Stakeholder Engagement Advice and Facilitations Skills

Tender description

We want to appoint contractors to a framework to help support our work with stakeholders. These framework contractors will help Environment Agency staff plan, facilitate and evaluate effective stakeholder engagement processes relevant to our work. At times we may want contractors to facilitate the engagement where the issue is of high public interest or a degree of independence is needed. Environmental change has a significant impact on people's lives. We work with others to reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. Acting to reduce climate change and helping people and wildlife adapt to its consequences are at the heart of all we do. We cannot do this alone. We need to work closely with a wide range of partners including government, business, local authorities, other agencies, civil society groups and the communities we serve. How we work with others is critical to our success. We need to listen to them, understand their views, concerns and priorities to help us make the best decision for the environment and people. We also need to motivate them to take action to improve the environment or protect them from flooding. And we increasingly need to collaborate and develop partnership arrangements to meet shared goals. Helping our staff to do this is essential. The Environment Agency already has extensive engagement support for staff through its Working with Others (WWO) programme. This includes guidance, training and a network of mentors. The work carried out under this framework contract will complement this programme. It will ensure that the principles of WWO are further embedded into the organisation, improve the engagement skills of our staff and help us do more for the environment through better partnership and collaborative working. The contract is to secure experienced engagement professionals to provide support to Environment Agency employees involved in working with stakeholders. In some cases we will want our contractors to fulfil the role of independent facilitator.