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An evaluation of a tender-based process for improving water quality in a Far North Queensland catchment has shown that well-managed engagement and communication with stakeholders is key to producing excellent progress.

Using a mixed-method approach, Dr Romy Greiner conducted an ex-post evaluation of the 2008 Lower Burdekin Water Quality Tender and found a ‘high level of persistence of investments and continuing functionality’ after the Tender had concluded.

In the Tender, farmers and other landholders submitted tenders for funding to improve water quality outcomes on their properties.

The Tender’s information and communications made the process very popular with farmers and spurred not only a high level of engagement with the Tender but also water quality awareness and practice change by landholders outside the successful Tender process.

However, this outstanding engagement with landholders was not continued to the same degree after tenders had been selected, resulting in frustration and reducing some of the otherwise highly positive outcomes from the Tender. The post-evaluation exercise has identified the positives and negatives for consideration if another tender-based process was used again.

The full report is available online.

More info on this project can be found here.

 

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