Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Telephone: +44 3459335577
E-mail: dgcenquiries@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
Provision of Support to an APHA Tier 2 National Exercise (ASPEN)
Reference number: C28984
II.1.2) Main CPV code
98110000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is seeking to engage a supplier to support the production and delivery of a Tier 2 National Exercise and supporting agencies. Tier 2 National Exercises are a) led by a Lead Government Department with involvement from key stakeholders (including other departments), b) may take the form of Tabletop or Live Exercises or elements of both and c) include likely participation of COBR (Civil Contingencies Committee).<br/><br/>The primary purpose of the Tier 2 National Exercise will be to test the Government’s Contingency Plans and established policy, for the control of an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Its aim is not to provoke new policy developments but rather to explore current policy and the arrangements for its implementation. It will also test APHA’s operational response arrangements and expose communications, resilience and capability to<br/>scrutiny.<br/><br/>The supplier will have experience of managing and delivering exercises of a similar scale. They will be expected to create and deliver an Exercise Package capable of testing the preparedness and effectiveness of Defra framework response plans, Contingency Plans for Governmental administrations and APHA Operational response plans.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
155 600.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
APHA has a critical role in the control and eradication of endemic and exotic notifiable and reportable diseases including responding to Outbreaks of notifiable avian disease, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) or swine fever.<br/><br/>APHA in conjunction with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Welsh Government (WG), Scottish Government (SG) & Northern Ireland (NI) and their operational partners are to work in partnership to plan, prepare and deliver a Tier 2 National Exercise. The exercise will be a medium to large scale FMD Outbreak originating in<br/>the border regions of England and Wales spreading to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<br/><br/>The primary purpose of the National Exercise is to test Defra’s, WG’s, SG’s and NI governments current contingency plans and established policy, for the control of an outbreak of FMD. Its aim is not to provoke new policy developments but rather to explore current policy and the arrangements for its implementation. It will also test the APHA’s operational response arrangements and expose communications, resilience and capability to<br/>scrutiny.<br/><br/>A phased approach is required and summarised below. This is to ensure a level of professionalism and quality of delivery that APHA resource could not produce. It is necessary that the Contractor has experience of managing and delivering exercises of similar scale.<br/><br/>Phase 1 – Project Initiation & Contract Mobilisation<br/>Phase 2 – Project Design & Exercise Planning<br/>Phase 3 – Exercise Development & Pre-briefing<br/>Phase 4 – Project and Exercise Delivery<br/>Phase 5 – Project Debriefing<br/>Phase 6 – Project Reporting & Closure
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Technical Envelope (Including Sustainability & Social Value)
/ Weighting: 50%
Cost criterion: Commercial Envelope
/ Weighting: 50%
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
The Authority may extend the Contract for a period of up to 6 months’ by <br/>giving not less than 1 months’ notice in writing to the Supplier prior to the <br/>Expiry Date. The terms and conditions of the Contract shall apply throughout <br/>any such extended period
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 Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2025/S 000-006592
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
20/05/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
RAB Consultants Ltd.
5799647
Cathedral House, Second Floor, Beacon Street
Lichfield
WS13 7AA
UK
Telephone: +44 7753730886
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://rabconsultants.co.uk/
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:
: 155 600.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
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
20/05/2025