Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Contact person: Thomas Dubberley
Telephone: +44 7827903738
E-mail: tom.dubberley@defra.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
Address of the buyer profile: https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Environment
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Procurement of Data Research Repository Replacement Proof of Concept
II.1.2) Main CPV code
48517000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
Procurement of a discrete Proof of Concept through a compliant CCS Framework
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
37 438.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Defra has a legal obligation to publish its research outputs on compliant platforms and to manage its R&D programme with transparency, auditability, and accountability—demonstrating the value and impact of public investment. As part of Discovery work, a Proof of Concept exercise was run through a compliant framework for a short-term period (three months) to understand and test the requirements needed to support a future procurement exercise.<br/>Discussions were held with Project team to understand the market and potential solutions that would meet the requirements. Given the requirements for a Cloud solution, it was felt that the use of the G-Cloud 14 framework offered the best route to market for the purchase of the exploratory pilot Research Repository Service. A downselect was conducted via G-Cloud 14 in accordance with the Framework terms.<br/><br/>Although this is a call-off from the G-Cloud 14 Framework, the justification for this Direct Award is under regulation 32 (2) (b) of the PCR 2015 for use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication is against reason ii) “competition is absent for technical reasons” – the Call Off has downselected on technical criteria against a list of suppliers in accordance with the framework.<br/><br/>The value of the contract is a total contract value of £37,438.00 (ex VAT) for a three- month period.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
1 Year Extension is available if the Authority requires subject to additional approvals
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
Defra has a legal obligation to publish its research outputs on compliant platforms and to manage its R&D programme with transparency, auditability, and accountability—demonstrating the value and impact of public investment. As part of Discovery work, a Proof of Concept exercise was run through a compliant framework for a short-term period (three months) to understand and test the requirements needed to support a future procurement exercise.<br/>Discussions were held with Project team to understand the market and potential solutions that would meet the requirements. Given the requirements for a Cloud solution, it was felt that the use of the G-Cloud 14 framework offered the best route to market for the purchase of the exploratory pilot Research Repository Service. A downselect was conducted via G-Cloud 14 in accordance with the Framework terms.<br/><br/>Although this is a call-off from the G-Cloud 14 Framework, the justification for this Direct Award is under regulation 32 (2) (b) of the PCR 2015 for use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication is against reason ii) “competition is absent for technical reasons” – the Call Off has downselected on technical criteria against a list of suppliers in accordance with the framework.<br/><br/>The value of the contract is a total contract value of £37,438.00 (ex VAT) for a three- month period.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation
Defra has a legal obligation to publish its research outputs on compliant platforms and to manage its R&D programme with transparency, auditability, and accountability—demonstrating the value and impact of public investment. As part of Discovery work, a Proof of Concept exercise was run through a compliant framework for a short-term period (three months) to understand and test the requirements needed to support a future procurement exercise.<br/>Discussions were held with Project team to understand the market and potential solutions that would meet the requirements. Given the requirements for a Cloud solution, it was felt that the use of the G-Cloud 14 framework offered the best route to market for the purchase of the exploratory pilot Research Repository Service. A downselect was conducted via G-Cloud 14 in accordance with the Framework terms.<br/><br/>Although this is a call-off from the G-Cloud 14 Framework, the justification for this Direct Award is under regulation 32 (2) (b) of the PCR 2015 for use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication is against reason ii) “competition is absent for technical reasons” – the Call Off has downselected on technical criteria against a list of suppliers in accordance with the framework.<br/><br/>The value of the contract is a total contract value of £37,438.00 (ex VAT) for a three- month period.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
15/01/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Elsevier B.V
33158992
Radarweg 29, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam
1043 NX
UK
Telephone: +44 7787698404
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.elsevier.com
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 37 438.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Defra has a legal obligation to publish its research outputs on compliant platforms and to manage its R&D programme with transparency, auditability, and accountability—demonstrating the value and impact of public investment. As part of Discovery work, a Proof of Concept exercise was run through a compliant framework for a short-term period (three months) to understand and test the requirements needed to support a future procurement exercise.<br/>Discussions were held with Project team to understand the market and potential solutions that would meet the requirements. Given the requirements for a Cloud solution, it was felt that the use of the G-Cloud 14 framework offered the best route to market for the purchase of the exploratory pilot Research Repository Service. A downselect was conducted via G-Cloud 14 in accordance with the Framework terms.<br/><br/>Although this is a call-off from the G-Cloud 14 Framework, the justification for this Direct Award is under regulation 32 (2) (b) of the PCR 2015 for use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication is against reason ii) “competition is absent for technical reasons” – the Call Off has downselected on technical criteria against a list of suppliers in accordance with the framework.<br/><br/>The value of the contract is a total contract value of £37,438.00 (ex VAT) for a three- month period.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
25/03/2026