Malta Beekeepers Association

The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams 
 - Henry David Thoreau - 

The Malta Beekeepers’ Association is implementing a project for the improvement of the local bee species and hence requires quotes for the supply of an apiary and hive monitoring systems. We require the system for 3 independent apiaries housing four hives each. As an optional cost The Malta Beekeepers’ Association also requires cost for the setup of the forth apiary with the same system which may also be consider.


Bidders must send their quotes as a PDF on the email maltabeekeepersassociation@gmail.com by not later 18th March 2019 at noon.


The hive monitoring system must include the following technical specifications and monitoring parameters for every apiary

Item
Quantity
Optional quantity
Description 
Monitoring Gateway
 3
 1
For every apiary a monitoring gateway that receives data through wireless transmission from the hives and transmits the date to a user interface through wireless internet connection.
Bee Counter
 12
 4
To provide separate counts of bees leaving the hive and arriving at the hive, calculating daily loss of bees.
Hives monitor
  12
 4
Hives monitor that collect the parameters below and transmit the data via wireless transmission to the monitor gateway.
Hive scales for weight
  12
 4
Made from material that is weather proof.
Temperature sensors
  12
 4
Temperature monitoring of the brood area of the hive.
Humidity sensors
  12
 4
Humidity monitoring inside the hive.
Colony Acoustic Sensors
  12
 4
For tracking foraging activity, fanning activity and overall colony strength.
Weather station
 3
 1
For direct measurement in the apiary of rainfall, temperature in the sun and shade.
Data handling
 3
 1
Transmission and storage of data, plus data analysis from the parameters gathered. The User Interface will enable direct comparison of different sensors and hives, also setting alerts for notification of changes in sensor readings.

Optional Bee Counter
 1
 0
To provide separate counts of bees leaving the hive and arriving at the hive, calculating the daily losses of bees.


This project is funded through the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector on behalf of Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports and Voluntary Organisations within the Ministry for Education and Employment.