Feasibility assessment of bioclimate vulnerability approaches for priority marine migratory species in the Caribbean and Pacific UK Overseas Territories

JNCC SUPPORT CO

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Tender

24 Sep 2026 at 13:44

Summary of the contracting process

JNCC Support Co is seeking research and consultancy services to assess whether bioclimate vulnerability methods can be applied to priority marine migratory species in the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories and the Pitcairn Islands. The work will evaluate the proposed method, consider a limited number of relevant alternatives, review available biological, ecological, environmental and climate data, and identify evidence gaps and constraints. It should establish what analyses current information can support and recommend an approach and roadmap for future assessment. The purpose is to inform climate adaptation, marine conservation and environmental decisions. Delivery covers Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Pitcairn Islands.

JNCC invited offers through an open competition for a single services contract. The buyer set an enquiry deadline of 17:00 on 13 October 2026 and a tender submission deadline of 09:00 on 20 October 2026; the return was to be submitted by email. The contract period runs from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027. The stated contract value is £50,600. Evaluation is weighted 50% for quality of bid, 20% for contractor details, 20% for cost and 10% for sustainability. The procurement is divided into one lot.

This opportunity suits research consultancies and environmental or marine science specialists with experience assessing climate-related vulnerability in marine migratory species. Strong bids will need to demonstrate the ability to appraise bioclimate methods and relevant alternatives, analyse biological, ecological, environmental and climate datasets, and judge data suitability, uncertainty and technical constraints. Suppliers should be able to identify what evidence and expertise are needed for future implementation and translate findings into practical recommendations and a roadmap. Experience relevant to the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Pitcairn Islands, or comparable marine and island contexts, would support the work. The buyer marks both the quality of the proposed work and the details of the contractors, alongside sustainability, so teams should make their expertise and delivery approach clear.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Feasibility assessment of bioclimate vulnerability approaches for priority marine migratory species in the Caribbean and Pacific UK Overseas Territories

Notice Description

Project Aims To assess the feasibility of applying bioclimate vulnerability assessment approaches to priority marine migratory species within the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories and the Pitcairn Islands. Building on previous work undertaken for JNCC, the study will evaluate the suitability of the proposed bioclimate vulnerability approach, consider relevant alternative approaches where appropriate, and determine whether sufficient evidence, data and expertise exist to support future implementation. 4. Project Background Climate change is increasingly affecting marine migratory species through changes in sea temperature, ocean productivity, habitat availability, ocean circulation patterns, species interactions and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (IPCC, 2022; Martay et al., 2023). These pressures may alter species distributions, abundance, migration routes and ecological relationships, with potentially significant consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services and economies across the Caribbean Overseas Territories (OTs) and the Pitcairn Islands (IPCC, 2022; Martay et al., 2023). Evidence from marine vertebrates indicates that climate-driven changes in ocean conditions can alter migration timing, migratory routes, species distributions and access to suitable feeding and breeding habitats through changes in environmental conditions and prey availability (Kuletz et al., 2024). However, considerable uncertainty remains regarding how priority marine migratory species are likely to respond to future climate conditions and what these changes may mean for conservation and management (Martay et al., 2023). Previous JNCC work has reviewed available evidence on climate impacts affecting marine migratory species and identified a suite of priority species for further investigation. This work also highlighted the potential application of bioclimate vulnerability assessment approaches, which seek to combine information on species ecology, environmental change and climate pressures to better understand species vulnerability under future climate scenarios. However, uncertainty remains regarding the suitability of these approaches for the priority species and Territories, the data required to support their application, and whether resulting outputs would be sufficiently robust to inform management and decision-making. Previous work undertaken for St Helena, by Strathclyde University, explored ecosystem-based bioclimate vulnerability assessment approaches to project biomass declines in the marine protected area food web due to climate change (Olher et al., 2026). This study should consider the extent to which this and similar approaches may be applicable to priority species within the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Pitcairn. While bioclimate vulnerability assessments represent a promising approach, a range of alternative methods of assessing ecological/biological impacts of climate change may also be relevant. These vary in their assumptions, data requirements, technical complexity, resource needs and intended applications. It is therefore important to understand whether the proposed bioclimate vulnerability approach represents the most appropriate option for the priority species and Territories, and whether sufficient evidence exists to support its implementation. However, the primary purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of applying a suitable bioclimate vulnerability approach to priority marine migratory species, and new geographies, rather than to undertake a comprehensive review of assessment methodologies. Consideration of alternative approaches should therefore be targeted and proportionate, focusing on whether an alternative method would offer a materially stronger basis for future implementation. The next phase of work is therefore to undertake a feasibility assessment that builds on previous work while critically evaluating the suitability of the proposed approach in comparison with other relevant assessment methods. This will include reviewing methodological requirements, assessing the availability and suitability of biological, ecological, environmental and climate datasets, identifying key evidence gaps and technical constraints, and determining the level of confidence that could be achieved through future assessments. The study will provide an evidence-based assessment of the most appropriate approach or approaches for application to priority marine migratory species, what analyses could be undertaken using currently available information, and what additional data, expertise or investment would be required to support future implementation. The findings will inform future implementation decisions and provide a roadmap for any subsequent climate vulnerability or bioclimate vulnerability assessment programme, supporting climate adaptation, marine conservation and environmental decision-making across the Caribbean Overseas Territories and the Pitcairn Islands. 5. Project Objectives To meet the overall aims of this project (Section 2), the objectives are: Objective 1 Review the proposed bioclimate vulnerability assessment approach and assess its suitability for application to priority marine migratory species within the Caribbean Overseas Territories and the Pitcairn Islands. Objective 2 Compare the proposed approach against a limited number of relevant alternative assessment approaches and identify the most appropriate option(s) for future implementation. Objective 3 Assess the feasibility of implementing the recommended approach for a priority list of marine migratory species supplied by JNCC. Objective 4 Identify key evidence gaps, data limitations, uncertainties and resource requirements associated with future implementation. Objective 5 Develop recommendations and an implementation roadmap for any future climate vulnerability or bioclimate vulnerability assessment programme.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077987
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090584-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services


CPV Codes

73110000 - Research services

73210000 - Research consultancy services

73220000 - Development consultancy services

90711100 - Risk or hazard assessment other than for construction

90712400 - Natural resources management or conservation strategy planning services

90713000 - Environmental issues consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£50,600 Under £100K
Lots Value
£50,600 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
20 Oct 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
2 Nov 2026 - 19 Mar 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
JNCC SUPPORT CO
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PETERBOROUGH
Postcode
PE2 8YY
Postcode Area
Peterborough
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH41 Peterborough
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Peterborough
Electoral Ward
Fletton and Stanground
Westminster Constituency
North West Cambridgeshire

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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