The Coal Authority has published a Prior Information Notice notifying suppliers of its intention to hold a market engagement event for supply chain for its upcoming £3 million Dynamic Purchasing System contract for research and experimental development services.

Photo: Coal Authority - Skewen mine

The DPS will include 7 Lots, including:

• Specialist analytical services - provision of non-standard analysis (i.e. not basic physicochemical and chemical analysis of environmental water and solids samples) to support scientific investigations.
• Field monitoring & surveys - provision of field monitoring services (on site monitoring of water, solids and gases and collection of samples for laboratory analysis) across Great Britain to support scientific investigations
• Research - to undertake fundamental scientific research in areas of interest to the Coal Authority to support its activities now and in the future.
• Innovation - the development and demonstration of innovative techniques, services, equipment & processes to support the Coal Authority's activities now and in the future.
• Expert advice and review - to provide third party expert review of R&D and Innovation project and programme proposals and strategies and the review of R&D and innovation project deliverables such as technical notes and reports.
• Operations & Maintenance - to operate and maintain research, innovation and development trials to support the Coal Authority's activities now and in the future.
• Trials Design & Build - to design and construct research, innovation and development trials to support the Coal Authority's activities now and in the future.

Estimated total value of the contract is £3,000,000. The Coal Authority said it is expected that individual suppliers will only have expertise to address certain areas or challenge calls within the scope and will have demonstrable prior experience of successful delivery of fundamental research projects in areas relevant to the Coal Authority's activities.

The Coal Authority is holding a market engagement meeting on 6th July from 13:00 to 14:00pm to offer tenderers an overview on the requirement and for tenderers to ask any questions and is asking interested suppliers to confirm their attendance – click here to access the Prior Information Notice