Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
NATURAL ENGLAND (Defra Network eTendering Portal)
17 Nobel House
London
SW1P 3JR
UK
Contact person: Harjinder Grewal
E-mail: dgc.enquiries@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.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 abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://defra-family.foce.com/s/Welcome
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
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
Eco-hydrology and Peat Investigation - South Cumbria Raised Bogs
II.1.2) Main CPV code
90700000
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. <br/>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. <br/>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. <br/>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.<br/>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. <br/>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. <br/>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. <br/>This has resulted on a significantly fragmented system of raised bog surrounded by peatland supporting agricultural grassland for grazing livestock. <br/>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. <br/>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.<br/><br/>Objectives<br/>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. <br/>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:
180 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
90700000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
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. <br/>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.<br/>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
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Techncial
/ Weighting: 70
Cost criterion: Cost
/ Weighting: 30
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
08/01/2024
End:
07/01/2025
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
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 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:
28/11/2023
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
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:
29/11/2023
Local time: 12:00
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
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
31/10/2023