Description of the goods or services required
Invitation to Tender
Food for the Soul Nutritional Intervention Pilot
1. Contracting Organisation
Welsh Fishermen’s Association – Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr Cymru (WFA-CPC)
WFA-CPC is the national representative body for the Welsh fishing industry. Its vision is to support a prosperous and sustainable fishing industry which contributes to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of Welsh coastal communities.
2. Invitation to Tender
The Welsh Fishermen’s Association – Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr Cymru (WFA-CPC) invites suitably qualified and experienced individuals, organisations or collaborative teams to tender for the development and delivery of the Food for the Soul Nutritional Intervention Pilot.
Note: the contract will be to one contractor for all elements of the project below. Any subcontractors must be named and identified. Applicants should have a good understanding of the Welsh fishing community.
The project is a practical, evidence-led nutritional intervention specifically designed for Welsh fishermen. It forms part of the wider WFA-CPC – Stronger at Sea approach and seeks to improve nutritional awareness while strengthening understanding of the relationship between diet, physical health, mental wellbeing, resilience and performance at sea.
The available contract value is £30,000 to £48,000 including VAT and all other costs and expenditure.
3. Background
Commercial fishing presents a unique working environment. Long and irregular working hours, limited cooking and food storage facilities aboard vessels, fatigue and the practicalities of working at sea can make maintaining a healthy diet difficult.
Existing research into eating habits within the fishing industry has identified an opportunity to provide fishermen with practical support to make healthier food choices.
The purpose of Food for the Soul is not to develop a conventional healthy-eating or cookbook programme. Instead, WFA-CPC wishes to develop practical nutritional solutions that recognise the realities of life aboard working fishing vessels.
The project should encourage high-protein and nutrient-dense food choices, sustainable energy levels, improved hydration and simple alternatives to highly processed foods, high-sugar snacks and heavily fried meals.
The approach must be practical, accessible and appropriate for the Welsh fishing community.
All intellectual property rights in the deliverables produced under this contract shall vest in the WFA-CPC upon creation. The successful Contractor shall assign all relevant rights to the WFA-CPC and obtain all necessary permissions for the WFA-CPC to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, distribute and retain the deliverables without further charge. The Contractor may retain ownership of pre-existing materials and know-how, subject to granting the WFA-CPC a perpetual, royalty-free licence where these are incorporated into the deliverables.
4. Project Objectives
The successful supplier will be required to deliver a pilot programme which:
identifies real-world barriers to healthy eating at sea;
develops practical, vessel-ready nutritional solutions;
engages directly with fishermen in Welsh fishing ports;
creates accessible educational resources capable of being used beyond the funded project;
supports preventative approaches to health issues including obesity, high cholesterol, fatigue and heart health;
strengthens understanding of the relationship between diet, resilience and mental wellbeing; and
creates a scalable pilot model capable of informing future delivery across Wales.
5. Scope of Work
The successful supplier will be responsible for delivering the following four interconnected elements.
Phase A – Research and Insight
The supplier will undertake an initial research and engagement phase to ensure that subsequent resources are grounded in the practical experiences and needs of working fishermen.
This will include:
attendance at a Welsh fishing port, to be agreed with WFA-CPC;
informal engagement with fishermen;
review of relevant existing SeaFit survey findings from Wales and other regions;
identification of key nutritional patterns, challenges and barriers affecting healthy eating at sea; and
consideration of the practical limitations associated with food preparation, storage and consumption aboard fishing vessels.
Outputs from this phase will include:
a concise insight summary informing subsequent recipe and resource development; and
a practical framework for the WFA-CPC Food for the Soul intervention.
Phase B –Food for the Soul Toolkit
Using the evidence and insight gathered during Phase A, the supplier will develop a practical nutritional toolkit specifically for fishermen.
The toolkit will include approximately 12–15 practical, boat-ready recipes, incorporating:
high-protein and nutrient-dense meal ideas;
meals suitable for food flasks;
slow-cooker meal solutions;
healthier snack alternatives;
hydration strategies for long working days at sea;
practical food preparation guidance; and
advice on preparing food before leaving harbour.
Recipes and advice must take account of the practical realities of working fishing vessels, including restricted preparation facilities, irregular working hours and the need for filling, convenient food.
The toolkit will be produced as:
a professionally designed A5 printed booklet; and
an accessible downloadable PDF.
The finished resource should use clear and accessible language and be specifically designed for use within fishing environments.
Phase C – Four-Port Cookery Demonstration Roadshow
The supplier will develop and deliver live cookery demonstrations at four agreed Welsh coastal locations.
Each event should normally last approximately 60–90 minutes and include:
live preparation and demonstration of practical boat-ready meals;
use of cooking and food-storage equipment appropriate to life aboard fishing vessels;
food tasting;
informal discussion with fishermen;
opportunities for questions and answers; and
accessible discussion of the relationship between nutrition, sustained energy, mood, resilience and health.
Delivery should be informal, authentic and engaging rather than clinical or classroom-based.
The successful supplier will be expected to work with WFA-CPC to ensure that events are arranged in locations and at times that maximise opportunities for engagement with working fishermen.
Phase D – Digital Educational Content
The supplier will contribute to the production of approximately 4–6 short educational videos based upon the themes and learning generated through the project.
Potential subjects could include:
boat-ready lunch ideas;
healthy food-flask meals;
maintaining energy without high-sugar foods;
healthier snacks for long fishing trips;
hydration; and
practical preparation before leaving harbour.
The videos will form part of the longer-term WFA-CPC educational resource and may be used through social media, online communications and future quayside health activities.
The successful supplier will be expected to work collaboratively with WFA-CPC existing media partner in developing appropriate content.
6. Delivery Approach
This project is intended to achieve practical behaviour change rather than simply provide nutritional information.
Tenderers should therefore demonstrate how they will make nutrition relevant and accessible to fishermen and how they will adapt their approach to the particular working environment of commercial fishing.
The successful approach should be:
Practical – recommendations must realistically be achievable aboard or around working fishing vessels.
Evidence-led – nutritional information and recommendations must be based upon appropriate professional evidence and guidance.
Fisher-focused – resources should reflect the experiences, working patterns and practical constraints of Welsh fishermen.
Accessible – information should avoid unnecessary technical or clinical terminology.
Positive and non-judgemental – the programme should encourage achievable changes rather than criticising existing diets or lifestyles.
Preventative – the programme should help participants understand how everyday food and hydration choices can contribute to longer-term physical and mental wellbeing.
7. Required Outputs
At a minimum, the contract will be expected to deliver:
Initial engagement with fishermen and review of existing SeaFit evidence.
A short research and insight summary.
A practical framework for the Food for the Soul intervention.
A toolkit containing approximately 12–15 practical boat-ready recipes and associated nutritional guidance.
A professionally designed A5 printed version of the toolkit.
A downloadable digital version of the toolkit.
Four live cookery demonstration/engagement events at agreed Welsh coastal locations.
Contribution to the development and production of 4–6 short educational video assets.
Appropriate monitoring and evidence of project delivery and engagement.
A final summary of delivery, learning and recommendations to inform potential future expansion of the programme.
8. Target Outcomes
Through delivery of the contract, WFA-CPC aims to:
improve awareness of healthier food choices amongst Welsh fishermen;
provide realistic alternatives to high-sugar and highly processed foods;
improve understanding of hydration and sustained energy;
encourage preventative action in relation to obesity, cardiovascular health and other diet-related health risks;
strengthen understanding of the relationship between nutrition and mental resilience;
increase engagement with wider health and wellbeing messages; and
establish an evidence-led model capable of being expanded across Wales in the future.
9. Supplier Requirements
Tenderers should demonstrate appropriate experience and expertise in areas relevant to the commission. This may be provided by an individual organisation or through a collaborative team. Tenderers must have a working knowledge of the Welsh commercial fishing industry.
Relevant expertise may include:
professional cookery/chef experience;
nutrition and healthy eating;
development of practical recipes and educational resources;
delivery of live cookery demonstrations or community engagement;
working with occupational, maritime, rural or other hard-to-reach communities;
understanding of the practical working environment of commercial fishing;
health and wellbeing communication;
development of accessible public-facing educational material; and
collaborative delivery involving multiple project partners.
Where nutritional or health claims are made within project materials, tenderers must demonstrate how appropriate professional oversight and evidence will be incorporated into the development and approval of content.
10. Project Management
The successful supplier will work closely with WFA-CPC throughout delivery.
An inception meeting will be held following appointment to agree:
detailed delivery timetable;
project responsibilities;
engagement arrangements;
port locations;
communication arrangements;
approval processes for resources;
monitoring requirements; and
arrangements for working with other WFA-CPC delivery partners.
Regular progress updates will be required throughout the contract.
All final resources developed through the commission must be approved by WFA-CPC prior to publication or distribution.
11. Tender Response
Tenderers should provide a written proposal setting out:
Understanding of the Brief
An explanation of the tenderer's understanding of the project, target audience and intended outcomes.
Proposed Methodology
A clear description of how each phase of the project will be delivered.
Experience and Expertise
Details of relevant previous work and the experience of the individual(s) who will deliver the contract.
Project Team
Details of all individuals and/or partner organisations/subcontractors involved and their respective roles.
Programme and Timescales
A proposed delivery timetable identifying key activities, milestones and outputs.
Engagement Approach
An explanation of how the tenderer proposes to engage effectively with working fishermen and ensure resources are practical and relevant.
Quality Assurance
Details of how nutritional accuracy, food safety, accessibility and overall quality of the resources will be assured.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Proposals for demonstrating participation, reach, learning and the effectiveness of the pilot.
Cost
A detailed breakdown of all costs associated with delivering the contract, inclusive of VAT, including any travel, ingredients, materials, printing, equipment and other expenses.
References / Examples of Previous Work
Details of relevant previous commissions and, where available, examples of comparable resources or projects.
12. Budget
The maximum budget available for this commission is:
£30,000 to £48,000 including VAT and all associated expenses.
Tendered costs must include all expenditure necessary to deliver the specification unless explicitly identified otherwise.
Tenderers should provide a transparent breakdown of costs against the principal project activities.
13. Assessment of Tenders
Tenders will be assessed considering both quality and price.
It is proposed that tenders are evaluated against the following criteria:
Criterion
Weighting
Understanding of the brief and target audience
15%
Proposed methodology and approach
25%
Relevant experience, must have evidence of working with fishing communities
20%
Engagement, monitoring and legacy approach
15%
Project management and deliverability
10%
Price and value for money
15%
Total
100%
WFA-CPC reserves the right to seek clarification from tenderers where necessary as part of the assessment process.
14. Funding and Programme Requirements
The project is being delivered through the Welsh Marine and Fisheries Scheme.
The successful contractor will therefore be required to maintain appropriate records and provide information reasonably required by WFA-CPC to demonstrate delivery and expenditure for grant monitoring and claim purposes.
The project must be delivered within the timescales agreed with WFA-CPC and the requirements of the relevant funding award.
15. Welsh Language, Equality and Accessibility
The project will be delivered in Wales and should support appropriate Welsh-language accessibility.
Tenderers should explain how Welsh-language requirements will be accommodated within project delivery and the production of public-facing materials.
Delivery should also demonstrate appropriate consideration of equality, diversity and accessibility.
16. Submission of Tenders
Tenders should be submitted electronically by 12 noon on Monday 21st September.
Tender submissions should be sent via Sell 2 Wales.
Any questions relating to this tender should be submitted to:
WFA-CPC’s Agent: The Fishing Animateurs
info@fishinganimateur.co.uk
Responses to material clarification questions may be made available to all potential tenderers to ensure a fair and transparent procurement process.
17. Indicative Procurement Timetable
Stage
Date
Tender published
4th September
Deadline for clarification questions
11th September
Responses to clarification questions
14th September
Tender submission deadline
21st September (12 noon)
Evaluation
22nd September
Preferred supplier notified
23rd September
Contract commencement
1st October
Project completion
31/03/2027
WFA-CPC reserves the right to amend this timetable where necessary.
The WFA-CPC We reserve the right not to accept the lowest, or any, tender.
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=170099.
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