Restoring the Balance; Carbon Farming Solutions


Scope of Works

Tender - Evaluation, Mid-Term Review and Final Review – Carbon Farming Project

The Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management Pty Ltd (BMRG) is the peak natural resource management body for the Burnett Mary region. BMRG is seeking service providers to provide evaluation assistance, a mid-term and Final Project Review for a project called Restoring the Balance; Carbon Farming Solutions.

BACKGROUND

Restoring the Balance; Carbon Farming Solutions is an Australian Government funded Extension and Outreach program intended to provide primary producers and land managers with relevant carbon farming information and tools.

It is a partnership initiative involving grazing, horticulture and dairy industry stakeholders. These are;the Burnett Catchment Care Association (BCCA),Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers Cooperation (BFVG), and Dairy Australia (DA). Together, project partners and BMRG are known as the project ‘consortium’.

The project is contracted by the Australian Government to BMRG on behalf of the consortium until June 2017.

Objectives of the project are:

  • Involve horticulture and beef primary producers in one-on-one extension and property management planning processes and to build landholder understanding of carbon farming activities and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
  • Create and facilitate an informed and vital network of NRM officers, Agribusiness professionals, Landcare and other community groups that understand carbon farming principles, carbon sequestration and GHG reduction technologies
  • Raise a high level of interest and landholder capacity on carbon farming, carbon sequestration, and GHG reduction technologies

To support industry engagement and strategic implementation of the project, the project has a Steering Committee comprised of representation from the following organisations and agencies:

  • Burnett Catchment Care Association
  • Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Association
  • Dairy Australia
  • Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  • Central Queensland University, and
  • Burnett Mary Regional Group for NRM.

The Steering Committee has been involved in the development of a Work Plan and Communication Strategy, and meet bi-annually. The Steering Committee provide industry, agency and technical feedback to the Coordinator and Extension Officers on progress to date and input into proposed activities.

DESCRIPTION OF WORKS

BMRG requiressupport for developing evaluation for future activities and implementation of a mid-term and final project review:

Preliminary Stage
March – May 2015 /
  • Review existing feedback from evaluation conducted throughout the project so far. BMRG will be responsible for providing all evaluation results conducted to the successful contractor. This will include reviewing analytics from website views, and online activity resulting from the carbon farming eLetter.
  • Prepare written recommendations for future workshops, field days and webinars based on evaluation results and feedback.
  • Work in partnership with BMRG, BCCA and BFVG to prepare suitable evaluation for future events based on feedback provided by landholders and other workshop participants from previous events funded by the project.

Stage II
June 2015 /
  • Undertake evaluation with the Steering Committee using results and recommendations from previous events. This will include facilitation of a participatory face to face evaluation workshop with the steering committee and key influencers that have been involved in the project (Growcom, other BMRG staff, Noosa & District Landcare Group, extension officers and researchers from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) et cetera. BMRG will be responsible for coordinating this workshop, however the successful contractor will be responsible for preparing session content, facilitating the process, and collating feedback for BMRG.

Stage III
July – October 2015 /
  • Using the evaluation workshop results and recommendations from other evaluation that has been conducted since project commencement, prepare a mid-term Review of the project. BMRG’s Carbon Farming Coordinator, and BCCA and BFVG’s Extension Officers must be consulted throughout the review process.
  • Submit a draft mid-term Review to BMRG’s Operations Manager for comments. Submit Final mid-term Review to BMRG by due date.

Final Stage
November 2016 – February 2017 /
  • Review feedback from evaluation conducted throughout the remainder of the project (post mid-term review). BMRG will be responsible for providing all evaluation results conducted to the successful contractor. This will include reviewing analytics from website views, and online activity resultant from the carbon farming eLetter.
  • Prepare a written Final Project Evaluation Review and submit to BMRG by due date.

Additionally, the following are required:

  1. Evidence of current documentation for Workers Compensation Insurance for nominated employees and other insurances including Public Liability ($20M minimum)
  2. Demonstrated capacity to develop evaluation material and the review in consultation with consortium partners to build capacity of Carbon Farming Coordinator, the Horticulture Extension Officer, and Grazing Extension Officer in developing and utilising effective evaluation
  3. Provision of an indicative project plan and proposed timeframes for delivery;
  4. Evaluation workshop – 30 June 2015,
  5. Final mid-term Review – 30 October 2015,
  6. Final Project Evaluation Review – 27 February 2017
  7. Ability to assist in the development of specific evaluation to assess “before” and “after” knowledge, attitude and skills for a major event with landholders scheduled for the last week in April 2015,
  8. Cost effective and carbon neutral approaches toagreed deliverables
  9. Submission of Request for Tender Response Form, itemised quote and indicative Project Planin accordance with Tender Conditions (see below) to be received by COB 27th of February 2015.

Please email quotes and supporting documentation to attention - Michelle Haase.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Michelle Haase – Carbon Farming Coordinator

Burnett Mary Regional Group

193 Bourbong Street

BUNDABERG QLD 4670

Postal: PO Box 501 Bundaberg Q4670

Telephone: (07) 4181 2999

Email:

Request for Tender Response Form

Activity: Evaluation, Mid-Term Review and Final Review – Carbon Farming Project

Contractor Details

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Applicants are required to complete and submit this Request for Tender Response Form in the format below. The information provided on this Request for Tender (RFT) Response Form will form the basis of the contract schedules, if after assessment, this RFT is successful.

1 / Please provide evidence of current documentation for Workers Compensation Insurance for nominated employees and other insurances including Public Liability ($20M minimum).
2 / Please describe in 500 words or less your capacity to develop evaluation material and complete the review in consultation with consortium partners, and build capacity of Carbon Farming Coordinator, the Horticulture Extension Officer, and Grazing Extension Officer in developing and utilising evaluation.
3 / Please provide an indicative project plan and proposed timeframes for delivery as per dates identified in the Description of Works.
4 / In 300 words or less, please indicate your ability to assist in the development of specific evaluation to assess “before” and “after” knowledge, attitude and skills for a major event with landholders scheduled for the last week in April 2015.
5 / In 100 words or less, please identify cost effective and carbon neutral approaches to achieving the agreed deliverables
6 / Provide an itemised quote for completion of agreed deliverables and indicative Project Plan.

TENDER CONDITIONS

Notwithstanding any provision in the tender conditions or any term of the proposed contract the Principal has an absolute discretion to negotiate with any tenderer, is not bound to accept the lowest tender (if applicable) or any tender and otherwise is under no obligation to any tenderer or other party not to conduct its affairs howsoever it wishes to achieve a contract or arrangement to its benefit.
T1 / The Principal contracts only with recognised and acceptable legal entities. The Principal does not contract with firms under any form of external administration. Any tender submitted by an unincorporated business such as a sole trader, partnership, or business name must identify the legal entity that proposes to enter the contract.
T2 / Refer requests for information about the tender to the Principal’s authorised representative shown on the Tender Form.
T3 / Tenderers must nominate at least one contracts/projects completed within the last five years that demonstrate their ability to successfully undertake this scope of works.
T4 / Submit the Tender Form, Tender Schedules and other required documents or information by the date and time given in the advertisement or invitation.Failure to meet this requirement may result in the Tender being passed over.
Lodge the Request for Tender Form and other required information via post, email or fax to Burnett Mary Regional Group, PO Box 501 Bundaberg QLD 4670, , Fax (07) 4154 1427 by the Tender Closing Time, shown on the Tender Form.
T5 / If applicable - The quoted lump sum or rates must include GST if it is payable.
T6 / In evaluating tenders, the Principal may take into consideration factors including, but not limited to: whole of life costs; ability to meet requirements of BMRG’s Procurement Policy; innovation; delivery time; quality offered; previous performance; experience; capability; occupational health and safety performance; industrial relations performance; environmental management performance; community relations; value adding including economic, social and environmental initiatives; and conformity.
T7 / The Principal may consider alternative tenders, provided they meet the scope, functional intent and design concept expressed in the request for tender document. Where an alternative tender is proposed, a detailed description of the alternative must be submitted, stating clearly the manner in which it differs from the requirements of the request for tender document. Alternative tenders will not be considered unless the tenderer has submitted a conforming tender.
T8 / The Principal is not bound to accept the lowest (if applicable) or any tender. Tenders which do not comply with any requirement of, or which contain conditions or qualifications not required or allowed by the request for tender document, may be passed over. The Principal may accept tenders that do not conform strictly with all requirements of the Tender document.
T9 / No Tender, or qualification or departure from a contract condition or specification, is accepted unless the Principal gives an acceptance or formal agreement in writing.
T10 / If, as a result of a request for clarification from a tenderer or for any other reason, the Principal issues an instruction amending the tender documents, the instruction will be issued in writing to all tenderers in the form of an Addendum, which becomes part of the Tender documents. Written Addenda issued by the Principal are the only recognised explanations of, or amendments to, the tender documents.
T11 / The Tenderer must bear its own cost in relation to its participation in the Tender process, including (without limitation) preparing its tender, amending the Tender at the request of BMRG, participating in any post-tender process, participating in any further tender process and the preparation of any materials as requested by BMRG.
The Tenderer has no entitlement to make any claim for any costs, losses, expenses or damages or may suffer in respect of the tender process (including anything else done after submission of tenders) in any circumstances whatsoever.
For clarification, this clause will apply where BMRG has elected to vary the tender process in any way, to forego the tender process with respect to any tender or quotations, to not proceed with the tender process, or to not proceed with the works or the Project.
T12 / A tender is only accepted when accepted in writing by the Chief Executive Officer of the BMRG or their delegate.
T13 / Indicative Tender Process and Timeframe
Activity / Timing
Issue request for tenders / 23 January 2015
Tender days / 35
Tender Closing date / 27February 2015
Tender Evaluations / 2-6March 2015
Award Contract / 16 March 2015
Proposed project completion date / February 2017

27 September 2018