England Ecosystem Survey

An element of the NCEA programme is the England Ecosystem Survey (EES) which is an ambitious new method of collecting environmental data. The aim of the EES is to get a true understanding of the condition of England's terrestrial environment and natural capital assets. To achieve this 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. It will also collect data to support Natural England's earth observation programme. Change will be assessed through repeat surveys on a five-year cycle

The basic survey unit is a 1km2 area based on Ordnance Survey National Grid squares, or monads. Each year a new sample of monads will be surveyed through a combined sampling approach of randomly selected squares stratified by ITE land classes, and a proportion targeted to increase the likelihood of covering certain habitat, soil and landscape character types. The baseline sample will be established over the first five-year period.

Following a period of method development, piloting and refinement, the first full field survey took place in 2023, aiming to scale this up in 2024.

Planning and delivery of quality field surveys of a range of vegetation and landscape elements at targeted areas within a monad. The aim for 2024-25 is to carry out the surveys in 750 monads in total with an anticipated 150-400 monads contracted via the open tender route. However, this is subject to change.

Additional information: Natural England are developing a specification for:

• England Ecosystem Surveys: Vegetation and Landscape field data collection
• England Ecosystem Surveys: Soils Field Data Collection

This data shall assist Natural England in developing the specification and to inform a potential procurement strategy. The data required to assist the development of the strategy includes:

• The biogeographical zones your organisation could cover
• Any assumptions that have informed your estimation of how many monads could be surveyed over a three-month period -Detail on how you would resource the delivery of field surveys

-Supplier capacity to deliver the surveys

• Availability of staff with FISC/BSBI level 3, 4 and above botanical field skills, or equivalent experience

The procurement strategy and route to market is yet to be confirmed, however, the procurement is expected to be advertised before the end of November 2023 with an anticipated Contract start date of March 1st 2024. The data collected from the returned surveys shall be used to inform the requirement, procurement route and any other potential upcoming procurements.

Please return the completed survey by 16:00 November 3rd 2023 to dgc.NCEA.Commercial@defra.gov.uk

Please note that this is an Expression of Interest and Request for Information only; a further notice shall be released once the procurement is advertised.