P2007349: AHDB Knowledge Exchange Call - Assessment and analysis at AHDB Strategic Cereal Farms

Background

AHDB Farm Excellence is a channel for integrating farmers and their businesses into the wider AHDB Research and Knowledge Exchange (KE) programmes. Across AHDB sectors, we work with an extensive scope of agricultural businesses. We have inspirational farmers opening their doors to others to learn, share and create new ideas to drive innovation and increase productivity.

Strategic Cereal Farm demonstrate new ways of working in a commercial setting. The programme demonstrates relevant research through a series of trials and demonstrations in addition to knowledge exchange events to share the results with the wider industry. Approaches are subject to full cost-benefit analysis and are designed to help farmers assess the possibility of changing approaches on their own farms. You can find out more about AHDB Farm Excellence by visiting: ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence.

Currently there are three Strategic Cereal Farms.

Strategic Cereal Farm East: hosted by Brian Barker at Lodge Farm, Stowmarket. The Strategic Cereal Farm East started on 1 September 2017 and will end on 31 August 2023. You can find out more information by visiting: ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/strategic_cereal_farm_east  

Strategic Cereal Farm West: hosted by Rob Fox at Squab Hall Farm, Leamington Spa. The Strategic Cereal Farm West started on 1 September 2018 and will end on 31 August 2024. You can find out more information by visiting: ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/strategic_cereal_farm_west

Strategic Cereal Farm Scotland: hosted by David Aglen at Balbirnie Home Farms, Fife. The Strategic Cereal Farm Scotland is the latest addition to the AHDB Strategic Farm programme and will run from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2026. You can find our more information by visiting: ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/strategic_cereal_farm_scotland

Aim

AHDB wish to commission assessments at three Strategic Cereal Farms for harvest 2021, with the potential to renew the contract for subsequent harvests subject to review of milestones and deliverables. The aim of the assessments is to provide information to cereal and oilseed farmers and agronomists on opportunities to improve the resource efficiency of farming.

Research partnership approach

Applicants can respond to individual work packages in this call. Joint proposals from two or more contractors are acceptable and encouraged where there is added value. AHDB may, if it is deemed desirable, request applicants to form a consortium to work together. There should be one organisation designated as the lead organisation for the Partnership that is responsible for project management and delivery. The group size should be manageable. Prospective partnerships can comprise both research institutes and industrial partners, be multi-disciplinary, and draw on a range of research experience for a number of crops. Therefore, the group does not necessarily need to have a history of working together previously. Priority will be given to the applicants with joint proposals demonstrating added value and with in-kind and or cash funding from the industry.

Project duration and budget

AHDB has set aside a maximum total budget of £50,000 per farm over 12 months. Proposals for this call should provide detailed costs for the period 1 September 2020 – 1 October 2021. There is the potential to renew the contract for subsequent harvests subject to review of milestones and deliverables.

The earliest date of commencement for work funded in this call will be September 2020. The successful contractor will be required to provide monthly trials diaries to AHDB. During the period of disease assessment, the successful contractor will be required to provide trials diaries following each assessment.

Completion and submission of the application form

All applicants should complete an application form for projects over £50,000 using the AHDB Research and KE Application Form – Full Proposal Large, referring to the guidance notes to aid completion. 

Applicants should use one application form but address each farm site separately. Applicants can respond to this call with a proposal that covers one, two or three of the sites. Applicants can respond to individual work packages in this call.

Proposals should include details relating to harvest 2021 trials, including:

• Detailed schedule and timing of assessments

• Detailed schedule of payments against milestone project deliverables

• Cost of measurements and analysis of the parameters listed in the work package

• Written content for Open Day (June 2021) and Results Day (November 2021) handouts, using a template provided by AHDB

• The successful contractor will also be required to provide AHDB will final reports for all trials/ work packages using a template provided by AHDB, to include methodology, analysis and interpretation of the final results

• Details of laboratories to be used for sample analysis

• Applicant details, including the project lead, nominated trial manager and organisation details. Please include any details of collaborators where appropriate

• Statement of availability and description of machinery where appropriate

• Details of previous experience and work in this field, to include scientific and technical expertise of the staff involved in the project

• Availability of speaker at AHDB Knowledge Exchange events during the project

Applications are made on the basis of the AHDB research funding agreement and any organisation receiving funding shall comply with the terms and conditions specified in the Contract. AHDB will not be held responsible for any expenses or losses incurred by applicants in the preparation of an application(s).

Completed application forms should be submitted to research@ahdb.org.uk no later than 09:00 on 17 August 2020.

Proposed timings for application and overall project delivery

Once the successful applicant has been notified, an inception meeting will be arranged the week beginning Monday 24 August 2020.  This meeting will take place online using Microsoft Teams before the project commences to finalise the protocol and site accessibility.

An interim project meeting will be held in April 2021 and data collected up to this date should be provided to AHDB with interim project reports for each trial.

Project management

This project will be managed by a project committee comprising representatives of the successful applicant, AHDB staff, host farmer and other suitably qualified individuals (determined by AHDB). The successful applicant must appoint a trial manager for the day to day management of the project and must provide evidence in their application that these individuals have suitable experience.

The successful applicant must draw up a protocol for the trials which should be shared with the project committee before work begins.

Records and data handling: All paper and electronic records must be kept as per contractor’s procedures. Data should be recorded appropriately, and supplied to AHDB at the end of the project along with a final project report.

Procedures in the event of delays: If prolonged adverse conditions result in delays of over 7 days, notify the AHDB Knowledge Transfer Manager promptly.

Risk assessment: The contractor must supply a risk assessment for the trial to cover all elements of the work and that is compliant with industry regulations.

Assessment of Proposals

All submitted proposals will be reviewed by cross-sector research and KE representatives within AHDB. The selection will be an open and fair competition according to AHDB’s procurement policy, which complies with EU state aid rules.

Knowledge Exchange (KE)

The successful contractor will be required to make a significant contribution to KE. Platform presentations at AHDB events may be required and the successful contractor must be able to provide suitably qualified people to speak at these events and show evidence of their experience of speaking to grower audiences. Attendance at events will be paid at a day rate plus expenses (see below) and the costs should not be included in the contractor’s proposal.

The successful contractor will be required to provide AHDB with content for the Open Day (June 2021) and Results Day (November 2021) handouts, using a template provided by AHDB. The successful contractor will also be required to provide AHDB will final reports for all trials/work packages, using a template provided by AHDB. The costs, including time required, for this must be included within the proposal submission and these costs should be indicated separately. Final reports should be provided to AHDB by 1 December 2021.

The successful contractor may also be expected to contribute towards the preparation of publications, updates and blog posts related to the project as required on an ad-hoc basis. This will include providing commentary on project results, and sense checking.

Presentations of material at events not requested by and/or directly supported by AHDB will not be funded by AHDB, but must be cleared with AHDB in advance.

Current AHDB day rates and expenses for presenters at AHDB events: speaker day rate of £475 + VAT. Receipts (originals or copies) must be provided for all expenses claimed. Expenses authorised whilst engaged on business on behalf of AHDB.

• Travel

  • (Business mileage 45p/mile)

• Subsistence

  • Evening meal – up to £28.00 per person, inclusive of VAT

  • Other meals – up to £10.00 per person, inclusive of VAT

• Accommodation

  • maximum of £160 for London and any other capital city inclusive of VAT

  • maximum of £110 per night elsewhere inclusive of VAT

• Other reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred

Questions and Answers

If you have specific questions relating to this call, please email research@ahdb.org.uk. All questions and answers will be published. As part of the open tender process, AHDB cannot discuss specific programme details prior to proposal submission. 

Further details can be found by following the links listed below:

Strategic Cereal Farm East

• Work Package 1: Managed lower inputs;

• Work Package 2: Cover crops;

• Work Package 3: Flower strips;

• Work Package 4: Marginal Land.

Strategic Cereal Farm West

• Work Package 5: Managed lower outputs;

• Work Package 6: Flower strips;

• Work Package 7: Cultivation;

• Work Package 8: Organic matter;

• Work Package 9: Autumn blackgrass control;

• Work Package 10: Repeat baselining.

Strategic Cereal Farm Scotland

• Work Package 11: Soil assessments; 

• Work Package 12: Pests and natural enemies;

• Work Package 13: Plant health;

• Work Package 14: Crop nutrition trial.