This Request for Proposal (RFP) is an invitation to suitably qualified/selected consultants to submit proposals for the provisions of services related to the ground truthing of marine significant ecological areas along the coast of Otago. Marine significant ecological areas have recently been spatially mapped along Otago’s coastline using best available data from sources such as journal articles, fisheries effort, grey literature, stakeholder information, reports and observational data, with areas designated in the spatial mapping as significant ecological areas based on policy 11a and 11b of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and the National Key Ecological Area Criteria (KEA).

Ground truthing of areas designated as significant ecological areas is required to determine what habitats and key species are present and if the designated area is significant. Determination of habitat or key species present in selected areas is required and a summary of what is present