o XXXX indicates where information has been redacted under exemptions / exceptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and / or Environmental Information Regulations 2004. SERVICE ORDER This Service Order specifies the requirements necessary for the completion of an agreement for the purchase of Services for undertaking the ‘Ashby Canal SSSI, Leicestershire - Catchment Walkover to identify diffuse water pollution issues’ CONTRACT REFERENCE 25477 (to be quoted on all correspondence relating to this NUMBER: Service Order) DATE: 28 May 2013 PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER: Tbc to follow FROM: Natural TO: xxxxxxxxxxxx England Foundry House, 3 Millsands, Riverside Ecus Ltd Exchange, Sheffield S3 8NH Brook Holt Project Officer: xxxxxxxxxxxx 3 Blackburn Road Job Title: Nottinghamshire, Sheffield Leicestershire and Rutland Land S61 2DW Management Team, Lead SSSI Adviser APEX Court City Link Nottingham NG2 4LA Telephone No: xxxxxxxxxxxxx or Tel. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx M: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx M: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx E-mail Address xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED AT: INVOICE ADDRESS: Ashby Canal SSSI, Leicestershire and Natural England, DFSSD Accounts Payable, PO Ecus Ltd offices. Box 92, Lion House, Willowburn Trading Estate, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 9AR Outputs to: Natural England Project Officer, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SERVICES: To undertake a catchment walkover in accordance with Environment Agency Methodology (Operational Instruction 356_12. May 2012) to: confirm impacts or unacceptable risks to water bodies and immediately report any serious pollution incidents to the Environment Agency at the time of survey. After reporting any serious incidents to the Environment Agency you should also inform the Natural England Project Officer (xxxxxxxxxxx) and the Canal 1 and River Trust (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) clarify suspected causes (sources/ activities) identify areas to be targeted clarify measures to be employed. Recommendations for short term, medium term and long term measures to improve water quality Within your final report you should also consider the impacts of already identified sources along the Ashby Canal. Walkover forms for the Ashby Walkover will be provided along with the photographic log Full details of the requirement are set out in the specification (see attached at Annex A) CONTRACT PERIOD: Commencement Date: w/c 03 June 2013 Duration: For completion by 28 February 2014 CONTRACT PRICE EXCLUDING CONTRACT PRICE INCLUDING VAT: VAT: £10,461.25 £12,553.50 DESRIPTION OF SERVICES and TIMETABLE (specification): The work should be supplied in accordance with: The Specification (see attached at Annex A). Ecus Ltd tender proposal dated May 2013 Tender clarification response from Ecus Ltd (e-mail dated 24 May 2013 from xxxxxxxxxxxx to xxxxxxxxxxxxxx – see copy attached at Annex B) Timetable – contract to commence w/c 03 June. Completion by 28 February 2014. PAYMENT PROFILE, RATES AND CHARGES: See breakdown of costs (excluding Vat) below: 2 Payment on submission of invoices in arrears for work completed and expenses incurred subject to the satisfaction of the Natural England Project Officer. Interim payments may be acceptable subject to the agreement of Natural England’s Project Officer. NATURAL ENGLAND RESPONSIBILITIES: As set out in the specification at Annex A. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION: If requested under clause 15 of the General Terms following action note 06/10 5March 2010 issued by OGC, the Supplier may need to supply management information to Natural England or the GPS (Government Procurement Service) formally OGC. The final scope of these requirements may vary according to the category of spend and will be agreed with the supplier at the time of engagement but may consider the following: line item amount; invoice line descriptions; invoice line number; currency code; order date; VAT inclusion flag; VAT rate; list price; number of items; unit of purchase; unit of purchase quantity; price per unit; supplier product/service code; product description; product/service level (product or service name); UNSPSC code; taxonomy code; taxonomy name; geographical; project code; project description; project start date; project delivery date (estimate and actual); total project cost and project stage. SPECIAL TERMS: Natural England General Terms and Conditions (see copy at Annex C) shall apply to this Service Order together with Special Terms for the Purchase of Services (see copy at Annex D). SIGNATURE: Signed on behalf of Natural England: Signed on behalf of the Contractor: Authorised Signatory: Authorised Signatory: …………………………………… ……………………………………………… Print name: xxxxxxxxxxxxx Print name: Job title: Acting Senior Adviser, Job title: Procurement Team Date: May 2013 Date: 3 Annex A Specification Ashby Canal Site of Special Scientific Interest, Leicestershire Catchment Walkover to identify diffuse water pollution issues. Background The Ashby Canal is a 35.3km long narrow canal (of which 9.8km are designated as a SSSI) and runs from its junction with the Coventry Canal at Marston Junction to its present terminus at Snarestone. The canal originally extended another 13km to its terminus at Moira. This length was closed due to mining subsidence, although there are plans by third parties to restore the closed section of navigation using alternate routes in places. The canal has no locks along its length. Water supply has historically been an issue for this canal. The main sources of water to the canals are from; The Oxford Canal Longford Pound via Hawkesbury Valve, this feeds the summit pound of the Coventry Canal from the basin in Coventry to the top of the Atherstone flight and all of the Ashby Canal. This pound receives the residual feed from the lock flights at Hillmorton and Braunston which in turn are fed by reservoirs and other sources into the Oxford Canal summit pound. There is also a feed from the River Swift Feed at Hawkesbury lock is by operating the sluice paddle, on the bypass structure, to the required level. The flow rate through the paddle is restricted by the Water level in Longford Pound. Longford Pound The Longford Pound between Hillmorton Locks and Hawkesbury Junction Lock is 17.7 km long. The pound is supplied by the River Swift (via the Brownsover Arm) and is located entirely within the Warwickshire Avon LEAP area. Brownsover Arm/River Swift Feeder Controlled feeder into the Brownsover Arm of the Longford Pound (North Oxford canal) from the River Swift at Churchover. Use of the feeder is controlled by a sluice gate (operated by Waterway staff), with a low flow estimate of 8.51 Ml/d derived from the 80 year rainfall-runoff modelling results (catchment area 66.65km2, estimated from IH Micro Low Flows). The canal feeder and River Swift flows are gauged by the Environment Agency, although there are significant problems with the reliability of data for the canal feeder. There are only minor third party water supply demands from these canals, e.g. a number of cattle troughs on the Ashby Canal, and some spray irrigation, mineral washing and small reservoir abstractions on the Coventry Canal. Maximum daily abstraction of approx. 6Ml, total annual of 520Ml if all used. The SSSI stretch of canal contains 12 units, commencing nr Congerstone and ending at Turnover Bridge just north of Snarestone. It covers a length of 9.8km. 4 The SSSI, notified in 1988, supports a nationally uncommon aquatic plant community characteristic of eutrophic (nutrient-rich) water. The flora includes a number of nationally scarce species. The presence of this brackish water community, over 50 km inland, is of particular interest. More information on the SSSI is available at: http://www.natureonthemap.naturalengland.org.uk/map.aspx Following Common Standards Monitoring in 2009/10, Natural England classified the Ashby Canal SSSI as Unfavourable No Change conservation status. In relation to water quality, it failed on the following attributes: Phosphate levels (higher than acceptable) Suspended Solids/ turbidity (higher than acceptable) Dissolved Oxygen Levels Transparency Channel Shading Aquatic plant communities- quantity and species richness The failure of water chemistry is most likely to be having an impact on the notified macrophyte vegetation and needs to be addresses as a matter of urgency. Monthly WQ sampling has been undertaken at Turnover Bridge to assess monthly trends but further WQ sampling in needed. Results from Turnover Bridge can be provided on request. A Diffuse Water Pollution Plan is currently in the draft stage and as well as collating all available data on the site’s condition. A catchment walk over of the Ashby Canal from Marston Bridge to Turnover Bridge has been completed by the Environment Agency and the Canal and River Trust; we require a contractor to complete a Catchment Walkover for all main sources of water to the Ashby Canal: The Oxford Canal Longford Pound via Hawkesbury Valve Feed at Hawkesbury lock Longford Pound Brownsover Arm/River Swift Feeder Griff pumps from Griff Brook into Coventry Summit Pound about 1.7km downstream of its junction with the Ashby Canal. Up to 3Ml/day when running. There are also a number of feeders to the Coventry Canal, some supply significant amounts of water, which effectively supply the Ashby Canal- since the top pound of the Coventry Canal runs from the centre of Coventry to Atherstone Locks. Names are Rawn Hill, Mancetter, Hartshill and Wem Feeders - shown on plan below. To identify sources of nutrients and sediment, such as the physical location of discharges, areas of poaching,