Business Plan and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) Framework development services

The selected service provider will be asked to produce the eLTER Business plan, a central document for the success of eLTER. The Business Plan will be used when approaching the potential eLTER members, private sector and funders as well as set the ground for the governance, management and operations of the eLTER RI in the years to come. Ensuring long-term sustainability of eLTER is crucial, therefore, sustainability-related aspects shall be embedded in eLTER business model and business plan aptly. First draft of the business plan needs to be provided by March 2024 and the final version needs to be ready by November 2024. Although the requirement of the consulting body is to provide a complete Business Plan (see the accompanying document of ‘eLTER Business Plan Outline’), several key deliverables and documents from the eLTER Preparatory Phase project have already been produced and shall be utilized. Areas of the Business plan that are anticipated to require more support are: ● eLTER Business model: among others it should include comprehensive stakeholder and market analyses, user engagement strategy and value proposition ● Service provisioning: how the provisioning of services for various user groups is organised and adapted to their needs ● Organization and governance: how the network is organized, and how the network is governed for decision making, also ensuring long-term sustainability ● Financial and Funding framework: among others it should include income and revenue, cost-benefit analysis, 5-year financial plan, and financial management and control systems ● Implementation and Performance management: apart from a 5-year activities plan, it should include how eLTER will monitor KPIs and conduct external audits ● Communications and branding: communication plan that includes how eLTER is recognised as a global brand among its peers like other environmental RIs and networks and also in concerned industrial service providers ● Bi-monthly (every two months) meetings with the eLTER team to coordinate and advise during the Business plan development process Estimated price per task: 30 000- 40 000€

An SEIA Framework has been developed by eLTER RI. It includes a set of 52 variables that together will provide an indication of eLTER RI’s impact in its multiple desired impact pathways (framework overview is included in this call for tenders). The variables are divided into three types of indications of impact - output, outcome, and [long-term] impact. The output and outcome indicators are also defined as eLTER RI’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). We propose that the contracting agency collect the impact indicators via three pathways: On-line, automated tools, annual quantitative and qualitative surveys with different eLTER RI stakeholder communities, and in depth interviews regarding eLTER’s long-term, broad impacts (conducted once every 3-5 years). The requirements of the consulting body regarding the SEIA framework is: ● To establish, in coordination with eLTER RI staff, develop automated tools for collecting output indicators, collect initial data from them, and assess their efficacy. ● To develop and circulate questionnaires among designated eLTER stakeholder communities, collect and analyze results, and assess the efficacy of the surveys and the information they provide. ● To develop protocol and conduct the first round of in-depth interviews with selected eLTER RI stakeholders, analyze results, and assess the efficacy of the methodology. ● Meet on a bimonthly basis (once every two months) with the SEIA team to coordinate and advise during the course of the SEIA assessment and framework development. ● To present results of the various indicator collection methods to eLTER RI staff, along with a final report providing recommendations for refining/improving the draft SEIA framework. Tentative deadline for submission of report: 10 months from date when tender is awarded. Estimated value for task: 70 000 - 80 000€.