Understanding the global market, potential enablers and barriers to commercial use of biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides in Australian grain production

Request for Tender

Understanding the global market, potential enablers and barriers to commercial use of biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides in Australian grain production

Australian broadacre growers have experienced cost pressure for inputs including fuel and fertilisers. Biofertiliser solutions may offer a means to save on production costs, improve the quality of crops and take care of the environment. Biostimulants are natural or organic substances that can enhance plant growth, development, and resilience. Biostimulants could potentially support sustainable agriculture but also contribute to reduced reliance on synthetic growth regulators and chemical inputs. They may also create an opportunity to differentiate and add value to Australia’s agricultural exports. Biopesticides, (including bio-insecticides) can come from plants, microbes, or other organic sources, and are highly compatible with integrated pest management practices. An understanding of the current international research landscape and the potential impact of these product types and categories is necessary to inform future research direction.

Reference No.

PROC-9177054

Release Date

Monday 22nd of April 2024

Closing Time

Wednesday 22nd of May 2024, at 05:00 PM ACT local time

Offer Period

Offers will remain open for acceptance by the GRDC for a period of 6 months after the closing time.

Enquiry Deadline

Wednesday 15th of May 2024, at 05:00 PM ACT local time

Document Contact and Enquiries

Attention: Kim Gilbert

Grains Research and Development Corporation

Email: tenders@grdc.com.au

All requests for further information or clarification in relation to this investment should be made in writing (email) prior to Wednesday 15th of May 2024, 05:00 PM ACT local time

All requests and responses to requests will be published on the GRDC website under Questions and Answers at the bottom of this webpage.

Consortia response

GRDC will not accept Tenders from Consortia.

Lodgement

Tenderers must submit their responses electronically through the Grains Investment Portal at: https://access.grdc.com.au - Please read this entire page before lodging an application in the Grains Investment Portal

AusTender View on AusTender

N/A

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is a statutory corporation established under the Primary Industries Research and Development Act 1989. It is subject to accountability and reporting obligations set out in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. It is responsible for planning, investing in and overseeing research and development, and delivering improvements in production, sustainability and profitability across the Australian grains industry. Learn more about what GRDC does.

Description

Outcome

Outputs

Output	Description
Output 1: Consultancy report that provides GRDC with recommendations for future implementation and adoption of biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticide in Australian broadacre crop production	A detailed report that documents the value of and scope for using biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides in broadacre cropping and provides recommendations to the grain industry. The report will be divided into the following sections: Section 1: Review of the agronomic impact (including timing of application and associated crop response) and the economic benefit of biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides (building on UOQ2111-003CAX which focussed on biofungicides). Section 2: Review of International product development and production of biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticides, global uptake, market trends and adoption in broadacre cropping. Section 3: Current adoption and market trends of biostimulants, biofertilisers and biopesticides in international markets and the Australian market, including an assessment of barriers to entry of international products in the Australian market, barriers to adoption, regulatory requirements, and market attractiveness for international producers. Section 4: Identification of best bet product types or product categories and knowledge gaps identified requiring further research to achieve anticipated benefits and uptake for these product types or product categories. Provide a separate assessment for each (biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticide) including an assessment of their performance, limitations and potential for private sector investment Identify knowledge gaps to inform future research requirements. Section 5: Path to market in broadacre cropping in Australia.

Output

Description

Output 1: Consultancy report that provides GRDC with recommendations for future implementation and adoption of biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticide in Australian broadacre crop production

A detailed report that documents the value of and scope for using biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides in broadacre cropping and provides recommendations to the grain industry.

The report will be divided into the following sections:

Section 1: Review of the agronomic impact (including timing of application and associated crop response) and the economic benefit of biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides (building on UOQ2111-003CAX which focussed on biofungicides).

Section 2: Review of International product development and production of biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticides, global uptake, market trends and adoption in broadacre cropping.

Section 3: Current adoption and market trends of biostimulants, biofertilisers and biopesticides in international markets and the Australian market, including an assessment of barriers to entry of international products in the Australian market, barriers to adoption, regulatory requirements, and market attractiveness for international producers.

Section 4: Identification of best bet product types or product categories and knowledge gaps identified requiring further research to achieve anticipated benefits and uptake for these product types or product categories.

Provide a separate assessment for each (biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticide) including an assessment of their performance, limitations and potential for private sector investment
Identify knowledge gaps to inform future research requirements.

Section 5: Path to market in broadacre cropping in Australia.

Proposed Budget

Proposed Contract & Term

GRDC will contract under the terms of the Consultancy 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 from the GRDC website at https://grdc.com.au/research/partnering-in-rde-investment/contract-templates

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

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	A list of all key personnel, including proposed sub-contractors, detailing relevant: consulting experience scientific/agricultural background or exposure achievements of the consultancy lead in providing effective leadership, management and timely delivery of high-quality outputs.	40%
1b	Evidence of the ability and experience to deliver similar consultancy outcomes and outputs, including details of previous relevant project/s where the organisation has: met contractual obligations managed sub-contractors (if applicable) collaboration with relevant organisations and industry achieved impact. Note: include details of the impact.	25%
1c	A detailed plan to deliver the consultancy outcome and output, specifying the: approach to be taken key tasks/milestones, responsible parties and indicative timeframes project team structure and management arrangements, including collaborations with research organisations or commercial companies, where applicable.	35%
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. The output for this tender (specifically section 1 of the required output) identifies that the section is to build on UOQ2111-003CAX which focussed on biofungicides.

Can this report be provided as a reference for applicants to ensure that the section response complies with this requirement.

A1. The intent is that biofungicides have been adequately covered and that the consultancy should only focus on bioherbicides and biopesticides. Applicants are free to decide on how best to cover these two remaining categories. If viewing the biofungicide report is deemed necessary then applicants would be required to request access from GRDC ( via email) and complete a confidentiality agreement to be able to view the report.

Q2. Clarification regarding Question 1 response. The answer specifies that the consultancy should concentrate solely on bioherbicides and biopesticides, yet the tender title explicitly mentions biofertilizers and biostimulants. Could you please elaborate on GRDC's expectations regarding the consultancy's coverage of biofertilizers and biostimulants, in addition to bioherbicides and biopesticides?”

A2. The consultancy must cover biofertilisers, biostimulants and biopesticides. In terms of biopesticides it is only necessary to focus on bioherbicides and bioinsecticides as biofungicides have already been addressed.

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