CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Leasehire Equipment for Growers Carms

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

Sustainable Food Procurement for Local Prosperity

PROVISION OF LEASE HIRE PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT TO GROWERS IN AND AROUND CARMARTHENSHIRE

PROJECT INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Working in partnership, Social Farms & Gardens, Open Food Network, Cultivate, Development Trusts Association Wales and Foothold Cymru, aim to demonstrate that the public sector CAN procure efficiently from local producers using methods that benefit the natural environment and local prosperity.

Collaborating with Sustainable Food Places Officers in North Powys and Carmarthenshire, two Procurement Hubs are purchasing from local, small-scale growers, aggregating supply and providing produce to the public sector that meets (or exceeds) requirements in terms of ease, cost and sustainability.

SUPPORTING GROWERS

The project aims to:

• Create new jobs in the rural economy.

• Upskill growers.

• Provide steady markets for existing horticulture growers and producers.

• Provide training in agroecological farming practices as well as enterprise support.

• Increase the capacity of growers to meet increasing public demand in Carmarthenshire.

This pilot will be the test bed for future growers, Hubs and procurers. It will better equip small rural businesses to develop more sustainable and viable enterprises.

Our long-term strategy is to use the learning from this pilot to develop the model including technological advancements, upscaling growers/producers and empowering local procurement champions within the public sector.

We will be investing in local growers through training, networks and the provision of capital equipment.

BRIEF OUTLINE

We are looking for a single organisation with the will, capacity and knowledge to provide lease hire equipment to growers to increase their ability to supply the public sector in Carmarthenshire and to grow in ways that benefit nature.

Initially, priority of access to the equipment will be given to small-scale, agroecological producers who are feeding into the procurement food hub pilot project (up to 10 growers). Longer term, other growers may also be eligible to hire equipment from the provider.

Our aspiration is for a well-managed “library of things” that will be available for growers in and around Carmarthenshire at a nominal rate. Equipment could be provided on long-term lease to specific growers and/or short-term lease arrangements could be offered.

Equipment will:

• Help growers to use more nature-friendly methods

• Help growers to be more productive

• Help growers to develop and cultivate a wider product range

• Help growers to manipulate their produce so it is suitable for public sector market

• Help growers to transport their produce

The contract holder will be required to:

• Work with the local Sustainable Food Places Coordinator and Procurement Food Hub to assess the priority needs of local growers, within the framework of this project.

• Purchase equipment following competitive tendering requirements and anticipating the longevity of the “library”.

• Provide a lease hire agreement with sites to include on-site maintenance. Note: Social Farms & Gardens will provide a legal framework template for the lease hire.

• Arrange and supervise delivery, installation, initial use and subsequent troubleshooting of equipment supplied.

• Keep all necessary financial records relating to the equipment:

o Date purchased

o Description of equipment

o Price paid (inc. net recoverable VAT)

o Serial / Identification numbers

o Location of the equipment

o Any date of disposal

o Any sale of net of VAT

NB – NO equipment must be disposed of, transferred or dissipated before September 2028 without the prior written consent of Social Farms & Gardens (WG IoA 36.)

The library of equipment should be easily accessible to growers in Carmarthenshire.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=126336.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Proposed Fee

We are looking to provide the library for around £15,000. Any submission should detail value for money, likely equipment to be provided / available. It should detail whether long-term or short-term lease arrangements will be offered and how these will be managed. It should detail the management arrangements and demonstrate how the library will be sustainable.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

Your Track Record

You should:

- Be familiar with small-scale, agroecological growers in Carmarthenshire and understand their needs.

- Be engaged with your local Sustainable Food Places partnership.

- Be able to assess needs of growers with regards to public sector procurement requirements.

- Have experience of managing a “library of things” or leasing equipment to small-scale end users who may work with volunteers.

- Have knowledge of the installation and use of a range of production equipment used by small-scale growers.

- Be able to access growers in Carmarthenshire and have ability to transport equipment which may be bulky.

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

Growers Carms

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

Next Steps

Tenders should be submitted via Sell2Wales or directly to the contact email below by the dates provided. Full costs should be detailed (including whether VAT is applicable) and you should explain how your track record shows that you could meet the requirements of this contract.

Assessment of Tenders

Tenders will be assessed by a panel of Social Farms & Gardens staff and PFH Steering Group member(s). Tenders will be assessed on whether they meet the stated criteria and whether they offer value for money.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Alison Sheffield, Project Coordinator, Social Farms & Gardens

alison@farmgarden.org.uk, 07752 542 853

This notice has been sent as a region specific notice. If you did not receive an alert about this you are not based in the specific region selected by the buying authority. Questions on why this was sent as a region specific notice should be sent to the buying authority.

(WA Ref:126336)

Relates to the following project/programme financed by EU Community Funds: Rural Development Fund. CSCDS Innovative Approaches and Collaborative Growing.

CSCDS Innovative Approaches and Collaborative Growing.

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice