15/06/2005 - The Environment
Agency has issued a Prior Information Notice
(PIN) announcing that it is seeking partners
to assist in the further development of its
Property Search business.
Launched in 2003, the Property Search business
prepares, markets and sells environmental
data reports on commercial and residential
property. Data is licensed from the Environment
Agency and external sources, with reports
distributed through the National Land Information
Service, the Environment Agency’s National
Customer Contact Centre and third party resellers.
The Environment Agency is now looking for
expressions of interest from a partner / partners
interested in developing a business within
a Joint Venture structure.
Property Search Managing Director Ann Conway-Hughes
explains: “The Property Search market is growing
steadily, with more customers requiring value-added
services rather than traditional raw datasets.
The Environment Agency believes that an efficient,
high-value service is best achieved through
a public-private partnership and Joint Venture
structure. By issuing the PIN we are providing
the opportunity for businesses across different
sectors to get involved in this exciting proposition.”
Conway-Hughes continues: “We want to develop
the business further by joining with one or
more partners who can bring specialist skills
and expertise to the business – in line with
the Government’s Wider Markets Initiative,
which encourages public-private sector partnerships
to drive efficiency and improve service. There
is considerable potential to extend the Property
Search offering across different markets.”
Interested parties should refer to the PIN
notice in the Official Journal of the EU (published
10th June 2005) and follow instructions given.
A full notice will be issued on or around
20th July 2005. Potential partners must possess
technical competence in data exploitation,
in addition to product development, marketing,
business development and operational management
skills. Funding requirements will include
access to appropriate working capital facilities
and investment as required, although the Environment
Agency will consider applications from consortia
where skills and funding are provided from
different organisations.
