic bog.
Investigation of the land beyond the SSSI boundary is of primary interest to this study, providing insight into the naturalised state of the historic peatland system hydrology and an account of the degree and effect of modifications over time.

II.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £180,000

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

• 90700000 - Environmental services

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes

• UK - United Kingdom

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

The purpose of this project is to review the ecohydrological status of the three SSSI’s, with a focus on the peat deposits in the surrounding landscape and the potential for the restoration of peat-forming conditions in general, and in the context of ombrotrophic bog.
Investigation of the land beyond the SSSI boundary is of primary interest to this study, providing insight into the naturalised state of the historic peatland system hydrology and an account of the degree and effect of modifications over time.
Information is required to inform detailed restoration plans for the lowland raised bogs and surrounding drained and modified peat and hydrology beyond the protected sites, focussing on the sites.

II.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Techncial / Weighting: 70

Cost criterion - Name: Cost / Weighting: 30

II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

8 January 2024

End date

7 January 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

No

II.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

II.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

II.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

Section IV. Procedure

IV.1) Description

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2) Administrative information

IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

28 November 2023

Local time

12:00pm

IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

29 November 2023

Local time

12:00pm

Section VI. Complementary information

VI.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

VI.4) Procedures for review

VI.4.1) Review body

Defra Network eTendering Portal

17 Nobel House

London

SW1P 3JR

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

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