Low Emissions Intensity Farming Systems (LEIFS) - Program Office

⁠⁠⁠The Program Office will oversee consistent data governance and stewardship, as well as monitor and evaluate the impact of LEIFS. It will also facilitate connectivity and knowledge exchange between programs: Capturing Grower Value, National Data Analytics and Insights, Accessible Greenhouse Gas Monitoring, and Action Research Networks. This ensures that activities contribute to purpose-driven outcomes.

In collaboration with the Management Committee, the Program Office partner will develop a data governance framework, including minimum datasets and their standards and specifications for each program. This framework emphasises data security and lifecycle considerations, producing trusted and interoperable data sources beyond the lifespan of LEIFS. Collating and curating a measurement catalogue will enable a distributed data model, fostering data sharing among partners.

The Program Office partner will ensure that insights from various programs inform purpose-driven outcomes, enabling accessible GHG monitoring and accounting. Additionally, the Program Office will establish and coordinate a communication plan, as well as a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) framework. These plans will include metrics suited to both participatory and traditional research outcomes. Approaches will be developed to assess the adoption of existing and emerging sustainability practices, both ex-ante and measured, as well as reductions in GHG emissions intensity, to support the adoption of low emissions intensity farming systems.

Other Instructions:

Outcome

National leadership and program coordination, ensuring successful delivery and efficiency using common resources, including, but not limited to, data governance and stewardship plan, monitoring and reporting.

Outputs

Output 1: LEIFS Terms of reference. By January 2025, agree on the Terms of Reference for the Program Office, including its required constituents and operating procedures.

Output 2: Partnership principles. By February 2025, collaborate with LEIFS program partners to establish and agree on collaborating teams and partnership principles, define common goals and boundaries, and ensure transparency of workplans and timelines. Facilitate connections to relevant aligned GHG mitigation initiatives.

Output 3: Data and ethics agreements. By March 2025, establish minimum data requirements and stewardship, create an intellectual property (IP) registry, and define ethics and privacy approaches with the goal of enhancing program consistency and efficiency where appropriate.

Output 4: Monitoring, evaluation and learning and communication, engagement and marketing plan By April 2025, develop (i) a MEL framework to capture and report LEIFS Initiative impact, including standardised elements for annual reporting requirements, and (ii) develop and coordinate a whole of LEIFS Initiative communication, engagement and marketing plan, including all program strategies, program branding for low emissions agriculture, a communications log and pathways for internal and external knowledge exchange.

Output 5: LEIFS measurement catalogue and lexicon. By May 2025, create a measurement catalogue and lexicon, co-designed with partners, for curating technologies, indicators and metrics, as well as technical terms used in monitoring, managing, verifying and reporting emissions intensity across scales (paddock, enterprise, region) within the grains sector.

Output 6: LEIFS reporting and directional review. By September 2025 (and annually thereafter), coordinate and provide an annual report that incorporates the MEL framework, reviews the consistency and efficiency of data collection, influences incentive schemes, informs policy and engages in cross program activities. The Program Office oversees continued development of new opportunities and partnerships.

Output 7: Discussion forum. By December 2025 (and annually thereafter), coordinate a discussion forum with internal and external stakeholders to identify and discuss key developments and opportunities in research, development, extension and adoption (RDE&A) for enabling low emissions intensity farming systems in Australian grain production.

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:

1. Submit Tenders using the Grains Investment Portal.

2. Write Tenders in English and express any measurements in Australian legal units of measurement.

3. 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.

1 Technical – Qualitative evaluation criteria related to non-price factors such as methodology, project plan, track record, and experience.

1a Project Plan 30%

A comprehensive plan outlining the delivery of Program Office outputs and LEIFS’s outcomes and should include the following details:

• Specific information and services to be delivered.

• Key tasks, milestones, responsible parties and indicative timeframes.

• The structure of the project team and collaborations with other LEIFS programs as well as other organisations, commercial companies and/or other relevant projects.

1b Track Record 30%

Evidence of the ability and experience to deliver similar investment outcomes and outputs, including details of previous relevant project(s) where the organisation has:

• Met contractual obligations.

• Managed and designed multidisciplinary projects.

• Managed and coordinated multiple agencies to achieve program outcomes.

• Collaborated with and built relevant networks, both national and international.

•Achieved and demonstrated impact at an industry level.

1c Personnel Capability 20%

A list of all key personnel, detailing relevant:

• Demonstrated experience and skill, knowledge, and organisational resources.

• Achievements of the project lead in providing effective leadership, management, co-ordination, and timely delivery of high-quality outputs.

1d Co-investment and Leverage 20%

• List the types and level of co-investment that the applicant will contribute to deliver the tendered work.

• List existing and proposed linkages to related activities and programs and value to LEIFS program.

2 Price - The tendered budget.

3 Risk - Risks inherent in the application including the degree of compliance with the draft contract and any actual or perceived conflict of interest.