PS21025 Expertise to inform research priority: securing sustainable georesources to meet the needs of a resource efficient economy

With appropriate expertise in environmental science and/or related interdisciplinary research for the above scope, you will describe and provide evidence for the following areas: 1. Capture the current UK Georesources research and innovation landscape, setting out the context and current activity, including beyond NERC and UKRI. 2. Identify the key research and innovation requirements, focusing on areas where multi- and inter-disciplinary research is needed and could provide a solution, and the relative importance/potential to be transformative. Questions to address include: • What recent advances might future funding in this area build upon? • What are the significant gaps in existing knowledge? • What unique capabilities does the UK have (e.g. national capability investments)/what contribution can the UK make in the international context? • What areas require priority attention, are particularly timely or urgent, and have the potential to lead to rapid and/or transformational change in practice? 3. Develop and articulate new and defined research and innovation challenges, which build on the advances and thinking that have emerged from UKRI funded research, linkages to UK-wide government priorities and other research/policy related activities outside of UKRI. This should include: a) Identifying the wider economic importance of sustainably securing critical georesources as outlined in the scope, considering both monetary and non-monetary values. b) Identifying alignment of the challenges to key strategic goals of the UK and devolved governments including (but not restricted to): Net zero carbon, Clean growth, place/levelling up agenda. c) Incorporating the research needs and evidence gaps gathered from key stakeholders. d) Identifying the multidisciplinary needs and current capability, which must include disciplines beyond environmental science as outlined in the catalyst scope. e) Identify new thinking, tools, data and capabilities that can deliver the vision 4. Explore and articulate how the outcomes of any new research activity will sustainably secure Georesources to meet future UK need, and will enable joined up research and policy making across stakeholders and scales.

Outputs • Flash reports via email to NERC of any progress and directions taken; • Regular (at least fortnightly) verbal update to NERC (email update sufficient if schedules do not allow for verbal update) to identify progress and challenges; • Interim report detailing the objectives above (to be submitted by latest end-July 2021); • Final report detailing the objectives above (to be submitted by latest mid-September 2021).

Additional information: Please ensure that you submit your quotation to [email protected] marked For the Attention of Becky Eldridge by Friday 4th June 2021 - 11am Failure to meet the stated Quotation Request closing date and time will result in the Contracting Authority Rejecting your quotation.