Friday 14 February 2025, at 05:00 PM ACT local time
Enquiry deadline:
Friday 31 January 2025, at 05:00 PM ACT local time
Industry briefing
2 pm Canberra Local Time on Tuesday, 7 January 2025. Refer to Clause 10 RFT Terms and Conditions on how to register.
Summary
Large-seeded crops can produce varying grain quality outcomes under different environmental, management, and handling conditions. Growers and the industry alike need to have accurate sampling technology and methods at the point of receival to reduce business costs, risks and uncertainty. Growers have questioned the consistency and accuracy of the current sampling probes, particularly for larger pulse seeds such as chickpeas and faba beans.
This project seeks to understand the accuracy of current technology for larger seeded pulses and aims to provide either:
Confidence in the current technology and protocols; or
Identify inaccuracies and recommend potential new sampling technology design(s) and/or protocols for potential adoption by industry that benefit all industry stakeholders.
Offer period
Offers will remain open for acceptance by the GRDC for a period of 6 months after the Closing Time.
Document contact and enquiries
Attention: Contract Administrator, Enabling Technologies Grains Research and Development Corporation Email: etcontract.administrator@grdc.com.au
Make all requests for further information or clarification in relation to this procurement in writing (email) prior to 31 January 2025.
GRDC will publish all requests and responses to requests on the GRDC website under Questions and Answers at the bottom of this webpage.
This project is dedicated to the evaluation of sampling technologies across the grain industry to provide confidence in the current systems and process and/or recommend potential new sampling technology design(s) and/or protocols. Any insights gained will be used to propose updated industry standards that aim to improve the quality of assessments at grain receival points.
The primary objectives of this investment are to:
Identify the minimum parameters for accurate sampling through modelling;
Validate the effectiveness of current sampling probes and protocols, and subject to the outcomes of this;
Conduct large-scale evaluations in the lab, using proxies with known mass and shape for grain and contaminants, to compare various sampling methods; and
New potential sampling technology design(s) and protocols will be developed for proposed adoption by industry and are expected to include, but are not limited to, specific guidelines for air/vacuum force, probe diameter, and sampling patterns.
Applicants are expected to include a strategy for industry engagement and comprehensive communication with growers.
Candidates who believe they can contribute to one or more of the specified project focus areas are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to those who can demonstrate proficiency across all four project focus areas.
By 2028, growers and industry stakeholders will have confidence in the objective testing process, and/or technology design and protocol improvements will result in a substantive reduction (at least 2.5%) in grain classification sampling error.
Report detailing minimum parameters required for accurate sampling, determined by modelling probe diameter, sampling angle, and air/vacuum force, to set industry benchmarks for sampling accuracy.
Output 2
Sampling Validation Report
Validation report on the effectiveness of current sampling protocols and probes, assessing whether they meet industry standards or exhibit limitations.
Output 3
Lab Evaluation Report
Lab-scale evaluation results report based on modelling insights, using a controlled proxy for grain and contaminants to compare sampling probes; findings will inform readiness for field trials.
Output 4
Design Specifications Proposal Document
Design specifications and guideline document for new sampling technology and protocols, with recommendations on air/vacuum force, probe diameter, and sampling patterns for industry adoption.
GRDC will contract under the terms of the GRDC Standard Two-Party Research Contract.
The schedule(s) attached to the contract will detail the project details: the outcomes, outputs, milestones, budget, participating personnel and required intellectual property.
The template contract containing the proposed Terms and Conditions is available on the Application resources page on the GRDC website.
The following are mandatory conditions with which a Tenderer must comply to participate in this procurement process:
The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not be named on the Consolidated List, being the list of persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans under Australian sanction laws, as maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not have a judicial decision against it (not including decisions under appeal) relating to employee entitlements and who have not paid the claim.
The Tenderer must be a single legal entity or recognised firm of partners except where the Tender is submitted by a consortium and the Tender specifies that each member of the proposed consortium will be party to the contract.
The Tenderer and any proposed subcontractor must be compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 and any other applicable labour laws and standards in the jurisdiction in which they operate.
The following are the mandatory content and format requirements that the Tenderer must complete and provide to participate in this procurement process:
