MLA/GRDC Partnership – Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) projects
Preliminary applications open: Thursday, 15 August 2024
Preliminary applications close: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Terms of Reference (TOR): Click here to open the MLA GRDC Partnership PDS Terms of Reference
The close linkages between MLA’s PDS program and GRDC’s National Grower Network (NGN) in delivering impactful, locally relevant on-farm projects have created an opportunity to develop a partnership demonstration site program targeted towards mixed farming systems.
This partnership program will support groups of producers to demonstrate, adapt and validate the benefits of integrating new management practices, research and development outputs, and associated skills within the context of their commercial production systems.
The key outcome of the program is producer adoption of the demonstrated management practices, resulting in improved business performance.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) & Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) Pilot Producer Demonstration Site Program is offering funding of up to $2,160,000 over four years.
MLA and GRDC are calling for preliminary applications for PDS projects related to improving mixed farming enterprise business profitability and productivity that can commence during 2024–2025, addressing the MLA/GRDC Partnership PDS program priorities across the mixed farming regions of Australia.
Applications must:
- Be initiated by a producer group and address a key adoption issue limiting farm productivity and profitability, resulting in impact when adopted by producers. The practice or technology being demonstrated should aim to enhance the synergies of livestock and grain production
- Demonstrate the integration of new technologies or management practices, research and development outputs, and associated skills on a minimum of three different properties and at a commercially relevant scale. Some flexibility is offered for projects in extensive regions
- Consist of a core group of producers directly involved in the project with a larger network of producers (observers) keen to attend events/activities and receive communications to learn about outcomes
- Core producers are responsible for much of the in-field activities (e.g. measurements, stock rotations etc.)
- Be based on known, scientifically proven practices and/or commercially available technology, i.e. not research on a problem/issue or proof of concept
- Have a robust method designed to test an outcome, including controls for comparison
- Have a suitably skilled facilitator to guide group activity, coordinate extension activities, implement protocols, and report back to MLA and GRDC
- Include extension and communication activities to extend key messages and learnings beyond the core group. All projects will be required to develop a communication plan using the templates provided by MLA
- Implement monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) processes to demonstrate producer engagement, practice change and the benefit to the production businesses and broader industry. All projects will be required to develop a MER plan using MLA's standard framework within six weeks of commencing, and support will be available to assist facilitators with development. A copy of the MER plan guidelines are available here.
- Submit a Data Management Plan (DMP):
- The initial DMP is about establishing how data will be handled and stored, both for ‘in project’ use and sharing amongst Programs and upon maturity of the data and the long-term storage in approved data repositories.
- The DMP template can be found here: GRDC RD&E Data Management Plan
- For further detailed information, refer to GRDC RD&E Data Capture and Storage Guidelines for Research Partners.
The Terms of Reference, accompanied by the MLA GRDC partnership PDS program application guidelines, outline all information relating to preparing and submitting a preliminary application.
Preliminary applications for the MLA/GRDC Partnership PDS program are required to address one of the priorities outlined below for the mixed farming systems of Australia across Qld, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, TAS and southern WA (see maps of regions):
- Human and animal wellbeing that supports communities and social license and ensures diversity of access to markets for Australian producers.
- Optimise pasture and grain crop productivity through best management of plant nutrition and soils and enhanced biosecurity, weed, pest and disease control to improve profitability.
- Sustainable, responsible production systems adapted to climate variability through business planning, enterprise mix, and risk management strategies. Demonstrating employment of commercial technologies, such as remote monitoring, virtual fencing, and drones, to increase efficiency and address labour shortfalls.
- Demonstration of value-add opportunities in mixed farming systems to increase margins and/or lower post-farm gate costs.
Producer groups wishing to engage in an MLA/GRDC Partnership PDS projects will be able to access up to $100,000 per year, for up to 40 months to a maximum value of $360,000.
For details on what the funding can be used for, refer to the “what is funded” section of the Terms of Reference.
All MLA/GRDC Partnership PDS projects require cash investment in the project, which is matched by the MLA Donor Company (MDC). For more information on the funding, the split, and cash contribution, refer to the “what is funded” section of the Terms of Reference.
All producer groups will need to engage a facilitator who is experienced in group coordination and extension, monitoring and evaluation of on-farm practice change and communication and reporting.
Funding is available for groups of mixed farming producers to validate and demonstrate the business value of integrating new commercially available technologies and on-farm management practices into local production systems.
All contracts will be required to be with a company or other legal entity, excluding individuals/sole traders. For unincorporated producer groups, arrangements should be made for contracting through an affiliated company.
Where the intended contracted party is a Trustee (on behalf of a trust), MLA will require copies of ID for all Trustees and a copy of the Trust Deed.
The Tenderer must provide details of its current insurance policies, and each proposed subcontractor and supplier as outlined in the preliminary and full applications.
Selection of preliminary applications and full applications will be based on the following criteria:
- Alignment with priorities outlined in the terms of reference
- Number and enthusiasm of producers in the core group and opportunity for broader scale engagement across the observer group/district
- Potential impact on producer business profit drivers & industry profitability
- Project team's capability to undertake the requirements of a PDS
- A very clear and measurable objective(s)
- Methodology to demonstrate the business value of the technology/practice/innovation(s) and achieve practice change.
- Extension and communications plan and activities within the PDS group (core) and more broadly (observer group and nationally)
- Proposed monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER) activities and data management plan
- Value for money.
Terms of Reference
Preliminary
- MLA/GRDC Partnership PDS Preliminary PDS Application Form
- MLA/GRDC Preliminary Application Guidelines
Full application
General
Applications and supporting documents are to be emailed to pds@mla.com.au on or before the due dates as outlined below:
- Preliminary Applications must be submitted on or before 25 September 2024.
- All preliminary applicants will be notified of acceptance or otherwise by 23 October 2024.
- Successful preliminary applicants will be invited to submit a Full Application by 20 November 2024.
- All successful full applicants will be notified by 19 December 2024.
- Projects will be contracted and ready to commence by early 2025.
Important information regarding the tender process:
- Tenders must comply with all requirements specified in the request for tender/terms of reference.
- The requirements specified in this request for tender apply to both the preliminary and full applications.
- Applications are to be submitted an electronic/soft copy.
- All sections within the preliminary application form must be completed in full. Preliminary applications are not to exceed 4 pages; the privacy collection notice can be pushed over to the 5th page only.
- Where invited to submit a full application, the current version of the Full Application Form must be completed in its entirety.
- Annexure 1 of the Terms of Reference contains a tender declaration to be completed by the Tenderer and submitted with the preliminary application.
- Annexure 2 of the Terms of Reference contains an MDC Source of funds declaration to be completed by the Tenderer and submitted with the preliminary application.
- MLA has been appointed as the managing agent for MLA and GRDC.
- The Terms of Agreement MLA wishes to enter with the successful Tenderer may be requested by emailing pds@mla.com.au. MLA is non-negotiable on the terms of the agreement.
- Where the successful Tenderer has a negotiated standard agreement with MLA, the terms of that agreement will apply. Where no previously negotiated agreement is in place unless clearly stated to the contrary in the tender, all terms of our MLA Umbrella Research Agreement will apply.
- Tenderers of successful full applications will be provided with a link to complete a questionnaire regarding modern slavery due diligence. Completion of the questionnaire is required before progressing with contracting.
There are no frequently asked questions published at this stage.
