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Current tenders

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking applications from individuals, organisations or project teams with the expertise required to undertake one or more of the following projects:

Current tenders

Request for tender - Improved grazing guidelines for Northern Australia

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary proposals for RD&A projects that will develop improved grazing management guidelines for different land systems and climate zones across northern Australia, to protect and improve landscape productivity.

Applications should nominate target regions and land systems within Northern Australia where grazing guidelines require improvement. It is not essential for individual applicants to develop guidelines for all land systems across Northern Australia. Specifically, these projects are to be conducted in regions represented by the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC).

Proposals may be funded by producer levies, the MLA Donor Company, or a combination of the two.

Applicants should carefully review the linked tender document before completing their preliminary project proposal. Requested activities are specified on pages 13-16. The tender document contains further links to all necessary documentation.

Request for tender form and specifications

Submit proposals electronically to MLA at projectcall@mla.com.au and copy to apeake@mla.com.au. Preliminary proposals must be received by MLA before 5pm AEST Friday 22nd August 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted.

National Livestock Genetics Consortium – A new model for sheep reference populations EOI

MLA is seeking expressions of interest from interested organisations to submit an expression of interest to find collaborators and participants to be involved in developing new reference projects and models to facilitate collaboration, co-investment and supply chain partnerships to support the long-term sustainability of reference populations.

The NLGC envisages that these reference projects will possibly differ from a traditional model with a single research flock/herd and management team, to expand and include other industry collaborators and flocks. We are looking for but not limited to organisations such as producers, processors, research stations, genotyping companies, extension experts, project managers, and retail or wholesalers.

This EOI closes on 30 July 2025 – please see attached the EOI document for further detail and the link to the online application form.

National Livestock Genetics Consortium – A new model for beef reference populations EOI

MLA is seeking expressions of interest from interested organisations to submit an expression of interest to find collaborators and participants to be involved in developing new reference projects and models to facilitate collaboration, co-investment and supply chain partnerships to support the long-term sustainability of reference populations.

The NLGC envisages that these reference projects will possibly differ from a traditional model with a single research flock/herd and management team, to expand and include other industry collaborators and flocks. We are looking for but not limited to organisations such as producers, processors, research stations, genotyping companies, extension experts, project managers, and retail or wholesalers.

This EOI closes on 30 July 2025 – please see attached EOI documents for further detail and the link to the online application form.

EOI - BioBrowser Project Reference Group

MLA is calling for goat producers, industry stakeholders, and biodiversity/natural capital experts to join the BioBrowser project as members of the Project Reference Group.

As part of the BioBrowser Project Reference Group, you'll play a key role in codesigning the establishment of a biodiversity baseline for the Australian goat industry. You will collaborate with leading experts and industry representatives, sharing insights and approaches to understand the influence of goats on Australian biodiversity.

Applications are currently being accepted from commercial goat producers (farmed and harvested rangeland goats), industry and biodiversity technical specialists to fill the eight (8) available positions on the BioBrowser Project Reference Group.

Expressions of Interest for all positions close on 2 July 2025 – please see the EOI and the BioBrowser Project Reference Group Terms of Reference for further detail.

For more information:

Dr Daniel Forwood

Project Manager – Sheep and Goat Productivity

0457 477 537

Expressions of Interest: Independent Members and Chair - CalfWays Implementation Steering Committee

Independent Members and Chair - CalfWays Implementation Steering Committee

The dairy and beef industries, through Dairy Australia and MLA, are seeking expressions of interest for three Independent Members and one Independent Chair to join the CalfWays Implementation Steering Committee.

CalfWays is the Sustainable Dairy Calf Management Roadmap developed through extensive consultation across the dairy and beef industries. It provides a unified framework for sustainable calf management practices that deliver benefits across the supply chain. CalfWays can be downloaded here.

The Implementation Steering Committee will oversee the delivery of the CalfWays Program over a three-year period.

EOI

BREEDPLAN & Sheep Genetics Technical Committee

Meat & Livestock Australia on behalf of the BREEDPLAN & OVIS Owners is seeking expressions of interest from individuals for the role of a Technical Expert on the BREEDPLAN & Sheep Genetics Technical Committee.

The primary objective of the committee is to provide technical guidance and review progress on items against the Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit (AGBU) project focused on the R&D of the BREEDPLAN & OVIS Analytical software. The Committee also provides technical guidance and review of the implementation of new methods and tools into the BREEDPLAN and Sheep Genetics evaluations.

Please provide both a Resume & Cover Letter as outlined in the EOI document.

This EOI closes on the 4th July 2025 – please see EOI document for further information and application details.

EOI

Developing novel, chute-side solutions to detect pregnancy in cattle

In response to NABRC priorities, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking preliminary proposals from individuals or organisations with the capability to develop and evaluate novel, chute-side solutions to detect pregnancy in cattle. 

MLA applications must be lodged electronically as Word document to: projectcall@mla.com.au

Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on Monday 7th July 2025.

Request for tender form and specifications.

Preliminary project proposal template.

Project application guidelines.

For more information, please contact:

Ainsley Smith
Project Manager – Grassfed Beef Productivity

Email: asmith@mla.com.au

Phone: 0474 199 470

 

Request for tender - Forage strategies for failing crops

MLA is seeking preliminary proposals for RD&A projects that will identify, evaluate and demonstrate strategies for utilising failing or weedy crops for forage either through grazing or conserved forage in the form of hay or silage. Importantly a range of audiences should be targeted including growers (crop only, crop/livestock) as well as the advisory sector. 

Projects can be conducted anywhere in the southern Australian mixed farming regions represented by the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council (SALRC) and the Western Australia Livestock Research Council (WALRC). Applicants should carefully review the linked tender document before completing their preliminary project proposal. Requested activities are specified on pages 13-17. The tender document contains further links to all necessary documentation.

Request for tender form and specifications.

Preliminary proposals must be received by MLA before 5pm AEST Friday 18th July 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted. Submit proposals electronically to MLA at: projectcall@mla.com.au.

 

If you have questions about this open call, contact:

Joe Gebbels
Project Manager – Sustainable Feedbase Resources 

Email: jgebbels@mla.com.au

Phone: 0448 273 214

Request for tender - Improved sown and native grasses, legumes and plant-microbe symbioses for southern pasture systems

MLA is seeking preliminary proposals for RD&A projects that will develop improve sown and native pasture varieties relevant to grazing systems across southern Australia.  Activities to improve plant-microbe symbioses, seed collections and seed technology are also within scope for certain components of the investment call. Specifically, these projects are to be conducted in regions represented by the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council (SALRC).

Applicants should carefully review the linked tender document before completing their preliminary project proposal. Requested activities are specified on pages 13-16. The tender document contains further links to all necessary documentation.

Request for tender form and specifications.

Preliminary proposals must be received by MLA before 5pm AEST Friday 18th July 2025. Late proposals will not be accepted. Submit proposals electronically to MLA at: projectcall@mla.com.au. 

If you have questions about this open call, contact: 

Allan Peake
Program Manager – Sustainable Feedbase Resources 
Email: apeake@mla.com.au

Expressions of Interest for Co-funded Feedlot R&D

Addendum – 2 May 2025

This tender was revised on 2 May 2025. The revisions include i) simplifying the tender to requiring only a preliminary application from applicants by the due date (plus the tender forms), ii) additional information on the strategic goals of the MLA feedlot Program R&D to help guide applicants on the areas that investment would be prioritised.

MLA is seeking Expression of interest, in the form of preliminary applications from organisations or partnerships of organisations to co fund research and development opportunities targeting any of the following key strategic themes: automation, animal health and welfare, animal performance, environmental sustainability & emissions reduction. As part of this opportunity MLA, via the MLA donor company, can contribute up to 40% of the total project cost (not including project administration fees).

Preliminary applications (6 page limit) to the RFT must be lodged electronically to tenders@mla.com.au

Request for tender

Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 25 July 2025.

Feedlot cattle health and performance technologies

MLA is seeking applications from organisations to co fund development or evaluation of technologies that improve the health and/or the performance of feedlot cattle.

Request for tender

Applications and supporting documentation as requested in the RFT must be lodged electronically to tenders@mla.com.au

Applications must be received by 17:00 AEST on 25 July 2025.