UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

Biodiversity credits are an economic instrument that can be used to finance actions that result in measurable nature positive outcomes for biodiversity and the environment. They directly address the need for investment in natural capital, beyond nature’s role in managing the carbon cycle. Biodiversity credits differ to biodiversity offsets - they can be part of a company’s nature-positive journey, an investment in nature’s recovery, rather than an offset for damage. The development of biodiversity credit markets has the potential to help address the 20 Billion (GPD) finance gap for nature in Scotland by leveraging responsible private investment into nature recovery, in line with the Scottish Government’s Biodiversity Strategy and Natural Environment Bill and the Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/civtech-8-challenge-6-simplifying-and-enabling-investment-in-scotlands-nature https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply-civtech-8

If we are to support land and sea managers to make decisions that protect and restore Scotland’s Nature we need a better understanding of our natural environments which give us a holistic understanding of ecosystem health. This includes; ability to ingest various different types of data, in as close to real time as possible and the ability to present and analyse that data at different scales. We are looking for innovative proposals for technology solutions to support our national nature agency, NatureScot, to develop a world leading approach to monitoring the health of Protected Areas to support land and sea managers in decisions that help Scotland respond to the global biodiversity and climate emergencies. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/civtech-8-challenge-5-protected-area-management https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply-civtech-8

NatureScot, in collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University, is looking for a supplier to work with our in-house teams to support the creation of a geospatial web application within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Environment that will enable a natural capital approach at landscape scale. In particular, the geospatial web application should be suitable for use by non-technical audiences, with a polished user interface and collaboration functionality. The tool should have secure AWS cloud-hosted log-ins, as well as the functionality to update the tool's source data both frequently and automatically. The development of this web application will be split into three distinct phases. The first phase, which is the focus of this ITT, is the development of an options appraisal for how to build the application. Full details are within the Statement of Requirements attached to this Contract Notice.

NatureScot is looking to engage an external provider to help us develop an integrated employee engagement approach. The provider should be able to provide an easy to manage and accessible platform upon which our employees’ opinions can be captured via mini and maxi surveys per annum.

NatureScot has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of Digital Asset Management System (DAMS). The contract will be for a period of 36 months, with the option to extend for an additional 2 x 24 month extensions, totalling a maximum of seven years.

NatureScot, in partnership with NHS National Services Scotland, is intending to carry out: 1. a UKHabv2 survey and; 2. a Natural Capital Assessment (NCA) of the NHS Estate in Scotland. A first Phase (herein referred to as Phase A to avoid confusion with ‘Phase 1’ Surveys) has already delivered UKHabv2 surveys for the NHS Estate within areas covered by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Highland and NHS Tayside. Additionally, a Phase 1 Habitat Survey of NHS Lothian Estate was carried out in 2020 as part of a biodiversity and climate change assessment for the NHS Lothian estate. 1. The purpose of carrying out the UKHAb2 survey in the remaining 10 NHS Board areas (Phase B) is to establish a baseline to inform: - a natural capital account of NHS greenspace at the NHS Board scale (part 2. of this project) - a possible future biodiversity assessment of the NHS Estate, once an biodiversity metric tool has been developed and established in Scotland - management of NHS greenspace to provide positive effects for biodiversity - management of NHS greenspace to maximize the health benefits for staff, patients and the wider community - priorities for investment in NHS greenspace to maximize benefits for people and nature - opportunities for people to connect with nature as part of therapeutic health interventions 2. The purpose of carrying out the NCA across all Board areas (Phases A and B) is to provide: - an appreciation and valuation – where possible in monetary terms - of the ecosystem services that the natural resources provide, such as clean water and air, flood regulation, climate regulation (carbon sequestration), pollination and visual amenity - a framework for understanding the economic and social value of natural assets, which can be used to justify investments in nature and guide resource allocation - a demonstration of how the NHS contributes to the well-being of society through actions that benefit nature - a framework for risk management of natural capital and the potential impacts on the NHS estate.

You would think that with a bird as iconic as the puffin, we would know how many of them we have in the UK and how successful a breeding colony is in any year. Yet, of all the seabirds we are internationally responsible for, the puffin is one of the hardest to count because they breed in burrows underground. Traditional methods are either extremely labour intensive, with specialised fieldworkers required for counts, or can only give us an indication of how many puffins there are on land or on sea. It is also hard to tell how successfully they are managing to breed.

NatureScot has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of Digital Asset Management System (DAMS). The contract will be for a period of 36 months, with the option to extend for an additional 2 x 24 month extensions, totalling a maximum of seven years.

Beavers are a protected species. However their burrowing sometimes causes us problems. Burrows have been associated with breaching of flood banking and water impoundments, undermining of infrastructure and collapse of sections of riverbank, impacting on businesses and livelihoods. Entrances to beaver burrows are usually dug below water, which can make detection difficult. A non-invasive method needs to be developed in order to both reliably detect potentially problematic burrows and assess the risk the burrow presents to infrastructure and people . A successful method will help anticipate the risk of problems arising from burrows, allowing targeted mitigation to help us live alongside beavers. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved: https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply https://www.civtech.scot/selection-process

Hosting, Support, Maintenance & Call-Off Contract - following the completion of the pre-commercialisation stage (PCA) if the CivTech Prog. & Phase 1, the contractor will undertake Phase 2 of the services for hosting, support, maintenance & call-off services for the NatureScot Protected Areas monitoring system platform.

NatureScot wish to award a term contract for the provision of various building surveying services across our Scotland-wide estate. Full details are contained in the Statement of Requirements document attached to this Contract Notice.

NatureScot, working on behalf of the Species on the Edge (SotE) partnership, is commissioning a suitably qualified web designer to develop a responsive, standalone website to showcase the programme and inspire people to engage with SotE.

We wish to put in place a framework agreement for the provision of helicopter and pilot services. Geographically, the framework will cover all of Scotland, including the islands (with potential for some future work to be carried out in Northern Ireland). The following collaborative partners will also be eligible to use the framework and will each conduct their own call-offs: National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Scottish Forestry, Forestry and Land Scotland, Association of Deer Management Groups and Scottish Fire & Rescue Service.

NatureScot requires to purchase AutoCAD and Designs skills to undertake a number of known tasks and also provide a Schedule of Rates framework to enable other unknown tasks to be instructed as and when over the course of the Contract. 1.Update of current master drawings of office layouts – in AutoCAD and PDF. 2.Measuring and benchmarking spaces from the master drawings, presented in excel spreadsheet. 3.Space planning/Design Options – as and when required.

NatureScot wish to establish a Framework Agreement for Marine Survey, Analysis and Interpretation to Support Nature Conservation. Full details are in the attached Statement of Requirements.

A Nature Network connects areas of land and freshwater that are important for nature, including protected areas and restoration projects, by enhancing and developing corridors and stepping-stones between them to allow habitats and species that rely on them to thrive. An effective Nature Network is an essential tool to reverse biodiversity declines. In Scotland Nature Networks will address local priorities for nature, ensure connectivity and restoration across landscapes, and support urban-rural connectivity. Local authorities local development plans will facilitate the creation of Nature Networks and continue to strengthen the connections between them.

NatureScot has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of Species on the Edge Programme Monitoring and Evaluation. Species on the Edge is a programme of work to safeguard a suite of nationally and internationally important species around Scotland’s coasts and islands. Delivering the objectives of nine species action plans in seven project areas, the programme encourages cross-sectoral collaboration in joint, multi-species work plans delivered through shared resources. It aims to provide a blueprint for a new way of working within the conservation sector. NatureScot, working on behalf of the Species on the Edge (SotE) partnership, is commissioning a suitably qualified consultant to finalise a monitoring and evaluation plan for the programme and to work with the partnership to deliver a clear and comprehensive programme of monitoring and evaluation.

NatureScot wish to set up a framework agreement with one or more suppliers for the supply of i) weatherproof and ii) corporate clothing (e.g. jackets, trousers, hats, gloves, base layers, polo shirts, gilets). Some items will be required to have a naturescot logo or 'tax tab' affixed. Full details will be issued to candidates who are short-listed to Stage 2 of the process. Please note that the estimated figure at II.1.5 below is 'per annum' and covers weatherproof and corporate requirements combined.

Scottish Natural Heritage (operating as NatureScot) wish to establish a multi-supplier framework agreement for the provision of professional landscape advice. Full details are in the attached Statement of Requirements.

NatureScot is looking for a supplier to operate a large-scale population survey that addresses how people use and value the natural environment in Scotland. This survey is a successor to the Scotland’s People and Nature Survey (SPANS) that ran between 2012 and 2020 and captures valuable data on outdoor recreation behaviour and environmental attitudes that informs policy and decision making for NatureScot and our partners. It is intended to run triennially over a ten year period.