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National Trails Visitor Survey 2014 Contract Specification

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National Trails Visitor Survey 2014 Contract Specification o Xxxx indicates where information has been redacted under exemptions / exceptions in the Freedom Of Information Act 2000 and / or Environmental Information Regulations 2004. National Trails Visitor Survey 2014 Contract Specification Bravo reference: ECM 6444 1. Background National Trails National Trails have been created over the last sixty years to provide high quality access to our most special places. Collectively, the English and Welsh National Trails are promoted as the family of National Trails and identified by the acorn symbol. National Trails are managed locally by trail partnerships but within a framework of national guidance and support provided by Natural England. There are 13 established National Trails in England: Cleveland Way Cotswold Way Hadrian’s Wall Path. North Downs Way Offa’s Dyke Path Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path Pennine Way Pennine Bridleway Ridgeway South Downs Way South West Coast Path Thames Path Yorkshire Wolds Way All of the Trails can be completed on foot and several can also be used by horse riders and cyclists. The England Coast Path will be a National Trail and we are establishing the route in stages. The first stretches of the England Coast Path have now been opened in Weymouth Bay; in Cumbria (between Allonby and Whitehaven); and in the North East (between North Gare in Hartlepool and South Bents in Sunderland) and when it is complete, it will be one of the longest coastal routes in the world. As part of our role of national champion, we wish to gather more robust evidence about the benefits of National Trails and particularly economic and social benefits to society. The information gathered from the 2014 visitor survey will help us to: Undertake a cost benefit analysis of National Trails and England Coast Path. Identify a baseline of visitor use and experience for a future evaluation of the England Coast Path. Understand the wider social and wellbeing benefits of providing access to the natural environment. Inform the future investment and management of National Trails. 2. Overview of requirement Our requirement is for a contractor to design, organise and carry out a survey to find out more about visitors to National Trails. The information gathered by the survey will feed into our monitoring and evidence programme, including that it will be used to undertake a cost benefit analysis for National Trails. The 2014 survey will be used as a baseline for future evaluation and the survey methodology will need to be repeatable. The successful contractor will be required to: Develop a sampling strategy for surveying visitors to National Trails Design a questionnaire Organise and carry out England wide fieldwork Complete data processing including inputting, checking and validating information Analyse and report on the survey findings 3. Detailed requirement 3.1 Sampling strategy Your tender should outline your approach to sampling and describe how you propose to address the issues discussed below. The successful contractor will be required to confirm and agree the final version of their sampling strategy with Natural England before fieldwork commences. Sample size In terms of sample size our requirements are that we would like an analysis of the data to be undertaken at both national and individual trail level. At national level we would like an analysis of the data to be undertaken by key sub groups (age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic group, income) as well as by the type of visitor (visits completed within a day v’s long distance visits - see definitions in Annex 1). Findings from the last all trails visitor survey in 2007 are appended at Annex 2. At the individual trail level we would like headline findings to be produced, without detailed analysis by sub group. We would like contractors to propose a suitable sample size to meet this requirement and provide an indication of the level of expected accuracy at both national and individual trail level. Our expectation is that the achieved sample size will be in the region of 1500-2000 completed interviews. Sampling method and strategy The achieved sample should be comparable with the characteristics of visits to National Trails as found in previous surveys (see Annex 2) and allow analysis by the key sub groups as set out above. We are open to suggestions about the sampling method and strategy. Contractors should be clear about their approach and set out the strengths and limitations including details of key assumptions made. Key issues to consider are: Selection of interviewing sites – we require interviewing to be undertaken on all of the National Trails in England, including open stretches of the England Coast Path1. The spatial distribution of interviews should reflect the diversity of the individual trails. A proportion of interviews must be undertaken adjacent to the people counters that have recently been installed (see details in Annex 3) but up to 2 additional sites may be suggested for each trail. Please state if you propose to include additional interview sites and indicate your selection criteria. Local trail staff will be able to give advice on suitable locations as necessary. Popular/less popular trails – the approach will need to consider the variation in levels of use of individual trails (see footfall figures in Annex 4) and suggest strategies for dealing with this (for instance minimising the risk of not achieving the required number of interviews on less popular trails/sites). Seasonal/temporal variation in levels of use and types of user – and how we can ensure, as far as we are able to given constraints around sample size and budget, that the achieved sample is representative of the diversity of types of use and user. Selection of group/individual – approaches to minimising bias through strategies such as next/last birthday method. 3.2 Questionnaire design Our information needs from the survey are set out in Annex 5. The contractor will be responsible for finalising design of the questionnaire and interview technique. We believe it will be important to limit the length of interview /number of questions and have indicated some flexibility about the information to be collected. Your tender should set out your approach to designing the questionnaire and indicate the number and type of questions you propose to include. It will be important to use standardised question wording and categories. Where possible we would like to ensure compatibility with The Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) and continuity with previous National Trail visitor surveys on key variables. The Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) survey provides statistically robust information on how the English adult population access, use and engage with the natural world. Now in its third year, the survey is jointly commissioned by Natural England, Defra and the Forestry Commission. 1 Weymouth Bay (part of the South West Coast Path); in the North East between North Gare and South Bents; in the North West between Allonby and Whitehaven For further information and outputs from MENE, including a list of questions asked, please refer to http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/linkingpeople/mene/default.aspx The successful contractor will be required to test the questionnaire before commencing fieldwork. As an indication of our expectations we suggest a sample size of 20 surveys. The final set of questions needs to be approved by Natural England before fieldwork commences. 3.3 Organise and carryout fieldwork Your tender should describe your approach to carrying out the survey. Interviewers should receive briefing to ensure they understand the survey and their role in it, and can collect consistent and accurate information. Please detail your approach to interview training and fieldwork. 3.4 Data processing Your tender should describe your approach to data processing including inputting, checking and validating information. The content and format of data that will be provided should also be described. Note that Natural England intends to use data from the survey to undertake further socio- economic analyses. The completed dataset should be clearly labelled and structured to enable further analysis. 3.5 Analysis and reporting Your tender should describe how you propose to analyse and report the survey findings. The final report of the survey should include: Sampling Method statement Fieldwork undertaken Results obtained Analysis of the findings by key sub-groups Headline findings by trail Lessons learned All outputs from this contract, including all data sets provided to Natural England, will remain the property of Natural England. 4. Quality management Your tender should describe quality procedures for all stages of the research including: Interviewer training Field work, including back checking Data inputting Coding and data preparation Data analysis and reporting Please provide details of any accredited schemes that you comply with, for example the Interviewer Quality Control Scheme (IQCS) and ISO 20252. To note, all work should comply with the MRS Code of Conduct 5. Data security Your tender should include a statement about your procedures for data security, including data security in the field. 6. Project outputs Key outputs from the project: A report of survey findings Data files in SPSS and Excel format – to allow further in-house analysis of data Metadata – describing key variables All outputs of the project are required electronically, including data tables. All
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