Natural England is commissioning the Freshwater Habitats Trust (FHT) to deliver a programme of work to identify, map and verify priority freshwater habitats, with a particular focus on ponds and headwater streams that are currently underrepresented within existing habitat inventories. The project will utilise a combination of habitat modelling, remote sensing, field survey techniques, citizen science and specialist ecological expertise to improve the quality, coverage and accessibility of freshwater habitat data. The outputs will support Natural England's evidence base, inform conservation priorities, and contribute to the protection and restoration of priority freshwater habitats across England.

Procurement Act 2023

Direct award A direct award to Freshwater Habitats Trust is justified on the basis of technical reasons and the absence of a reasonable alternative supplier. Freshwater Habitats Trust developed and maintains the specialist PSYM and PASS methodologies, associated datasets, systems, data pathways and volunteer networks that underpin the identification and mapping of Priority Ponds and Priority Headwater Streams. The project is dependent upon compatibility with these established methodologies and infrastructure. Re-procuring the requirement would require recreation or transfer of established methods, systems, training arrangements and stakeholder networks, introducing additional cost, delay and significant delivery risk within the available survey windows. The award therefore represents the most effective and proportionate means of delivering the requirement and ensuring continuity of service.