Published date: 29 March 2023

This notice was replaced on 30 March 2023

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Awarded contract (published 30 March 2023)

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Research and development consultancy services - 73200000

Location of contract

SW1P 3JR

Value of contract

£51,330

Procurement reference

CF-0052000D8d000003VQwdEAG

Published date

29 March 2023

Closing date

22 February 2023

Closing time

11:59pm

Contract start date

1 March 2023

Contract end date

1 February 2024

Contract type

Not applicable

Procedure type

Call-off from a framework agreement

A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established framework agreement.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The analysis already undertaken in ChemPop showed continuing improvement in the quality of river invertebrate communities, broadly agreeing with other researchers analyses of this data. This trend
was seen in all parts of the country, in both urban and rural environments, in all types of stream and regardless of wastewater discharges. This result does not match many people's assumption that the ecological quality of our rivers is in decline. This may be because few of the studies undertaken so far have reached publication yet, and the Environment Agency has been more concerned with fixing environmental issues where they occur than reporting the broader picture.

Refining the analysis of long-term trends observed in the ChemPop study, and other studies such as NERC's GLiTRS project, will improve understanding of invertebrate trends in freshwaters. An important component of this proposal is to hold a meeting of the various teams and individuals that have or are investigating long-term trends in freshwater invertebrates to consider the differences between their analyses (which may be best carried out once teams have published their findings). This work will help Defra's work delivering our biodiversity and water quality targets as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan and will help us communicate changes to the environment.

Demonstrating that, in general, river invertebrate communities are not in decline will help put the widespread species abundance target for freshwater invertebrates into perspective. It will also inform Defra and other agencies where our current approaches to environmental management are working, so that actions can be focused where improvement is needed.

More information

Previous notice about this procurement

Additional analysis of river invertebrate trends from NERC ChemPop project

  • Awarded contract
  • Published 29 March 2023

Award information

Awarded date

1 March 2023

Contract start date

1 March 2023

Contract end date

1 February 2024

Total value of contract

£51,330

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)

Address

Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB

Reference

None

Supplier is SME?

No

About the buyer

Contact name

Felicity Jowett

Address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
Bristol
BS1 5AH
UK

Email

felicity.jowett@defra.gov.uk