Ecological Services Framework (EcoSF) 4

The Environment Agency is looking to issue a tender for the Ecological Services (EcoSF4) Framework covering the following four Lots:<br/><br/>Lot 1 – Specialist Macroinvertebrate Services<br/>This Lot covers services relating to all freshwater macroinvertebrate work in both rivers and lakes, needed to cover monitoring required for international, national and local drivers, as well as local investigatory and regulatory needs. <br/><br/>Lot 2 – Habitat and Species (including Invasive, Non-Native Species) Surveys, Evaluation and Report Writing Services<br/>This Lot will be used to procure ecological surveys, reports and advice for a range of activities that will enable nature recovery as envisaged under the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023. Projects will often be of an aquatic/riparian nature, including work in and adjacent to estuaries, coastal areas, rivers, lakes and wetlands. The work will contribute to EIP species abundance and extinction risk targets for a range of threatened, protected and priority species. It will also cover services relating to protected and priority habitats and natural capital assets, as well as invasive, non-native species.<br/><br/>Lot 3 – Geomorphology, River Restoration and Habitat Creation Services<br/>There are multiple drivers from within Defra to seek opportunities to restore natural processes to manage, enhance and restore rivers and other habitats. This Lot will allow the Environment Agency and Natural England staff to supplement their in-house expertise around this work area, with the additional resource and expertise that external suppliers can offer. In particular, this Lot focuses upon the supply of river restoration and habitat creation expertise to inform design and feasibility studies. This includes projects that improve natural geomorphological, hydrological and ecological processes for the purposes of reducing flood risk, restoring habitats and improving the movement of fish through catchments (specific fish pass design is covered in lot 4).<br/><br/>Lot 4 – Fish Passage Design Services<br/>This Lot covers the design of fish passes that prioritise the use of nature-based solutions. This will include feasibility studies, options appraisal and detailed design. The final design will offer the maximum benefit in terms of fish passage (for multiple species), ecological connectivity, morphological processes and habitat creation.