Wildlife preservation services.

1.1 In the UK, the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) as advised by the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC), and Natural England (NE), are statutory bodies established to provide the Welsh Assembly Government, Scottish Executive, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and others with independent advice on nature conservation (on land and at sea), natural heritage, landscape, countryside access and rural issues – hereafter referred to as the UK statutory country agencies. More information on these agencies can be found at www.ccw.gov.uk; www.naturalengland.org.uk; www.snh.org.uk; and www.ni-environment.gov.uk.

1.2 A range of monitoring activities of birds is conducted within the UK. For the purposes of this service, these monitoring activities include marking some species of birds and observing the nests of some species of birds. The four UK statutory country agencies will issue licences to the service provider who will in turn provide annual permits to individuals to carry out these activities. Issuing licences for wild birds is a statutory duty under Section 16(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and such licences authorise actions which would otherwise be illegal under the provisions of the Act. In accordance with Section 16(5) of the Act such licences can be issued to individuals or classes of individuals.

1.3 On behalf of the UK statutory country agencies a service to deliver the following activities is required. For the purposes of this service there will be two separate permits issued by the service provider, one will be for the disturbance and taking of breeding Schedule 1 birds (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) and the other will be for the taking of wild birds other than breeding Schedule 1 species. The latter is referred to in this specification as General Ringing with a General Ringing Permit and is distinct from a general licence issued by the statutory country agencies.

1.4 In addition, the service provider will also be required to maintain standards and manage these licenced activities according to law and the requirements of the statutory country agencies with regard to animal welfare, accuracy of scientific observation and recognise the work done by the ringers and other volunteers.

1.5 The contract will be let with JNCC acting as the 'contract facilitator' and the day-to-day responsibility and final authority for the contract as set out in this specification will reside with the JNCC Support Company.

1.6 The strategic management of the contract will be undertaken by a project board with representatives of the UK statutory country agencies and the JNCC.