← Back to search results

AwardedFind a Tender · award

Collaboration on EXPLORE project Outcome Measures

Buyer: NATURAL ENGLAND →

BuyerNATURAL ENGLAND
StatusAwarded
DeadlineNot published
ValueValue not published
Published2 Jan 2026

What is being bought

This agreement has a value of £45,000 and is between Natural England and the University of Exeter, to support the development of EXPLORE. The contract will run from the 30th November 2025 until the 31st March 2027. EXPLORE is a fully developed IT solution to support strategic decision-making by local authorities. It uses health, wellbeing, nature and sustainability as the common targets for almost all local government work. It has been codeveloped with local authorities, and will be published in Spring 2026. EXPLORE has four domains. These represent the final outcomes from almost all local authority activity and are Health, Wellbeing, Nature and Sustainability. To support Local Authorities in planning for these domains EXPLORE has three components. These are OUTCOME MEASURES (quantitative measure of current progress in each domain), FACTOR MAPS (diagrams show most of the things which influence outcomes) and HORIZON SCANNING. EXPLORE will support Local Authorities to do rapid and holistic planning supporting the government’s development agenda. Under the Procurement Act 2023, this direct award is justified as ‘due to an absence of competition for technical reasons and provided there are no reasonable alternatives, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required’. This is because the University of Exeter have been a key partner throughout the development of EXPLORE, through RENEW (A Natural Environment Research Council-funded project, which NE participates within). EXPLORE is built into theme 2 of RENEW. Key academic stakeholders have collaborated on the digital dashboards and other web-based components with Natural England and have the necessary expertise to ensure that the EXPLORE web-based components will be successfully delivered. Therefore, they are best placed to take over from the current supplier with regards to managing and keeping the web-based product up to date. Additionally, given the nature of this procurement (i.e. below the Procurement Act threshold of £139,688), this is a below threshold STA and therefore is compliant with PA23.

Lot details

Lot 1

No lot description published.

Statuscomplete

Comparable-procurement analytics

No usable CPV category has been published, so a comparable market set cannot yet be built.

Procurement strategy & market signals

Framework agreementNot published
Dynamic purchasing systemNot published
Competitive procurementNot published
Recurring requirementNot published
Procurement method rationaleNot published
Rationale classificationsNot published
Special regimeNot published
Covered byNot published
Submission policyNot published
Selection criteriaNot published
Risk detailsNot published

Planning & early market engagement

BudgetNot published
No-engagement rationaleNot published
Planning documents0
Planning milestones0

No planning milestones published.

Related procurements

No linked framework, prior procurement or reprocurement published.

Awards

Contracts

Collaboration on EXPLORE Project Outcome Measures

Statusactive
Value£45,000

Documents & submission route

No documents are published in the current source record.

Source data inventory

Diagnostic view. “Not published” means this current release does not provide a value.

OCIDocds-h6vhtk-05fed4
Latest release ID000076-2026
Latest release timestampFri Jan 02 2026 15:48:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Sourcefind-a-tender
Official notice URLNot published
Tender statuscomplete
Procurement methoddirect
Procurement method detailsBelow threshold - without competition
Main procurement categoryNot published
Above thresholdNot published
Legal basis2023/54
Tender period: startNot published
Tender period: endNot published
Expression of interest deadlineNot published
Enquiry deadlineNot published
Award period: startNot published
Award period: endNot published
Submission method detailsNot published
Submission languagesNot published
Electronic catalogue policyNot published
Total tender valueNot published
Tender lots in source1
Tender items in source0
Tender documents in source0
Awards in latest release1
Contracts in latest release1
Parties in latest release2

Notice history

DateEventReference
2 Jan 2026award, contract000076-2026

All source data

Unmodified official OCDS data retained by Tenderline for this procurement process.

Complete current OCDS release JSON
{
  "id": "000076-2026",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "date": "2026-01-02T15:48:50Z",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05fed4",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PJDG-6588-XDMM",
    "name": "NATURAL ENGLAND"
  },
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "items": [
        {
          "id": "1",
          "relatedLot": "1",
          "deliveryAddresses": [
            {
              "region": "UK",
              "country": "GB",
              "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            }
          ],
          "additionalClassifications": [
            {
              "id": "73110000",
              "scheme": "CPV",
              "description": "Research services"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-170422",
          "name": "University of Exeter"
        }
      ],
      "relatedLots": [
        "1"
      ],
      "mainProcurementCategory": "services"
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "C32097",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "complete"
      }
    ],
    "title": "Collaboration on EXPLORE project Outcome Measures",
    "status": "complete",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
    },
    "description": "This agreement has a value of £45,000 and is between Natural England and the University of Exeter, to support the development of EXPLORE. The contract will run from the 30th November 2025 until the 31st March 2027. \nEXPLORE is a fully developed IT solution to support strategic decision-making by local authorities. It uses health, wellbeing, nature and sustainability as the common targets for almost all local government work. It has been codeveloped with local authorities, and will be published in Spring 2026. EXPLORE has four domains. These represent the final outcomes from almost all local authority activity and are Health, Wellbeing, Nature and Sustainability. To support Local Authorities in planning for these domains EXPLORE has three components. These are OUTCOME MEASURES (quantitative measure of current progress in each domain), FACTOR MAPS (diagrams show most of the things which influence outcomes) and HORIZON SCANNING. EXPLORE will support Local Authorities to do rapid and holistic planning supporting the government’s development agenda.\nUnder the Procurement Act 2023, this direct award is justified as ‘due to an absence of competition for technical reasons and provided there are no reasonable alternatives, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required’.  \nThis is because the University of Exeter have been a key partner throughout the development of EXPLORE, through RENEW (A Natural Environment Research Council-funded project, which NE participates within). EXPLORE is built into theme 2 of RENEW. Key academic stakeholders have collaborated on the digital dashboards and other web-based components with Natural England and have the necessary expertise to ensure that the EXPLORE web-based components will be successfully delivered. Therefore, they are best placed to take over from the current supplier with regards to managing and keeping the web-based product up to date. \nAdditionally, given the nature of this procurement (i.e. below the Procurement Act threshold of £139,688), this is a below threshold STA and therefore is compliant with PA23.",
    "procurementMethod": "direct",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Below threshold - without competition"
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PJDG-6588-XDMM",
      "name": "NATURAL ENGLAND",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKI32",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "London",
        "postalCode": "SW1P 4DF",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - central government"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PJDG-6588-XDMM",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "izabella.roberts@defra.gov.uk.defra"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-170422",
      "name": "University of Exeter",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKK43",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "Exeter",
        "postalCode": "EX4 4QJ",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "The Queen's Drive"
      },
      "details": {
        "vcse": false,
        "scale": "large"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "a.r.huke@exeter.ac.uk"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "title": "Collaboration on EXPLORE Project Outcome Measures",
      "value": {
        "amount": 45000,
        "currency": "GBP",
        "amountGross": 54000
      },
      "period": {
        "endDate": "2027-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
        "startDate": "2025-12-01T00:00:00Z"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "1",
      "documents": [
        {
          "id": "000076-2026",
          "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000076-2026",
          "format": "text/html",
          "noticeType": "UK7",
          "description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender",
          "documentType": "contractNotice",
          "datePublished": "2026-01-02T15:48:50Z"
        }
      ],
      "dateSigned": "2025-11-30T00:00:00Z",
      "aboveThreshold": false
    }
  ],
  "initiationType": "tender"
}
Complete JSON history (1 releases)
2 Jan 2026 · 000076-2026 · award, contract
{
  "id": "000076-2026",
  "tag": [
    "award",
    "contract"
  ],
  "date": "2026-01-02T15:48:50Z",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05fed4",
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-PPON-PJDG-6588-XDMM",
    "name": "NATURAL ENGLAND"
  },
  "awards": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "items": [
        {
          "id": "1",
          "relatedLot": "1",
          "deliveryAddresses": [
            {
              "region": "UK",
              "country": "GB",
              "countryName": "United Kingdom"
            }
          ],
          "additionalClassifications": [
            {
              "id": "73110000",
              "scheme": "CPV",
              "description": "Research services"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "status": "active",
      "suppliers": [
        {
          "id": "GB-FTS-170422",
          "name": "University of Exeter"
        }
      ],
      "relatedLots": [
        "1"
      ],
      "mainProcurementCategory": "services"
    }
  ],
  "tender": {
    "id": "C32097",
    "lots": [
      {
        "id": "1",
        "status": "complete"
      }
    ],
    "title": "Collaboration on EXPLORE project Outcome Measures",
    "status": "complete",
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents",
      "scheme": "UKPGA"
    },
    "description": "This agreement has a value of £45,000 and is between Natural England and the University of Exeter, to support the development of EXPLORE. The contract will run from the 30th November 2025 until the 31st March 2027. \nEXPLORE is a fully developed IT solution to support strategic decision-making by local authorities. It uses health, wellbeing, nature and sustainability as the common targets for almost all local government work. It has been codeveloped with local authorities, and will be published in Spring 2026. EXPLORE has four domains. These represent the final outcomes from almost all local authority activity and are Health, Wellbeing, Nature and Sustainability. To support Local Authorities in planning for these domains EXPLORE has three components. These are OUTCOME MEASURES (quantitative measure of current progress in each domain), FACTOR MAPS (diagrams show most of the things which influence outcomes) and HORIZON SCANNING. EXPLORE will support Local Authorities to do rapid and holistic planning supporting the government’s development agenda.\nUnder the Procurement Act 2023, this direct award is justified as ‘due to an absence of competition for technical reasons and provided there are no reasonable alternatives, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required’.  \nThis is because the University of Exeter have been a key partner throughout the development of EXPLORE, through RENEW (A Natural Environment Research Council-funded project, which NE participates within). EXPLORE is built into theme 2 of RENEW. Key academic stakeholders have collaborated on the digital dashboards and other web-based components with Natural England and have the necessary expertise to ensure that the EXPLORE web-based components will be successfully delivered. Therefore, they are best placed to take over from the current supplier with regards to managing and keeping the web-based product up to date. \nAdditionally, given the nature of this procurement (i.e. below the Procurement Act threshold of £139,688), this is a below threshold STA and therefore is compliant with PA23.",
    "procurementMethod": "direct",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Below threshold - without competition"
  },
  "parties": [
    {
      "id": "GB-PPON-PJDG-6588-XDMM",
      "name": "NATURAL ENGLAND",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKI32",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "London",
        "postalCode": "SW1P 4DF",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street"
      },
      "details": {
        "url": "https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome",
        "classifications": [
          {
            "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
            "description": "Public authority - central government"
          }
        ]
      },
      "identifier": {
        "id": "PJDG-6588-XDMM",
        "scheme": "GB-PPON"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "izabella.roberts@defra.gov.uk.defra"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "GB-FTS-170422",
      "name": "University of Exeter",
      "roles": [
        "supplier"
      ],
      "address": {
        "region": "UKK43",
        "country": "GB",
        "locality": "Exeter",
        "postalCode": "EX4 4QJ",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "streetAddress": "The Queen's Drive"
      },
      "details": {
        "vcse": false,
        "scale": "large"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "a.r.huke@exeter.ac.uk"
      }
    }
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "title": "Collaboration on EXPLORE Project Outcome Measures",
      "value": {
        "amount": 45000,
        "currency": "GBP",
        "amountGross": 54000
      },
      "period": {
        "endDate": "2027-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
        "startDate": "2025-12-01T00:00:00Z"
      },
      "status": "active",
      "awardID": "1",
      "documents": [
        {
          "id": "000076-2026",
          "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000076-2026",
          "format": "text/html",
          "noticeType": "UK7",
          "description": "Contract details notice on Find a Tender",
          "documentType": "contractNotice",
          "datePublished": "2026-01-02T15:48:50Z"
        }
      ],
      "dateSigned": "2025-11-30T00:00:00Z",
      "aboveThreshold": false
    }
  ],
  "initiationType": "tender"
}