TENDER DOCUMENT
Nitrogen Efficient Measures & Communication To Achieve
Diffuse Pollution Reduction Across the Wessex Area of the
Environment Agency.
2014-2015
BACKGROUND
Many of the surface and groundwater catchment across Wessex have failed chemical status under the
Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Favourable Status under Habitats Regulations as a result of diffuse
and point source pollution (Figure 1).
The Environment Agency and Natural England respectively, have obligations under this legislation to bring
these catchments back into Good and Favourable Status.
The Environment Agency have been working closely with Wessex Water, Natural England (CSF & WQ
advisers), National Farmers Unions (NFU), Country Landowners Association (CLA) and other stakeholders
across Wessex, to identify the source of pollution across these catchment and how we can improve farm
nitrogen efficiency and achieve water quality targets.
In December 2012, the Environment Agency published Safeguard Zone Action (SGZ) Plans, identifying
how rising trends in nitrogen can be reversed to prevent the need for further treatment. A number of SGZ
are located across the Mendip Hills and in the Poole Harbour catchment and the action plans recommend
that nitrogen leaching is reduced below 8.4mg/l across a whole farm holding within each SGZ, to protect
water quality for strategic public water supply abstractions.
In May 2013, the Environment Agency and Natural England published the Strategy for Managing Nitrogen
in the Poole Harbour catchment (c 800km2) and agreed a position statement with the National Farmers
Union identifying how we shall work together to work towards these objectives. These documents are
outlined in the following web link:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140328084622/http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/research/library/publications/148450.aspx
This documents identifies how favourable status can be achieved across the catchment, by farmers
implementing measures to improve nutrient management efficiencies so that average leaching does not
exceed 18.4 kg/ha across all rural land uses in the Poole Harbour Catchment. We are continuing to work
with NFU, CLA, WW to develop an implementation plan to achieve these objectives.
Figure 1: Areas of Wessex Failing Water Framework Directive Chemical Status and with Safeguard
Zones
The main purpose of this project is to follow up and see how nutrient efficient practices and soil
management practices can most efficiently and effectively be communicated, advised and implemented on
a farm scale basis.
The main focus for this part of the project is to provide 1:1 advice to farmers within the Wessex Area to
assist in achieving Diffuse Pollution Reduction within the Wessex Area.
The key deliverables of the project will be:
1. Cover/Capture Crop Management Guidance which summarises the different types of cover/capture
crop that can be grown to reduce nutrient losses over winter and prevent soil erosion.
2. Undertake c40 individual 1:1 farm visits on farms prioritised by the EA in the Wessex Area, to
identify the current average nutrient losses occurring across the farm holding [using the
Environment Agency Nitrate Leaching Tool (NLT) (as updated in 2014) and other relevant
information] and identifying the measures that could be put in place to achieve improved nutrient
efficiencies and the relevant farm leaching water quality targets for the catchment.
3. Provision of a farm report and associated data, for each farm summarising the above information
and the crops, practices/activities and land areas that present the greatest risk of nutrient leaching
on each farm. The report should also summarise the actions the farmer is willing voluntarily to put in
place to improve farm efficiency.
4. Provide a feedback report for the project outlining farm activities that present the highest risk across
the farms visited, the measures that can be put in place to improve farm efficiency and the reduction
in leaching that will be achieved at each farm if implemented. The report should provide feed back
on the communication literature used and make recommendations of improvements that can be
made in farm advice, tools and literature to maximise update of measures by farmers.
SCOPE OF WORK
Task 1: To Develop Cover/Capture Crop Management Guidance Document for Farmers and
Advisers
Cover/Capture Crop Management Guidance should be developed summarising the different types
of cover/capture crop that can be grown to reduce nutrient losses over winter and prevent soil
erosion. The guidance should consider when and how each type of cover crop should be drilled,
managed and destroyed to maximise nutrient and soil retention. The guidance should consider the
advantages and disadvantages of each option and recommendations of the farming type
environment they may be useful for. A cost benefit for each should be developed.
This guidance should be developed following undertaking a literature review and discussion with
specialist advisers across the country.
Task 2: Complete forty individual 1:1 farm visits by an agronomist that understand the
environmental need for practicing nitrogen efficient measures in vulnerable areas.
Farm visit will be undertaken on c 40 farms that have been prioritised by the EA within the Wessex
Area.
The prioritisation complete by the EA will be based primarily on farm holdings located within Safe
Guard Zones and farmers not previously engaged which will be selected in collaboration with
Natural England (CSF) and current Water Company Initiatives to avoid any duplication and advice
fatigue.
Advisers will provide to farmers relevant communication literature (prepared in earlier pilots and
available nationally), to influence changes in farming and land use practices to achieve improved
nutrient efficiency, soil management and catchment water quality targets.
The main aim of this work is to influence land use change and changing farming practices to
improve surface and groundwater quality through improved farm nutrient efficiency and soil
management practices. The adviser should identify average nitrogen farm losses occurring at c40
farms over a 4-5 year period using the EA NLT (and other relevant information). They should then
identify the measures that could be put in place to improve efficiency and achieve farm and
catchment water quality targets.
This should be achieved through the use of communication literature, the NLT and provision of
best farming advice.
The visit should include:
a. Introductions to the project
b. Accompanied tour of the farm to develop a good understanding of the farm practices/activities that
might result in the greatest point and diffuse source nutrient losses and soil eroson (considering the
farm business; condition of buildings (infrastructure), type of machinery, number of staff, reliance on
contractors, field size, topography, soils, distribution of semi-natural features, cropping etc).
c. Identify average farming practices (those that have occurred over the last 4-5 years and the farmer
continues to apply) and where these practice are applied on the farm (including identification of high
and low input land that need to be included in the NLT.
d. Calculating each farms historic average nitrate leaching based on average farming practices
(typical/average rotations, fertilizer application rates (including organic and inorganic fertilisers),
crop yields, animal numbers husbandry practice etc using if appropriate the NLT over the last 4-5
years. Input this data to the NLT to calculate current average nitrogen leaching rates across the
farm holding.
e. Identify the soil management practices that might present the greatest risk to soil structure and may
result in soil erosion and excess nutrient leaching
f. Identify the mitigation measures the farmers would be willing to take up voluntarily to improve
efficiency and reduce nitrate and nutrient leaching.
g. Identify other additional mitigation measures that farms would need to take up (that are appropriate
to the farming system) to meet the leaching target.
h. By farm type assess whether the targets are realistic and achievable – what are the barriers and
constraints what additional support/incentive would they need to achieve target for their farm
i. In consultation with farmers identify likely time-scales to deliver mitigation measures
j. Assess how useful the nitrogen leaching tool is to assist in the above and identify ways to refine and
improve the tool
k. Undertake a follow up farm visit following reporting to identify the measures the farmer proposes to
put in place voluntarily to achieve the water quality objectives.
Task 2: Deliverables
1.1 Prior to the field visits being undertaken, advisers should attend a 1 day training course arranged
by the EA and consultant Project Manager, to learn how to use the NLT (NLT) and to undertake
the farm visit to ensure consistency of approach. Prior to this meeting the consultant should
deliver to the Agency a method statement outlining the process the advisers will follow to deliver
a consistent approach across the whole project area. This will include consideration of how
information for the NLT will be collected and analysed to reflect average farm leaching over 4-5
year period of time. It will also identify the approach that should be followed by advisers,
depending on the level of available information for each farm (from detailed nutrient
management information as found in PLANET) to farms with poor record keeping.
1.2 Complete c forty individual 1:1 Farm visits where the farmers should:

Understand the environmental need for practicing nitrogen efficient measures in vulnerable
areas. They should understand the average leaching (kg N/ha or mg/l) that results from their
current land use practices and how this relates to any targets/objectives.

Understand the key actions they can take to improve their efficiency in nitrogen use, the
benefits this will provide to them and to the environment and the implications of not
implementing these measures.
1.3 Obtain feedback from the individual famers and produce a summary report of the understanding
and take up of measures for improving efficiency following the individual farm visits.
Task 3: Provide individual reports for each farm on the 1:1 farm visit for the farmer (and that
will be made available on a commercially confidential basis to the Environment Agency)
Following each farm 1:1 visit a report to the farmer (that will be made available on a commercially
confidential basis to the Environment Agency) summarising the above work, recommendations
and guidance & cost benefit to the farmers of implementing these measures.
Note these reports should include the wider benefits that will be realised by improving farm
efficiency.
Farmers will understand the key actions they can take to improve their efficiency in nitrogen use,
the benefits this will provide to them and to the environment and the implications of not
implementing these measures. They will have worked with the agronomist/adviser to identify the
measures that should be put in place to achieve water quality targets in the area.
Farmers that have had 1:1 advice will have a report summarising their current efficiency (and
leaching) and measures that can be put in place to improve efficiency and meet water quality
targets in the catchment.
Agronomists will understand the environmental need for practicing nitrogen efficient measures in
vulnerable areas. They will understand the target led approach and environmental outcomes that
the Environment Agency and Natural England are trying to achieve.
Agronomists will have identified how they can assist farmers in delivering these objectives.
Task 3: Deliverables
3.1 Produce individual reports from the 1:1 farm visit for the farmer (and that will be made available
on a commercially confidential basis to the Environment Agency) containing the information
outlined above.
3.2 Provide a copy of the NLT worksheets (in digital format) summarising the baseline farm data
(current practices) and any measures to improve farm efficiency.
Task 4: Provide a feedback report on literature used and refined version of the Nitrate
Leaching tool (NLT).
Provide a feedback report for the project (in paper and digital format) outlining farm activities that
present the highest risk across the farms visited, the measures that can be put in place to improve farm
efficiency and the reduction in leaching that will be achieved at each farm if implemented. The report
should provide feed back on the communication literature used and make recommendations of
improvements that can be made in farm advice, tools (NLT) and Literature to maximise update of
measures by farmers. The report should also identify any blockers to farmers implementing measures
and make recommendations outlining how the farmer could be influenced to implement such measures.
Task 4: Deliverables
4.1 Provide a report as outlined above
4.2 To provide a DVD with all project deliverables
1.0 TENDER PROCESS AND TIMETABLE
Key Dates
EOI issue – 3 July 2014
Tender Issue – 10 July 2014
Tender clarifications by Noon on 17 July 2014
Return of tenders by Noon on 24 July 2014
Contract award – by 4 August 2014
Contract start – Inception meeting w/c 4 August 2014
The above timetable may be subject to change and any changes will be notified as soon as they
are known.
2.0 CONTRACT AWARD PROCESS
The Contract will be let under NEC PSC.
The information received in your tender submission will be evaluated against the following contract
award criteria and weightings: Price 60% and Quality 40%
Quality Criteria will have following subweightings:

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Methodology including risk assessment
Experience & expertise
Capacity and Project Management
Sustainability
Health and Safety
40% weighting
25% weighting
10% weighting
10%
15%
The scoring system is detailed below:
Scoring
Rating of Response
Very Good Submission – fully meets all
requirements and is explained in comprehensive
detail.
Good Submission – meets all requirements and
is explained in reasonable detail.
Satisfactory Submission – meets requirements
and is explained in adequate detail.
Weak (Minor issues) Submission – falls short of
requirements in some areas and/or is not
adequately explained.
Unacceptable (Major issues) Submission – fails
to meet requirements and is poorly explained.
Nil response or completely fails to address the
question.
Score
9 - 10
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
Where stipulated, tenderers are required to meet certain standards to be compliant. A nil response
to any question or failure to provide information requested will deem your bid non compliant.
6. Information to be provided by Tenderer
Price (60%)
1. Please complete the activity schedule
2. Please detail any risks and assumptions made and exactly what has been included in the
prices.
Methodology including risk assessment (40%)
1. Please confirm that you are able to deliver our scope of services, providing details of how
you will undertake each task, identify any additional tasks you feel are necessary to
achieve the objectives of the project and provide a project plan describing how you are
going to do this including milestones, outputs and reporting.
2. Detail how you will demonstrate that Farmers/Agronomists have actually achieved the
required level of understanding as detailed in the deliverables/outputs.
3. Please provide a detailed programme for delivery of all activities and confirm that you have
adequate capacity to supply the required outputs and complete all aspects of the project by
the required completion date.
Experience & Expertise (25%)
1. Please provide detail of the members of staff who will be undertaking the specified
requirements of the project and demonstrate that they are suitably qualified and
experienced to undertake the specified requirements of the project. Your response should
be no longer than 2 sides of A4.
The knowledge/skills required are as follows:
Essential
 Must have proven experience of delivering training/advice on nutrient, manure and
soil management to the following sectors: dairy, arable, beef and sheep
 Must be specialists and have demonstrable expertise in nutrient management
 Must have BASIS Soil and Water certificate or equivalent soil related qualification
 Must be FACTS qualified
 Must have qualification in agronomy
 Must have experience of delivering training/advice within the Frome catchment or of
a similar nature
 Must have demonstrable experience of advice/delivering training on DWPA and
PLANET version 3, agronomy, soil, manure and nutrient management.
 Must have expertise in producing effective communication literature and
documentation (providing a copy of this where relevant)
Desirable
 Have an experience of different machinery and techniques for soil and manure
practices and management
4. Please provide CVs for the staff who will be undertaking the different parts of the work.
5. Please provide evidence of similar work or projects that your organisation have carried out
within the last 12 months and contact details so references may be taken. The detail you
provide should clearly demonstrate how you successfully engaged with target groups and
how you successfully achieved the required level of understanding.
Project Management (10%)
1. Please outline how you intend managing this contract to achieve its successful delivery
including quality assurance and any mitigating actions to avoid slippage against the project
schedule. Details of any contract risks associated with this project should also be
provided along with how your organisation would mitigate and manage these risk
throughout the life of the project.
2. Provide evidence of Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Employers Liability cover
as detailed in PSC.
Sustainability 10%
As a delivery partner, the successful contractor is expected to pursue sustainability in their
operations, thereby ensuring Environment Agency is not contracting with a supplier whose
operational outputs run contrary to Environment Agency objectives.
Please provide a policy statement for this area and details of the approach you will take to
assess any environmental impact that may arise as a result of undertaking this contract. These
measures may include operational measures to reduce emissions and noise impacts, efficient
energy use, efficient use of raw materials and minimisation of waste wherever possible. As the
contract involves a degree of necessary travel then details of ways of minimising the carbon
footprint of this should also be provided. Your response should be no longer than 1 side of A4.
Health and Safety 15%
Contractors will be required to assess and control the risks associated with the project. Working on
or around farm areas is potentially hazardous and contractors will need to take appropriate care
and make due provision in light of this.
The Contractor must ensure that workers comply with all aspects of the Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act 1974 and its associated Regulations. Accordingly the Contractor shall provide:
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a copy of your Health and Safety policy
a generic risk assessment for the contract specified, including the risk management
procedures in place to mitigate or manage any hazards