This invitation to tender covers the provision of services to support and implement the LUCAS (Land Use/Cover area frame statistical) 2018 survey, in order to improve the availability and quality of the land cover/use statistics.

Main tasks are:

(i) in situ survey;

(ii) the photo interpretation campaign;

(ii) helpdesk, technical assistance and external quality control;

(iv) hosting, maintenance and helpdesk for the data collection IT tool;

(v) training and helpdesk for the grassland module and a full vegetation survey.

— For lots 1 to 5, the amount indicated in II.2.6) is the maximum amount for the entire duration of the contract,

— For lots 6 to 9, the amount indicated in II.2.6) is the estimated total value for the entire duration of the contract.

The objectives of Lot 6 are to:

(i) prepare the launching of the LUCAS 2018 survey;

(ii) provide training to project managers of the lots 1-5 and the surveys and to the project manager of lot 8, in coordination with the contractor of lot 7 and with the Commission as far as the training on the LUCAS grassland survey is concerned;

(iii) provide technical assistance and quality control services to the Commission and the survey contractors (lots 1-5) carrying out the LUCAS survey in 2018. In this lot the data quality control services cover the quality check of the data collected in the LUCAS 2018 field survey and the LUCAS 2018 photo interpretation campaign carried out by the contractors of lots 1-5.

Please note that the timing of all tasks in this lot will depend heavily on the progress in lots 1-5, which in turn will depend on the contractual and climatic conditions.

Out of the total number of points assessed by lots 1-5 (in-situ points and photointerpreted points) the contractor of lot 6 will do the following controls:

— Check a maximum of 10 000 in-situ photo interpreted points,

— Check 76 660 points that have been visited in the field,

— Additional check of 20 000 pictures for anonymisation,

— check 25 000 points from the photo interpretation campaign.

The objectives of lot 8 are:

(i) training on the LUCAS grassland module for the supervisors and surveyors of lots 1-5 to take place in the countries;

(ii) helpdesk specifically for LUCAS grassland module active during the period relevant for this assessment.

The number of grassland trainings per lot is: 2 for lot 1, 8 for lot 2, 10 for lot 3, 3 for lot 4, 5 for lot 5.

The actual data of the trainings has to be coordinated with lots 1-5. One training lasts at least half a day.