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Current tenders
MLA is seeking applications from individuals, organisations or project teams with the expertise required to undertake one or more of the following projects:
- Grazing land management EDGEnetwork package review – Lead Author
- Feasibility Study of Livestock Advisor Cooperative Model
- Best practice management approaches for internal parasite control in goats
- Establishing a biodiversity baseline for the Australian goat industry
- Wean-a-Lamb: Reducing weaning stress by optimising weaning management strategies
- FlockMate: Off-animal ag-tech solutions to enhance sheep productivity
- Grazing crops – key principles and new frontiers
- ESG scan for the Australian sheepmeat industry
- Expression of Interest – Independent Chair, NLIS Uplift Transition Support Review Panel
- Australian Feedlot Cattle Water usage and requirements
- Evaluating advancements in hook tracking solutions in red meat processing plants for improved end-to-end traceability
- Digital Agriculture Program RFP
- Delivery technology for direct greenhouse gas suppressants in grazing systems
- Effect of Legumes on Net Emissions of Grazing Lands
- Livestock Efficiency Partnership - Emissions Intensity Program
- Profitable silvopastoral systems for reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions – Research & Adoption Program
- Seeking Commercialisation Partner for new Stylo Varieties
- National Livestock Genetics Consortium – Independent Chair EOI
Grazing land management EDGEnetwork package review – Lead Author
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking applications from individuals to take the role of Lead Author of an expert Working Group which will undertake a review and redevelopment of the content of the Grazing land management (GLM) EDGE package. EDGEnetwork packages need to be updated regularly to integrate emerging R&D and extension resources, delivered through an effective structure and engaging extension design.
All applications are to be submitted by 10 January 2025 – please see the attached Terms of Reference (ToR) document for further detail.
ToR – GLM EDGE Package Review – Lead Author
Feasibility Study of Livestock Advisor Cooperative Model
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking tenders for a feasibility study into a livestock advisor cooperative model.
The Australian Red Meat Industry has identified the need to increase extension services to red meat producers by 2030 to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability. Livestock advisors play a critical role in supporting red meat producers to implement the latest research, technology and best management practices. Livestock advisors can be defined as people who provide regular advice and guidance to red meat producers and can be public or private sector advisors e.g. extension officers, consultants, veterinarians, livestock agents, agronomists or Natural Resource Management (NRM) officers.
An innovative livestock advisor and extension model is required to ensure that producers are motivated and supported to implement new management practices into their business. MLA is curious to explore how it could support a cooperative model that could support emerging livestock advisors to build their expertise, networks and client base, while accessing support for business administration, marketing, mentoring and professional development.
Deadline for submissions
Tender proposals must be received by MLA before 5.00pm AEDT on Monday 3 February 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Use the Request for Tender to guide the completion of your application.
Further information
If you have any questions regarding this tender, or would like to discuss a possible application, please contact:
Sally Leigo
Program Manager – Producer Adoption, Meat & Livestock Australia
Phone: 0447 634 044
Email: sleigo@mla.com.au
Best practice management approaches for internal parasite control in goats
The MLA Goat Productivity program provides services and best practice information to help Australian producers secure a future as innovative, profitable and resilient world leaders in goat production. The program delivers a range of resources, tools and engagement opportunities for goat producers to equip them with knowledge to improve their business.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary applications from individuals, organisations or project teams with the capability to develop and execute an extension workshop program on best practice management approaches to internal parasite control in goats.
Deadline for submissions
Preliminary applications must be received by MLA before 5.00pm AEDT on Wednesday 12 February 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Use the preliminary proposal template available here, and submit proposals electronically to MLA at tenders@mla.com.au
Applicants should carefully review this page and the MLA Project Funding Application Guidelines before completing their detailed project application.
Further information
If you have questions about this project call, contact:
Dr Daniel Forwood
Project Manager – Sheep and Goat Productivity
Phone: 0457 477 537
Email: dforwood@mla.com.au
Establishing a biodiversity baseline for the Australian goat industry
The MLA Goat Productivity program provides services and best practice information to help Australian producers secure a future as innovative, profitable and resilient world leaders in goat production. The program delivers a range of resources, tools and engagement opportunities for goat producers to equip them with knowledge to improve their business.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking full applications from individuals, organisations or project teams with the capability to establish a biodiversity baseline for the Australian goat industry.
Deadline for submissions
Full proposals must be received by MLA before 5.00pm AEDT on Wednesday 12 February 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Use the full proposal template available here, and submit proposals electronically to MLA at tenders@mla.com.au
Applicants should carefully review this page and the MLA Project Funding Application Guidelines before completing their detailed project application.
Further information
If you have questions about this project call, contact:
Dr Daniel Forwood
Project Manager – Sheep and Goat Productivity
Phone: 0457 477 537
Email: dforwood@mla.com.au
Wean-a-Lamb: Reducing weaning stress by optimising weaning management strategies
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking Full Applications from individuals, organisations or project teams with the capability to identify and evaluate non-invasive weaning management strategies which reduce weaning stress in lambs and optimise the weaning process. This proposal will encompass research, development and adoption (RD&A) activities in the Sheep Productivity sector that achieve outcomes in line with the priorities of the Red Meat Panel.
Deadline for submissions
Full proposals must be received by MLA before 5.00pm AEDT on Wednesday 12th February 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Use the full proposal template available here, and submit proposals electronically to MLA at projectcall@mla.com.au
Applicants should carefully review this page and the MLA Project Funding Application Guidelines before completing their preliminary or detailed project application.
Request for Tender – Wean-a-lamb
Further information
If you have questions about these terms of reference, contact:
Dr Daniel Forwood
Project Manager – Sheep and Goat Productivity
Email: dforwood@mla.com.au
FlockMate: Off-animal ag-tech solutions to enhance sheep productivity
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking Full Applications from commercial ag-tech providers and ag-tech developers to identify, evaluate and demonstrate autonomous and/or robotic in-paddock innovations which covers one of the following:
1. Reduce on-farm labour during key activities in the production cycle which may include (but is not limited to) marking, drenching, drafting, veterinary product application etc.
2. Enhance sheep productivity data captured which may include (but is not limited to) liveweight, body condition score, pregnancy status, animal wellbeing etc.
Innovations should focus on off-animal ag-tech solutions which negate the need for additional labour units or animal handling (as required for securing devices to livestock).
Deadline for submissions
Full proposals must be received by MLA before 5.00pm AEDT on Wednesday 12th February 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Use the full proposal template available here, and submit proposals electronically to MLA at projectcall@mla.com.au
Applicants should carefully review this page and the MLA Project Funding Application Guidelines before completing their preliminary or detailed project application.
Request for Tender – FlockMate
Further information
If you have questions about these terms of reference, contact:
Dr Daniel Forwood
Project Manager – Sheep and Goat Productivity
Email: dforwood@mla.com.au
Grazing crops – key principles and new frontiers
MLA is seeking preliminary proposals for RD&A projects that will develop, demonstrate and communicate best practice on crop grazing for producers across the mixed farming zones of Western Australia. In scope are all agro-climatic regions in the mixed farming zone (i.e. from low to high rainfall zones).
Deadline for submissions
Preliminary proposals must be received by MLA before 5.00pm AEDT on Wednesday 19th February 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Use the preliminary proposal template available here, and submit proposals electronically to MLA at projectcall@mla.com.au
Applicants should carefully review this page and the MLA Project Funding Application Guidelines before completing their preliminary or detailed project application.
Terms of Reference: Grazing Crops
For more information contact:
Joe Gebbels
Email: jgebbels@mla.com.au
Mobile +61 448 273 214
ESG scan for the Australian sheepmeat industry
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking applications from organisations to undertake an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scan of the Australian sheep meat industry focused on key export markets.
MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to tenders@mla.com.au
Stage 1 MLA Applications must be received by 5pm AEDT on 31 January 2025.
Strict adherence to the deadline for applications will occur. Incomplete applications or applications provided without the required documentation will not be assessed.
Expression of Interest – Independent Chair, NLIS Uplift Transition Support Review Panel
The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database is a vital asset for the red meat industry and the state and federal governments of Australia. As a key enabler of red meat traceability, biosecurity and market access, investment in the NLIS database is crucial for our industry to respond to biosecurity risks and market access demands, of both today and into the future.
Integrity Systems Company (ISC) owns and operates NLIS – and its supporting systems. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Commonwealth) allocated funding of $22.5 million during the October 22-23 budget to ISC to enhance the NLIS database and its supporting systems by 30 June 2026. The purpose of the NLIS Database Uplift Project is to build a modernised NLIS platform that provides an enhanced user experience, seamless interoperability, and a flexible and scalable design, to support and enhance livestock traceability now and into the future.
The NLIS database has several linkages to state and territory regulatory systems (known as mirrors) and industry third-party systems, which offer automated reporting coupled with livestock monitoring and management tools. Uplifting the NLIS database will break the feeds between the NLIS and these systems, and they will require enhancement, improvement or a complete rebuild to integrate with the uplifted database.
To support industry transition to the uplifted NLIS database, the Commonwealth also approved additional funding of $3.9 million (excl. GST) for the NLIS Uplift Transition Support grant. The purpose of the grant is to provide support to industry and government integrators, via pass-through funding, to assist with their transition to the uplifted NLIS database.
ISC is establishing a Review Panel to review and approve funding applications of industry and government integrators. The Review Panel will oversee the application and funding approval process, review the Integrator applications, and make funding approval decisions. The Review Panel will consist of an Independent Review Panel Chair, ISC subject matter experts, Commonwealth staff members and a probity officer.
ISC is seeking expressions of interest for an Independent Chair to Chair the NLIS Uplift Transition Support Review Panel from March 2025 to June 2026.
Expressions of interest should be submitted by email to aly@integritysystems.com.au by 5pm (AEDT) Friday, 17 January 2025.
For more information please contact:
Renelle Jeffrey
Program Manager – Digital Adoption – Integrity Systems Company
Email: rjeffrey@integritysystems.com.au
Australian Feedlot Cattle Water usage and requirements
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking expressions of interest from organizations with the capability to deliver comprehensive R&D on water use requirements of Australian Feedlot cattle, including a comprehensive literature review and survey of actual water usage measured at 6 feedlot sites around Australia.
Request for tender applications must be lodged electronically by 5 PM (AEST), 31 January 2025 to tenders@mla.com.au
Strict adherence to the time deadline for applications will occur. Incomplete request for tender applications without the required documentation will not be assessed.
Further information:
Evaluating advancements in hook tracking solutions in red meat processing plants for improved end-to-end traceability
With the introduction of mandatory sheep eID requirements which will bring sheep and goats in line with cattle in the requirement to be tagged and recorded in the NLIS database, there is an opportunity to extract further value for the supply chain by providing better quality data up and down the chain leading to continuous improvement and better-informed decisions if successful hook tracking systems can be integrated. MLA is seeking proposals from supply chains looking to trial and integrate hook tracking solutions into their business. The opportunity is also open to technology companies and hook tracking providers to develop and trial novel hook tracking solutions.
Applications must be lodged electronically as a Word document to Jack Cook jcook@mla.com.au along with other requirements of this terms of reference.
Applications must be received by 5pm AEDT on Friday 24th January 2025.
For more information, please contact:
Jack Cook
Project Manager – Supply Chain Technology
Phone: 0409 312 515
Email: jcook@mla.com.au
Digital Agriculture Program RFP
Meat & Livestock Australia’s Digital Agriculture sub-program involves a combination of initiatives and activities that, together, address the barriers to adoption of on-farm technologies and data analytics, and increase the potential for wide-scale impact beyond the farmgate.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking R&D applications from organizations (or partnerships of organizations) to develop or evaluate technology solutions for:
- Vegetation monitoring and assessment tools
- Virtual Fencing Technology (VFT)
- Leveraging on-farm data and digital tools to support brands and value-based marketing
MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to: jmcguren@mla.com.au
Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 24 January 2025.
Delivery technology for direct greenhouse gas suppressants in grazing systems
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary applications from organizations (or partnerships of organizations) to develop or evaluate delivery technology for direct greenhouse gas suppressants in grazing systems via co-investment in the MLA donor company.
MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to: tenders@mla.com.au
Stage 1 MLA Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 19 December 2024.
Strict adherence to the time deadline for applications will occur. Incomplete request for tender applications without the required documentation will not be assessed.
Effect of Legumes on Net Emissions of Grazing Lands
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary applications from organizations (or partnerships of organizations) to deliver a comprehensive R&D on net emissions of grazing lands via MLA Donor company co-investment.
MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to: tenders@mla.com.au
Stage 1 MLA Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 19 December 2024.
Strict adherence to the time deadline for applications will occur. Incomplete request for tender applications without the required documentation will not be assessed.
Livestock Efficiency Partnership - Emissions Intensity Program
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary applications from organizations (or partnerships of organizations) to deliver Livestock efficiency partnership – Emissions Intensity Program via co-investment in the MLA Donor Company.
MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to: tenders@mla.com.au
Stage 1 MLA Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 19 December 2024.
Strict adherence to the time deadline for applications will occur. Incomplete request for tender applications without the required documentation will not be assessed.
Profitable silvopastoral systems for reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions – Research & Adoption Program
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary applications from organizations (or partnerships of organizations) to develop profitable silvopastoral systems for reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions reduction across Australian grazing lands via MLA Donor Company co-investment.
MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to: tenders@mla.com.au
Stage 1 MLA Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 19 December 2024.
Strict adherence to the time deadline for applications will occur. Incomplete request for tender applications without the required documentation will not be assessed.
Seeking Commercialisation Partner for new Stylo Varieties
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking Expressions of Interest for seed industry partners to commercialise new stylo varieties that were developed in conjunction with the QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. There are two new shrubby stylo varieties and three new Caatinga stylo varieties.
Initial interest must be registered via email by 5pm AEST on 22 November 2024.
The closing date for full EOI proposals is 5pm AEST on 31st January 2025.
For more information please see the attached information papers for:
National Livestock Genetics Consortium – Independent Chair EOI
Meat & Livestock Australia is seeking expressions of interest from individuals for the role of an Independent Chair of the National Livestock Genetics Consortium.
The National Livestock Genetics Consortium (NLGC) is a skills-based taskforce, established in 2016 by MLA. The NLGC provides direction and support to increase collaboration, transparency, communication and investment in livestock genetics research, development and adoption (RD&A) for the benefit of Australian red meat producers. The primary aim of the NLGC is, through strategic research investments, to increase the rate of genetic progress for traits that drive value chain productivity & sustainability in the sheep and beef industries.
This EOI closes on the 13th of December 2024 – please see attached EOI documents for further detail.
