Pipeline Framework: Chemostratigraphic analysis by lab methods

A pipeline has been launched for Chemostratigraphic analysis by lab methods.The contract start Date is 08 May 2018. Approach to market date is 09 March 2018.The Coal Authority was established by Parliament to undertake specific statutory duties, set out in the Coal Industry Act 1994, associated with licensing coal mining operations; managing property and the historic legacy arising from the ownership of the coal reserves and underground workings; settling subsidence damage claims not falling on coal mine operators and providing access to coal mining information.This requirement will be for chemostratigraphic analysis by laboratory methods principally of recovered coal measure drill cutting samples obtained from a subsidence remediation site within the Northumberland Coalfield.A minimum of 250 samples will require testing. The samples will be collected and delivered to the successful contractor’s laboratory by the Coal Authority.Samples will be of a nominal weight (no less than 20g) easily of sufficient quantity to allow analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-OES methods, but not obliged to be or restricted to those techniques.The test programme and the techniques used should quantify chemically the rock sample providing its mineralogical, chemical, petrophysical and state of weathering/alteration and as far as possible provide correlation by statistical assessment and reference to relevant database information the engineering, physical and mechanical properties of the rock and its susceptibility to the promotion of delayed subsidence.The contractor will be required to deliver a technical and scientifically robust report detailing the significance of the relationships, correlations and result in general to the site specific occurrence of subsidence. Recommendations are to be provided for the future application of the techniques used and/or other methods including their future refinement.Examination of previously collected drill core samples will be possible upon request.Any supplementary or supporting testing of the rock core will be at the discretion of the Authority and dependent upon the contractors proposed methodology.The appointed contractor will also be provided with detailed site investigation reporting and subsidence monitoring information post award to assist their work.This is a potential opportunity from the government, and the pipeline gives advance notice of an opportunity that might be offered by the public sector in the future – allowing potential suppliers to plan accordingly. When a public sector organisation publishes a pipeline notice, it does not necessarily mean that an opportunity will be offered in the future.For more information contact: 200 Lichfield Lane, MANSFIELD, NG184RG, England. Telephone: 07826 874541. Email: peterkobryn@coal.gov.uk.