Published date: 20 November 2022

This notice was replaced on 20 November 2022

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

Opportunity (published 20 November 2022, last edited 22 November 2022)

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

  • Marine research services - 73112000

Location of contract

SW1P 3JR

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

CF-0013500D8d000003VQwdEAG

Published date

20 November 2022

Closing date

16 December 2022

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

12 January 2023

Contract end date

31 March 2023

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?

Yes

Description

Overview of Requirement
This project will undertake research through the five capitals approach - a lens through which to understand and quantify the carrying capacity of the east marine plan areas (more information can be found at The Five Capitals - a framework for sustainability | Forum for the Future). The Authority is at an early stage of understanding this approach and wish to explore the opportunities and challenges it presents. Some work has been done in relation to the natural capital part of this in the Marine Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme and also the Marine Pioneer (Marine pioneer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)); this should be considered, utilised and built upon in this project.

Rationale
The East Marine Plans were the first marine plans to be adopted in England in 2014, with the aim of ensuring future sustainable use of the marine area. In 2023 these plans will be amended as per the recommendation of the Secretary of State, following the last three-year progress report. With an increased roll out of offshore wind and other competing priorities for space, there is a desire for increased spatial specificity in the amended East Marine Plans. In order to understand and work through the trade-offs required from increased spatial specificity there is a need to better understand the carrying capacity of the east marine plan areas. Ultimately, as the aim is to ensure sustainable use, carrying capacity must be based on the basic premise that environmental state underpins capacity for the use of the environment. But the Authority would like the consideration of carrying capacity to encompass how other factors (human, economic, social) also affect opportunities for or barriers to development of further extension of activities in a marine plan area.

Project Aim
The five capitals approach provides a lens through which to understand and quantify the carrying capacity of the east marine plan areas (more information can be found at The Five Capitals - a framework for sustainability | Forum for the Future). The Authority is at an early stage of understanding this approach and wish to explore the opportunities and challenges it presents. Some work has been done in relation to the natural capital part of this in the Marine Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme and also the Marine Pioneer (Marine pioneer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)); this should be considered, utilised and built upon in this project.
The Authority want to use the East Marine Plans to develop a methodology and pilot (1) the application of this approach and (2) how we consider and discuss priorities and trade-offs with stakeholders. It is likely there will be future work to further explore this approach and methodology, and potentially roll it out for the remaining activities and sectors, and for the remaining plan areas.

More information

Attachments

About the buyer

Contact name

Defra

Address

17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
UK

Telephone

03459 33 55 77

Email

DGCEnquiries@defra.gov.uk