Request for Tender for Schools Environment Program and Request for Proposal for Community Engagement Program/s

⁠⁠⁠Western Sydney Parklands is “Sydney’s Biggest Backyard” covering 5280 hectares of open space across three local government areas, Blacktown, Liverpool and Fairfield. It is a place for people of all backgrounds to meet, celebrate, learn, play and appreciate the environment. The Parklands will be a venue for communities to create and manage a new sustainable future on the Cumberland Plain.

Parklands’ programs aim to:
* Increased awareness of Western Sydney Parklands
* Provide community engagement with the Parklands and its environment
* Offer continuing educational opportunities for schools
* Increase awareness of the environmental issues surrounding open space in an urban environment

The Trust’s long-term management vision includes a target of 2,000 ha of the Parklands for bushland corridor along the entire length of the Parklands, to restore native Cumberland Plain Woodland and protect and improve biodiversity.

As part of this program, Western Sydney Parklands Trust has managed “Bring Back the Bush”, a bush regeneration program for schools. This has run for the past five years resulting in the planting of 100,000 trees and plants in more than 500 planting sessions.

This program is now complete and it is proposed to issue a tender for suitable suppliers to manage and deliver a Schools Environmental Program.

In addition, a Request for Proposal is being sought to evolve and expand the Parklands’ schools and community engagement programs to reach new and larger audiences. The Request for Proposal should consider further opportunities for commercially sustainable interpretation of the Parklands’s heritage and environmental assets, and bushland regeneration and align with the Western Sydney Parklands Trust’s vision to:

* Protect the natural environment
* Respond to new and existing community needs
* Build a strong identity, promoting community awareness, visitation and engagement
* Respect cultural heritage, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
* Provide educational opportunities
* Enhance community health and well-being
* Be accessible to all
* Contribute to the economic development of Western Sydney, including the visitor economy (tourism)
* Create a financially sustainable future for the Trust*

New programs for the Parklands will incorporate a business plan and revenue model that will provide for their sustainable growth and expansion. The Trust’s proposed level of investment will remain for the length of the contract, unless otherwise agreed. Commercial sponsorship of the program may also be sought.

The successful proponent will continue to deliver a Schools Environmental Program within an agreed allocated budget.

Any contract arising from this RFT will be structured as a two-year contract with a plus one-year option, on satisfactory performance, with an annual budget of around $190,000 (ex GST).

A proponent may partner with another entity to broaden the skills base for development and/or delivery of any Proposal.