Annex A: PROJECT SPECIFICATION
Project title
Additional UK submission to IPBES Catalogue of Assessments
Competition Code:
Date for return of tenders:
Address for tender submission:
(the Competition Code must be shown on the email title and the tender, otherwise your tender may not be accepted)
4 January 2013 16.00hrs
Please send bids in electronic format, to this email address: TenderResponse@jncc.gov.uk
Number of copies required:
Contact for information relating to this project specification:
Large files should be zipped.
2 hard copies and electronic format. See Section
Name: Diana Mortimer or Matt Smith
Tel no: 01733 866857 or 01733 866924 e-mail: Diana.mortimer@jncc.gov.uk
; matt.smith@jnc.gov.uk
Proposed ownership of Intellectual Property:
Proposed start-date (if known):
Proposed end-date (if known):
JNCC
14 January 2013
25 March 2013
Project Specification
1.
Research aims and objectives
A Catalogue of Assessments has been created to support the work of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (www.ipbes.net). The Catalogue has been produced to learn lessons from existing and ongoing assessment processes so as to inform the future development of
IPBES.
The Catalogue already contains some relevant assessments 1 from the UK and this project will seek to ensure all relevant assessments are included from the UK and the UK’s Overseas Territories and Crown
Dependencies.
The contractor is asked to identify relevant assessments from across the UK and the UK’s Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. Given the multidisciplinary needs of IPBES the assessments should be drawn from social and natural sciences and from a range of sources including academics, government, NGOs, etc. The assessments can be thematically based (eg agriculture, climate change, etc) and/ or area based (eg nationally
(eg Scotland), regionally (eg Europe, north east Atlantic, or Caribbean), or globally).
The contractor will supply JNCC with a list of relevant assessments and from this list it will be decided in consultation with JNCC which projects are suitable for inclusion in the IPBES Catalogue. The contractor will then be asked to populate the Catalogue following the IPBES guidelines. It is intended that most entries can be undertaken using information that is publically available. In some cases the contractor will be asked to contact the project co-ordinators to find the necessary information to populate the Catalogue.
The IPBES Secretariat has asked users of the Catalogue to provide feedback on its form and function to ensure its on-going development and practical application and on any ways in which it could be improved to better serve the users’ needs. The contractor will also be asked to report on these aspects as part of the contract.
1 Assessments range in geographical coverage (global to national are relevant to this project), can cover a range of themes
(agricultural, arctic, fisheries) and draw on a variety of knowledge sources (scientific, qualitative, traditional knowledge). Not all pieces of work which might be regarded as assessments are named as such.

2.
Background
General background
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was established by an intergovernmental meeting in Panama City, Panama on 21 April 2012 with the objective of strengthening the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human wellbeing and sustainable development.
IPBES will respond to requests for scientific information related to biodiversity and ecosystem services from
Governments, relevant multilateral environmental agreements and United Nations bodies, as well as other relevant stakeholders. IPBES will seek to
 identify and prioritise key scientific information needed for policymakers
 catalogue and critically review assessments relating to biodiversity and ecosystem services
 support policy formulation and implementation by identifying policy-relevant tools and methodologies
 identify key capacity-building needs to improve the science-policy interface
The Panama City meeting agreed on a programme of inter-sessional work to prepare for the first session of the
Platform’s Plenary 2 . From this meeting there was a specific request to create a Catalogue of Assessments as preparation for an initial work programme:
The secretariat was requested to prepare a catalogue of assessments, including relevant thematic and
comprehensive assessments at the national, regional, subregional and global levels, building on existing
initiatives and drawing on the Platform’s gap analysis and other relevant information. The catalogue will be made available to the Platform’s Plenary at its first meeting;
In developing the Catalogue of Assessments, the Interim Secretariat decided to develop and implement an online catalogue which would be developed and maintained with the direct involvement of assessment practitioners, and which would be widely accessible. In addition to providing information on the assessments and lessons learnt, the intention is that this online catalogue will also provide direct access to assessment reports, guidelines, and so on as a resource for practitioners, and in this regard the catalogue is being developed with the close involvement of the Sub-Global Assessment Network .
The knowledge needs for assessments relating to biodiversity and ecosystem services are wide-ranging. In addition to the UK National Ecosystem Assessment which is already included in the Catalogue there have been many studies, projects etc from which others could learn. This project will create a list of all relevant assessments / projects etc which have been undertaken in the UK (at country and UK level) and its Overseas
Territories and Crown Dependencies. In consultation with JNCC the contractor will then propose which projects are suitable for inclusion in the IPBES catalogue. The contractor will then be asked to populate the catalogue following the IPBES guidelines.
In most instances the Catalogue will need to be populated with information that is already in the public domain. In some instances it might be necessary for the contractor to consult with the assessment /project coordinators to elicit further details before sufficient details can be added to the Catalogue. The contractor will work with JNCC to decide which projects / assessments etc require this further background investigation.
2
UNEP/IPBES.MI/2/9 Report of the second session of the plenary meeting to determine modalities and institutional arrangements for an intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Detailed requirements
The contractor is asked to undertake the following.
Objective One
To determine what kinds of projects, studies, assessments undertaken in the UK (at country and UK level) and
UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependies (UKOTs) (note that this might include projects which are wider in scope to which the UK / UKOTs contributed eg Europe, Caribbean) are relevant to IPBES noting that IPBES’ requirements covers many disciplines, themes, knowledge sources (terrestrially and marine). The work needs to have been undertaken at the relevant scale (ie national and above). The IPBES Catalogue of Assessments provides examples of other relevant projects globally (see http://catalogue.ipbes.net/ )
The contractor is asked to supply the following information for each of the projects found to meet the objectives above:

Assessment (project) objectives

Mandate for the assessment

Conceptual framework and/or methodology used for the assessment (brief description)
The contractor will also be asked to assess if the information needed to complete all the field categories found in the Catalogue (see http://catalogue.ipbes.net/ ) can be sourced from publically available documents or whether it would be necessary to contact the project co-ordinators to obtain this. At this stage the contractor is not asked to contact projects directly.
Objective Two
Having completed Objective One the contractor in liaison with JNCC will determine which projects should be included in the IPBES Catalogue of Assessments and whether there is a need to collect further information on the projects through liaison with the co-ordinators of the projects which are thought relevant.
Having determined which projects are relevant and where necessary contacted relevant projects the contractor will populate the IPBES catalogue according to the categories asked for (see http://catalogue.ipbes.net/ )
Objective Three
The final part of the contract is to provide a critical review of the Catalogue. The IPBES Secretariat has asked users of the catalogue to provide feedback on its form and function to ensure its on-going development and practical application and on any ways in which it could be improved to better serve the users’ needs. The contractor is required to submit a report on these issues to JNCC who will then determine what advice will be passed on to the interim IPBES Secretariat to improve the Catalogue.
3.
Timetable
The tender should outline its proposed timetable for taking forward the research outlined, including the key milestones.
Suggested milestones include:

Initial start up steering group meeting (early January)

Objective One report and 2 nd steering group meeting (Mid February)

3 rd steering group meeting (Mid March)
 Final report (end March)

Project meetings may be held either at JNCC’s or the contractor’s premises. If necessary meetings can be held via video conference rather than face-to-face. It is expected that the contractor will work closely with JNCC’s
Nominated Officer. Please note that JNCC cannot provide working space or equipment for contractors unless they are attending an agreed meeting.
4.
Outputs and publication
The contractor will be required to produce:
 A report on the issues as outlined in Section Two above, this will also include an account of the project, describing the objectives and the approach.

Draft and final reports to JNCC (final report format as instructed by JNCC, 3 copies bound and page numbered, one additional copy unbound). Two digital copies of the final report in Microsoft Word format will also be required. One must include the report as one document, the other must provide text, diagrams and tables in separate files (not interleaved in a single document).

The report, diagrams and tables must be of a standard suitable for publishing and photocopying. Text must be prepared according to JNCC’s house style – a copy of which will be made available by the JNCC
Nominated Officer. The report may be amended or developed by JNCC, its publication will be at JNCC’s discretion.
Contractors are required to observe JNCC’s Anti-Virus policy. All digital outputs of the contract must be scanned and certificated as virus free by the contractor. Files should be supplied on CD-ROM.
It is JNCC policy to publish all final project reports and seek opportunities to publish and disseminate project findings amongst key stakeholders; this is typically done via electronic media.
5.
Programme of Work
Bidders are invited to propose a programme of work designed to meet the project objectives, output requirements and timetable. Anticipated difficulties or constraints in meeting the deliverables outlined should be detailed along with proposed solutions for overcoming these.
6.
Project Team
Bidders need to demonstrate that the project team have the appropriate skills and expertise to successfully carry-out the project. The proposal should include details of the:
 track record in managing and successfully completing research of the type proposed, including references;
 key members of the proposed team for delivering the programme of work; and their respective roles and relevant experience (short CVs for those undertaking the work should be supplied).
Any sub-suppliers or associates who may be employed to undertake any sections of the research should be separately identified, along with their respective roles and how they will be managed. The main supplier will be responsible for the delivery of any sub-suppliers.
7.
Management
Bidders should identify individuals who will manage the research and to nominate a representative for day-today contact with the JNCC project team. In addition to the specific outputs requested above, the tender should highlight how it is intended to keep the JNCC project team informed of progress as the project progresses.
8.
Price, Fee schedule and Payments
The tender needs to provide an all-inclusive price for the contract. Bidders are requested to provide information on daily rates, overheads and other related costs for carrying out the work. Costs of tendering should not be counted as project costs. Payments are expected to be made according to key milestones linked

to interim and final reporting (proposals can be made in the tender and, once a tender is successful, will be agreed with the JNCC project officer).
9.
Quality
Tenders must display a good understanding of the issues involved. They should also have the ability to edit and present written material in a clear, concise and informative style. Tenders will provide a quality assurance plan that demonstrates how the quality of inputs and outputs will be ensured. Views on the main risks and obstacles to the successful completion of the project should be set out and the steps to address them outlined.
JNCC will examine the outputs of the contract before acceptance and payment of invoice. The contractor may be called upon - in relation to the terms agreed at the outset - to correct any errors, provide missing data, redo analyses or answer queries regarding any of the outputs.
Ownership and Copyright
All data and information collected by or provided to the contractor during the project will be handed over to JNCC.
No copies may be retained without prior written permission from JNCC. All outputs of this contract shall be the property of JNCC, for further copying, onward distribution, publication and use.
10.
Tender Evaluation Criteria
The successful tender will be that considered the most economically advantageous (best value for money); the following criteria will be used to assess all tenders (figures in parentheses indicate evaluation weightings):
The Criteria are:
Quality of proposal (40%)
 Understanding of requirements and relevance

Clear deliverables and work plan

Likelihood of success in delivering research outputs
Details of contractor (20%)

Expertise, experience and balance of team

Project planning and management, identification and management of problems/risks
 Past experience with contractor, including reliability (quality and delivery)
Cost (30%)

Reasonable & competitive costs
Communication (10%)
 Plans for reporting and dissemination of results, including production of summary reports for different audiences (these audience should be identified)

JNCC Support Co.
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the statutory adviser to the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK and international nature conservation. Its work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems.
JNCC delivers the UK and international responsibilities of the Council for Nature Conservation and the
Countryside (CNCC), the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), Natural England, and Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH). The functions that arise from these responsibilities are principally to:
 advise Government on the development and implementation of policies for, or affecting, nature conservation in the UK and internationally;
 provide advice and disseminate knowledge on nature conservation issues affecting the UK and internationally;
 establish common standards throughout the UK for nature conservation, including monitoring, research, and the analysis of results;
 commission or support research which it deems relevant to these functions.
The Committee comprises 14 members: a Chairman and five independent members appointed by the Secretary of State; the Chairman of CNCC; the Chairmen or deputy Chairmen of CCW, Natural England and SNH; and one other member from each of these bodies.
JNCC, originally established under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, was reconstituted by the Natural
Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Support is provided to the JNCC by a company limited by guarantee (JNCC Support Co) that the Committee established in 2005.