Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Contact person: Jemma Godleman
E-mail: procurement@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
Open Access LandIS Portal
Reference number: C30438
II.1.2) Main CPV code
90714100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The existing LandIS agreement between Cranfield University (CU) and Defra sets out the conditions under which Defra can access:<br/><br/>• The platform which is owned and hosted by Cranfield for the provision of National Soil Map (NATMAP)<br/>• National Soil Inventory (NSI) and soil attribute data (SOILSERIES & HORIZON), and its supplementary data bases (broadly: the LandIS platform data).<br/><br/>All Crown bodies currently enjoy full royalty-free access to LandIS, and this available to charities and research institutions. Non-crown bodies such as the Environment Agency or Natural England, and other public sector bodies, private individuals, consultants, and businesses do not have royalty-free access to this data.<br/>Defra and Cranfield University are working towards reducing or removing some of the licencing restrictions pertaining to the afore mentioned datasets.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
14 184 518.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
72267100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The existing LandIS agreement between Cranfield University (CU) and Defra sets out the conditions under which Defra can access:<br/><br/>• The platform which is owned and hosted by Cranfield for the provision of National Soil Map (NATMAP)<br/>• National Soil Inventory (NSI) and soil attribute data (SOILSERIES & HORIZON), and its supplementary data bases (broadly: the LandIS platform data).<br/><br/>All Crown bodies currently enjoy full royalty-free access to LandIS, and this available to charities and research institutions. Non-crown bodies such as the Environment Agency or Natural England, and other public sector bodies, private individuals, consultants, and businesses do not have royalty-free access to this data.<br/>Defra and Cranfield University are working towards reducing or removing some of the licencing restrictions pertaining to the afore mentioned datasets.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
4 years 5 months + 1 year + 1 year + 1 year
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
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
Cranfield University and Defra own separate and joint Intellectual Property in the NATMAP, NSI and other associated supplementary Databases. This project will allow for the majority of the databases to be accessed via the Open or Restricted License by removing the current licencing requirements, whilst allowing the IP rights to be retained. This is a compliant Single Tender Action under Regulation 32 Public Contracts Regulations 2015, as we are protecting the exclusive rights held by both Defra and Cranfield University.
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 000-005783
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
29/09/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
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
Cranfield University
N/A
Cranfield, Bedfordshire,
Cranfield
MK43 0AL
UK
Telephone: +44 1234750111
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: www.cranfield.ac.uk
The contractor is an SME:
No
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:
: 14 184 518.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Body
N/A
N/A
N/A
UK
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Public Procurement Review Body
N/A
N/A
N/A
UK
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Public Procurement Review Body
N/A
N/A
N/A
UK
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
17/10/2025