INVITATION TO TENDER
Knowledge transfer coordination and delivery for the
COWS industry steering group
COWS – Control of Worms Sustainably, is an industry stakeholder group which aims to
promote best practice in control of all cattle parasites.
The stakeholder steering group currently comprises the organisations listed below and has
attracted sufficient industry funds to enable it to expand and develop the resources it can
offer the cattle industry across the UK:
DairyCo, EBLEX, HCC, QMS, AgriSearch, AHDA, AMTRA, NFU, BCVA, NOAH, Moredun
Research Institute, Liverpool University, VMD, AHVLA, SRUC as well as a number of
farmers, vets and independent scientific experts.
COWS has no employed staff and all activities are co-ordinated by the stakeholder steering
group. COWS funds are held on behalf of COWS by AMTRA; as COWS has no legal status,
it is envisaged that the contract for this tender will be with a COWS member.
Objective of tender
COWS want to increase the impact of its activities and resources across the UK and needs
to recruit professional support to achieve that in a timely and effective manner. This
document refers to activity to support the objectives of the COWS group to communicate its
messages to industry (farmers, vets, SQPs, other advisers and students) for a twelve month
period, ideally commencing 1st January 2015.
Your tender should be sent electronically to Dr Mary Vickers
(mary.vickers@eblex.ahdb.org.uk) no later than 23rd September 2014.
at
EBLEX
Further information on this application tender is available by phoning Mary Vickers on 07990
506012 or emailing at the address above.
Requirements of proposals
Proposals must contain sufficient information to be assessed against the criteria given
below. Typically they will be 5-10 pages in length and should contain the following
information:
1.
Outline core communications plan, including a time line of diseases/topics and the key
time to target messages relating to them
2.
Press releases – scheduled into the above time line (1)
3.
Text alerts – scheduled into (1)
4.
Case studies – to include topical issues affecting the beef and dairy industry.
Consideration should also be given to case studies from different geographical and
topographical regions. Costings should be provided on a per case study basis.
5.
Film clips for use on You Tube or similar. At this stage ideas are sought on topics and
potential farms for filming. Additional funds will need to be found for filming the clips
and ideas are also welcomed on how this funding can be sourced. Information should
be supplied on costs for providing scripts for film clips and coordination of filming.
6.
Engagement with social media eg Twitter and Facebook. Consideration should be
given as to the most appropriate use of social media i.e. should it be passive with
articles posted driving the audience to website for more information.
7.
Hot topic articles for website and use on COWS partners’ websites
8.
Contribution to website content; using technical specialists as appropriate to keep the
content fresh. Processes to ensure technical accuracy and consistency must be
agreed with the COWS stakeholder group.
9.
Ideas on how to link with others working in this area – e.g NADIS, SCOPS
10.
Ideas to attract additional funds to COWS to fund specific elements of work
11.
Costs – matched to deliverables
12.
Applicants should make allowance for discussion and feedback with the COWS
steering group and communications sub-group as part of their coordination role;
agreeing technical messages, developing ideas and reporting activity.
The above proposal should be presented as a core communication package (comprising
points 1, 2 and 3) with an outline budget of £3 - 5,000, with additional deliverables and ideas
(see points 4 – 10) itemised separately to give a total cost in the region of £8-9,000 for a 12
month period.
Assessment of applications
Proposals received in response to this call will be assessed by the 3rd November 2014
according to the follow criteria:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Relevance to COWS objectives
Additionality (i.e., does it build on current COWS activities and resources?)
Innovation
Strength of the delivery team
Track record of delivering organisation
Value for money
Successful applicants will be notified by email by mid November 2014.
Applicants may choose to withdraw if they do not wish to pursue this application and COWS
will not divulge to other parties the content of any applications without the permission of the
applicant.