CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

As in 1.1

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Online tool for reporting invasive species occurrences and management

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

The North Wales Wildlife Trust wishes to appoint an IT developer to create an interactive mapping ‘online tool’ for invasive non-native species (invasive species) in Wales. This should include:

1) an occurrence record database

2) an integrated management action reporting tool

This will be part of the Wales Resilient Ecological Network (WaREN II) project. This project has the potential to be an exemplar and high-profile project which will establish a sustainable and collaborative pan-Wales framework for tackling invasive species in Wales. Invasive species are one of the main drivers of biodiversity decline globally. The environmental, economic and social impact of invasive species in Wales will continue to grow unless they are tackled with a sustainable and joined-up approach.

Please see the attached contract description for full description.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=113643.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

The following are proposed for the online tool:

- Develop an occurrence record database that is user-friendly and offers options for all users, and dedicated functions for approved log-in users.

- Integrate an action reporting tool for management action, to be accessed by project staff and approved users (unique user log-in for management updates, but no log-in required to input occurrence records).

- Provide an interactive mapping element which concurrently plots geographic occurrence records and management updates (traffic light system).

- Integrate an essential flow of data to the Local Environmental Records Centres framework in Wales to ultimately be available on the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas.

- Undertake a trial of the online tool commencing December 2021/January 2022.

- Make improvements of the online tool following trial by early spring 2022.

- Launch finalised tool in spring 2022, to coincide with our invasive species campaign.

The successful contractor will be required to:

- Initially agree on a brief which meets the requirements of the project.

- Compare suggested online tool with existing projects, and information collated by project staff, to guide the development of the online tool, ultimately identifying the best practise for record submission and management updates.

- Design and produce the online tool, following the specifications highlighted above, and recommendations from project staff.

- Meet with project staff on a regular basis (at least twice a month initially and then monthly once brief has been agreed) to collaborate on developing ideas with input from the Project Board. These can be online meetings.

- Develop the action reporting tool along with project staff to identify tool requirements and necessary updates.

- Ensure that project staff are made aware at timely and regular intervals of any actions or decisions that need to be made for the contractor to fulfil its obligations.

- Train the project staff to use and update the online tool to enable long-term support for the project objective. Also to be available to offer support in response to email queries from project staff for the duration of project (until March 2023).

- Training should also be developed and delivered (before launch) by the successful contractor so that project staff and partners can use the online tool. This should include a comprehensive instruction manual for both the occurrence record database and action reporting tool. Training should be in-person if COVID-19 restrictions allow.

- Work closely with the Local Environmental Records Centres in Wales to maintain flow of data in to NBN Atlas.

- Provide maintenance and required updates, to be made to the online tool within one year of launch. Maintenance will consist of fixing any ‘bugs’, visual improvements and minor functionality improvements.

Optional

Potential contractors are welcome to include the following optional extra functionality in their proposal. This is not required for the online tool, and is considered as an optional extra which was scoped in the first stage of the WaREN project. An additional budget (addressed in Budget below) has been allocated for the fulfilment of this optional extra:

- Produce an education portal, which would be a simplified occurrence record database for schools to use, which would be accessed via unique school log-ins. The aim of this addition would be to educate the younger generation about invasive species, alongside getting them involved with citizen science recording; or forming Local Action Groups.

Budget

Please provide tenders in the region of £12,000 (incl. VAT), for the full development of the online tool (occurrence record database and action reporting tool). This budget will be inclusive of a trial-run of the online tool commencing December 2021/January 2022, updates following trial, and the successful launch of the online tool in early Spring 2022. This also includes the maintenance within one year of launch.

If your proposal includes producing an education portal (discussed in the Optional section above), please include this within your proposal as a separate additional cost (of up to £1,000 incl. VAT) to the main proposal of £12,000 (incl. VAT).

Please see the attached contract description for full description of contract scope.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

N/a

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

Please find additional information in the attached contract description.

(WA Ref:113643)

Relates to the following project/programme financed by EU Community Funds: This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 – Sustainable Management Scheme which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia bidding.

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice