Expired contract

Proof of concept for Farm Data Exchange project

Details

Buyer: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Supplier(s): Version 1 Solutions Limited
Value: £150,000
Duration: 6 months
Topic: Data management services
Published: 26 November 2025
Source: uk:contracts_finder

Tender description

AHDB secured funding to explore a Farm Data Exchange (FDE) solution to improve how farmers control, share, and utilise their environmental and operational data across the agrifood sector. The organisation appointed a Contractor to develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrating that farmers could manage data permissions securely, reduce duplication, and support accurate environmental reporting. The Contractor will deliver a low-code/no-code prototype that tests four key principles: • That farmers and levy payers are able to control access to their data through a permissions centre and user interface. • That data can be ingested from a range of external sources for carbon calculation and environmental reporting purposes. • That validated outputs can be produced in line with the input schema requirements of commercial carbon calculators. • That a collaborative model can be supported between existing data holders, industry partners, and solution providers, improving ease of data sharing. The Proof of Concept will inform AHDB's future procurement plans for the Alpha stage and provide assurance to the agri-industry that a practical and deliverable FDE model can be established. This has been procured through RM1043.8 Digital Outcomes.

Timeline

Completed: Award date15 September 2025
Completed: Award published26 November 2025
Current notice
Completed: Contract expiry date14 March 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

72322000 · Data management 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