Published date: 14 March 2024

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


Closing: 21 February 2024, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Analysis services - 71620000

Location of contract

NR33 0HT

Value of contract

£15,564

Procurement reference

CF-0261400D8d000003VQwdEAG

Published date

14 March 2024

Closing date

21 February 2024

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

15 March 2024

Contract end date

30 June 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Cefas require a successful supplier to process 15 NIOZ core samples (which have been sub divided into 67 separate samples, with a maximum of 5 slices per core - see Annex 1); to extract and identify all biota retained following sieving on a 1.0 mm capture mesh, as per the NMBAQC guidelines detailing extraction and identification protocols.

Cefas require the data to be provided in an appropriate format (industry standard spreadsheet expected) and to include taxa abundance, species matrix and biomass by station.

In addition to the above, the analysis will be audited as per the NMBAQC own Samples protocol prior to final submission (Hall, 2019): The AQC will http://www.nmbaqcs.org/media/1764/os686970_summary-report.pdf. The AQC will be be organised and awarded by Cefas following the initial submission of the results from this contract.

A single reference collection of all species/taxa identified should be returned to the Cefas laboratories in Lowestoft, in an appropriate preservation liquid (i.e. 100% IDA or 70% IMS, 20% water and 10% glycerol). The reference collection should contain, as a minimum, the species name, name of identifier/ supervisor, station code, cruise code, date of collection and name of species identification verifier. A list of all taxa in the reference collection is also requested; in electronic form, with these details included. Notable taxa should be highlighted here such as non-native species and new or unusual records. Non-native species should be added to the Non-native Species Information Portal (NNSIP) (hosted on the Non-native Species Secretariat website, http://www.nonnativespecies.org/index.cfm?sectionid=81).

The abundance and biomass data matrices should be completed using the details in Annex 1, and then sent via email following completion. All species names must be run through the WoRMS 'Match Taxa' tool so that all naming is current (http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=match).

The supplier is to provide regular progress updates via email detailing the stage of each batch of samples in the process and estimated completion dates. It is also expected that there will be weekly project summary updates and correspondence.

Quality assurance:
Three NIOZ cores, comprising all associated sub samples, from this contract are to be subject to an independent QA process following the requirements of the NMBAQC 'own sample' scheme assessment criteria with the scheme coordinator (or their assigned AQC lab).

As this is also a project level audit the full data set will be quality assured; in addition to the samples selected to assess processing, additional taxa will be identified for review from the full data matrix.

More information

Attachments

Award information

Awarded date

14 March 2024

Contract start date

15 March 2024

Contract end date

30 June 2024

Total value of contract

£12,970

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

APEM Ltd

Address

Riverview, A17 Embankment Business Park, Heaton Mersey, Stockport SK4 3GN

Reference

None

About the buyer

Contact name

Laura Anderson

Address

Pakefield Road
Lowestoft
NR33 0HT
GB

Email

procure@cefas.gov.uk