AgriFutures Emerging Industries Request for Quotation: Development of 5-year strategic RDE Plans for six emerging industries

⁠⁠⁠This Request for Quotation (RFQ) is seeking services to undertake desktop research and engage with six newly identified agricultural industries to create robust Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Plans for Emerging Industries.

The aim of this project is to provide industry stakeholders and AgriFutures Australia with an RD&E Plan that outlines the key constraints and opportunities for growth within each industry, including key RD&E investment priorities and recommendations for scaling and/or adaptation to further enhance industry growth.

Applicants are required to have a demonstrated track record in strategy development formulation and excellent relationship management skills. This experience is required, along with a thorough understanding and knowledge of agricultural RD&E, value chains, current and potential RD&E opportunities and commercialisation partners that fast-track industry growth.

This RFQ closes 3:00pm AEST Monday 24 May, 2021.

Background

AgriFutures Australia facilitates the procurement of RD&E services for several levied agricultural industries. Such services are funded through the industry levy and Australian Government. This funding arrangement has statutory obligations for governance, financial oversight, and reporting.

To optimise this model of investment from both industry and government, it requires each industry to engage in consultation to develop a 5-year strategic RD&E plan that identifies the key priorities, objectives, short- and long-term outcomes and overall desired industry impacts.

For many emerging industries, no such RD&E plans exist. To establish a foundation for RD&E growth opportunities for industries, the proactive development of strategic plans is needed to enable targeted investment, attraction of value chain partners to enable collaborative investment and adoption of research.

The Emerging Industries RD&E Plans that will be developed throughout this project will become highly valuable resources for industries to help promote growth and attract investment from interested companies. Please note that AgriFutures Australia is investing in the development of these RD&E Plans with no guarantee that AgriFutures Australia will invest further in these industries.

The six industries being targeted are:

• Cocoa
• Finger lime
• Guayule
• Moringa
• Murray cod
• Native bees

These industries have been identified in one of two ways:

• The AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program has received interest in the industry through publicly advertised research investment open calls.
• The industry was identified through a comprehensive scan of opportunities for Australian new and emerging agricultural industries with market potential.

This is the first time that the AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program has invested in the development of RD&E Plans for industries not previously identified. The RD&E Plans will facilitate the prioritisation and evaluation of potential future investments.

Project requirements and deliverables

RD&E Plans will be developed for the six (6) target industries (listed above). Applicants can apply to conduct one or more of the RD&E Plans. Details on how to document your submission are included in the Submissions section below.

The successful applicant will be required to:

• Establish stakeholder contact list and conduct initial stakeholder engagement. N.B. Only applicable to those developing RD&E Plans for the guayule and Murray cod industries.
• Consult and engage current and prospective stakeholders within each industry regarding the industry’s strategic issues and RD&E need, ideally through stakeholder interviews and workshops.
• Ensure all relevant historical research, both domestic and international, is considered and integrated accordingly. Including previous AgriFutures Australia projects.
• Identify key barriers to industry growth, including those that are not related to RD&E.
• Be willing to adapt the RD&E Plan contents based upon consultation with industry, to ensure the most valuable product for industry is delivered.
• Have industry endorsement of the final RD&E Plan.
• Use the AgriFutures Australia Emerging Industries RD&E Plan template as a guide for output content. This template can be provided to interested applicants upon enquiry. The following elements are required in the RD&E Plans:

1. Executive summary
2. Industry situation analysis
3. Industry consultation process
4. Industry RD&E Plan, including priorities/strategies
5. Communication and extension plan
6. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan, including economic and environmental benefits from RD&E investment
7. Evaluation of the RD&E Plan
8. Implementation
9. RD&E program management to facilitate the RD&E Plan
10. Risk management

Research undertaken by AgriFutures Australia that is not publicly available will be made available to the successful candidate upon the execution of the provider agreement and the acceptance of the confidentially clauses.

Criteria
Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Project Plan – 30%
• Capability and relevant experience – 20%
• Ability to meet requirements (timelines and Project requirements & deliverables) – 30%
• Cost and value for money – 20%

Submissions&