Notice

How to submit a response for the request for information (RFI)

Published 27 June 2022

Labour providers that want to be an operator under the Seasonal Worker visa route must apply using the Request for information (RFI) form.

Who can apply

Only third-party labour providers can apply. You cannot apply if you want to source workers for your own use.

You can apply to be a horticultural operator, a poultry operator, or both. What you choose will depend on your organisation’s preference and previous experience.

Labour providers must meet these minimum standards to apply. Your organisation must:

• comply with Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) regulations
• be capable of providing workers to growers and employers across the UK
• have adequate systems, processes, and policies to deliver the visa route to the standard the Home Office requires

Defra reserves the right to amend and update the requirements that the successful operators will need to satisfy. Defra will notify organisations of such changes in writing and allow them to submit the necessary evidence.

How to apply

To apply, you must download and complete the RFI form for your organisation. Submit the form by emailing it to accesstolabourfoodchain@defra.gov.uk.

You must submit separate response forms if you want to apply to be an operator in both sectors. Submit one form by the poultry deadline, and another by the horticulture deadline.

You will receive an automatic confirmation email from Defra after submission. Check the email address and resubmit your form if you do not receive a confirmation email.

You must submit your form by 4pm on:

• 18 July 2022 for poultry submission
• 8 August 2022 for horticulture submissions

Defra will reject applications received after the deadline.

How to complete the RFI form

The RFI questions will assess your organisation’s experience and ability to meet the minimum requirements of the scheme. They do not exclude small and medium enterprises from applying.

While you complete the form, you must:

• answer in English
• answer all the relevant questions – Defra will exclude incomplete forms from further consideration
• use N/A to indicate where a question in section A or B is not relevant to your organisation
• give detailed, concise and accurate answers – this is what Defra will score you on
• keep your answers short – the maximum total word count for sections C to E is 5,000 – Defra will remove additional text before scoring

Do not:

• submit multiple responses for the same sector
• make any assumptions about your existing supplier relationships with Defra or the Home Office

Where the question requires, please attach supporting documents to the form. Defra can also ask you to clarify your answers or provide more details at any point.

How Defra score your response

The following scoring criteria outlines how Defra will evaluate your response. Defra will endorse the potential operators whose RFI responses score the highest.

The minimum score required for a pass is stated at each question.

Score of 100

Excellent - Response is completely relevant and excellent overall. The response is comprehensive, unambiguous and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the requirements. The response provides full details of how the organisation will meet the requirements.

Score of 70

Good - Response is relevant and good. The response demonstrates a good understanding and provides details on how the organisation will meet the requirements.

Score of 50

Acceptable - Response is relevant and acceptable. The response provides sufficient evidence of how the organisation will fulfil basic requirements.

Score of 20

Poor - Response is partially relevant or poor. The response addresses some elements of the requirements but contains insufficient or limited detail or explanation to demonstrate how the organisation would fulfil the requirements.

Score of 0

Fail - Incomplete or inadequate response. Fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirements.

What to do with sensitive information

Complete the schedule of commercially sensitive information and submit it with your response if any information you provide is commercially sensitive or confidential.

On the form you need to:

• mark the information as confidential or commercially sensitive
• explain the potential implications if Defra disclosed the information
• give an estimate of how long the information will remain commercially sensitive or confidential

Freedom of Information and Environmental Information requests

Defra may disclose the information you submit due to its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR).

Defra will aim to maintain the confidentiality of this information but cannot guarantee that they will not disclose information marked as ‘confidential’ or ‘commercially sensitive’. Defra will accept no liability for any loss or prejudice this causes.

Where practical, Defra will consult with you and your organisation before disclosing information in response to a request for information under FOIA or EIR.

If you receive a FOIA or EIR request for information

If you receive a request for information that relates to this selection you should:

• forward it to Defra on accesstolabourfoodchain@defra.gov.uk
• consult with Defra before you respond to the request

What happens after you submit

A panel of Defra officials will score your response. For each question, Defra will multiply the scores by the weighting to give a weighted.

Defra will then:

• send a letter of endorsement to the Home Office along with the successful responses
• notify all organisations who responded of their outcome

If none of the responses are satisfactory, Defra may end the process and begin a new selection process.

Home Office decision

The Home Office will review the responses endorsed by Defra and make a final decision. The Home Office will contact you if you’re successful.

You will then be able to apply for a sponsor licence.

Before the organisation can begin to operate, they will need to apply for and receive a sponsor licence.