Education and training services

Tender description

Glastir Advisory Support Services for provision of advisory services for the Glastir agri-environment scheme on a pan Wales basis, initial contract period 3 years plus optional 2 year extension. The requirement will be divided into 2 Lots with one supplier being appointed for each Lot. Tenderers are invited to submit a response for only one Lot. Lot 1 will be for the provision of key support services across the Glastir suite of schemes delivering advice, facilitation and servicing visits to raise awareness and promote participation. Lot 2 will be for the delivery of specialist ecological advice on Glastir Advanced agreements. The requirement is for the delivery of specialist ecological advice and technical support to Welsh Government Glastir Contract Managers. The requirement is to — Raise awareness of all elements of Glastir services and — Promote participation in Glastir to interested parties. The successful contractor will provide a range of advisors with the ability, qualifications and experience to deliver the service to applicants to the Glastir scheme. In particular, the successful tenderer will offer key support services for Glastir Advanced, Glastir Commons and Glastir Small Grants. The successful tenderer will provide a range of advisors with the ability, qualifications and experience to deliver the service to existing agreement holders and potential applicants to the Glastir scheme. Provision of advice and facilitation expected could include: — Scheme promotion and awareness, particularly in key target catchments and landscapes; — Provision of training events on an ad-hoc basis as training needs are identified; — Provision of advisory visits for farmers under contract including how best to meet requirements of scheme obligations; — Facilitation of Grazing Association requests for extensions to existing contracts; — Assistance in the co-ordination of all relevant information required for extensions of existing Glastir Commons agreements; — Liaison between the Glastir Advanced team and Grazing Associations on expected management practices; — Provision of advice to Grazing Associations on opportunities available under the Sustainable Management Scheme (SMS) and development of opportunities for Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES); — Promotional activities such as on-farm demonstrations; — Provision of advice and guidance via phone or e-mail; — Call centre referral handling 200-300 calls at 2 hr each. The requirement is to deliver technical support to Glastir Contract Managers on Glastir Advanced species management. The successful contractor will provide a range of advisors with the ability, qualifications and experience to deliver the service to the Glastir scheme Contract Managers. In particular the successful tenderer will be expected to: — Draft whole farm advisory plans for target species ensuring that the actions recommended are: — appropriate, — sufficient, — effective, and — beneficial at both a farm and, where appropriate, at a wider landscape level. — Provide formal training on provision for species objectives and associated habitat management to Glastir Contract Managers. — Provide ad hoc support to telephone enquiries from Glastir Contract Managers seeking support on delivery of species objectives and associated habitat management.