Find a Tender
complete
Official procurement procedure
Specialist Science and Contingency Services - Food Contingency Laboratory
Research and development services and related consultancy services
Research laboratory services
UK
Published value
Not published
Submission deadline Not published
Lots published1
Procurement Executive Summary
AI & Search Synopsis
Generated from official OCDS record
Tenderline Synopsis: Food Standards Agency: "Specialist Science and Contingency Services - Food Contingency Laboratory". Published status: complete. Published value: Value not published. 1 published lot. Submission deadline not published. See the official notice for participation instructions.
| Contracting Authority | Food Standards Agency | Scope & Categories | Not published | Submission Window | complete No deadline published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submission Gateway | Direct notice route | Legal Basis & Regime | Standard procurement | Estimated Value (exc. VAT) | Not published |
Bidder Intelligence · Authority Profile: Food Standards Agency
Market Analytics
Derived from OCDS awards & bid statistics
Published history for Food Standards Agency. These figures describe retained records, not a forecast of bids or a measure of buyer bias.
Average Price Reduction
Not availableInsufficient comparable data
Competition Density
Not availableNo published reports
Supplier ConcentrationNo estimate
Insufficient attributable awardsNo concentration estimate availablePayment Terms
Check noticePublished terms
Coverage: 1 active published awards; 0 bid reports (which may be per lot). Supplier values exclude multi-supplier awards, frameworks and DPS, and use GBP only. They are published award values, not payments. Price reduction compares single-lot, single-award, single-supplier GBP procedures with explicitly non-framework/non-DPS status; increases remain in the average. Unpublished data stays unknown. Awarded suppliers are winners, not all bidders.
Procedure terms
Contracting AuthorityFood Standards Agency | Procedure methodNot published | Procurement categoryNot published |
Statuscomplete | Framework / DPSNot published | CompetitionNot published |
Above thresholdNot published | Legal basisNot published | Tender period startsNot published |
Clarification deadlineNot published | Electronic submissionNot published | Submission languagesNot published |
Published18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT | Last source update18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT | Recurring procurementNot published |
ClassificationResearch and development services and related consultancy services, Research laboratory services | ||
Delivery area UK | ||
OCIDocds-h6vhtk-04ee8b | ||
What is being bought
This 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.
What changed
From the official release history
- Status changed to complete
18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT - Official notice release published
18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT - Buyer information updated
18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT
Lots and requirements (1)
Published by the contracting authority
- Lot 1 · #1Individual lot title not publishedStatus not publishedPublished valueNot publishedThe 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).Contract periodNot publishedEligibilityNot publishedOptions / renewalNot published
Timeline
- Procedure published
18 Mar 2025, 15:11 GMT - Award active
Not published · Not published - Contract active
Signed 17 Mar 2025, 00:00 GMT · £3,589,260
Commercial outcome and competition
Awards Fera Science Ltd Not published · Not published · active |
Contracts Contract £3,589,260 · signed 17 Mar 2025, 00:00 GMT · active |
Bid statisticsNo aggregate bid statistics published |
Buyer and organisations in this procedure
Food Standards Agency
Contracting authority GB-FTS-141007Documents (0)
Official links; attachments are not copied
No linked documents are published
Related procedures (0)
No related procedures published
Planning and rationale
Planning budgetNot published |
No-engagement rationaleNot published |
Procedure rationaleDetra 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). |