Flintshire Living Churchyards Project Invitation to Tender April 2012
Note: The award of this contract is subject to project funding being approved. Decision pending – to be made 02.05.2012
1 Aim
1.1 Cadwyn Clwyd Cyfyngedig, on behalf of the Living Churchyards Steering Group, is seeking to appoint a consultant to work with up to 10 church groups in Flintshire, North Wales, to offer advice and assistance to enable them to care for their churchyards and burial grounds. This project will be partly funded by the Rural Development Plan 2007-2013 which is financed by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
1.2 Flintshire Living Churchyards Project aims to inspire and support local communities to care for churchyards and burial grounds in a way which benefits both people and wildlife. 1.3 The aim of the project is to attract interest from as many churchyards & cemeteries in Flintshire as possible, working to a target of 10 sites, to help safe guard one of the most enduring features of our landscape.
1.4 Churchyards and cemeteries can be rich wildlife havens. Many species of plants have become dependent upon churchyards for their continual survival, in addition to the remnants of ancient wildflower meadows, walls and gravestones are also home to numerous species of lichens and mosses. Patches of woodland, hedges and shrubs often border or are included within the churchyard boundary, which support numerous species.
1.5 The biodiversity and ecology can be increased and protected by introducing areas of managed grass cutting for wildflowers and insects, introducing log piles and compost heaps and erecting nest boxes for birds and bats.
1.6 To date, all community councils in Flintshire have been contacted and informed of the project. As a result, 5 churches have expressed an interest in joining the project. These are: Gwaenysgor, Llanasa, Whitford, Rhes y Cae and Caerwys. The successful consultant will be required to engage with other potential participants to fulfil the project target of 10 benefiting churchyards (please refer to point 1.9).
1.7 Each participating church will come away from this project with a ‘project support/action pack’, featuring a tailor-made management plan for their churchyard, training in how to implement this management, advice and guidance from experts, a small tool kit for volunteers, and a volunteer ‘database’ which will allow each church community to have a ready supply of volunteers and help as an when they need it.
1.8 Each participating church will benefit from additional wildlife elements / planting / tree work etc. carried out under the supervision of an appointed consultant group.
1.9 Each of the 10 churches will have to sign up to the ‘Living Churchyards Project’ and will be evaluated against the criteria for the project. This will allow each community to get the most out of the project and for the project to be sustainable.
2 Objectives
The objectives of the Living Churchyards Project are as follows:
• To conduct initial ecological scoping surveys for participating churchyards.
• To assist participating volunteer groups to draw up a bespoke management plan for their churchyard. Participating volunteers will implement the management plans with the aid of the consultant initially.
• To provide the necessary training and advise for participating volunteer groups so that they can implement the management plans as per above bullet point.
• To develop any other necessary wildlife management advice sessions which are tailored to the needs of each participating churchyard.
• To promote the project and the work carried out through the project appropriately and to advocate churchyards and the immediate surrounding land as focal points for communities, helping to develop a sense of community ownership of these areas. For example, areas could be promoted through exhibitions or open days; volunteer groups could be encouraged to organise fundraising events (such as rake and bake days).
• To actively engage with members of the participating churchyard groups to develop appropriate and sympathetic interpretation plaque for their site, if required. The plaques developed will aim to highlight the biodiversity of the churchyards and stress the importance of wildlife management.
3 Outcomes and targets
3.1 Key milestones of the project: • Confirm criteria upon which church groups will be eligible for inclusion in the Living Churchyards Project and liaison with up to 10 church groups in Flintshire to engage them in project • Initial survey of each churchyard/burial ground • Engaging with the communities of each of the churches parish via exhibitions / open days • Initial management plans drawn up with the community • Engaging with volunteer groups and draw up a pool of volunteers for each community via event / open days • Workshop / training days for all involved in the project • Churchyard improvements • Finalising management plans and providing the community with a pack of resources they can fall back on.
3.2 A churchyard managed with sympathy for wildlife can look well cared for and be attractive to visitors, as well as plants and animals.
3.3 Nurturing a churchyard’s wildlife often means careful, sensitive management rather than an absence of management. This project will ensure the safe guarding of a valuable natural heritage asset for many years to come.
4 Project phase details to be quoted against within Tender:
4.1 Phase 1 – site evaluation (per churchyard)
a) Initial site visit, meeting with representative, discuss available budget for continued maintenance of the conservation area. b) Initial site evaluation spring & summer botanical survey and report. (possible other surveys: vascular plants, lower plants, herptiles, bats, birds, invertebrates) c) 1 additional survey and report per church, dependent upon interest of the churchyard. d) Community meeting – provide outline of the support available e) Provide bi-lingual action pack (quote includes all editing, translating and printing costs)
4.2 Phase 2 – management recommendations (per churchyard)
a) Drawing up a site plan and management plan and agree on working plan relevant to each churchyard b) Engage with volunteer groups on behalf of the group and provide a list of contacts within the area c) Launch each churchyard project with publicity, advertisement, posters and leaflets as required. Regular updates to be posted in local Diocese newsletter. d) Provide small wooden carved ‘conservation area’ signs for each churchyard.
4.3 Phase 3 – Practical work (per churchyard)
a) Present ‘living churchyards meadow kit’ to church groups b) Scythe workshop; how to use and care for your tools c) Clearing and preparing each site & travel expenses d) Additional 1 day training / workshops / traditional skills specific to each churchyard e) Addition wildlife elements / planting/ tree work etc. specific to each churchyard f) Signage and interpretation per churchyard
4.4 Phase 4 – on-going survey and report (per churchyard)
a) On-going survey and report: • Year 1: 1x vascular plant spring survey and report, 1x vascular plant summer survey and report • Year 2: 1x fungi, mosses, lichen survey and report, 1x spring or summer vascular plant survey and report b) Adjustment to management plan 4.5 Additional work for the project
a) Any training courses and events that can be organised for volunteers to become part of the living churchyards survey team. b) Access to resources, action packs, workshops educational packs etc. that would be relevant to living churchyards volunteers. c) Possible workshops that could be offered to the church groups e.g. • Dry stone walling • Weaving • Scythe operating & maintenance • Hedge planting etc. d) Provision of small or large tool kits for each church group to keep, inventory to include: • First aid kit, gloves, loppers, rakes, hedging shears, snaith, bill hooks etc.
5 Instruction to applicants
5.1 The contractor will be commissioned and directed by Cadwyn Clwyd Cyfyngedig.
5.2 It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain for themselves, at their own expense, all information necessary for the preparation of their tender. 5.3 The price stated in the tender must be a fixed price including proposed number of days and hourly rates, and estimated total travel, mileage and subsistence.
5.4 The price stated in the tender must be inclusive of VAT . An itemised breakdown of time and costs must be included to enable value for money to be assessed.
5.5 Please include with your tender details of: • The proposed methodology and approach • The proposed milestones and outputs (including a timeframe) • Details of any sub-contracting arrangements (if applicable) • Organisational experience detailing: – The curricula vitae of allocated staff – their individual experience of this type of project and role – Examples of similar work • Pricing against each of the 4 phases of the project and also the additional work, as mentioned in the ‘ Project Phase Details’ Section of this document.
5.6 Only personnel nominated at tender stage may work on this project. Any other personnel will require prior written agreement of Cadwyn Clwyd. Failure to comply with this clause may render the appointment null and void.
6 Deadline for responses
Brief Available from: 16th April 2012
Deadline for submission of tender: 1st May 2012
Notification of successful contractor: 4th May 2012
6.1 The successful contractor will be appointed by the 4th of May 2012, subject to funds being approved by Cadwyn Clwyd’s Board of Directors.
6.2 The contractor will then be expected to be available to start work on this project week commencing 14 th May.
6.3 The project must be completed by the 31st August 2013 (subject to successful project funding).
7 Payment
7.1 Payment will be made after successful completion of set phases of the project, to be agreed on appointment. Please note; no up-front payments will be made to the successful consultant.
8 Terms and conditions
8.1 Contractors must demonstrate that they carry Professional Indemnity Insurance to a minimum sum of £250,000. 8.2 As the contractor will be working with vulnerable individuals, all members of staff employed on this job (including volunteers), will need to have an up to date ‘Enhanced CRB’ check.
8.3 The successful contractor will be obliged to enter into a written contract agreement with Cadwyn Clwyd for the delivery of the contract.
8.4 Cadwyn Clwyd have the right to terminate the contract if not fully satisfied with the progress made by the appointed contractor throughout the duration of the project.
8.5 The client will be Cadwyn Clwyd on behalf of The Living Churchyards Steering group.
9 Selection Criteria
9.1 Selection will be based on value for money, the proposal approach and time scale. We will be looking for:
• Value for money – 20% (All aspects of section 4 need to be included in the tender sum).Score available: 20/100
• A clear understanding of the brief and explanation of how the contract will be carried out – 30% (Community focus is a big part of this project as well as working with volunteer groups. There will be a responsibility for the appointed consultant to remain as a point of contact for this project, post the project finished date). Score available: 30/100
• Previous, relevant experience – 40% (Current relevant licences and tickets required, experience of working to strict guidelines from CCW relating to SSSIs and experience of surveys & mitigation measures. As the consultant may be working with children and vulnerable adults, current enhanced CRB checks need to be in place). Score available: 40/100)
• Ability to work to the agreed timescales – 10% Score available: 10/100
9.2 Cadwyn Clwyd reserves the right to not make an appointment and not to accept the lowest offer.
10 Copyright
Copyright of all written literature, management plans, digitised information and photographs produced will rest with Cadwyn Clwyd.
11 Return of Tender
The tender should be submitted as 2 hard copies and a digital version which is compatible with Microsoft Word or is submitted as a PDF file. Hand delivered tenders will not be accepted.
The tender must be submitted in an envelope, clearly marked ‘ Flintshire Living Churchyards Project , and addressed to:
Sarah Jane Jones
Cadwyn Clwyd
Llys Clwyd
Cwrt y Dderwen
Lon Parcwr Business Park
Ruthin
Denbighshire
LL15 1NJ
Deadline of quote submission is 12.00pm on 1 st May 2012
Please note – any envelopes which are marked in such a way that indicates the identity of the company submitting the tender will be automatically rejected.