II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UK

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

NCEA is a transformative programme to understand the extent, condition and change over time of environmental assets across England's land and water environments, supporting the government’s ambition to improve the environment within a generation.  <br/><br/>England Ecosystem Survey<br/><br/>A key element of the NCEA programme is the England Ecosystem Survey (EES) The aim of the EES is to get a true understanding of the condition of England’s terrestrial environment and natural capital assets. The survey will collect data on attributes of extent condition and connectivity relating to habitats, vegetation and landscape features and landscape character, as well as soil physical and chemical properties and soil and water biota eDNA. Change will be assessed through repeat surveys on a five-year cycle.<br/><br/>The basic survey unit is a 1km2 area based on Ordnance Survey National Grid squares, or monads, with new samples selected each year. The baseline sample will be established over the first five-year period.<br/><br/>The first full field surveys took place in 2023-24, with a ramping up of scale during 2024-25. We are now planning for the third year of survey delivery.<br/><br/>This Prior Information Notice is being issued to undertake a market consultation exercise with regards to the current view of requirements detailed above.<br/>The supplier engagement session shall be held on the afternoon of Wednesday, 16th October 2024 from15:00 - 16:30 via Microsoft Teams. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).<br/>The session will comprise of the following:<br/>-Overview of the requirements.<br/>- Explanation of the bidding process<br/>- Open floor Q&A<br/>MS Teams invite link will be sent after registration requests have been received.<br/><br/>Feedback from the day and Q&A sessions may be used to inform the final tender documentation, ensuring all valid options are considered.<br/><br/>To register on the Market Engagement Event please send with our reference number P-36916<br/>-Email Subject- Market Engagement<br/>- Organisation Name<br/>- Attendee(s) Name<br/>- Attendee(s) Email Address to:<br/>Judith.Gyamfi-Renner@Defra.gov.uk cc’d to<br/>Ademola.Olagunju@defra.gov.uk<br/>No later than Noon (GMT) 14th October 2024<br/>Space is limited on the supplier day, and attendance is restricted to 2 people per supplier.<br/><br/>By registering and attending you will be engaging in non-competitive dialogue which will enable Defra to develop and assess the market appetite, concerns, and views on formulation of its requirements. Defra may consider the information and responses received as part of the preliminary market consultation to help inform the the specification and further decision making in relation to the planning and conduct of the procurement, ensuring all valid options are considered.<br/><br/>For the avoidance of doubt, this notice is not a Call for Competition. Not registering an interest to attend this event shall not prevent any supplier participating in a future procurement.