Food for the Soul Nutritional Intervention Pilot

Invitation to Tender Food for the Soul Nutritional Intervention Pilot 1. Contracting Organisation Welsh Fishermen’s Association - Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr Cymru (WFA-CPC) WFA-CPC is the national representative body for the Welsh fishing industry. Its vision is to support a prosperous and sustainable fishing industry which contributes to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of Welsh coastal communities. 2. Invitation to Tender The Welsh Fishermen’s Association - Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr Cymru (WFA-CPC) invites suitably qualified and experienced individuals, organisations or collaborative teams to tender for the development and delivery of the Food for the Soul Nutritional Intervention Pilot. Note: the contract will be to one contractor for all elements of the project below. Any subcontractors must be named and identified. Applicants should have a good understanding of the Welsh fishing community. The project is a practical, evidence-led nutritional intervention specifically designed for Welsh fishermen. It forms part of the wider WFA-CPC - Stronger at Sea approach and seeks to improve nutritional awareness while strengthening understanding of the relationship between diet, physical health, mental wellbeing, resilience and performance at sea. The available contract value is £30,000 to £48,000 including VAT and all other costs and expenditure. 3. Background Commercial fishing presents a unique working environment. Long and irregular working hours, limited cooking and food storage facilities aboard vessels, fatigue and the practicalities of working at sea can make maintaining a healthy diet difficult. Existing research into eating habits within the fishing industry has identified an opportunity to provide fishermen with practical support to make healthier food choices. The purpose of Food for the Soul is not to develop a conventional healthy-eating or cookbook programme. Instead, WFA-CPC wishes to develop practical nutritional solutions that recognise the realities of life aboard working fishing vessels. The project should encourage high-protein and nutrient-dense food choices, sustainable energy levels, improved hydration and simple alternatives to highly processed foods, high-sugar snacks and heavily fried meals. The approach must be practical, accessible and appropriate for the Welsh fishing community. All intellectual property rights in the deliverables produced under this contract shall vest in the WFA-CPC upon creation. The successful Contractor shall assign all relevant rights to the WFA-CPC and obtain all necessary permissions for the WFA-CPC to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, distribute and retain the deliverables without further charge. The Contractor may retain ownership of pre-existing materials and know-how, subject to granting the WFA-CPC a perpetual, royalty-free licence where these are incorporated into the deliverables. 4. Project Objectives The successful supplier will be required to deliver a pilot programme which: identifies real-world barriers to healthy eating at sea; develops practical, vessel-ready nutritional solutions; engages directly with fishermen in Welsh fishing ports; creates accessible educational resources capable of being used beyond the funded project; supports preventative approaches to health issues including obesity, high cholesterol, fatigue and heart health; strengthens understanding of the relationship between diet, resilience and mental wellbeing; and creates a scalable pilot model capable of informing future delivery across Wales. 5. Scope of Work The successful supplier will be responsible for delivering the following four interconnected elements. Phase A - Research and Insight The supplier will undertake an initial research and engagement phase to ensure that subsequent resources are grounded in the practical experiences and needs of working fishermen. This will include: attendance at a Welsh fishing port, to be agreed with WFA-CPC; informal engagement with fishermen; review of relevant existing SeaFit survey findings from Wales and other regions; identification of key nutritional patterns, challenges and barriers affecting healthy eating at sea; and consideration of the practical limitations associated with food preparation, storage and consumption aboard fishing vessels. Outputs from this phase will include: a concise insight summary informing subsequent recipe and resource development; and a practical framework for the WFA-CPC Food for the Soul intervention. Phase B -Food for the Soul Toolkit Using the evidence and insight gathered during Phase A, the supplier will develop a practical nutritional toolkit specifically for fishermen. The toolkit will include approximately 12-15 practical, boat-ready recipes, incorporating: high-protein and nutrient-dense meal ideas; meals suitable for food flasks; slow-cooker meal solutions; healthier snack alternatives; hydration strategies for long working days at sea; practical food preparation guidance; and advice on preparing f