Description of the goods or services required
The Dyfed Powys Food Resilience Project seeks to develop a pioneering comprehensive food resilience strategy for the Dyfed Powys area. This tender invites proposals for the "Evidence and Analysis Package Work Area” (work area 1) and the "Participatory Scenario Development Work Area” (work area 2) which will form a crucial foundation for the overall strategy. The project encourages partnership bids.
Work Area 1: Evidence & Analysis Package
Purpose:
To identify existing food system assets and gaps (physical infrastructure, skills, networks, workforce) within Dyfed Powys.
To assess the current state of food resilience in Dyfed Powys.
To assess future risks in four defined food disruption scenarios (short term, medium term, long term and intermittent).
Scope/Scale:
Local/Regional - Dyfed Powys (within the context of global and UK trends).
A systems perspective is required, covering both supply and demand-side aspects of the food system.
Consideration of adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Key Questions to be Answered / Data Needed:
What is required for the functional resilience of a sustainable food system in Dyfed Powys?
Baseline data across current food system provision, e.g., industry, equipment, production, transport, storage, processing, and packaging provision.
Baseline demand: what are healthy diet requirements? Can Dyfed Powys feed itself?
Analysis of four food crises scenarios: short-term (e.g., power outages, cyber attack, communication disruption), medium-term (e.g., pandemics), long-term (e.g., war or political instability), and intermittent (e.g., failed harvests due to climate change). Community response and public sector capability to deal with food crises in each scenario (to be completed by November and provided to Work Area 2)
Prioritisation of risks based on Welsh Government and Local Resilience Forum (LRF) Guidance.
Methods (Suggested, but open to innovative proposals):
In collaboration with the local food partnership coordinators in each area:
Desk-based research, targeted interviews (and potentially focus groups, participatory Action Research, review of existing Place Plans and previous reports, identification of innovative case studies (both locally and globally), responding to and working with Work Area 2.
Outputs (by end of February 2026):
Baseline food system asset mapping (public, private, and community assets across the food supply chain).
Principles of a resilient food system for Dyfed Powys (what 'good' looks like in context).
Assessment of vulnerabilities and opportunities in the region (identification of weak points and leverage points for change).
Good practice identified (what has worked locally/elsewhere). Description of four food disruption scenarios and possible mitigations for Dyfed Powys.
Evidence pool/data, trends and analysis, and recommendations.
Public-facing reports (at least a summary for public and stakeholders), with bilingual translation.
Outcomes (Short-term by end of February 2026):
A robust piece of work that can stand by itself.
Targeted work to fill gaps and fulfil recommendations.
Valuing public and community assets (commons) and protecting them (long-term).
An evidence base for future funding/investment.
Active civil food resilience in Dyfed Powys communities (long-term). Strengthened local food supply chains and markets (long-term).
Work Area 2
Purpose:
To conduct place-based community scenario testing and development using four food crises scenarios: short-term (e.g., power outages, cyber attack, communication disruption), medium-term (e.g., pandemics), long-term (e.g., war or political instability), and intermittent (e.g., failed harvests due to climate change).
To validate data gathered through the Evidence and Analysis Package (Work Area 1).
To facilitate discussion of responses and development of mitigations by key actors from Dyfed Powys.
Scope/Scale:
Consideration of the number of co-production events (e.g., one event per four counties and one regional for stakeholders; one event for communities, one for public sector, etc.).
The initial scenarios will be informed by the research and analysis from Work Area 1 (which will be provided to the successful tenderer in November).
To include both local place-based and regional responses and opportunities across Dyfed Powys
Key Questions to be Answered / Data Needed:
Self-checking of desktop study/validation of evidence from Work Area 1. Fleshing out scenarios in a local context.
Identification of who does what in scenarios, including lead organisations.
Methods (Mandatory):
Proposals must utilise a co-production approach:
Participatory: Diverse participants work together as equals, acknowledging the limitations of any one perspective.
Systemic: Whole systems approaches draw on multiple perspectives and seek to get beyond symptoms and to address root causes.
Future(s)-facing: Seek to shape the future, understanding the future as something we co-create together by the choices we make today. Relational: Multiple perspectives are brought into relation with each other, allowing participants to make sense of the system as a whole, see interconnections and build new, shared understandings.
Action-oriented: Generate action of value, accepting the need to be experimental when intervening in complex systems.
Outputs (by end of February 2026):
Focuses and priorities/actions in a sequence derived from the co-production.
Enriched evidence – qualitative data from participatory engagement.
Some place-based recommendations.
Targeted innovations, interventions, and mitigations.
Creation of an action plan at a more local/regional level with feasible first steps.
Assessment of vulnerabilities and opportunities in the region.
Baseline of relationships to food resilience.
Description of scenarios and mitigations for Dyfed Powys.
Content for a coherent, actionable food resilience strategy.
Outcomes (Short-term by end of February 2026; Long-term supported by project):
An engaged pool of decision makers.
Food disruption scenarios understood by key actors.
A positive/hopeful narrative.
Food resilience embedded in public sector governance and plans (long-term)
Contract Duration: The contract work for this tender is expected to be approximately 3 months, aiming for completion of outputs by end of February 2026.
Evaluation Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated based on a 70/30 Split. 70% on Quality, 30% on Cost:
Quality Questions -
1. Understanding of the project brief and objectives. (30% Weighting of the Quality Section)
2. Methodology and approach for evidence gathering and analysis. Including proposed timeline and resource allocation. (40% Weighting of the Quality Section)
3. Relevant experience and expertise of the proposed team and/or sub-contracted services, including examples of previously completed work (Max 3) (e.g., research company, academics). (30% Weighting of the Quality Section)
Submission Requirements:
An executive summary (max 1 page).
A detailed, clear and concise response outlining the proposed methodology, activities, and deliverables for both work areas. - Questions 1-3
A proposed timeline for the duration of the contract work.
A detailed budget breakdown. - Cost
CVs of key personnel as appendices if necessary.
Examples of previous relevant work (e.g., reports, studies).
Copy of research ethics policy
References
Company registration details
Relevant insurances
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=155976.
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