Feasibility Study to investigate viability of Community Carbon Offset Project

Descriptions

The City and County of Swansea on behalf of Swansea Rural Development Programme (RDP)’s Local Action Group (LAG) (http://www.swansea.gov.uk/rdp), is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced consultant to conduct a feasibility study into developing a community-led, not-for-profit social enterprise offering carbon offsetting services through planting community grown, local provenance trees.Coeden Fach is a community tree nursery based in Bishopston, Swansea growing native species of broadleaf tree and hedgerow plants from locally collected seeds in an environmentally friendly way without the use of peat. The organisation was established as a voluntary group in February 2008 and became a Community Interest Company in July 2013. Coeden Fach has nine years experience of growing and planting trees and working with volunteers During that time the organisation has managed over 10 projects with funding from various sources. Coeden Fach has become established in the local community as a centre of expertise for growing local provenance trees. At present the nursery grows and sells around 2,000 local provenance trees per annum generating revenue of £4-5,000.The aim now is to develop Coeden Fach into a community-led, not-for-profit social enterprise offering carbon offsetting services through planting community grown, local provenance trees. A feasibility study is needed as the first stage in developing this innovative project into a robust, self-sustaining business model that maximises social and biodiversity values.NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=69868.The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.