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NGN Summer weeds fleabane and sowthistle management demonstrations for the Victorian Mallee

NGN Summer weeds fleabane and sowthistle management demonstrations for the Victorian Mallee

Reference number: PROC-9177221

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Release date:: Friday 28 February 2025
Closing time:: Thursday 27 March 2025, at 05:00 PM ACT local time
Enquiry deadline:: Thursday 20 March 2025, at 05:00 PM ACT local time

Summary

Fleabane and sowthistle are challenging summer weeds affecting Victorian Mallee growers, with prolific seed production and resistance to multiple herbicides. At NGN forums, growers identified these weeds as a primary constraint due to the high cost of effective chemical control. GRDC has invested in research and tools like the 'Integrated Weed Management Manual' and 'Summer Weed Tool' to guide the management of these weeds. This investment will validate and demonstrate management strategies in trials over two years to reduce fleabane and sowthistle populations using current chemical and cultural control options. Victorian Mallee growers will be provided with peer-to-peer learning opportunities via extension activities to further refine and effectively implement these strategies.

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: Anjana Gakhar
Grains Research and Development Corporation
Email: cpprocurements@grdc.com.au

Make all requests for further information or clarification in relation to this procurement in writing (email) prior to 20 March 2025.

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 not accept Tenders from Consortia.

Lodgement of Tender

Submit your Tender response electronically through the Grains Investment Portal.

AusTender

https://www.tenders.gov.au/Advert/Show/05ee5878-55e0-4a14-8ff8-554434baa7b6

Description

Fleabane and sowthistle are difficult to control summer weeds impacting growers in the Victorian Mallee. Seed production of both fleabane and sowthistle is prolific, can spread by wind, and can produce several generations through multiple germination events each year. These weed species are particularly problematic to manage in summer fallows where they reduce stored water availability to subsequent crops, and a reliance on herbicides to manage these weeds has led to development of resistance to Groups 2 (sulfonylurea) and 9 (glyphosate) herbicides, and additionally Group 22 (paraquat) in fleabane and Group 4 (2,4-D) in sowthistle. At NGN forums held at Lake Cullulleraine, Natya, Pyramid Hill and Manangatang in August 2024 hard to control weeds including fleabane and sowthistle were identified as growers’ primary constraint. The forum participants discussed the economics of summer chemical control options, with effective options such as the application of ‘double knocks’ with labour requirements costing around $50/ha, which is considered generally prohibitive in these low rainfall areas. GRDC has invested in research to understand the biology and ecology of these weeds and inform management tactics to ultimately reduce seed set. These strategies have been evaluated and compiled in the ‘Integrated Weed Management Manual’. Additionally, GRDC has invested in the recently released ‘Summer Weed Tool’ application that assists growers to consider the benefits of weed control for yield, prospective profit, and water retention. Victorian Mallee grain growers are experiencing limited effectiveness of current weed control strategies and now seek to explore new tools and practices to manage fleabane and sowthistle and take pressure off their summer spray program.

Outcome

Outputs

Output 1.

By March 2027, delivery of trial sites that demonstrate effective summer weed management strategies for fleabane and sowthistle.

A minimum of 6 demonstration trial sites (3 sites over 2 seasons)
Each field site is to be chosen based on known infestations of fleabane and/or sowthistle.
Consult researchers with previous fleabane and sowthistle weed science expertise.
Consult with local advisers on trial design and treatments.
Trials to compare grower standard against proven treatments from previous research and observations.
Demonstrations may include the role of in-crop control or late crop desiccation, and use of residual herbicide chemistries.
A minimum of 2 paddock case studies that document where fleabane and/or sowthistle weed populations have been effectively managed.
Demonstrate the impact of preceding crop competition on resulting weed populations.
Test and demonstrate the ‘Summer Weed Tool’ app at each site.
Measurements/observations will include weed number, herbicide efficacy, weed size at application (biomass and surface area), number of control escapees, and new germinations into sowing.
Herbicides* to be used will have registered use patterns applicable for the crops and situations where these weeds occur.

*Final herbicide treatments/protocols will be developed with consultation and approval of the GRDC investment manager and GRDC Manager of Chemical Regulation.

Output 2.

By April 2027, delivery of extension/communication activities targeted at growers to increase understanding of management strategies for summer weed management of fleabane and sowthistle.

Develop a communication and extension plan.

Extension activities will include:

A minimum of 1 presentation at each field trial sites each year, as part of local peer to peer group ‘field walk’ events (total 6).
A minimum of 2 presentations at industry forums/workshops or GRDC Research Updates
Utilise validated results from Output 1 and target information for growers and advisers.
Detail key herbicide resistance present and management strategies.
Utilise available resources and extension platforms (e.g. GRDC, Groundcover, podcast, videos,).
Upload final trial report to the GRDC ‘Online Farm Trials’ website for public reference.

Measure and evaluate:

Record current grower practices at the beginning of the project to benchmark practice change as management strategies are demonstrated, and to evaluate impact and grower adoption post project completion.

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 two 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
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	Project Plan A clear and thorough plan to achieve the project outputs, specifying: a) method to be used (including anticipated statistical analysis capacity) b) proposed milestones c) proposed locations of field experiments (if required to deliver project outputs) d) staffing (including relevant skills, experience and availability of key personnel and proposed subcontractors) e) budget (defining the funds sought in each year of the project and the potential investment from all parties) f) project structure and management arrangements	60%
1b	Track Record Demonstrated track record of the project team, including: a) relevant achievements of the project leader in providing leadership, co-ordination, management, monitoring and evaluation and the timely delivery of high quality outputs b) relevant technical knowledge and experience of all key personnel (including proposed subcontractors) in the research area c) ability of the project team to collaborate with the relevant research organisations and industry personnel to build on the research (national and international) already undertaken in this area	40%
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

Lodging a Tender

Questions and Answers

Q1. Since the target weeds are summer species, would GRDC consider adjusting the start and end dates to cover 2 full seasons for trials and related communication?

A1. No. This investment will validate and demonstrate management strategies using current chemical and cultural control options applied in crop or late crop (preharvest), harvest and summer fallow for season 2025 and 2026.

Q2. In regards to 2 paddock case studies, are these expected to highlight grower success stories with no further experimentation required?

A2. Yes. Or if applicable paddock management applied or tested successfully during the term of the project.

Q3. It is unclear what is expected in terms of including cultural/non-chemical methods? We believe the trials will be in fallow situations, but we are happy to account for previous crop/residue management etc but not necessarily include any treatments on crop competition.

A3. Cultural methods to consider include; crop competition, spot spraying, chipping, hand roguing, wiper technologies, grazing, fallow and pre-sowing cultivation. Please refer to prior research reports including the GRDC Integrated Weed Management In Australian Cropping Systems' publication for more ideas on validated methods for fleabane and sowthistle management.