Description of the contract
The Tech Tyfu Innovation hub is the first major step to embedding vertical farming into the North Wales economy. The project aims overcome existing barriers to growing fresh produce in north Wales by developing supply chains, building skills, educating and informing the public, the farming community and professionals about vertical farming and the opportunities that it offers. The project intends to pioneer innovation in vertical farming, address the absence of a facility to upskill north Wales in vertical farming, demonstrate the technology at a commercial scale and offer space and resources for new and existing growers to pilot growing methods and test markets for new crops. The hub will also facilitate and develop sustainable supply chains for vertically farmed produce in the region. Key crops have been identified and grown successfully which are of increasing demand in local restaurants but are not being grown commercially in the area. The hub will be used to develop what has been piloted in several key areas:
1. Key crops identified from the Tech Tyfu pilot scheme will be grown at larger, marketable quantities using innovative methods and equipment, permanent supply chains will be established.
2. In collaboration with the science park, vertical farms will be housed in one of the larger laboratories. Students from the university, local schools and colleges will receive training in vertical farming methods. Innovative techniques pioneered through the pilot scheme will be developed into commercially viable methods.
3. Developing new brands: growers who have participated in the Tech Tyfu pilot have pioneered brands which have the potential to grow and develop “critical mass” to allow them to self-sustain
4. Partnerships with supply chain stakeholders will be developed to allow the scale of vertically farmed produce to meet specific market demands.
5. Studies will be carried out to identify opportunities, innovation, new techniques in vertical farming, market trends, refine approaches and develop methods, which will bring in wider partners, which will include academics from various universities.
To further the development of the Tech Tyfu Innovation Hub, we are now seeking suppliers to support the delivery of the development stage for setting-up a vertical farming hub at Menai Science Parc to enable the development of vertical farming and establish the technology in the economy of Ynys Môn/Anglesey and North West Wales.
Menter Môn has secured funding from the Welsh Government’s Business, Innovation and Tourism Escalator Scheme (BITES) Fund for the creation of a vertical farming innovation hub at Menai Science Parc (M-Sparc).
Menter Môn is looking to procure a supplier(s) to provide services to undertake the development, design and delivery of the Hub.
A consortium approach between prospective suppliers is encouraged in order to gather a comprehensive skill-set within a delivery team.
This work will be split into three Lots:
Lot 1 - Provision of equipment
Lot 2 - Provision of specialist support
Lot 3 - Provision of sensors, dashboard and technology services
Suppliers may bid for individual Lots or a combination of Lots.
A knowledge of the local area will be very desirable as will Welsh language skills for discussions involving a wide range of stakeholders.
The suppliers will report to and work closely with the Tech Tyfu project manager, who will be responsible for the overall management and co-ordination of the project.
All Lots are to be completed by June 2023. However, there is scope for continuity of tasks, where required and with additional budget, beyond June 2023.
The work will build-on the initial Tech Tyfu pilot project (summary available on request) which has identified an option to develop the first vertical farming innovation hub in north Wales; with the capability to be scaled-up as further developments in the technology are made, links with the fresh produce supply chain are strengthened and new opportunities are identified.
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