To ensure there are adequate resources in place to follow through with the adoption of new projects under the three strategic priority areas outlined in the new Vegetable Industry Strategic Investment Plan (SIP), a Design Team Coordinator was appointed within AUSVEG to undertake activities associated with the adoption of resolutions made by the three Design Teams. Working in conjunction with HAL, the Design Team Coordinator is responsible for the scheduling of meetings. Once this schedule has been developed, the Design Team Coordinator makes arrangements regarding meeting venues, teleconferences, catering, travel and accommodation, as required by committee members to attend meetings. Service Providers are essential to the provision of R&D to the vegetable industry. As stipulated in the SIP, only registered Service Providers have the ability to make tender submissions in response to tenders advertised by HAL. The maintenance of the Service Provider database is performed by the Design Team Coordinator and the HAL counterpart. Project suggestions from growers and/or grower representative bodies can be submitted via a pro forma on the AUSVEG website. The Design Team Coordinator ensures that the suggestion is included for discussion at the next Design Team meeting. The Design Team Coordinator also convenes Tender Review Panels (TRP), made up of members of the Design Teams and representatives from HAL and AUSVEG, for the purpose of reviewing submissions and identifying preferred suppliers for recommendation to the IAC. In order to ensure that the vegetable industry maintains oversight of projects as they are being conducted, AUSVEG and HAL appoint Grower Partners to work with the Service Provider for the duration of the research project. It is the responsibility of the Design Team Coordinator to nominate, brief and secure Grower Partners for all projects contracted by HAL, with HAL’s approval. The key outcomes from this new approach and the appointment of this resource are: – Adoption of resolutions from the Design Teams, working with HAL to facilitate tender processes – A more streamlined and simplified reporting process to the IAC explaining the resolutions of the Design Teams and updating them on implementation progress and challenges – Increased collaboration with potential service providers across research areas including facilitating the industry service provider register – Issuing of tenders via HAL that suit the new objectives of the vegetable industry under the new Vegetable SIP – Greater grower ownership of the research, development and project implementation process ensuring that levy payers have a say in how the vegetable levy is invested The Design Team, VTAG and IAC process is subject to ongoing evaluation and refinement by AUSVEG and HAL.