Expired contract

RDE855 - A Review of the Comparative Advantages of Certified versus Farm Saved S

Details

Buyer: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Supplier(s): Harper Adams University College
Value: £67,359
Duration: 8 months
Topic: Research and development consultancy services
Published: 17 November 2025
Source: uk:contracts_finder

Tender description

The aim of the project is to provide data to enable a review of the current policy that prohibits the marketing of farm saved seed and consider whether the evidence supports this policy continuing, or if other policies could be considered, such as allowing farmers to exchange farm saved seed (as proposed in the EU). Contract awarded by Defra.

Timeline

Completed: Award date10 November 2025
Completed: Award published17 November 2025
Current notice
Completed: Contract expiry date10 July 2026

About the buyer

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is a ministerial department that also buys through agencies such as the Environment Agency, the Rural Payments Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Suppliers register on the DEFRA eCommercial website, Atamis, to compete for contract opportunities across the department. Larger opportunities are advertised through the Find a Tender service under the Procurement Act 2023, in force since February 2025. DEFRA also procures goods and services through the Crown Commercial Service. Existing contracts and frameworks set up under the previous procurement regulations remain valid until they expire.

Procurement spend from central entities makes up 66% of overall UK public spend.

Over the past 5 years, most of DEFRA's contract awards have been in research and development, construction work and business services.

Relevant CPV codes

73200000 · Research and development consultancy services

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs-defra.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs-defra.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs-defra.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs-defra.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs-defra.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs-defra.gov