National Grain Storage Development and Extension (NGSE)

Reference number: PROC-9177123

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Release date:: Monday 30 September 2024
Closing time:: Tuesday 29 October 2024, at 05:00 PM ACT local time
Enquiry deadline:: Tuesday 22 October 2024, at 05:00 PM ACT local time

Summary

This investment focuses on expanding and improving on-farm grain storage, improving maintenance scheduling for storage infrastructure, improving best management practices to protect stored grain from insects, fungi, and mice, enhance product pricing through segregation and cleaning, reduce harvest freight costs, and improve health and safety practices. To achieve these goals, various extension approaches will be employed, including participatory action learning workshops, economic calculators, industry-based case studies, communication materials like factsheets, podcasts, presentations, webinars, and videos. Additionally, grower access to the 1800 WEEVIL support line and collaboration with the 'National resistance monitoring and management of stored grain pests' investment are crucial to this project.

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: Lyndal Gordon – Contract Administrator
Grains Research and Development Corporation
Email: Lyndal.Gordon@grdc.com.au

Make all requests for further information or clarification in relation to this procurement in writing (email) prior to 22 October 2024.

GRDC will publish all requests and responses to requests on the GRDC website under Questions and Answers at the bottom of this webpage.

Consortia response

GRDC will accept Tenders from Consortia.

Lodgement of Tender

Submit your Tender response electronically through the Grains Investment Portal.

AusTender

TBC.

Description

This investment focuses on enhancing on-farm grain storage practices across Australia to improve efficiency, grain quality, and safety. Key areas of improvement include expanding storage infrastructure, optimising maintenance scheduling, and implementing leading management practices to protect stored grain from pests such as insects, fungi, and mice. Additionally, it aims to enhance product value through segregation and cleaning, reduce harvest freight costs, and improve health and safety protocols in grain handling and storage operations.

To achieve these objectives, the investment will use a range of extension approaches, including participatory learning workshops, economic calculators, case studies, and communication materials such as factsheets, podcasts, presentations, webinars, and videos. Grower access to the 1800 WEEVIL support line will be maintained, and the project will collaborate with the National Resistance Monitoring and Management of Stored Grain Pests investment (DAQ2209-001RTX) to ensure alignment in pest management strategies.

The project also supports growers in making informed decisions about on-farm storage infrastructure, leveraging opportunities for price improvements through grain sales timing, and implementing strategies for blending, segregation, and cleaning. The investment will further address health and safety risks in grain handling and provide training to build industry capacity in grain storage practices.

Overall, this investment is designed to reduce grain spoilage, enhance export market access, prolong the effectiveness of fumigants, and improve the technical skills of both existing and new industry staff in managing on-farm grain storage.

Outcome

Outputs

Output 1.

Title: Identify opportunities to invest in on-farm grain storage.

Description: By March 2025 and annually thereafter, decision support tools will be revised and expanded to assist growers in making informed decisions about on-farm grain storage installations, integrating pest control measures. These tools will estimate payback periods and returns on investment (ROI) for various storage structures and should include but not be limited to:

Silo installations (flat and cone), including comparisons of drying and cooling systems, and sealed versus non-sealed options. The calculator will account for reduced ongoing costs and lower spoilage in sealed systems.
Bag-based systems with loading equipment, pad structures, and fumigation capabilities.
Dual-use sheds for grain and fertiliser or machinery storage.
Bunkers.

Considerations will include likely income or savings (with dollar ranges) and associated costs (capital and ongoing, with dollar ranges). Surveys will be conducted to (i) refine estimates of current on-farm grain storage capacity and (ii) analyse future grain storage needs for growers.

Output 2.

Title: Identify the range of grain price improvement opportunities.

Description: By March 2025 and annually thereafter, develop probability analyses of grain sale timing and case studies to identify opportunities for price improvement. These analyses will assess the benefits of holding grain for sale post-harvest, compared to selling at harvest time, and evaluate the financial impact of blending, segregation, and cleaning based on specific circumstances.

The case studies should include but not be limited to:

Probability-based profit estimates for the sale timing of major grains, with adjustments for regional differences across GRDC sub-regions.
Conditions under which segregation becomes financially viable.
Scenarios where blending is profitable.
Situations where grain cleaning offers financial benefits.

Output 3.

Title: Improve the implementation of leading practice management for stored grain pests and disease.

Description: By March 2025 and annually thereafter, develop and deliver a minimum of 15 events per GRDC region (45 events nationally), alongside podcasts, videos, printed materials, Groundcover articles, and GRDC Update papers. These resources will focus on improving pest and disease management for stored grains to reduce grain spoilage, minimise export risks, raise the standard of integrated management practices, and slow the development of fumigant resistance.

Key activities include:

Improving standards for on-farm insect and disease prevention, including hygiene, cooling, reduced humidity systems, and the use of protectants and fumigants.
Developing materials to guide users on registered chemical use, active ingredient rotation, withholding periods, and other critical considerations.
Creating training resources to upskill growers in the application and management of on-farm protectants and fumigants.
Maintaining grower access to expertise via the 1800-WEEVIL support line (1800 933 845).

Note:

The RiskWi$e network will help identify barriers and motivations to adoption, guiding the extension activities.
Surveys will assess current pest control practices and highlight barriers to adopting leading-practice management, improving adoption strategies.
The output will leverage existing grower groups, the National Risk Management Initiative, and networks from previous grain storage projects. GRDC’s communication channels, including event submissions and email campaigns, will be used for outreach.
Collaboration with the investment on National Resistance Monitoring and Management of Stored Grain Pests will ensure alignment in pest management strategies and data sharing to improve pest management practices and reduce fumigant resistance.

Output 4.

Title: Undertake development activities that improve grain storage outcomes.

Description: By March 2026 and annually thereafter, this investment will contribute to ongoing advancements in grain storage by focusing on at least four key areas:

Undertake development activities to assist growers and manufacturers in improving the effectiveness and functionality of existing and new on-farm grain storage.
Co-develop and extend improved engineering approaches to enhance the effectiveness of aeration systems in new and existing storages.
Explore novel methods for maintaining and improving grain quality during storage and its post-storage implications.
Improve techniques for storing and treating grain in temporary storage (e.g., silo bags).
Identify information gaps in leading-practice management to inform future improvements (Output 3).
Update fact sheets on grain storage, including bunkers and other forms of storage.
Provide follow-up support for grain storage users to ensure the successful adoption of improved storage practices.

Output 5.

Title: Progress health and safety knowledge and awareness relating to stored grains.

Description: By March 2025 and annually thereafter, develop and deliver health and safety courses and events (integrated with Output 3), alongside videos and printed materials, to improve knowledge, awareness, and practices in the following areas:

Operating around trucks, augers, and tractors.
Working at heights and in confined spaces.
Handling and applying protectants and fumigants.
Loading and unloading various storage facilities.

Note:

This output will be linked with GRDC’s investment in the Rural Safety and Health Alliance ‘Ag Safety Data Net’ (RDC2401-004OPX), which aims to establish a farm safety data system providing meaningful metrics for safety planning, action, and reporting.

Output 6.

Title: Improve and/or expand industry capacity and capability.

Description: By March 2026 and annually thereafter, this investment will enhance the capability and capacity of skilled expertise in grain storage, supporting the delivery of Outputs 1 to 5. The focus will be on improving the skill base of both existing and new staff in key areas related to on-farm grain storage.

Key activities include:

Training new and existing staff on the technical aspects of grain storage (e.g., related to Outputs 1 to 5).
Providing training on workshop delivery and event management.
Equipping staff with effective communication skills to drive practice change.

Output 7.

Title: Monitoring, evaluation and tracking industry metrics and trends.

Description: By March 2025 and annually thereafter, collect and analyse metrics to assess the effectiveness of this investment in driving practice change and to identify future opportunities for on-farm grain storage.

Key activities include:

Conducting surveys at workshops to establish baseline and post-investment on-farm storage capacity.
Completing surveys to assess the frequency of stored grain assessments and fumigation practices on-farm.
Estimating the value improvements growers have experienced from storing grain on-farm.
Tracking metrics that provide insights into industry changes and trends.

Proposed Budget

Proposed Contract & Term

GRDC will contract under the terms of the Services 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.

It is anticipated that any resultant contract in relation to this procurement will commence with a proposed term of 5 years.

Conditions for Participation

The following are mandatory conditions with which a Tenderer must comply to participate in this procurement process:

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 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 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.

Minimum Form and Content Requirements

The following are the mandatory content and format requirements that the Tenderer must complete and provide to participate in this procurement process:

Submit Tenders using the Grains Investment Portal.
Write Tenders in English and express any measurements in Australian legal units of measurement.
Budget details must be submitted on the ‘GRDC Budget Template’ provided in the Grains Investment Portal.

Evaluation Criteria

In the table below are the Evaluation Criteria that the Tender Evaluation Team will use to assess the value for money of all Tenders.

No	Type	Weighting
1	Technical – Qualitative evaluation criteria related to non-price factors such as methodology, project plan, track record, experience.
1a	Strategic plan for project delivery and outcome achievement A high-level strategic plan that outlines: (a) The approach for achieving the project’s overall outcome, including pathways to impact. (b) Identification of and engagement with target users of the project outputs (e.g., grain growers, storage facility managers, agronomists, farm advisers) and how the project will directly meet their needs. (c) Key strategies for addressing the complex issues of grain storage, pest management, and industry capacity-building. (d) Consideration of innovative approaches and flexibility to adapt to emerging industry needs.	30%
1b	Detailed plan for output delivery and project execution A comprehensive plan for delivering the project outputs, including: (a) The methodology and practical steps for achieving each output, including the use of statistical analysis where relevant. (b) Clearly defined milestones, deliverables, and timelines for each phase. (c) Specific locations and methods for extension and development activities. (d) Plan for monitoring, evaluation, and tracking industry metrics and trends over the life of the project. (e) A detailed budget, showing funding allocation by year and potential co-investments. (f) Project governance, structure, and management, including risk management strategies for this complex program.	40%
1c	Proven expertise and capability of the project team Demonstrated expertise and relevant achievements, including: (a) Proven leadership and coordination skills of the project leader in managing large, complex projects, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality outputs, engaging effectively with stakeholders and industry bodies, and navigating multi-stakeholder environments. (b) The project team’s capacity to collaborate effectively with national and international research organisations, industry personnel, and relevant stakeholders, and to build on existing research in grain storage, pest management, and related fields. (c) A strong track record of delivering impactful, large-scale extension programs in agriculture or related sectors.	30%
2	Price - The tendered budget.	N/A
3	Risk - Risks inherent in the application including the degree of compliance with the draft contract and any actual or perceived conflict of interest.	N/A
4	Australian economy - The economic benefit of the procurement to the Australian economy.	N/A

Lodging a Tender

Questions and Answers

Q1. Outputs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 have timeframes of ‘by March 2025 and annually thereafter’. It could be understood that 12 months of work is due in the first 3-4 months of the project, then annually thereafter. Clarity around the March 2025 due date would be helpful.

A1. it means that the first delivery for that output is in March – this would comprise the planning and development and any deliverables undertaken in the interim, and then the following is annual delivery thereafter.

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