Teagasc is currently inviting tenders from service providers for agricultural education and training services.
The agriculture and food development authority has said that the four-year multi-party framework will cost around €3.36 million overall, excluding VAT.
The contract is split into several lots, including agriculture; machinery; equine; horticulture; forestry and generic modules focused on areas such as communications and leadership skills.
As part of a multi-party framework agreement; tenderers successfully included on the framework under their selected lot(s) will compete for contracts under the framework via mini-competitions.
Any contract that may result from mini-competitions from the framework will be issued for a term of one year and may then be extended.
Tenders
In a statement to Agriland, a spokesperson for Teagasc said that the authority has a statutory remit to provide and procure education and training for the land sector.
“To fulfill this remit, a multi-supplier education contractor framework for the delivery of agriculture related education and training at Teagasc colleges and Teagasc advisory regions has been put in place to supplement teaching support,” they said.
The existing education contractor framework is due to expire within the 2023/24 academic year.
“Teagasc first introduced a contractor model during the moratorium when permanent teaching staff could not be replaced.
“Teagasc operate the subcontracting model to sustain the delivery of Teagasc education and training business, in the absence of sufficient internal Teagasc staff resources,” the spokesperson added.
The closing date for the receipt of tenders is 5:00p.m on Friday, May 31, 2024.