The Establishment of Three Multi Party Frameworks to support commercially focussed seafood R&D

Description

There are a number of longer term seafood and marine research projects that are funded under a variety of calls (e.g. FIRM, FP7, Horizon 2020). The aim of this initiative is to harness near-market research outputs and to work closely with research groups and SMEs to test, scale and integrate viable technologies under commercial conditions. DAFM has sought multi-agency input to define R&D priorities via SHARP and BIM has also identified a number of initial key areas that would benefit from specific shorter-term focus through small-scale applied R&D projects. Examples of priority research areas include; Functional foods and health including protein hydrolysates, establishing commercially-relevant SOPs for extraction, isolation and drying techniques and by-product utilisation, including opportunities in pet foods, mince/surimi and techno-functional ingredients. To progress these opportunities, BIM proposes to set up (3) three Framework Agreements from which mini competitions will be run. Applicants will be invited to quote for specific project focus areas in the future. These areas will be selected by BIM, partner agencies and industry stakeholders (Sample focus areas are provided in Appendix D). Tenderers should note that each Framework Agreement Lot will result in a separate Framework Agreement and membership of each individual Framework Agreement Lot will depend on the evaluation of the Tenders received from Tenderers for each Framework Agreement Lot. References in this RFT to "Framework Agreement" shall be deemed to refer, as the context so admits or requires, to each Framework Agreement entered into for a Framework Agreement Lot and to all of the Framework Agreements collectively. The Framework Agreements will run for up to a maximum of four(4) years.