Metabarcoding Validation Framework 2026/2027 Tender - 145883889

Procurement Summary

Country: United Kingdom

Summary: Metabarcoding Validation Framework 2026/2027

Deadline: 17 Aug 2026

Posting Date: 25 Jul 2026

Other Information

Notice Type: Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 145883889

Document Ref. No.:

Competition: ICB

Financier: Self Financed

Purchaser Ownership: Public

Tender Value: Refer Document

CPV Classification

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
80540000 - Environmental training services

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Tender Details

DNA-based methods have the potential to significantly change how we monitor and assess ecosystems. Natural England has been exploring the use of these methods for environmental monitoring for several years, delivering a series of reports which focus on the development of DNA-based methods with potential in a particular area. These methods are now being used more widely within Natural England, particularly the detection of ecological communities using environmental DNA (eDNA). This is often conducted by employing metabarcoding assays which target specific species assemblages (e.g. fish, mammals) or broader taxonomic groups (e.g. vertebrates, invertebrates, bacteria). The DNA Team aims to operationalise DNA-based methods and produces guidance for using them in monitoring projects. In order to provide sound recommendations, it is important that we understand the limitations of, and uncertainties with, DNA-based methods. Natural England staff need to be able to understand how DNA-derived data can be used, and the confidence they can have in data derived using different DNA-based methods which have been validated to different stages. Natural England previously commissioned the development of a framework to enable end users to assess confidence in metabarcoding assays and results (Pagaling and others, under review; a copy of the framework can be provided by Natural England upon request by emailing [email protected]). By using the checklist and levelled sca...

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