Published date: 19 January 2023

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 7 September 2022, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products - 03000000

Location of contract

SW1P 3JR

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

tender_311126/1168993

Published date

19 January 2023

Closing date

7 September 2022

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 January 2023

Contract end date

31 December 2027

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Call-off from a framework agreement

A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established framework agreement.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

This specification sets out the requirement for a project to develop an online, free to user nutrient management planning tool that facilitates compliance with regulations, is up to date with the latest nutrient management recommendations and is easy to use. Its aim is to improve uptake of nutrient management planning tools by farmers and growers and minimise nutrient losses to the environment.
The Tool shall:
a) link with latest fertiliser recommendations in the Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Nutrient Management Guide (RB209)
b) facilitate compliance with Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) Regulations
c) include optional modules or link to other tools to e.g. enable a farmer to calculate the N loss and where relevant P loss that will result from a proposed farm nutrient plan, comply with slurry regulations and use cost or carbon calculators.
The project will encompass:
- a discovery phase that further defines stakeholder needs and how to maximise uptake; and, depending on the outcome:
- co-design and build phase.
- monitoring and evaluation phase to monitor uptake of the tool, improvement in compliance and nutrient management and longitudinal research of factors and practices influencing nutrient use efficiency
Outcomes:
- A basic tool that could be used for compliance purposes, is available at no cost
- Farmers can optimize their nutrient management efficiency and are able to meet requirements of FRfW and NVZ regulations for nutrient management planning
- The tool can provide additional functions or link to other tools e.g. calculate the N loss, and where relevant P loss, that will result from a proposed farm nutrient plan, support compliance with Slurry Silage and Agricultural Fuel Oil (SSAFO) Regulations and facilitate cost or carbon calculations
- Farmers can understand the impact of their nutrient plan on field and farm nutrient losses and can identify how, using the tool, they can reduce these losses and improve their nutrient management efficiencies and regulatory compliance.
- Farmers can iterate the nutrient plan and/ or farm management practices they implement, so as to optimise the yield that can be achieved within any field or farm and minimise pollution risk.
- Provision of a tool which could be used to inform policy, such as monitoring a SFI Nutrient Management standard
- Optimise use of mineral fertilisers to reduce costs, increase nutrient use efficiency and facilitate the use of organic materials where appropriate
- Provides a one stop tool farmers can use to manage and record their nutrient application rate and plan, farm practices implemented and compliance with farm regulation.
- Farmers can use the results of the tool as a record of their regulatory compliance (such as NVZ record etc)
- Air, water and soil quality can be easily considered in nutrient decision making
- Farmers/growers can make informed decisions to contribute towards their net zero aims.

More information

Attachments

Award information

Awarded date

1 January 2023

Contract start date

1 January 2023

Contract end date

31 December 2027

Total value of contract

£1,269,970

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

RSK ADAS Limited

Address

Spring Lodge, Helsby Cheshire, WA6 0AR

Reference

Companies House number: 10486936

Supplier is SME?

No

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Contact name

DGC

Address

17 Nobel House
London
SW1P 3JR
England

Telephone

00

Email

DGCEnquiries@defra.gov.uk

Website

http://defra.bravosolutions.co.uk