The Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine (DAFM) has issued a public tender request for the provision of a national social farming network programme.

Social farming is defined by DAFM "as the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment as a choice to people who avail of a range of therapeutic day support services". 

Social farming participants include individuals with physical, intellectual or sensory disabilities, and those recovering from mental health issues or who may be unemployed and who report benefits such as enhanced self-esteem and improved sense of health and well-being from the service.

According to DAFM, the practice is widely established in Europe, especially in the Netherlands, Norway and Italy, but is considered "a relatively new concept in Ireland".

DAFM confirmed it is seeking proposals from service provider/s experienced in the area of social farming, "who have the capability and vision to develop a national social farming network for the next five years".

A maximum of €900,000 per annum will be awarded by DAFM for the provision of programmes under the Rural Innovation & Development Fund. However, finance for capital works will not be considered.

Tenderers are required by the Office of Government Procurement to submit a proposed project plan on how the service and programme objectives would be delivered, as part of the tender application.

The proposal should outline information on content, methodology, timelines, management of participants, and the number of potential beneficiaries, which will be evaluated as part of the public procurement competition.

The proposal must include price quotes, which should remain valid for 120 days from the tender deadline.

Service providers and personnel will also be evaluated as part of the tender submission, including the degree of expertise of the proposed team, their degree of involvement in the initiative, and their ability to work with the diverse stakeholders involved in the project.

According to the department's instructions to tenderers, the project manager must be educated to "at least Quality and Qualifications Ireland level 8 (degree level) in a business, social science or social care discipline". 

The winning tender will be selected on the basis of "the most suitable and best qualitative", and will initially be issued a one-year term contract, with the possibility of extension for a period of up to one year.

The public procurement competition for the contract will be subject to an open procedure in accordance with the EU's 'Award of Public Authority Contracts Regulations 2016'.

According to DAFM, the tender application window opened on March 21 and will close at 13:00p.m on April 28, 2025.

Commenting on the public tender, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “I am pleased to announce my department has issued this request for tender. Social farming is an exciting and successful venture that has many benefits.

"It’s an initiative which fosters inclusion amongst disadvantaged groups and allows participants build self-esteem and improve health and well-being.

"When operating from a working family farm, these initiatives support farm diversification and help farmers connect with the wider community.”