Research and development services and related consultancy services

Tender description

The Scottish Government has a requirement to place 4 separate contracts with external service providers for the following services: Lot 1: Centre of Expertise for Climate Change; Lot 2: Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks; Lot 3: Centre of Expertise for Waters and Flooding; Lot 4: Centre of Expertise for Knowledge Exchange and Innovation. The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract for the provision of a Centre of Expertise on Climate Change. RESAS supports a small number of Centres of Expertise in key areas which each brigade the best available expertise from a range of partners into a virtual centre. The Centres all aim to simplify access by policy officials to expertise from across Scotland and beyond, to enhance synergy of effort and to stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy. To date the Centres have been funded through research grants as part of the Scottish Government’s wider portfolio of research into environment, food, agriculture and the rural economy. The aim of this tender exercise is to continue to access necessary advice, analysis and research from the Centre of Expertise. Climate Change policy is devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and must be underpinned by a robust evidence base. The Centre will have the following aims: — to deliver high-quality research-based evidence and advice to support the delivery of Scottish Government’s climate policy goals including: the transition to net zero and the widespread decarbonisation of the Scottish economy; a Just Transition; adaptation to the consequences of climate change; — to stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy development and delivery; — to further enhance the coordination of research, analysis and interpretation across the subject area, leading to high quality, world leading interdisciplinary research and the production of policy-relevant outputs; — to deliver a programme of knowledge exchange to ensure the effective underpinning of policy and the wider dissemination of best practice amongst stakeholders. The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract for the provision of a Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks. Animal health and welfare policy is devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and must be underpinned by a robust evidence base. Preparedness for exotic disease outbreaks will be the main focus of the Centre. The Centre will have the following aims: — to deliver high-quality research-based evidence and advice on the epidemiology of animal diseases that are important to Scotland; — to provide expert advice and analysis to the Scottish Government at short notice in the event of an outbreak of notifiable, zoonotic or newly emerging animal disease in the UK; — to stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy development and delivery; — to further enhance the coordination of research, analysis and interpretation across the subject area, leading to high quality, world leading interdisciplinary research and the production of policy-relevant outputs; — to deliver a programme of knowledge exchange to ensure the effective underpinning of policy and the wider dissemination of best practice amongst stakeholders. The current Centre of Expertise has been run in its current form since 2011, by a consortium of 7 research institutions called ‘EPIC’ (see https://www.epicscotland.org/). It is expected that much of the work of the Centre will build directly on the progress and outputs from the current Centres. The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract for the provision of a Centre of Expertise for Water. Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) is re-commissioning the Centre of Expertise on Water. The objective is to brigade the best available expertise on the management of water from across Scotland into a virtual centre, to simplify access to scientific advice and evidence by policy colleagues and their delivery partners, and to enhance synergy of effort and stimulate innovative thinking in support of water policy. The Centre’s purpose is to: — deliver timely and high quality advice and research-based evidence on the management of water to the Scottish Government and its delivery partners; — stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy development and implementation in the research area; — enhance the coordination of research, analysis and interpretation across the subject area, leading to high quality research and policy-relevant outputs; — deliver an effective programme of knowledge exchange and communication with Scottish Government and its stakeholders. The Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract with providers for the provision of a Centre of Expertise on Knowledge Exchange and Innovation, now often known as the SEFARI Gateway. It will support knowledge exchange in the area of Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Affairs. In particular it will support Scottish Government’s Main Research Providers and Centres of Expertise in the production and use of their research and analysis. There will be a key role in bringing expertise into SG, agencies, other public bodies, Local Authorities and industrial and NGO partners. The Centre will build relationships and expertise to support the MRPs and CoEs in access to these same stakeholders. The centre will produce reports, including responsive workshop reports, support fellowships, produce Case Studies and support the Horizon-Scanning element of the Strategic Research Programme in Environment Natural Resources and Agriculture. Additionally the centre will provide or facilitate training for the MRPs and CoEs on research impact and working with policymakers and industry. The centre will also have a role in reporting on the ENRA SRP to SG, including on equalities issues. The Centre will have the following aims: — to facilitate knowledge exchange between the providers of the Strategic Research Programme and the Scottish Government, public bodies, Local Authorities and relevant NGOs and industry; — to respond to urgent public policy issues in the ENRA sphere and brigade expertise to produce useful knowledge, reports or workshops for SG and stakeholders; — to carry out horizon scanning on new issues in the ENRA area, in support of policy development and delivery; — to further enhance the coordination of research, analysis and interpretation across the subject area, leading to high quality, world leading interdisciplinary research and the production of policy-relevant outputs; — to deliver a programme of knowledge exchange to ensure the effective underpinning of policy and the wider dissemination of best practice amongst stakeholders. The current Centre of Expertise has been called SEFARI Gateway and run in its current form since 2018 see https://sefari.scot/ It is expected that much of the work of the Centre will build directly on the previous progress.