WaterLIFE Project: Subcontract specification for demonstration catchment delivery partner – Trent catchment Background and Objectives The Rivers Trust (RT) is a partner in a new 3-year LIFE funded project. ‘WaterLIFE’ (LIFE13 ENV/UK/000497) is led by WWF-UK and aims to accelerate delivery of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) through collaborative action between civil society and the private sector. RT seeks a local delivery partner to support the building of capacity amongst civil society stakeholders, empowering them to engage with catchment management including the ability to undertake a critical evaluation of River Basin Management Planning (Actions B5 and B7). This capacity building should embed a commitment to sustained engagement and delivery in the longer-term. Specifically, a delivery partner is sought for one of the WFD catchments that lie within the wider River Trent catchment, and one that ideally captures a wide range of pressures upon the freshwater environment. Requirements The successful local delivery partner should operate at a catchment scale and have a track record in engaging with a wide range of local stakeholders including local communities, NGO’s, Government Agencies, water companies and farmer representatives. Ideally, the successful organization will host or at least be a key stakeholder within one or more of the Catchment Based Approach (CABA) catchments, having already begun the process of establishing a catchment partnership. Additionally, they should be familiar with the evaluation of information describing the pressures and impacts upon the freshwater environment and be able to demonstrate familiarity with the delivery of measures to address these. Specific Tasks Establish and develop a catchment partnership that encompasses a wide range of engaged and committed stakeholders, including those drawn from civil society Support RT, primarily through the running of workshops and field visits, to build capacity within the partnership, enabling stakeholders to evaluate key information and data sources and empower them to robustly engage with the WFD River Basin Management Planning process Lead the development of an evidence-based catchment plan that will prioritise action on the ground, inform and challenge the statutory River Basin Management Plans Deliver action on the ground to improve the freshwater environment. Measures implemented will be drawn from: Improvements to river and riparian habitat; removal of barriers to fish migration; work with farmers to reduce agricultural pollution; creation of wetland habitat and SuDS, control of Invasive non-native species, implementation of Paid Ecosystem Services approaches to environmental management. Financing and Duration The total value of the subcontract will be up to 59,964 Euros. The programme of work under the subcontract will begin in November 2014 with a duration of two years, finishing November 2016. Application Please fill in the associated application form, detailing your organisation’s suitability to undertake the work, submitting the form electronically via tenders@theriverstrust.org by Friday 24th October.