Published date: 31 August 2023

Last edited date: 25 September 2023

This notice was replaced on 9 April 2024

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Awarded contract (published 9 April 2024)

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Research consultancy services - 73210000

Location of contract

England

Value of contract

£30,000 to £40,000

Procurement reference

LCAPh2

Published date

31 August 2023

Closing date

29 September 2023

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

9 October 2023

Contract end date

16 February 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

PLEASE NOTE - CORRECTION: An error in the weighting of the questions in relation to the technical criteria has been discovered in the RFQ. These have been updated in the RFQ (25.09.23)

Natural England is undertaking work on an update of the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) 'Approach' document, through a set of three phased and interlinked work packages. In addition to the technical update, the aim is to promote and demonstrate the benefits of LCA as a means of managing positive landscape change in different contexts to a wide range of stakeholders involved in land use planning and management.

Phase 1 was completed earlier in 2023 and developed initial ideas on the process as a whole, as well as identifying specific requirements for the update.

Phase 2 (this commission) will build on the work done in Phase 1 and will involve setting up and managing stakeholder engagement to gather views on the additions and changes needed for the LCA guidance update and how to promote and demonstrate the use of LCA to achieve broad environmental outcomes. It will also comprise the collation and preparation of draft content for the eventual update the LCA guidance (due in Phase 3), informed by the material and evidence gathered from the stakeholder engagement stage.

IMPORTANT: Please note the estimated contract value above is £30-40K excluding VAT, the estimated contract value including VAT is £36-48K. Tenders should be submitted including VAT as requested in the RFQ.

More information

Attachments

Additional text

PLEASE NOTE - CORRECTION: An error in the weighting of the questions in relation to the technical criteria has been discovered in the RFQ. These have been updated in the RFQ (25.09.23)

PLEASE NOTE: Closing date has been extended to 29th September (originally 22nd September)

IMPORTANT: Please note the estimated contract value above is £30-40K excluding VAT, the estimated contract value including VAT is £36-48K. Tenders should be submitted including VAT as requested in the RFQ.

To apply for this opportunity you must submit your quotation meeting the requirements detailed in the Request for Quotation (RFQ) attached.
Your response must be sent to Jacqui.jobbins@naturalengland.org.uk by 12 midday on 29th September 2023.

If you have any clarification questions linked to this opportunity or the procurement process please submit these via email to Jacqui.jobbins@naturalengland.org.uk. Please note that, unless commercially sensitive, both the question and the response will be circulated to all tenderers.

About the buyer

Contact name

Jacqui Jobbins

Address

Natural England, Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
CB2 8DR
England

Telephone

07551278031

Email

jacqui.jobbins@naturalengland.org.uk