Verfahrensangaben

Joint Strategic Environmental Assessment of cumulative impacts on the UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage Site
With this invitation to tender, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation on the Protection of the Wadden Sea (TWSC) of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands is seeking a qualified consultancy or consortium of consultants to coordinate the trilateral collaborative process for the development of the joint Strategic Environmental Assessment on cumulative impacts affecting the UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage Site (joint SEA).
The purpose of the joint SEA is to assess the potential impacts and cumulative effects originating in and around the site on the ecological attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site, as well as on other related, particular heritage/conservation values. The joint SEA aims to provide information useful for future decision-making to support the reduction of (cumulative) pressures on the Wadden Sea. This initiative responds to a request by the World Heritage Committee.
The selected consultancy or consortium of consultants should be able to demonstrate:
- proven expertise in EU Strategic Environmental Assessment processes, including environmental baselines, impact analysis, and cumulative impacts assessments,
- knowledge about World Heritage impact assessment requirements, relevant instruments, and
- preferably a deep understanding of the Wadden Sea"s geology, ecology, biodiversity and human interactions with the ecosystem.

A multidisciplinary, independent team with a solid background in conducting strategic environmental assessments according to the EU legislation will be essential. Bidders are encouraged to build a multinational consortium. Selected consultancies may also participate in developing the national SEA components.
1. Background
The Wadden Sea, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009 and extended in 2014, is recognised for its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) as the world"s largest unbroken intertidal sand and mudflat ecosystem for its unique geology, ecosystem and biodiversity. Its largely undisturbed natural processes create diverse coastal features and provide critical habitats for specialised species and millions of migratory birds along the East Atlantic Flyway.
To safeguard this unique ecosystem for future generations, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands established the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation in 1978 to coordinate national and international nature conservation efforts. It is the commitment as well as the common responsibility of the states in the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation to do their utmost to maintain the OUV of the site. The Wadden Sea conservation area is protected as national parks, nature reserves, and Natura 2000 sites under national legislation. The present-day management system of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site is almost entirely covered by EU law and international conventions, implemented by and in addition to national regulations.
At its extended 45th session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (10-25 September 2023), the World Heritage Committee, in Decision 45 COM 7B.23 , expressed concerns about different human activities within, near, or beneath the transboundary World Heritage Site "The Wadden Sea", and requested the three State Parties to conduct a joint Strategic Environmental Assessment (joint SEA) to assess the cumulative impacts on the OUV of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site.
The State Parties committed to carrying out the requested joint SEA and agreed that the best approach would be to base the assessment on EU legislation, which provides a common framework for all EU Member States. Therefore, the methods for the joint SEA are based on European guidelines that are implemented nationally in all three states. The joint SEA requires breaking new methodological ground, as it goes beyond standard environmental assessments under European Union legislation, particularly because it:
- considers a multitude of projects, plans and programmes and other relevant human impacts that together form the subject of this SEA;
- focusses on the OUV key values ;
- and it follows the principles of the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context .
As an initial step, the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation produced a draft Scoping Report (see Annex) which sets out the main targets, the approach and methodology to be used in the assessment of potential impacts and impacts from cumulative effects on the Wadden Sea"s OUV key values, attributes, and other relevant related values. The draft Scoping Report was subject to national stakeholder consultations as well as trilateral consultations with advisors from the environmental NGOs between April 2025 and 30 September 2025. It has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN on 30 March 2025 for parallel review as requested in Decision WHC/24/46.COM/7B.51 adopted at its 46th session in New Delhi (21-30 July 2024).
To complement these efforts, the Wadden Sea Board requested the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) to provide an independent expert review of the draft scoping report. NCEA is an independent advisory body of experts dedicated to providing advisory services and capacity development on environmental assessment (EIA or SEA reports). NCEA holds a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN. Suggestions from consultations as well as from the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, will be considered during the expert review process. The review is expected to be finalised by end of March 2026.

2. Scope of Work and Key Tasks
The purpose of the joint SEA is to assess the potential impacts and cumulative effects of programmes, plans and projects originating in and around the property on the OUV and other related, particular values and to provide information useful for future decision-making to support the reduction of (cumulative) pressures on the Wadden Sea. The main focus of the SEA is on potential cumulative impacts on the attributes, which describe and convey the OUV key values of the property.
Other than the strategic environmental assessment defined by the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, the joint SEA"s screening is not limited to the level of programmes and plans but also includes relevant projects. The joint SEA pays particular attention to the OUV and to cumulative effects of currently known relevant programmes, plans and projects (PPPs) in a transboundary perspective. The SIMP Integrated Management plan for ONE Wadden Sea World Heritage key topics (fisheries, tourism, shipping and ports, renewable energy and energy from oil and gas, and coastal flood defence and protection) serve as categories to identify relevant PPPs. Beyond the PPPs that officially require EIAs or SEAs, all activities with potential effects on the OUV, including cumulative/combined effects, should be considered, including sand and silt extraction and sediment management in general.
For the development process of the joint SEA, the State Parties, in the draft Scoping Report, proposed that as a first step, a trilateral approach should be taken to develop common understandings and agreements on methodology. In a second step, these agreements should then be taken up in national components of the joint SEA. Finally, trilateral integration is proposed to produce the joint SEA with conclusions and recommendations in relation to the OUV and to be submitted to the World Heritage Centre (see Annex draft Scoping Report, Figure 1).
Agreements reached so far for the trilateral approach are included in the draft Scoping Report. Further detailed methodological agreements are still required. These will be discussed and agreed upon by the selected consultancies responsible for the joint SEA and the national SEA components, in close collaboration with CWSS and the project related trilateral working groups and committees (i.e. the trilateral technical steering group and, potentially, an advisory council composed of academics, environmental NGOs and the agencies responsible for implementing the results of the joint SEA).
The national SEA components will include (not exclusively):
- national environmental baselines,
- analysis of:
- the current environmental status and the development of the OUV key values since 2009, including the identification of pressures and key drivers,
- the PPPs currently under preparation or planned focusing on the planned activities or structures, and their (expected) environmental effects,
- the known and potential cumulative effects caused by existing pressures and the (expected) environmental effects from PPPs.
- a forecast scenario assessment looking forward to 2050.
The methodologies for assessing cumulative effects have not yet been determined. Potential options include SCAIRM, a spatially explicit cumulative impact assessment method designed for ecosystem based management, and the verbal argumentative approach.
The joint SEA will be the result of the integration of the national SEA components and additional trilateral level analysis. The national SEA components will be carried out by external consultancies or by specialist agencies. Strong collaboration and exchange will be necessary during the development of the national components to ensure the use of comparable information, methodologies and assessments and to seek alignment along the process.
The purpose of this call is to find a consultancy or consortium of consultants to support and advise the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation throughout the process, to accompany the development of the national SEA components to ensure comparability, and to align and integrate the components to develop the overarching report - the joint SEA for the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. The key tasks and deliverables are organised in three work phases: I) Planning Phase, II) Development Phase, and III) Integration Phase.

Proposals shall be submitted electronically in a format that allows for uniform and transparent evaluation, include the information listed below and respect the indicated page limits: Letter of interest and signature page (max. 2 pages per consultancy): This letter should include general information about the qualified consultancy or consortium of consultants such as: description of all services offered, total years in business, number of employees, office location(s), and include the name, home address and email of the authorised contact person for questions related to this tender. Proposed fees (1 page): Provide a clear description of your billing methodology: Average rate per month/day/hour and/or any other pertinent fee structures. Estimated working hours and costs per task (including external services, materials, reports, potential travel costs and overheads), corresponding to the deliverables outlined in Section 3. VAT treatment (specify if VAT is included or excluded and if it is non-recoverable).
Approach to project (max. 5 pages): Provide a short description of services offered, describing how you would approach the project and how you will work with the client (including CWSS, the project related trilateral working groups and committees, and the three national consultancies). Explain the proposed methods that will be used and demonstrate a clear understanding of the project's objectives. Include a brief work plan and timeline for deliverables. Relevant qualifications of the consultancy/consortium of consultants (max. 4 pages): Outline experience in carrying out similar assignments (including references of previous SEA processes and reports). Consider other requirements described under Section 2. Please include references to previous projects. Provide an overview of the qualifications of individuals assigned to the project, including potential sub-contractors (if applicable). Describe who will perform the various tasks, and their anticipated level of involv

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See "Basisdaten"

Missing documents may be requested if no other tender submitted matches the call for tender.

Budget Allocation and Funding Status
The project is divided into three phases with the following indicative resource distribution and funding status:
- Phase I (Planning): 30% of total resources
Funding Status: Approved
- Phase II (Development): Approximately 30% of total resources
Funding Status: Approved
- Phase III (Integration): Approximately 40% of total resources
Funding Status: Partially subject to approval

A first payment of 60% of the amount allocated for Phase I is done at the signing of the contract and a second rate of 40% upon approval of the final report of Phase I.
For Phase II, a payment of 60% of the amount allocated for Phase II is done at the approval of the first progress report and a second rate of 40% upon approval of the second progress report.
For Phase III, a payment of 60% of the amount allocated for Phase III is done at the approval of the draft joint SEA report and a second rate of 40% upon approval of the final joint SEA report.