Research & Development Framework

Description

The Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) wishes to establish a new research and development (R&D) framework with six specific lots (A-F).
This framework will be structured into specialism based lots. Each lot is designed to hold more than one supplier to allow a varied skill set across each lot.
A specification will be written for each project and HSE will then consider the specification against each supplier to determine which supplier's expertise is best suited to the project. If more than one supplier has the relevant experience, a cab rank system will be used (further detail on this process is provided in section 4). Due to the nature of the type of R&D projects that will be brought forward, we are aware that not all suppliers in a lot may necessarily be able to undertake all the projects brought forward, so this approach ensures projects will be allocated to the most relevant supplier.
HSE reserve the right to allocate projects to other suppliers in the framework, outside of the specified lot, if all the suppliers allocated to a lot are not able to undertake the project.
This framework will be open to usage from all HSE teams. The framework will enable faster turnaround of R&D. It also provides a more cost effective and less burdensome way of commissioning research projects.
The framework is designed to be a 4 year contract.
We are unsure how many times we will use each individual Lot on the R&D Framework throughout the four year period. The award of each individual Lot does not guarantee any amount of work during the contract agreement period.
Whilst we anticipate using each individual Lot on the R&D Framework to fulfil our needs, we do reserve the right to choose to commission such work through other means and with other suppliers as we see fit.
3. SCOPE OF THE SERVICES REQUIRED
The R&D Framework will be structured into 6 specialism based lots:
• Lot A - Chemistry
• Lot B - Ecotoxicology
• Lot C - Efficacy
• Lot D - Fate and Behaviour
• Lot E - Residues
• Lot F - Toxicology
Suppliers may, apply for one, some or all of lots (A-F). We intend to appoint 4 suppliers for each lot.

Lot A - Chemistry
Primary quantitative research and analysis
All types of primary quantitative research. To exemplify, primary methods may include (but not be limited to):
· Method development
· Application and validation of methods and techniques
· Adaptation and extension of existing techniques
· Associated work such as: securing samples, interpreting data and results,
· Analyses, reporting and the generation of key scientific eoutcomes and recommendations from the work
To include, but not be limited to methods and approaches that enable the development of methods for the analysis of pesticide active substances, impurities and co-formulants in pesticide formulations, and of residues of pesticide active substances and metabolites in food and feeds

All types of secondary analysis. To exemplify, methods may include (but are not limited to):
· Desk research
· Literature reviews
· Quantitative summaries
· Systematic reviews
· Horizon scanning
· Plus analyses, reporting and the generation of key scientific evidence, regulatory developments and recommendations from the work.
Topics may include
• Birds
• Mammals
• Aquatic (including sediment) organisms
• Bees and other polinators
• Non-target arthropods
• Soil organsims
• Non-target plants
• Biopesticides
• Endocrine disruption
• Effect modelling
• Linking exposure and effects
• New technology
• Risk assessment for precision agriculture
• Climate change
• Bioaccumulation
• Biodiversity
• Protection Goals
• Risk mitigation
• Novel / alternative application methods
• Chemical mixtures and mulitple stressors
• Landscape scale assessment
• Sublethal effects
• Community and ecosytstems

• Evidence on the impact of selection pressures exerted by the use of plant protection products on resistance development and the mechanisms of resistance. Informing the development of resistance management strategies to support sustainable crop production.
• Evidence on developing novel and integrated approaches for the control of pests, weeds and diseases, taking into account any adaptation and mitigation measures arising from climate change, and what impact this may have on efficacy regulatory requirements.
• Evidence on the impact of different application technologies on the efficacy of plant protection products, including impacts on resistance development, and what changes or adaptations to efficacy regulatory requirements may be needed.
• Evaluating the scope of new technologies for assessing biological parameters in efficacy field trials.
• Evaluating the current and changing status of target species, cropping practices and PPP availability to inform the assessment of the agronomic relevance of PPPs and establish future challenges for pest and resistance management.
• The impact of formulation chemistry on the biological efficacy of PPPs

All types of secondary analysis. To exemplify, methods may include (but are not limited to):
· Desk research
· Literature reviews
· Quantitative summaries
· Systematic reviews
· Horizon scanning
· Model or software development
· Plus analyses, reporting and the generation of key scientific evidence, regulatory developments and recommendations from the work.
· Proactive secondary collection (e.g. contacting organisations via phone/web to gather evidence and examples of practice - which may include interviews)
Topics may include
• Degradation
• Sorption
• Environmental fate and behaviour in soil, water, sediment, air
• Routes of environmental exposure
• Spray drift
• Runoff
• Drainflow
• Groundwater leaching
• Long range transport
• Plant uptake
• POPs and PBTs
• Exposure modelling
• Scenario development
• Surrogate crops
• Linking exposure and effects
• New technology
• Drones
• Novel / alternative application methods
• Crop specific exposure assessments
• Hard surfaces
• Biopesticides
• Metals
• Metabolites
• Unextracted residues
• Climate change
• Risk mitigation
• Higher tier modelling
• Spatial assessments
• Landscape or catchment scale exposure assessments
• Water treatment processes
• Environmental monitoring
• Exposure assessment goals

All types of secondary analysis. To exemplify, methods may include (but are not limited to):
· Desk research
· Literature reviews
· Quantitative summaries
· Systematic reviews
· Horizon scanning
· Plus analyses, reporting and the generation of key scientific evidence, regulatory developments and recommendations from the work.
Topics may include
• Impact of new application techniques, including drones on residue levels in crops
• Storage stability
• Metabolism in plants and animals, including fish
• Extraction efficiency
• Uncertainties within the residues assessment, MRL setting and consumer risk assessments
• Residue trial parameters, and their impact on residue levels
• Proportionaility/ scaling of residues
• Crop to crop extrapolations
• Impact of processing
• Residues in rotational crops
• Residues in honey and other bee products
• Residues in fish, including the diets of farmed fish
• Consumption data
• Approaches to consumer risk assessments

All types of secondary analysis. To exemplify, methods may include (but are not limited to):
· Desk research
· Literature reviews
· Quantitative summaries
· Systematic reviews
· Horizon scanning
· Plus analyses, reporting and the generation of key scientific evidence, regulatory developments and recommendations from the work.
Topics may include
• Acute toxicity
• Skin and eye irritation
• Skin sensitisation
• Phototoxicity
• Repeated dose toxicity
• Genotoxicity
• Carcinogenicity
• Reproductive toxicity
• Developmental neurotoxicity
• Endocrine disruption
• ADME and dermal absorption
• Modelling
• In silico tools
• TTC approach
• NAMs
• Epidemiology
• Uncertainty
• NGRA
• Protection Goals
• Risk mitigation
• Risk communication
• Co-formulants
• 3Rs
• Chemical mixtures
• Biopesticides
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Effects on the gut microbiome
• Dose setting and maximum tolerated dose
• Kinetically-informed maximum dose

Additional information

Use the following links to access information about the buyer, tender notice documents and further resources about this tender opportunity.

---

What to look for

All public procurement notices are published in a standard format, which should give you some key information to assist with your bid decision:

• Name and details of contracting authority
• Where to register and access the tender documents
• Scope and descriptions of the procurement exercise
• Place of performance
• Estimated contract value
• Contract duration and dates
• Conditions for participation
• Procedure for tendering and the submission deadline

Need more help?

Complete Tenders can help you find out more about this tender opportunity and navigate the next steps which sometimes involves a complex procurement procedure. Call us now on 01707 244713 if you have a question, we’d be happy to point you in the right direction!

Our team has the experience you need to help you prepare an outstanding tender. We will advise on everything you need to know about the tendering process, help with tender documents, tender response questions and preparing your final submission. We will work to your needs, forming a close understanding of your business to give you confidence and support that results in cost-effective bid management and tenders that win contracts.

More information on Contracts Finder and doing business with the government can be found HERE.

Complete Tender Coverage

Following Brexit, the new official Find a Tender system has been developed by UK Government to detail all public procurement contract opportunities expected to be over £122, 976 for Central Government or £189,330 for the remainder of the public sector e.g. NHS contracts, Local Authority contracts, Housing Association contracts. Publishing requirements for all of the public sector are in place to ensure transparency, fairness and open competition.

All UK public sector opportunities under these values, but over £10,000 for central government or over £25,000 for other public sector organisations, are still required to be published on Contracts Finder. Scotland, Wales and NI also have their own dedicated sites: Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales, eSourcing NI and eTendersNI.

Complete Tenders have centralised and consolidated all of this information into a single, easy to use platform that is updated hourly with all new opportunities.