Published date: 21 February 2025

Closed early engagement


Closing date: 14 March 2025

Contract summary

Industry

  • Radioactive-, toxic-, medical- and hazardous waste services - 90520000

Location of contract

BS1 5AH

Procurement reference

CF-0464700D8d000003VQwdEAG

Published date

21 February 2025

Closing date

14 March 2025

Contract type

Service contract

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No


Description

Defra is looking to better understand the market capacity and appetite to participate in procuring 24/7 technical support to enquiries from staff across the Environment Agency.

Most enquiries relate to the fate and effects of chemicals on environmental receptors and human health, as well as potential sources of chemicals in the environment.

Operational staff in particular use the service on a day-to-day basis, to support input to work areas such as (but not restricted to):

· Pollution incident management

· Planned activities such as discharge consenting, permitting, etc.

· Prosecutions (e.g. expert witness statements)

Although most enquiries are dealt with in-house, it is important to be able to access external support during out of hours incidents or when Environment Agency staff are unable to respond.

Enquirers usually have a technical background; however, they are not usually experts in chemistry or toxicology, therefore the supplier is required to provide 24/7 assistance.

If you can provide this service (the ability to provide out of hours support is vital), please register an expression of your interest to angus.fairney-broomfield@defra.gov.uk. Please note this is a voluntary process that can provide data for supporting approvals of routes to market.

Presently, specification is being refreshed and further details with be available at the tender stage.

The deadline to register an expression of your interest is 17:00 on 14/03/2025.


About the buyer

Contact name

Angus Fairney-Broomfield

Address

Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH
UK

Email

network.procurement@defra.gov.uk