Official UK procurement notice
Cement Kilns Destruction Efficiency of Persistent Substances
Authority: Environment Agency (Central government)·On behalf of: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe purpose and scope of the project is to undertake a study to determine the destruction efficiency (DE) and destruction and removal efficiency (DRE), for specified POPs and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals, in relevant waste related materials, at two UK cement kilns that use waste as a fuel.
This will be achieved by feeding representative waste materials containing high levels of the relevant POPs and PFAS into the process and measuring their presence in all products, residues, emissions and releases that are outputs of the process, without compromising cement clinker quality.
The project will also quantify releases or emissions of chemicals indicative of sub-optimal or incomplete destruction of POPs and PFAS.
The work will involve:
- In year 1, preparing the sampling plan for testing in year 2. This will require identifying and obtaining suitable waste materials, containing sufficient POPs and PFAS, visiting participating cement kilns to understand processes and access points, and identifying suitable laboratories and analytical methods. This should be completed by the end of February 2026.
- In year 2, undertaking testing, sampling and laboratory analysis for the first cement kiln. This should be completed, with an interim report submitted, by the end of February 2027.
- In year 3, adapting the approach as needed from the previous year, and undertaking testing, sampling and laboratory analysis for the second cement kiln. This should be completed with a final report submitted by the end of February 2028.
- No preliminary market engagement: A preliminary market engagement notice was not published due to the specification of the requirement being already established and clear. Therefore, there was no additional input from suppliers in the market to help with developing the requirement and approach to the procurement. The supplier base is already known within the market. There was also no publishing of a Planned procurement notice, due to their being less than 40 days between present day and the ITT needing to be going out to the potential suppliers. This is also a strategic and commercially sensitive project. This project also meets the Procurement Act 2023 – Schedule 2, Part 1, Section 22 – Research and Development Services (Research and Development Exemption).
CPV: Research services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedPublished value£450,000
- Economic & financial standing
Please see Bidder Pack Part Two
- Technical & professional ability
Please see Bidder Pack Part Two
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Technical: 70%
- Commercial: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical: E01: Organisation Experience, Capability and Resources – 20% E02: Understanding Project Objectives – 10% E03: Approach and Methodology – 30% E04: Proposed Project Team – 15% E05: Project Management – 10% E06: Sustainability – 15%
- Commercial: Total Cost of Contract
- Economic & financial standing
Please see Bidder Pack Part Two
- Technical & professional ability
Please see Bidder Pack Part Two
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 12 Aug 2025, 12:50 BST
- Last source update
- 1 Dec 2025, 10:39 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 28 Oct 2025
- Authority reference
C29916- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-048005- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05860bFind a Tender- Contract terms summary
The business area will be sent the information required to raise the PO number via the SOP system.
- Risks
Contract break clauses
Poor performance
Extension for deliverables
Increase in cost
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 22 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 22 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
12 Aug 2025 → 1 Dec 2025 · 8 dates- Tender notice published12 Aug 2025, 12:50 BST
- Clarification questions by394 days ago22 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline394 days ago22 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by357 days ago28 Oct 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts343 days ago12 Nov 2025
- Assessment summaries sent342 days ago13 Nov 2025
- Standstill ends330 days ago24 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Latest notice published324 days ago1 Dec 2025, 10:39 GMT
Notice history
7 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Aug 2025- Tender notice published12 Aug 2025, 12:50 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published3 Sept 2025, 08:39 BSTUK4
- Deadline moved to 22 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST3 Sept 2025, 08:39 BST+14 days · was 8 Sept 2025, 12:00 BST
- Contract award notice published13 Nov 2025, 09:19 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete13 Nov 2025, 09:19 GMT
- Contract signature expected26 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMTscheduled
- Contract details notice published1 Dec 2025, 10:39 GMTUK7
Published amendments (1)
Submission Deadline has been extended.
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-08: 1 release · 12 Aug 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Research Centre Limited26 Nov 2025 – 31 Mar 2028 | £449,180same award published again · counted once | 13 Nov 2025standstill to 24 Nov 2025 | Standstill |
| Water Research Centre Limited | £449,180 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Cement Kilns Destruction Efficiency of Persistent Substances · Water Research Centre Limited
- Signed
- 26 Nov 2025
- Value
- £449,180
- Period
- 27 Nov 2025 – 31 Mar 2028
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRSBeneficiary authority
- DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRSProcuring entityDefra Group Commercial is managing the procurement.
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Water Research Centre LimitedAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender