Published date: 29 March 2023

This notice was replaced on 29 March 2023

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

Awarded contract (published 29 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

£49,903.33

Procurement reference

CF-0053600D8d000003VQwdEAG

Published date

29 March 2023

Closing date

20 January 2023

Closing time

11:59pm

Contract start date

1 February 2023

Contract end date

31 October 2023

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

Water resource planning and the understanding of water supply risk is complicated by the availability and temporal and spatial variability of short observational records hydroclimatic inputs.

In response the water industry has used synthetically created weather, often referred to as 'stochastics' to increase the available ensemble size. However, our understanding of the most
appropriate way of creating and using such datasets, particularly within a changing climate, and the potential or not for using alternative methods and approaches to create water resource plans, is limited.

2 Aim and objectives:

The aim of the project is to reflect on water resource planning to date and to look for opportunities to continually improve our approach. More specifically, the project will review the science behind currently used stochastic methods and the performance of existing data products, both within the
UK and internationally. It will also perform a critique of and comparison with both alternative stochastic method(s) and alternative approaches to water resource planning, to inform a debate on the most appropriate methods and data for use in future rounds of Water Resource Management
Plans (WRMP)

The objectives of the project are to:

• Conduct an objective assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of both the current stochastic method and data products, including climate change analysis, the different ways of statistically analysing stochastic data sets, any limits to their application, and make recommendations on their optimal use

• Identify both potential alternative stochastic method(s) and potential alternative planning approaches and the opportunities they offer, including climate change analysis, statistical
analysis, limits to application and optimal use

• Expose the arguments for and against the continued use of stochastic approaches set against the arguments for and against alternative planning approaches, and to make
recommendations, identify gaps and engage the wider community (users, academics, consultants) in a discussion on the future direction of WRMP

Award information

Awarded date

1 February 2023

Contract start date

1 February 2023

Contract end date

31 October 2023

Total value of contract

£49,903.33

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
United Kingdom

Email

felicity.jowett@environment-agency.gov.uk