Laboratory services

Tender description

The AHDB Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds are the definitive industry guide to cereal and oilseed varieties, giving levy-payers the information they need to select the correct variety for their businesses. The data on which the Recommended Lists are produced are based on the evaluation of field performance and quality characteristics of a range of varieties of crops under cultivation in the UK. Variety trials and tests are conducted at numerous locations (trial sites) throughout the UK. Samples are taken at harvest from these trial plots by the trials contractors and sent to the relevant quality testing laboratory to carry out various laboratory quality tests and assessments on them. It is this part of the process for which the tenderers are applying to manage receipt of samples, carry out quality test procedures as described further in the tender and produce results for AHDB. The laboratory quality tests which have been divided into 4 lots. The AHDB Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds are the definitive industry guide to cereal and oilseed varieties, giving levy-payers the information they need to select the correct variety for their businesses. The data from which the Recommended Lists are produced are based on the evaluation of field performance and quality characteristics of a range of varieties of crops under cultivation in the UK. Variety trials and tests are conducted at numerous locations (trial sites) throughout the UK. Grain samples are taken at harvest from these trial plots to allow the laboratory assessment of grain quality and market suitability. The tender document provides information on the grain quality tests of winter and spring oats. Laboratories are invited to tender for this work which starts from January 2017 and continues until November 2021 (covering harvests 2017 to 2021). The AHDB Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds are the definitive industry guide to cereal and oilseed varieties, giving levy-payers the information they need to select the correct variety for their businesses. The data from which the Recommended Lists are produced are based on the evaluation of field performance and quality characteristics of a range of varieties of crops under cultivation in the UK. Wheat variety trials are conducted at numerous locations (trial sites) throughout the UK and grain samples are taken at harvest from them to allow the laboratory assessment of varietal milling and baking characteristics and give an indication of their suitability for the UK industry. The work of the appointed laboratory may form part of a wider evaluation process by the National Association of British and Irish Millers (nabim). Laboratories are invited to tender for this work which starts from January 2017 and continues until November 2021 (covering harvests 2017 to 2021). The AHDB RL is managed by a consortium which includes the Maltsters Association of Great Britain (MAGB) and this tender covers AHDB's contribution to the testing of the market suitability of barley varieties for the UK malting industry as defined by MAGB's Malting Barley Committee (MBC). The data produced is used in the AHDB RL tables and forms part of MAGB's wider evaluation of varieties leading to the annual publication of the ‘Institute of Brewing and Distilling Approved List of Malting Barley Varieties’ (see: http://www.ukmalt.com/approved-malting-barleys) Measurements are conducted on barley grain and on malt (using the micro-malting system) according to the protocols laid down by the MAGB. This contract runs from January 2017 to May 2022 (covering harvests 2017 to 2021). The AHDB Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds are the definitive industry guide to cereal and oilseed varieties, giving levy-payers the information they need to select the correct variety for their businesses. The data from which the Recommended Lists are produced are based on the evaluation of field performance and quality characteristics of a range of varieties of crops under cultivation in the UK. Variety trials and tests are conducted at numerous locations (trial sites) throughout the UK. Grain samples are taken at harvest from these trial plots to allow the laboratory assessment of grain quality and market suitability. This protocol details the basic and predictive quality tests used for RL variety evaluation for cereals (except oats, which are under a separate contract) and oilseed rape oil content. Laboratories are invited to tender for this work which starts from January 2017 and continues until November 2021 (covering harvests 2017 to 2021). Whilst most of the tests are on samples from RL trials, some are undertaken on samples from BSPB National List trials for RL purposes.