Program 2 - National extension and adviser capability to support adoption of effective pest snail management, guided by national technical pest snail expertise

Overview The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is seeking a suitably experienced provider to deliver a sustained national extension and adviser capability program to support adoption of effective pest snail management. The successful provider will work with growers, advisers, regional networks and pest snail technical experts to translate existing and emerging knowledge into practical, regionally relevant guidance and decision support, strengthening adviser capability, supporting peer-to-peer learning and demonstration, and improving grower confidence and decision-making across key snail-affected regions. About GRDC is establishing a coordinated investment, Leading practice management of pest snails in Australian grain systems, to improve the reliability, adoption and effectiveness of pest snail management in Australian grain production. The investment will be extension-led and will focus on improving decision-making and the use and integration of existing pest snail management options, supported by targeted applied RD&E, building on existing knowledge, datasets, tools, trial platforms and industry capability. The investment will be delivered through four separate but coordinated procurements: PROC-9177465: Program 1, National coordination, integration, synthesis and learning for pest snail management PROC-9177466: Program 2, National extension and adviser capability to support adoption of effective pest snail management, guided by national technical pest snail expertise PROC-9177467: Program 3A, Pest snail ecology, population dynamics and risk prediction PROC-9177468: Program 3B, Improved use of bait products for pest snail management Although the four programs will be delivered under separate agreements, they are intended to operate as a single coordinated investment rather than as independent activities. Program 1 will coordinate and integrate the broader investment, Program 2 will be the primary pathway for extension, adviser capability and adoption, and Programs 3A and 3B will provide applied evidence to improve management decisions relating to pest snail risk, bait timing and bait performance. Delivery will be nationally coordinated but regionally differentiated, reflecting variation in pest snail species, farming systems, seasonal conditions and management challenges. Activity should be proportionate to pest risk and industry need, with the greatest effort expected in established snail-affected areas of the GRDC Southern and Western regions and activity in other emerging or localised areas where justified. Program 2 is the primary pathway through which existing knowledge and findings from Programs 3A and 3B will be translated into practical improvements in grower and adviser decision-making. It is not intended to be a stand-alone communications campaign, a series of disconnected or one-off events, or redevelopment of existing resources without an identified need. Purpose While substantial technical knowledge and management resources already exist, there remains a need for more coordinated delivery, stronger regional extension, better integration between research and extension, and clearer guidance on the timing and reliability of existing management practices. Objectives By June 2031, Australian grain growers and advisers are implementing effective, integrated pest snail management practices that improve reliability of control, reduce crop and grain quality impacts, and increase adoption of risk-based management decisions across regions and farming systems. Scope The scope includes: Delivery of a sustained national extension and adviser capability program supporting adoption of effective pest snail management Translation of existing and emerging knowledge, including findings from Programs 3A and 3B, into practical, regionally relevant guidance and decision support Combining consistent national technical messaging with sustained, regionally relevant engagement through advisers, growers and established regional networks Active involvement of experienced growers, including those under persistent or high snail pressure, as sources of practical knowledge and as partners in demonstration, validation and learning Facilitating peer-to-peer learning through trusted growers, advisers and regional networks to share practical experience, identify and refine leading practices, demonstrate integrated management approaches and support wider uptake Strengthening adviser capability so advisers can interpret available evidence, adapt recommendations to local and seasonal conditions and provide consistent pest snail management advice, engaging existing adviser and extension networks rather than establishing parallel structures where suitable networks already exist Building on and improving access to existing pest snail knowledge and resources, including Nail the Snails, rather than duplicating them, with new or revised materials developed only where an identified user need exists Incorporating relevant supply-chain considerations, including grain contamination risk and receival requirements, where they influence grower decisions Monitoring changes in adviser capability, grower confidence, decision-making and adoption of effective pest snail management practices, and using this to refine delivery over the life of the program Working closely with the Program 1 provider and the leads of Programs 3A and 3B to align priorities, ensure grower and adviser experience informs applied RD&E activities, and translate useful findings into practical regional guidance in a timely manner Providing timely planning, progress, output and impact information to support whole-of-investment coordination, synthesis and monitoring led through Program 1 Preparing and submitting its own contractual milestone reports to GRDC Making appropriate personnel available to participate in whole-of-program planning, coordination, monitoring and review activities led through Program 1, and meeting its own associated personnel and travel costs Consideration of variable-rate baiting principles may be included where it directly supports monitoring, risk assessment or practical management guidance. New product discovery, early proof-of-concept development, product registration activities and development of operational variable-rate baiting systems are outside the scope of this procurement and should not be included as proposed activities or budget items. Contractor Requirements Suitably experienced provider capable of delivering a sustained national extension and adviser capability program Delivery must be guided by credible national pest snail technical expertise, provided within the lead entity or through clearly identified and appropriately resourced subcontractors or technical specialists Application must be submitted by a single lead legal entity that will enter into the agreement with GRDC and be accountable for delivery, which may propose a delivery team involving other organisations or specialists as subcontractors Successful providers will be required to work collaboratively with providers appointed to the other three programs and participate in coordinated planning, reporting, monitoring and delivery arrangements Information Requested Identification of the proposed delivery team, the responsibilities of each participant, key personnel, subcontracting arrangements and how delivery will be managed For tenderers applying for more than one procurement, identification of any shared personnel, infrastructure, datasets, demonstration sites, efficiencies or dependencies across their applications Explanation of how the proposed approach will maintain continuity across seasons, respond to local pest pressure and farming systems, and support growers and advisers at different stages of knowledge and adoption Explanation of how trusted growers, advisers and regional networks will be used to share practical experience, identify and refine leading practices, demonstrate integrated management approaches and support wider uptake, with the scale and location of activities justified by regional pest risk, industry need and the likelihood of achieving meaningful adoption Explanation of how technical experts, extension personnel, advisers and experienced growers will work together, how the technical accuracy and consistency of advice will be maintained across regions, and how the required technical expertise has been allowed for in the proposed resourcing and budget A proposed approach to monitoring that goes beyond the number of events, participants or communication products delivered, providing evidence of changes in adviser capability, grower confidence, decision-making and adoption Contract Terms and Conditions Programs 1 and 2 are anticipated to commence on 1 February 2027 All four programs are anticipated to conclude on 30 June 2031 Offers will remain open for acceptance by GRDC for a period of 6 months after the Closing Time Instructions to Tenderers Each of the four procurements (PROC-9177465, PROC-9177466, PROC-9177467 and PROC-9177468) will be assessed and contracted separately. Tenderers may apply for one or more procurements but must submit a separate application for each, and each application must be capable of being assessed and contracted independently. GRDC may appoint the same lead entity to more than one program or different lead entities to individual programs. Enquiries Contact: Rimaz Toto, Grains Research and Development Corporation Email: cpprocurements@grdc.com.au Requests for further information or clarification in relation to this procurement must be made in writing (email) prior to 3 September 2026