Official UK procurement notice
Cornwall Badger Vaccination Pilot
Authority: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS·Consortium: 2 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionDefra requires a three-year project for badger vaccination and research activities in three (3) pilot areas in Cornwall.
CPV: Research and development services and related consultancy services · Veterinary services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Defra requires a three-year contract for badger vaccination and research activities in…Awarded
Defra requires a three-year contract for badger vaccination and research activities in three (3) pilot areas in Cornwall.<br/><br/>There will be three (3) different approaches to badger vaccination delivery carried out under this Pilot: Annual, Bi-annual and Reactive, with TB blood tests carried out on a proportion of the badgers. <br/><br/>This unique pilot aims to provide scientific evidence in support of the Government manifesto pledge to stop badger culling and move to badger vaccination as the main form of TB control in badgers.
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 award criteria (2)
- Quality: 100%
- Cost: 0%
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive procedure with negotiation
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- 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
- 20 Jan 2025, 16:38 GMT
- Last source update
- 12 Jun 2025, 13:40 BST
- Authority reference
C29288- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-031917- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04d4d3Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
- Published justification
This unique pilot aims to provide scientific evidence in support of the Government manifesto pledge to stop badger culling and move to badger vaccination as the main form of TB control in badgers.<br/><br/>This project focuses solely on three (3) pilot areas in Cornwall. Defra recognise that the National Farmers Union (NFU), alongside their main subcontractor Zoological Society London (ZSL), are uniquely placed in Cornwall to deliver this project, starting in March 2025. <br/><br/>The NFU is the recognised industry body that has delivered licensed badger control operations since its inception in 2013. For many years in Cornwall, the NFU has worked closely with landowners, farmers and industry, organising badger culls alongside small badger vaccination projects. They have developed extensive networks and groups, including those developed specifically to oversee these types of operations. For reasons of privacy, security and sensitivity, information on their networks is not publicly available or collectively accessible by any other third party or organisation.<br/><br/>ZSL has undertaken badger vaccination research and delivery projects in Cornwall since 2012. They are able to provide technical expertise in trapping and vaccinating badgers, and also the procedures required for the research aspects of this project. This includes highly specialized processes such as anesthetising and blood sampling badgers in the field under Home Office licence. In addition, they are APHA accredited badger vaccination trainers and will train a field force of local industry contractors to vaccinate badgers.<br/><br/>Based on the information detailed above, the conclusion is that the NFU is the only contractor able to provide these services to Defra.
Notice history
2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Jun 2025- Procurement method changed12 Jun 2025, 13:40 BST
- Buyer details updated12 Jun 2025, 13:40 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFUSubcontracting: Activities including sett surveying, trapping, vaccination, blood sampling, training, deployment of cameras and associated monitoring and data analysis. | £1,370,231 †same award published again · counted once | — | Awarded |
| NFUSubcontracting: Activities including sett surveying, trapping, vaccination, blood sampling, training, deployment of cameras and associated monitoring and data analysis. | £1,370,231 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Defra Network eTendering PortalContracting authorityReview bodyMinistry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisionsEnvironmental protection
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Public Procurement Review BodyMediation body
Bidders & participating suppliers
2 commercial parties on the noticeOfficial documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.