Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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38. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the tendering process for the recruitment of consultants for the development of the national CAP strategic plan and individual schemes his Department is designing; the budget and terms of reference of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5708/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Under the current draft CAP 2021-2027 proposals, each Member State is required to submit a CAP Strategic Plan by the 1st of January 2020. The process of developing the draft CAP Strategic Plan will be a complex one, involving a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, a needs assessment, scheme design, an ex ante evaluation including a Strategic Environmental Assessment, and an Appropriate Assessment. A central element of this process will be on-going and substantive stakeholder and public consultation.

My Department is currently engaged in the tendering process for the appointment of an external provider to conduct an ex-ante evaluation, including a Strategic Environmental Assessment and, if required, an Appropriate Assessment on the draft CSP. The closing date for receipt of tenders was Tuesday 5 February 2019. My Department will now evaluate the tenders received. It is envisaged to have a contract awarded before the end of Quarter 1 of 2019.