Species Conservation Strategies workshop design, facilitation and analysis

Natural England needs to further consider the potential scope of Species Conservation Strategies (SCS) and the range of possibilities for using this new legal tool to best effect to help recover nature.

We have a great opportunity to shape and influence how SCS could be used for species conservation planning. These strategies could potentially be used in a more ambitious way and Natural England and key stakeholders agree they must be holistic and dynamic. Identifying all the conservation actions needed, joined up with other key environmental initiatives and policies (such as Local Nature Recovery Strategies - LNRS, the Environmental Land Management System - ELMS, and Biodiversity Net Gain - BNG), and adaptive so that they can be implemented to best effect to help recover species.

The purpose of this contract is to help facilitate thinking within Natural England and Defra about the future use of SCS by bringing together expert staff through a series of internal workshop sessions to be held during autumn/winter 2022/23.

The aim of the workshops is to help us to think broadly and ambitiously about the possibilities for using SCS to recover nature, how SCS could be used in practice, where we should focus our efforts, and what sort of system is needed to prioritise whether a species warrants an SCS.

The outputs from the workshops will be used to help inform:

• Further engagement activity with external stakeholders and partners about SCS. • A discussion paper (for Natural England Senior Leaders and Defra) proposing future direction for SCS and next steps. • Development of a framework to help guide decisions about when an SCS is needed.

We anticipate holding three workshops, with up to 20-25 people at each session. Locations to be confirmed but likely to be Peterborough, London or Bristol (or a combination). The requirement is for a contractor to design and facilitate these workshops and capture the outputs in a narrative report. An environmental background with experience of IUCN Conservation Planning methods and approaches would be advantageous, although not essential.

Additional information: Prices must be submitted in £ sterling, inclusive of VAT.

A completed submission must include the following items: • evidence that you meet the quality criteria set out in the specification • your proposed pricing structure (see specification requirement for items to cover) • your proposed timing plans given the start and end dates outlined

Evaluating the quotation submission

Submissions will be reviewed and then evaluated as set out below:

• each criteria will be given a score from 0 to 100 • the criteria scores will be weighted to create a final submission score • all of the final submission scores will be ranked • the agency with the highest weighted score for the chosen field date will be awarded the contract - subject to the terms and conditions within the RFQ

We will award this contract in line with the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) as set out in the following award criteria:

Price - 50%

Quality - 50%