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Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme – Expression of Interest –

Criteria and Application Form

Round 9 - Opens 5 October 2020

Closes 16 November 2020

© Crown Copyright 2015 ISBN Number: 978-1-78859-738-8

Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme

2014-2020

CONTENTS PARAGRAPH

Introduction………………………………………………………………………...........3

Timescale………………………………………………………………………………...3

Funds Available………………………………………………………………………….3

Scoring Methodology and Criteria……………………………………………………..3

How to Apply……………………………………………………………………………..3

Scheme Overview………………………………………………………………………..4

EOI Selection Criteria……………………………………………………………………8

EOI Application Form……………………………………………………………………12

© Crown Copyright 2015 ISBN Number: 978-1-78859-738-8

INTRODUCTION

1. These Guidance Notes explain how the Expression of Interest (EOI) process for the Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme (CSCDS) will be operated.

This EOI round will develop approaches to address Antimicrobial Resistance in relation to animals and the environment.

The aim is to provide support for delivering the objectives identified within the Welsh Governments Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Animals and Environment Five Year Implementation Plan for Wales (2019-24)1

There must be a clear fit with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All. EOIs should demonstrate contributions towards the following outcomes:

Reducing disease burdens in farmed animals, through preventive approaches, and so reducing the need to use antibiotics through antimicrobials.

Driving the highest standards of antibiotic stewardship. Understanding and minimizing the spread of AMR through the environment. Building stronger surveillance of AMR in animals. Adopting new technologies to tackle AMR.

Proposals should also give due consideration to the UK’s 20-Year vision for antimicrobial resistance2.

AMR is a complex risk that requires, integrated and collaborative working across sectors and application of new approaches for its successful control. The EOI proposals should show how the business, organisation or community will develop an approach that will make a lasting contribution towards the overarching objectives.

The scope of proposals will ideally be pan-Wales, to match the Welsh Government’s policy goals. But smaller scale trials and pilots may be considered, if it is clear how they could be scaled-up should they prove successful.

1 https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-07/antimicrobial-resistance-in-animals-and-the-environment-implementation-plan.pdf2 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/773065/uk-20-year-vision-for-antimicrobial-resistance.pdf

Version:Issue Date: of 21Issued By: Welsh Government

2. Please read these notes carefully. You will also need to refer to:

Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 Expression of Interest Guidance Notes.

Guidance Notes for the Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme. These can be found at the web address below:

Guidance Notes for the Coopetation and Supply Chain Development Scheme

Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals and the Environment: Implementation Plan:

https://gov.wales/antimicrobial-resistance-animals-and-environment-implementation-plan

TIMESCALES

3. This CSCDS EOI application window will be open from the 5 October 2020.The closing date for applications is 16 November 2020 at midnight.EOIs may be submitted at any time throughout the EOI window.

4. 11 December 2020 - Invitation to submit full applications will be issued to successful applicants.

5. 5 March 2020 at 16:00 hours – Closing Date for submission of full applications.

6. Projects must be completed by no later than 30 June 2023.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

7. Round 9 of Co-operation & Supply Chain Development Scheme has a budget of £4 million.

SCORING & SELECTION PROCESS

8. EOI’s will be scored and ranked in order to the scoring criteria (section entitled EOI Selection Criteria). EOI’s will be selected based on their ranking up until the point at which the window budget is fully committed. A maximum of 3 tranches of selections will be completed per window in order to maximise the budget.

HOW TO APPLY

9. For full details of how to apply please refer to the Expression of Interest (EOI) Guidance Notes document. Applicants may submit questions about their EOI application and the process by email to:CooperationScheme@gov. Wales


mailto:CooperationScheme@gov.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2018-09/co-operation-and-supply-chain-development-scheme-guidance_0.pdf

10.EOIs must be submitted on the form at the end of this document.

11.Applicants should complete the EOI form electronically. Sections can be expanded as required. Please note that all the information must be provided within the EOI form. Additional documents or supporting information will not be accepted at EOI stage.

12.Completed EOI Forms should be submitted via email to: [email protected]

13.All Applicants must have registered on RPW Online prior to the closing date of the EOI as all invites to Full Application will be made via RPW Online.

14.No EOI will be accepted after midnight on the closing date.

SCHEME OVERVIEW

15.The maximum grant threshold per enterprise for any individual co-operation project is £4,000,000.The minimum grant threshold per enterprise for any individual co-operation project is £2,400.

16.Projects will be capped at the grant requested on the EOI Application, therefore applicants are advised to obtain realistic costings for the lifetime of the project.

17.Vision

Businesses, Organisations and Communities should be working together to increase their resilience by tackling issues such as,

Rural poverty Financial sustainability Climate change and the Environment In-work poverty and social exclusion

18.Principles

Build capacity and confidence Act as a catalyst for further intervention Developed shared visions through diverse approaches and practices Build on the LEADER principles of innovation and pilot action Use businesses, organisations, people and our natural resources effectively

to stimulate community, social, environmental and economic wellbeing for future generations

Develop a collaborative approach to promote both vertical and horizontal integration in the wider rural economy


mailto:[email protected]

19.Objectives and scope

Applicants should consider the following projects in addition to those included

under Eligibility (paragraph 20). Completed EOI forms are expected to

demonstrate how all of the eligible criteria in paragraph 20 will be met plus as

many as possible additional elements selected from, but not limited to those,

outlined below:

1. Deliver syndromic surveillance information for farmed animals in Wales.

Syndromic surveillance information is data, from veterinary practices or

elsewhere, on the number of animals and farms being reported with presenting

clinical syndromes (rather than reports of confirmed diagnoses). Clinical

syndromes of interest include, but are not confined to, respiratory and gastro-

intestinal disease, lameness, mastitis and other disease presentations that lead

to the use of antibiotics.

2. Pilot innovative and practical ways that farmers can record and deliver

syndromic surveillance data. Identify necessary motivators and potential

barriers, including how they could be overcome for successful farmer recording

of syndromic data. Data should be presented in a way that identifies trends or

patterns of infectious diseases in farmed animals in Wales.

3. A proposal to understand the associations of between patterns of antibiotic use

and subsequent development of antibiotic resistance on a selected number and

type of Welsh sheep, dairy and beef farms.

4. A project that will reduce the risk of infectious disease spread resulting from

moving animals on and off farms, to contribute towards the objective of

reducing the exposure of animals to infectious agents which could result in the

need to treat with antibiotics.

5. Proposals to scope pathways for improving the resistance of farmed animals in

Wales to disease, through appropriate breeding strategies. Supporting the


objective of maximizing the ability of animals to resist infectious diseases that

could otherwise result in the need to treat with antibiotics.

6. To produce a detailed, fully worked-up proposal for ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE

of AMR in the dairy and beef cattle, and sheep sectors, in Wales. The proposal

should identify the most important antibiotic-bacteria combinations to be

measured. It should indicate in detail how sampling (either on-farm, or in

abattoirs and dairies, or both) is to be done. The proposal should assume that

all sampling would be on a voluntary rather than a statutory basis. Therefore,

approaches to acquiring the co-operation and consent of all involved should be

part of the proposal. It should include proposals for repeatability in order to

monitor AMR trends in the dairy, beef and sheep sectors in Wales. This is a

scoping project and the deliverable is for the design of an active surveillance

system, rather than for its delivery. The applicants may wish to refer to current

regulations for active surveillance3.

7. Equine industry usage – to provide proposals to better understand patterns of

antibiotic usage for equines in Wales. Including proposals for reduction in

usage through improved biosecurity.

8. To better understand the risks of the spread of AMR from livestock farms in

Wales into the wider environment through the presence of key AMR bacteria in

farm slurry and manure. We would welcome EoI applications to include a study

of the patterns (including frequency, spatial and temporal distribution, and risk

factors) of/for AMR bacteria in farm waste that enters the environment in

Wales. Applications should focus on dairy and beef cattle and sheep farms.

This study would contribute to better understanding of the spread of AMR from

farms and will compliment other work, outside the RDP, investigating other

potential sources for environmental spread of AMR in Wales.

9. In this section you are also invited to suggest other proposals that will contribute towards the specific objectives from the Welsh Government’s AMR in Animals and Environment Implementation Plan for Wales, within the scope of

3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32013D0652


https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32013D0652

the Wales RDP CSCD

20.Eligibility

Support for co-operation activities must demonstrate at least two entities are involved in the proposed project. Project proposals that are a priority for support are those that demonstrate;

Development or enhancement of current veterinary capabilities (including, but not limited to, guidance to support prescribing, CPD, enhanced understanding of AMR in the environment)

Innovation through the application of novel technologies, particularly those gathering and exploiting data, to support vets and farmers.

Collaborative partnerships which promote education, awareness and control of AMR.

A clear alignment between the project being delivered and the objectives identified in the AMR Implementation Plan.

Have a measurable impact, either qualitative or quantitative, to demonstrate the benefits of intervention and value for money.

Expressions of Interest must explain how they will deliver all of the following proposals:

1. Prescribing guidance: A project to enhance the selection of antibiotics for use in farm animals by provision of independent, scientific-based guidance to vets. The focus should be on the diseases of cattle and sheep that drive the most antibiotic use. The guidance may be for named clinical disease presentations (e.g. lameness), or named bacteria, or a combination of both. The project should include delivery of the guidance to farm animal practices within Wales or; how this could be linked with point 2 below.

2. A project to continue to improve the standards of antibiotic stewardship by farm animal veterinarians in Wales. The project should include a programme of structured engagement, knowledge transfer and support, both from experts and by peer-to peer co-operation. These inputs should be accompanied by analysis of impact by demonstrating improved antibiotic prescribing and supply performance, with an overall aim of reducing antibiotic usage while ensuring that best practice is adopted when antibiotics do have to be used. The overall aim of this project is for farm animal veterinary practices in Wales to be exemplars of good antibiotic stewardship.

3. To work with all farm animal vets in Wales to produce a code of conduct for the supply of antibiotics that contributes towards the control of AMR through the highest standards of antibiotic stewardship. The project must include


proposals for engaging with veterinary practices in Wales to encourage adoption and application of the code of conduct.

4. A programme of engagement and knowledge exchange for livestock-

keepers, to deliver the understanding and knowledge they need to

contribute successfully to all relevant goals of the Wales Animal and

Environment AMR Plan. There should be a particular emphasis on farm

management to prevent and control disease.

5. Project to deliver regular, annual, farm-level antibiotic usage data on Welsh livestock farms. The project should deliver data to a standard that would align with current EU requirements4, and also enable information to be collated as part of a UK dataset. The project must be confined to sheep and beef cattle.

This EOI round will provide support for the following types of costs:

The development and capacity building elements of the proposed co-operation activity

Running costs of the co-operation activity(including the travel and subsistence costs of participants)

Animation(this can include organisation of training, networking between members and the recruitment of members)

Studies(this can include feasibility studies, drawing up of a business plan and/or equivalent for a local / industry development strategy)

Costs of specific operations (projects) undertaken by the co-ordinator / animator / facilitator or other partner in a pilot / co-operation activity (linked to a detailed plan)

This is not a definitive list – further information is available in the full Scheme Guidance Notes.

21.Duration

Projects are expected to be completed by no later than 30 June 2023.

22.General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Privacy Notice

4 Regulation EU of the European Parliament and of the council on veterinary medicinal products and repealing Directive 2001/82/EC


https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R0006

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R0006

The information provided in the expression of interest application and full application is subject to the Privacy Notice at: Rural grants and payments: privacy notice

The Privacy Notice explains the Welsh Government’s processing and use of your personal data and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018.

The personal data provided will be held on a database and will be processed by Welsh Government for the purposes of progressing applications and claims for EAFRD assistance. The information provided may be shared with UK Government Departments, Welsh Government Sponsored Public Bodies or agencies within Wales for the purposes of audit, research, meeting statutory obligations and, where appropriate, for the prevention and detection of fraud. Personal data will not, without consent, be made public in any way that identifies individuals. Certain data will be passed to the European Commission in compliance with EC Regulations.

Data may also be passed to Welsh Government support contractors for the purpose of resolving system problems. These contractors will not be permitted to make any other use of this data.

If any person on whom data is held wishes to request details of their personal data being held on Welsh Government’s central database they may contact the Scheme Management Unit on telephone number 03000 622 218.

Nothing in this document shall override the provisions of the GDPR 2018.

EOI SELECTION CRITERIA

23.The EOI must include proposals for all of the projects in paragraph 20, and these will be scored. Applications that do not address all of the projects in paragraph 20 will not be progressed.

24.Each of the projects in paragraph 19 will be scored. Applicants are not required to include proposals for all of the projects within paragraph 19. But projects that are not addressed, will not generate a score.

25.The EOI proposal will be scored on a five point scale where a score of 5 is the highest and a score of 0 is the lowest.

Selection Criteria Score Weighting factor

1 Stakeholder engagement 0-5 x 5

2 Barriers to engagement 0-5 x 4


https://gov.wales/rural-grants-and-payments-privacy-notice

3 Additionality and Strategic Compliance 0-5 x 5

4 Communication 0-5 x 3

5 Evaluation 0-5 x 2

6 Outputs / Outcomes 0-5 x 2

7 Value for Money 0-5 x 1

26.For each criterion the assessment will be made on the basis of the information and explanations given.

27.Explanations should include what activities are proposed to be undertaken, supported by details of how those activities will be organised and/or delivered.

28.Higher scores will be achieved by providing comprehensive explanations supported by examples of proposed activities and details of how those activities will be managed.

29.Lower scores will be achieved by giving explanations that are simply statements of intent, for example, “we will hold meetings with stakeholders on a regular basis throughout the project”.

Capability Evidence Provided Score

The information provided in the grant application is sufficiently clear and robust to demonstrate confidence in delivery.

The content is consistent, comprehensive, compelling and directly relevant to the grant scheme in all respects and is highly credible.

5

The content is sufficient (in qualitative terms), convincing, and credible. 4

The information provided in the grant application demonstrates a small risk to delivery.

There are minor gaps in the content, or to a small extent it is unconvincing, lacks credibility or relevance to the scheme.

3

The information provided in the application demonstrates a moderate risk to delivery.

There are moderate gaps in the content and therefore it is unconvincing. 2


The information provided in the grant application demonstrates a significant risk to delivery.

There are major gaps in the content, it is unconvincing in many respects, it lacks credibility, and/or it is largely irrelevant to the scheme.

1

The information provided in the grant application demonstrates that the project is not capable of being delivered as described

The content is misleading, irrelevant or ineligible. 0

30.No Expression of Interest will progress which scores less than the minimum quality threshold of 36.

31.A 0 score in any of the criteria will prevent the EOI from progressing.

32.EOI’s will be scored and ranked in order to the scoring criteria. EOI’s will be selected based on their ranking up until the point at which the window budget is fully committed. You will be asked to accept or decline the selection within a given deadline. If acceptance is not received or it is declined, we will select a further tranche up to the window budget. A maximum of three tranches of selections will be completed per window in order to maximise the budget.

33.An explanation of what is required for each criterion is given below.

Stakeholder engagement

34. In this section please explain who the stakeholders and beneficiaries are that you expect to be working with. Explain what activities are proposed for working with them and how those will be organised and managed. You should also be outlining how you intend to capture stakeholder feedback, assessing the impact of your activities.

Barriers to engagement

35. In this section please explain what barriers you foresee that might be an issue in engaging with and working with your community of stakeholders and beneficiaries. Explain what actions you will take to address and reduce those barriers and show how this will help to manage any risks that might be identified in working with your stakeholders.

Additionality and Strategic Compliance

36.Applicants should explain how the proposed project:


Contributes to the strategic aims and objectives of the CSCDS

Contributes to relevant Welsh Government strategies

Will not duplicate any existing provisions or any known intended provisions either through statutory service providers, other Welsh Government funded initiatives or other EU funded projects.

Please see below for a link to the list of RDP Approved Projects as at June 2019;Rural Development Programme: Approved Projects June 2020

37.Any EOIs found to contain significant areas of duplication may be excluded from progressing to project application stage and the applicant referred to the more appropriate funding source.

38.Applicants are required to follow the Welsh Government guidance and requirements for Competitive Tendering & Procurement Technical Guidance Notes.RDP Technical guide to competitive tendering and public procurement

Communication

39. In this section please explain what communication activities are to be delivered both for those engaged in the project as well as wider stakeholders who may have an interest in the activities or the final outcomes but who might not be directly involved. Explain what communication activities are proposed and how those will be delivered and managed.

Evaluation

In this section please explain what your evaluation arrangements will be. Explain how this will be undertaken, including an explanation of how the immediate and wider stakeholders will be consulted, and how the evaluation will be organised and managed. Applicants will be expected to ensure that there is regular engagement with the Welsh Government throughout the project. There should be a final evaluation, demonstrating how the project has contributed towards the objectives of the AMR in Animals and Environment Five Year Implementation Plan for Wales.

Outputs / Outcomes

40. In this section please explain what your expected outputs are going to be and what potential medium term outcomes there might be. You should explain the timescales for these and how they will be measured and reported on.


https://gov.wales/rural-development-programme-2014-2020-technical-guide-competitive-tendering-and-public-procurement

https://businesswales.gov.wales/walesruralnetwork/wrn-support-unit/rural-development-programme-funding

Note - the outputs might be in the form of defined project proposals for activities to be supported under other parts of the programme or supported by other funding sources, or, the outputs might be in the form of study reports or information dissemination sessions so that lessons learned can be shared more widely.

There should be clear measurable outputs for all of the eligibility criteria identified in paragraph 20. For example, you will have identified clear objectives and goals and you will have detailed proposals for how these will be measured, monitored and achieved. Any additional proposals, identified in paragraph 19 should also consider measurable outputs as identified above.

Value for Money

41. In this section applicants should explain how the project’s activities will deliver value for money. The applicant should explain how the costs of the project are considered to be reasonable taking into account the scope, scale and timescale of the proposals. An excellent proposal would show how costs have been determined to be reasonable by reference to quotation exercises; standard costs from previous activities; industry comparisons such as QS tables or an independent technical analysis. Please provide evidence of intention to undertake quotation exercises. Where appropriate show how different options for the achievement of the project objectives have been considered and explain how and why the chosen option was decided.


Co-operation and Supply Chain Development SchemeExpression of Interest Application Form

Project Overview

1) Project Name and Description (A short working project title maximum 50 characters)

Project Name:

Project Description (Maximum 250 words) Please ensure this briefly but clearly identifies what the project is about, what investments are proposed to be made and very briefly why these are needed.

2) Project Location

ADDRESS:POST CODE:

3) Other details

Proposed Start Date :Likely End Date :Total Project Cost: £Total Grant Amount: £Grant Rate %

Costs


To help us to understand your proposal please could you provide a very broad indication of the main cost headings to be included in your proposed project. At EOI stage this is just an indicative list to help the Welsh Government understand your project proposal. Applicants who are successful at EOI Stage will submit a final list as part of their Stage 2 project application.

Cost Heading Cost Estimate1.2.3.4.5.

4) Initial indication of Sub-Measure fit

Please give an indication, from the list below, of which sub-measure you believe your proposal fits with (only one per EOI);

16.2 support for pilot projects and for the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies:

16.2a Pilot Projects


Applicant Details and Background

1) Applicant Name and full Postal Address

Applicant/Company Name:

Address:

Post Code:

Contact name:

Position:

E-mail: Telephone No.(incl. STD code)

Language Preference: You may submit your application in Welsh. Any application submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favorably than an application submitted in English.

The language preference you select here is for your organisation.Formal correspondence and guidance will be in the language preference you select.Technical and financial information will normally be issued in English.Regardless of preference selected here, written or verbal correspondence from you may be in either language and we will aim to reply in the same.

Welsh

English

Bilingual

2) Applicant’s business status

Applicant’s Business Status Please tick appropriate

boxRegistered Charities and TrustsCompanies Limited by GuaranteeCommunity Interest Companies (CIC)Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC)

Industrial and Provident Society Mutuals and other registered co-


Applicant’s Business Status Please tick appropriate

box

operatives

Local Authorities and other public bodiesTown and Community CouncilsThe Welsh GovernmentPrivate Limited CompanyPartnershipSole Trader

N.B. Unincorporated associations, groups of associations or any other form of community group that does not have a formal legal status is not eligible under any Sub Measure.

If other, please specify

Company Number and / or Charity Number (if appropriate):

Customer Reference Number CRN (if known):(CRN is the Welsh Government grant payment reference number)

3) Company Structure

Is the applicant company a member of a group of companies?

Yes No

If yes, please give the name of the immediate, and if different, the ultimate Parent company and the country in which they are registered:

Is the applicant a New Start-Up?

Yes No

If yes, please give details below:

Is the applicant business a micro-enterprise, SME or intermediate enterprise?

Size of applicant business Yes NoMicro-enterpriseSME


Size of applicant business Yes NoIntermediate EnterpriseLarge Enterprise

Please give details:

No of Employees (Full Time equivalents based on 30 hours per week)

Annual gross turnover (for last Financial Year)

Annual gross profit(for last Financial Year)


Project Details

Please explain how your proposed project will deliver against the Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme EOI Selection Criteria.

1. Stakeholder engagement Insert your answer here (box will expand as required)

2. Barriers to engagementInsert your answer here (box will expand as required)

3. Additionality and Strategic ComplianceInsert your answer here (box will expand as required)

4. CommunicationInsert your answer here (box will expand as required)

5. EvaluationInsert your answer here (box will expand as required)

6. Outputs / Outcomes Insert your answer here (box will expand as required)

7. Value for MoneyInsert your answer here (box will expand as required)

Declaration by Applicant

I declare that the information contained in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

I confirm that I have read and understood the Scheme and EOI Guidance Notes and any other technical guidance that has been issued and that I am authorised to


sign / submit this application.

I undertake to notify the Welsh Government of any other application for grant aid for this project.

I confirm that no work on this project has started.

I acknowledge that neither the Welsh Government nor any adviser appointed by the Welsh Government shall be responsible for any advice given, including without limit any advice given in relation to this application and business plan, and that I am solely responsible for all business decisions undertaken.

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE: By emailing this form to the Welsh Government’s Co-operation Scheme email address you are making the declaration above.

Information Required Please enter response belowDateNameCompany/OrganisationPosition


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