Evaluation of the NCEA Programme (2021-2025)

Tender description

Market Engagement:<br/><br/>Defra is developing a specification, to evaluate the Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment programme (NCEA). This requirement is planned to be advertised in early 2023. The service is expected to be required up until approximately April 2025. Defra is holding market engagement events in the form of Microsoft Teams calls, to understand market capabilities and capacities for the requirement. NCEA staff will provide a short overview of the requirement and the NCEA Programme, and then open the floor to suppliers to provide feedback and ask questions.<br/><br/>If you wish to attend or have any queries about the event please contact laura.hoile@defra.gov.uk who will register your space and provide you with the MS teams link for the sessions:<br/><br/>Session 1: 31 Jan 15:30 – 17:00<br/>Session 2: Monday 6 Feb 15:00 – 16:30<br/><br/>The procurement strategy and route to market is subject to change and market research, and Defra will start planning this after Session 2. Lot 1: The NCEA (2021-2025) is a £140m Research and Development (R&D) programme delivered over three years through two separate portfolios, terrestrial (tNCEA) and marine (mNCEA). It is a science innovation and transformation programme, which spans across land and water environments. It has been set up to collect data on the extent, condition and change over time of England’s ecosystems and natural capital, and the benefits to society. Together, these approaches provide a more holistic and joined-up view of our natural environment, enabling us to identify connections, dependencies, and trade-offs between policy ambitions and to make better-informed decisions that truly benefit people and nature. Defra require services to evaluate this programme, and before finalising the specification of requirements, DEFRA is conducting a market engagement exercise to gather feedback on how best to structure this evaluation project. <br/><br/>We welcome feedback from suppliers on the following: <br/>-Overall, is this package of work (a mNCEA evaluation, a tNCEA evaluation and a synthesis of findings) feasible to deliver as one evaluation project, by one supplier?<br/>-Would there be cost efficiencies in having one evaluation project delivered by one supplier, as opposed to separately contracted evaluations of the two portfolios?<br/>-Is it viable for one supplier to provide the necessary skills and expertise in the required quantities to evaluate both portfolios? This includes:<br/>• Expertise in planning and delivering evaluation of large-scale, complex R&D programmes, including<br/>data and science programmes. <br/>• Experience working with marine AND terrestrial policy and evidence (environmental, ecological, social, and economic). <br/>• Programme management <br/>• Integrating business change <br/>• Understanding of digital platforms, GIS systems, data processing software and managing user feedback. Additional information: The NCEA programme is a partnership across Defra and its ALBs, in addition to building cross-government, private sector and non-profit collaborations. More detail of the programme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-capital-and-ecosystem-assessment-programme/natural-capital-and-ecosystem-assessment-programme#working-with-us