Expression of Interest Guidance Note

PSP Register for the Victorian Trees on Farms Program

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (the department) is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from professionals and expert service providers to support landowners applying to the Victorian Trees on Farms Program (VToF).

VToF is a state government initiative which provides grants to rural landowners to integrate trees into agricultural land. The program supports tree establishment for a range of purposes, including commercial timber production, enhancing agricultural productivity through shade and shelter, generating broader natural capital co-benefits such as biodiversity and soil health, and offsetting on-farm greenhouse gas emissions.

The department recognises that farm planning decisions and land use trade-offs are complex and there is often a knowledge gap when it comes to the integration of trees into a farming enterprise. This can extend to technical considerations on what trees to plant, where to source seedlings, and the management required to optimise outcomes.

Therefore, VToF provides funding for landowners with no, or limited, prior experience in establishing or managing trees to seek professional advice in the design and development of their project application. Landowners who engage a professional service provider (PSP) will be eligible to claim a once-off PSP rebate.

The department is now inviting suitably experienced professionals and expert service providers to submit an EOI to be included on a register of PSPs.

By submitting an EOI, applicants must agree to the relevant terms and conditions and provide their consent to having their details published on Agriculture Victoria’s website and to being contacted by landowners directly.

See the VToF program guidelines for information on landowner eligibility, the types of tree-growing projects supported, and conditions related to the development and submission of project applications.

What is a PSP rebate?

The PSP rebate is a once-off payment available to successful applicants to VToF who do not have prior experience in tree establishment and management.

The PSP rebate will be paid to the landowner after the grant agreement between the landowner and the department has been executed by both parties.

The department is not a party to any relationship or contractual arrangement between the landowner and the PSP.

PSP rebate funding can be claimed by the landowner to a value of 20% of the project grant value up to a maximum of $5,000 (excl. GST).

An invoice from the PSP is required as evidence for the landowner to claim the PSP rebate and must be submitted as part of the landowner’s application submitted to VToF.

The landowner is liable to meet the payment terms invoiced by the PSP.

The invoice must only include services that have been delivered or completed. The invoice must include sufficient detail to demonstrate that the services provided are aligned with the costs charged and represent value for money. The invoice must, at a minimum, include:

  • an itemised list of the services provided, and
  • corresponding value of the services provided.

Applications to VToF that are not successful are ineligible to receive the PSP rebate.

EOI applicants are encouraged to review the VToF program guidelines to determine the eligibility settings and assessment criteria to determine the likelihood of project applications being approved. Applications to the VToF that meet the minimum program requirements are eligible for funding.

Who can submit an EOI?

To be eligible to submit an EOI, applicants must:

  • have demonstratable expertise and experience in at least one of the following:
    • farm forestry
    • plantation management
    • environmental or biodiversity plantings
    • carbon farming
    • whole-farm planning
  • be registered for tax purposes within Australia with a current Australian Business Number (ABN) or an Australian Company Number (ACN)
  • hold the relevant policies of insurance including not less than $20 million cover for public liability insurance risks, not less than $5 million per occurrence for professional indemnity risks, and Workcover insurance (as applicable)

Applicants must also meet the department’s due diligence requirements (assessed via an Illion Report and reputational risk assessment).

How will an EOI be assessed?

Inclusion on the register is contingent on the applicant meeting the stated eligibility criteria above and satisfactorily addressing the assessment questions outlined below.

Successful EOIs must satisfy the following:

  1. the applicant has relevant expertise and experience that can be demonstrated by:
    • a clear articulation of how their skills and services align with the objectives of the Victorian Trees on Farms Program;
    • demonstrated capacity to plan, design and/or implement tree growing projects
    • a record of successful project delivery including details on project size and complexity
    • the number of years of professional experience in relevant fields
  2. value for money as demonstrated via a standard schedule of rates that is considered reasonable and within an acceptable range comparable to the industry
  3. the applicant must provide 2 referees that can validate the information submitted.

What is the EOI process?

EOIs opening and closing dates

  • EOIs open 1 October 2025
  • EOIs close 1 November 2026

EOIs may be submitted at any time between the opening and closing dates. EOIs submitted outside of these dates will not be considered.

The department may reopen EOIs coinciding with future rounds of VToF.

EOI process

Step 1: Submit an EOI

EOIs must be submitted on the Victorian Trees on Farms Program page.

The EOI will require you to provide the following:

  • your contact details
  • your organisations details
  • the relevant experience and expertise of your organisation
  • referees
  • a schedule of standard rates for services
  • any supporting documents (if applicable)

Step 2: EOI assessment process

All eligible and fully completed EOIs received by the department will be assessed against the criteria outlined in Section 4. Due diligence checks will also be completed on the applicant.

Step 3: EOI assessment outcome

The department will endeavour to notify applicants of the outcome of their EOI within 4 weeks from the time of submitting a completed EOI.

All applicants will receive a letter confirming the outcome of their EOI, following which their details will be published on Agriculture Victoria’s website.

Attaching required documents:

Supporting documents must be in an acceptable file type, such as Word, Excel, PDF, or JPEG. The maximum file size for each file is 10MB.

You will receive an application number when you submit an EOI online. Please quote this number in all communications with the department relating to your application.

If you have documents to submit that cannot be attached to your online EOI you can email them to plantationforestry@deeca.vic.gov.au quoting your application number. Attach all documents to one email, zipping the files if required.

Make sure your EOI is submitted by 5pm, 1 November 2026

Note: No hard copy applications will be accepted. Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.

Further support

A representative of the department will be available to provide additional support to applicants.

Please contact: plantationforestry@deeca.vic.gov.au

Inclusion on the PSP register

If successful, the PSP will be listed on the register on the Victorian Trees on Farms Program page. The department will confirm with the PSP the organisation name, contact details, specialisation, and region of operation which will be published on the register.

The decision to include and retain a PSP on the PSP register is at the absolute discretion of the department.

The department reserves the right to remove a PSP from the register.

Disclaimer

Although all care has been taken by the department in the preparation of this document, the department does not warrant, either expressly or impliedly, the accuracy or completeness of the information it contains. The department does not accept any liability or responsibility for any loss or damage incurred by an applicant as a result of this document and/or the VToF program. Any person relying on this document and the information it contains does so at their own risk absolutely and should consider obtaining independent legal advice and/or professional advice.

Privacy

The information you provide in this Expression of Interest (EOI) form will be used to assess your suitability for the Victorian Trees on Farms Program Professional Service Provider Register (PSP Register). Assessment of your suitability may involve financial and regulatory checks and due diligence activities to verify the information you provide in respect of your suitability to participate in the PSP Register.

The department reports on programs it administers, and this may include disclosing personal and/or business information to third parties. Personal information may also be disclosed to external parties, such as members of assessment panels, or other State or Commonwealth departments or agencies for the purpose of assessment, reporting, advice and comment in relation to the Victorian Trees on Farms Program. If you intend to include personal information about third parties in your application, please ensure that they are aware of the contents of this privacy statement.

Should your EOI be successful, your business name, location of business, overview of services that your business provides and your business contact information will be made available on the PSP Register, which will be publicly available on the Victorian Trees on Farms Program webpage. The department will provide you with written confirmation of your successful EOI by email before your details are published on the PSP Register and you will be required to acknowledge receipt of this email.

The department may contact you about your EOI, including to request additional information.

Any personal information about you or a third party in your correspondence will be collected, held, managed, used, disclosed or transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and other applicable laws.

DEECA is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information. View the DEECA Privacy Policy

Requests for access to information about you held by DEECA should be sent to the Plantations Strategy Team by emailing plantationforestry@deeca.vic.gov.au

Page last updated: 26 Jun 2026