Official UK procurement notice
Specialist Science and Contingency Services - Food Contingency Laboratory
Authority: The Food Standards Agency (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis notice is for information only and is not a call for competition. FSA would like to notify the intention to directly award a service contract for Food Contingency Laboratory Services as part of the Specialist Science and Contingency Services Agreement tendered by Defra. We have identified no alternative provider following extensive market engagement who have the capability and capacity to deliver the service.
CPV: Research and development services and related consultancy services · Research laboratory services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1The existing Long Term Service Agreement under which these services are provided will…
The existing Long Term Service Agreement under which these services are provided will expire on 31 March 2025. Defra as the commercial lead, sought a replacement commercial arrangement to provide critical scientific evidence and contingency services to support its policy making and operational responsibilities including emergency response capabilities in relation to the food and the environment. The overarching contract is also used by other Government Departments, including Food Standards Agency. This contract specifically covers FSA and Defra's food contingency requirements. The supplier has the ability to deliver reliable, high quality scientific services competitively; well-proven transition and transformational capabilities within challenging timeframes; and possesses a vision and commitment to enhance relevant scientific capability into the future. The seamless continuation of services is essential to maintain the governments food incident response capability.
The contract is awarded for an initial five years and has an option to extend for an additional five years (+2+1+1+1).
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
- 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
- 18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT
- Last source update
- 18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-009941- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04ee8bFind 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
Detra intends to direct award a contract using the negotiated procedure without prior publication, in accordance with Regulation 32(2){b){ii) (competition absent for technical reasons) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The current contract will expire on 31 March 2025 and this contract must be made to ensure critical statutory specialist science and contingency services continue to be provided. This contract will be awarded to Fera Science Limited for the provision of specialist science and contingency services.
To inform its decision-making, Detra has undertaken three rounds of market engagement with interested suppliers. Before each round, it has published a prior information notice (PIN), ensuring that all interested suppliers are aware of the re-procurement and have had the opportunity to express interest and provide evidence of their capacity and capabilities to perform all or part of the services. Three elements of the specification were identified:
(a) those aspects where there is no competition, eg, those parts of the specification that relate to the required specialist facilities for this contract;
{b) those parts where there may be genuine competition.
(c) those parts where competitors have expressed an interest in supplying all or part of the requirement, but have not provided sufficient information when requested to establish that they have, or could develop in the time available, the necessary capacity or capability.
In relation to {b) there are some services for Government Departments, FSA, HSE, Welsh Government and DAERA where reasonable alternatives in the market were identified, as such, those services have been disaggregated and those respective Departments will identify a route to market outside of this contract. Some research and development requirements that are not related to (a), will be procured through Detra's existing RDE Framework or such other route to market. As such these services no longer form part of the specification for this contract.
In relation to (a) and (c), the market engagement has identified that currently there is no candidate who is able to deliver the requirements of the specification and competition is absent for technical reasons.
As such this contract will be awarded by direct award in accordance with Regulation 32(2){b)(ii).
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fera Science Ltd | £3,589,260 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 009941-2025-1 · Fera Science Ltd
- Signed
- 17 Mar 2025
- Value
- £3,589,260
- Status
- active
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- High Court Royal Courts of JusticeMediation body
- Public Procurement Review BodyReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- FeraAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.