date: Thu Jul 31 09:43:33 2003 from: Mike Hulme subject: Re: We would like you to work with us to lead the DEFRA to: "Andrew Bradbury" Dear Andrew, Thanks for your invitation re. SDRN. Much as I support this initiative, an extra set of responsibilities at this time does not fit well with my professional life and so I will have to decline your invitation. With best wishes, Mike Hulme At 14:47 30/07/2003 +0100, you wrote: Dear Dr Hulme, I tried to call you yesterday to discuss but you were in a meeting. I explain my inquiry below. Mouchel is a professional services company based in Surrey. We specialise in the provision of support services to Government. We are currently providing professional services to the Highways Agency, Networkrail, the Scottish Executive, Environment Agency and DEFRA. Due to our ongoing involvement in DEFRA Research and Development Activities DEFRA has invited us to bid to operate the Sustainable Development Research Network (SDRN) for a three year period (with a possible further two year extension). We are aware you have provided constructive support to this and other sustainable development initiatives in the past. We intend to bid for this contract and we would like you to consider joining our team in a leadership capacity. We feel that the SDRN needs to be led by people who not only understand the sustainable development research agenda inside and out but who also have the profile to help us engage a wide range of research organisations at the highest level in the activities of the network. To this end we intend to set up a Stakeholder Board to oversee the work of the SDRN network. Specifically the board will: - contribute to development of a three year strategy for the SDRN - review progress against this strategy - spearhead a new drive for evidenced based SD policy making - facilitate delivery of SDRN programme of work and open bottlenecks through high level dialogue with participating research organisations We are currently contacting a small number of people we consider have the appropriate professional experience to ask them whether they would (if we are successful in our bid) like to be a member of the SDRN Stakeholder Board. The commitment we envisage is between 3-5 days a year. We will cover the expenses associated with your attendance but we cannot pay a fee for your time. We intend to make the SDRN a high profile organisation and I hope that the profile and interest associated with this SDRN leadership position will be a significant reward for the time you commit. In addition, we will establish a new system of Policy Theme Focus Groups to build stronger links between Government and evidence providers with a focus on specific priority areas. If successful in our bid we would like to engage your services as a specialist advisor on a fee paid basis to facilitate one of these Groups. The time commitment would be approximately 10 days over a 10 month period at some stage of the commission, concluding with a presentation to the SDRN annual conference to present outcomes. As a company we are committed to making the SDRN a great success and I hope you will consider contributing to the initiative. If you wish to be involved all I need at this stage is: - a letter on headed notepaper stating your willingness to be part of our stakeholder board and Policy Theme Focus Groups (I attach an example) - a CV - a day fee rate. As ever with these things time is short. We have to submit our proposals on 6th August. I would therefore be grateful if you could respond as soon as possible. If you would like to speak to me about this please call me on 01932 337 161 or 0790 151 6035 (after 6 pm) Kind regards Andrew Bradbury, Mouchel Consulting Limited The information in this e-mail is confidential and intended to be solely for the use of the addressee(s) and may contain copyright and/or legally privileged information. If you are not the addressee (or responsible for delivery of the message to the addressee) please e-mail us at postmaster@mouchel.com and delete the message from your computer; copying, distribution, use or disclosure of its contents is strictly prohibited. As Internet communications are capable of data corruption no responsibility is accepted for changes made to this message after it was sent. For this reason it may be inappropriate to rely on advice contained in any e-mail without obtaining written confirmation of it. In addition, no liability or responsibility is accepted for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan attachments (if any). Please note that for business purposes, outgoing and incoming emails from and to the company may be monitored and recorded. Mouchel Consulting Ltd, Registered Office : West Hall, Parvis Road, West Byfleet, Surrey UK KT14 6EZ Registered No : 1686040