Exploring the way forward on Core Environmental Standards - Extended

Background In response to widespread concerns from UK farmers, environmentalists, and the public about the direction of the UK trade policy on food, the government has reiterated its manifesto promise that trade deals will not compromise on the UK's high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. The government has promised to maintain food standards i.e. it's Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) rules, and it holds imports to many of these standards via retained legislation that prohibits the sale in the UK of items such as hormone-treated beef, chlorinated chicken, and fruits and vegetables that have high levels of pesticide residues. However, government has not proposed any mechanisms to avoid compromising the UK's environmental or animal welfare standards. And currently the UK's environmental and animal welfare rules only apply to food produced in the UK, and there are no environmental or animal welfare standards for food that is imported.

Project timeline and application requirements Date for project to start: asap in October 2021 Date for project to end: March 2022 The budget should allow for: • 10-15 interviews with senior WWF UK and network experts in additional to external stakeholders consulted • 4 x meetings with a cross organisational advisory group for the research made up of trade, food, and farming experts • Monthly meetings with the WWF working group on the project • Fortnightly update and check in calls with WWF project manager Proposals should include: • Approach for completion of the project • Relevant experience (and case studies of similar previous work if applicable) • CVs of consultants who will participate in the project • A precise budget broken down by key tasks, including consultant daily rates • The estimated number of person-days required • A timeline for delivery • Completed Sustainable Procurement Questionnaire The application should be no longer than 8 sides, plus CVs of participating consultants attached in an appendix. Proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria: • Understanding and insights on the brief and value added • Project team expertise of food and farming standards and metrics, including voluntary, both national and international • Project team knowledge of trade rules, particularly in relation to food and environment • Robustness of proposed approach to analysis and research • Integration of stakeholder engagement and approach to supporting impact Given the range of expertise required proposals from joint team or consortiums are welcome. Please email proposals to Angela Francis ([email protected]), with Anna Sands ([email protected]), Claire Young ([email protected]), Tim Lowe ([email protected]) and Sara Muller ([email protected]) in cc, before 12 noon on 24/09/2021. Interviews, if required, will be held on 29th or 30th September. Please include details of when your team would be available to interview in your proposal.