Prior Information Notice on the establishment of a services contract for a monitoring and evaluation programme to assess the impact of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) on habitats and biodiversity in Ireland

This notice sets out the intention of the Department to seek suitable tenderers to establish a monitoring and evaluation programme to assess the impact of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) on habitats and biodiversity in Ireland. The tenderers will likely be a consortium, working at the cutting edge of this area, in terms of research and technology, and be capable of creating synergies with other publicly funded projects. The purpose is to put in place a model to net out the effect of the CAP on biodiversity and habitat in the Irish landscape, which is suitable for an ongoing long term monitoring programme.

Initially, the monitoring and evaluation programme should be developed in line with the proposed methodology set out below and cover three monitoring cycles over 8 years (2024-2031). The tenderer must also work to create synergies with other publicly funded projects.

The tenderer must complete four core tasks.

1) Develop a detailed spatial map using a stratified sampling approach.

2) Conduct a desk-based habitat quantity assessment, including an assessment of habitat connectivity and change

3) Conduct field-based habitat quality assessments.

4) Reporting following each monitoring cycle, a baseline, mid-term, and final report should be produced in 2025, 2028, and 2031 respectively.

The contract is expected to begin in Q1 2024.

This notice sets out the intention of the Department to seek suitable tenderers to establish a monitoring and evaluation programme to assess the impact of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) on habitats and biodiversity in Ireland. The tenderers will likely be a consortium, working at the cutting edge of this area, in terms of research and technology, and be capable of creating synergies with other publicly funded projects. The purpose is to put in place a model to net out the effect of the CAP on biodiversity and habitat in the Irish landscape, which is suitable for an ongoing long term monitoring programme.

Initially, the monitoring and evaluation programme should be developed in line with the proposed methodology set out below and cover three monitoring cycles over 8 years (2024-2031). The tenderer must also work to create synergies with other publicly funded projects.

The tenderer must complete four core tasks.

1) Develop a detailed spatial map using a stratified sampling approach.

2) Conduct a desk-based habitat quantity assessment, including an assessment of habitat connectivity and change

3) Conduct field-based habitat quality assessments.

4) Reporting following each monitoring cycle, a baseline, mid-term, and final report should be produced in 2025, 2028, and 2031 respectively.

The contract is expected to begin in Q1 2024.