Legacy Grazing · UK public procurement notice

Legacy Grazing is a project that forms a part of Essex County Council's Place Services, providing conservation grazing to 16 sites in Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Kent covering over 425 hectares of land.

From April 2021, Essex County Council will appoint a single 'lead' contractor to provide native breed livestock (cattle, sheep and goat) and associated livestock management for Legacy Grazing.

The following activities will be required by the lead contractor:

Manage their livestock in accordance with relevant best-practice, legislation and Legacy Grazing standards.

Inspect grazing sites at least once every two weeks when livestock are present (site information available on proactis).

Ensure a rota of daily welfare checks is in place at each site when livestock are present in accordance with the guidance. See Annex 1 for details of current arrangements for each site.

Deliver two training workshops each year to provide basic training for client staff and volunteer stock checkers. The locations may vary each year, but these will take place at one of Legacy Grazing's sites.

Act as the first point of contact (including weekends & evenings) for client staff and volunteers who undertake daily checks with regard enquires about livestock health or welfare.

At sites (three in total), where client staff or volunteers are not available to undertake daily checks, provide the necessary labour to ensure welfare checks are conducted in accordance with the relevant publications.

Be responsible for dealing with emergency and out-of-hour (evening and weekends) incidents associated with your livestock whilst present on Legacy Grazing sites. Such as, but not limited to, injured, ill or escaped livestock.

Ensure grazing is carried out in accordance with the Grazing Programme and Grazing Plans (available on proactis).

Coordinate all movements of cattle between sites and to do so in accordance with the Grazing Programme and underpinning Grazing Plans.

Assist the Contract Manager by maintaining an up-to-date Grazing Programme and Plans that identify the proposed duration and number of livestock at each site.

Maintain an up-to-date record of livestock type and numbers by Rural Land Register parcel in accordance with Countryside Stewardship obligations for 'Parcel level record keeping'

Maintain an electronic record of site visits and incidents. Format to be agreed between the Contract Manager and the contractor prior to the commencement of the contract.

In case of emergency, assist, where appropriate, Essex County Council staff, client staff, volunteers or sub-contractors with the repair of grazing infrastructure (fencing, gates, handling facilities & water etc.).

Complete and maintain risk assessments (and method statements where applicable) for each site in relation to livestock management and checking. These should be developed with reference to the following publication: Cattle and public access in England and Wales. Advice for farmers, landowners and other livestock keepers .

Meet (at least weekly by phone or on site) with the Contract Manager, and attend site meetings with existing clients (at least once per site per year).

Assist the Contract Manager to promote Legacy Grazing to seek new clients and sites.