Request for Proposals (RFP) to Carry Out a Food Hygiene and Food Safety Survey

Section 1 – General Information

Section 2 – Scope of Procurement

Introduction: CNFA is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives.CNFA implements USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) Project in Rwanda (2024-2029), a USDA-funded Project with the objective to strengthen the capacities of public and private stakeholders in Rwanda to develop, enforce, and adopt international science-based food safety standards.

The Project will implement interventions across three key components: 1) Strengthening Food Safety Frameworks and Government Institutions; 2) Enhanced Laboratory Technical Capacity in Testing, Inspection, and Certification; 3) Increased Food Safety Awareness and Capacity Building of Producers and Processors. USDA Rwanda FFPr will focus its interventions in the Bugasera, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Kirehe, Nyagatere, Musanze, Gakenke, Nyabihu, and Rubavu districts, and will select target horticultural value chains based on the findings of this survey.

Strengthening Rwanda’s adoption and implementation of science-based food safety standards and regulations will increase Rwanda’s competitiveness in the global market and enhance the availability of quality and safe foods for consumers. USDA Rwanda FFPr will engage public and private stakeholders to increase productivity and food security through the adoption of climate-smart technologies and practices. The Project will support the Government of Rwanda to integrate science-based food safety standards and producers and processors to adhere to them, thereby increasing safe food and agricultural trade.

Under Components 1, 2, and 3, the Project will utilize the findings of the Food Hygiene and Food Safety Survey to inform the strategic allocation of grant funding and technical assistance for both public and private sector actors involved in the horticulture sector, including those investing in Rwanda’s cold chain infrastructure. The purpose of this Solicitation is to solicit the services of a firm with experience conducting participatory research in food safety and food systems in Rwanda, to conduct the Food Hygiene and Food Safety Survey. The Survey will identify the domestic and international standards enforced in Rwanda, assess levels of compliance among horticultural value chain actors, risk levels, constraints, and challenges (including policy and regulatory constraints). This entity will be working in Rwanda to inform USDA Rwanda FFPr’s mitigation strategy to improve the uptake of food safety standards by farmers, cooperatives, agribusinesses, Farm Service Centers, associations, aggregators, and other private sector actors. The report will include a comprehensive food hygiene and food safety strategy including recommended Project interventions. This Solicitation contains requirements for Items/Services (hereinafter “Items”) to be procured.

Scope of Work: Food Hygiene and Food Safety Survey

Tasks

Inception report. The inception report will be submitted in English within twenty (20) business days of contract signature with an outline of the proposed methodology and approach. The inception report should include:

List of ministries, agencies, and institutions involved in food safety control and management and their roles and responsibilities (in table format).

List of implementing partners and projects working on food safety in Rwanda with details on the projects’ scope of work, dates of implementation, districts, key contacts, and target crops.

Lists of proposed focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) with actors involved in agricultural production, post-harvest handling and storage, processing, storage, retail and distribution, and any other market actors involved in horticultural value chains in USDA Rwanda FFPr target geographies. Must include method of selecting participants.

Indicative relevant sources for primary data collection in FDGs and KIIs, including but not limited to the USDA-TRASE SPS assessment report, the FAO assessment of the national food control system, the STDF report on prioritized SPS investments for market access (PIMA report), and other relevant literature.

Description of the methodology and approach to the survey, including survey questionnaires, and/or food safety audit checklists for horticulture producers and food business operations.

Analysis of the status of food safety and hygiene in Rwanda, with focus on the horticulture sector. The analysis may include the following:

• The significant hazards in horticultural products, associated risks, and the most affected products.
• Assessment of the economic impact, including a matrix of food safety issues that cause interceptions and/or rejections in export markets, the most affected horticulture products, and estimated US$ value.
• Assessment of the social impact, including analysis of post-harvest losses and lost incomes.
• Assessment of the food safety regulatory framework, inadequacies in the national food control system, and the regulatory functions performed by the responsible institutions and agencies.
• Assessment of the current and past activities of the national SPS Subcommittee that operates under the Trade Facilitation Committee. The survey should analyze the activities of the SPS Subcommittee around key questions: has the committee engaged the private sector effectively to resolve outstanding market access issues? Has the Subcommittee coordinated national positions to improve implementation of the WTO SPS Agreement?
• Identified data and information gaps and plan to address them.
• A detailed work plan for the survey, with timelines.

A Draft Food Hygiene and Food Safety SurveyReport submitted in English within approximately 20 business days after approval of the inception report.  The findings of the survey will inform the implementation of the Project’s food hygiene and food safety strategy, including the administration of grants and technical assistance to improve implementation of science-based food safety standards and regulations across the public and private sectors.

When assessing the food safety regulatory framework, emphasis should be placed on (i) the conformity assessment system (inspection, testing and certification), (ii) the food borne disease surveillance system, (iii) the risk assessment function, and other regulatory activities. Understanding how these functions are performed and inadequacies in the responsible institutions will help to shape interventions at the policy and institutional levels. When assessing food business, producer, and processor compliance levels, emphasis should be placed on the most relevant food safety standards and regulations, identified at Inception Report stage.

In addition to the narrative summary of the survey findings, the report must include a comprehensive food hygiene and food safety strategy including recommended Project interventions. The report must not exceed 30 pages in length.

Presentation (using PowerPoint) to CNFA and relevant stakeholders of the findings of the survey within approximately 3 days of submission of the draft survey report.

A Final Food Hygiene and Food Safety Survey Report within approximately 5 business days of receipt of feedback, incorporating feedback from CNFA and key stakeholders.

Deliverables:

Section 3 – Evaluation Methodology and Criteria

CNFA will use a Weighted Trade-Off Analysis, Including Cost Criteria evaluation methodology for this solicitation. Weighted Trade-Off Analysis selects the offeror providing the best overall value to CNFA, considering both price and technical factors, according to the assigned weights provided in the evaluation criteria. The Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will assess offer acceptability in accordance with the following criteria:

Section 4 – Offer Format Instructions

Offers in response to this solicitation must comply with the following instructions:

• Submissions will be accepted in the following language(s): English
• Include the following in the offer footer:
• Offeror name
• Solicitation Number
• Page Numbers
• Offer in the format provided in Annex 1

Section 5 – Complete Offer

A complete offer must include the following documents:

• Completed Annex 1 – Offer Template
• Copy of the Offeror’s business license – if an individual, a copy of personal identification
• CV/resume for key individuals

Section 6 – CNFA Terms and Conditions

Ethical and Business Conduct: CNFA is committed to integrity in procurement, and only selects offerors based on objective business criteria such as price and technical merit. CNFA does not tolerate fraud, collusion among offerors, falsified proposals/bids, bribery, or kickbacks. Any organization or individual violating these standards will be disqualified from this solicitation, barred from future procurement opportunities, and may be reported to both CNFA’s Client – as applicable – and the appropriate Office of the Inspector General.

Employees and agents of CNFA are strictly prohibited from asking for or accepting any money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, object of value or compensation from current or potential vendors or suppliers in exchange for or as a reward for business. Employees and agents engaging in this conduct are subject to termination and will be reported to CNFA’s Client – as applicable – and the appropriate Office of the Inspector General. In addition, CNFA will further inform these agencies of any Offerors’ offers of money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, object of value or compensation to obtain business.

Please contact the designated Point of Contact on the Solicitation Cover Page with any questions or concerns regarding the above information or to report any potential violations. Potential violations may also be reported directly to CNFA’s Fraud Hotline in writing via email at FraudHotline@cnfa.org or you may make an anonymous report by phone, text, or WhatsApp to the CNFA Global Fraud Hotline at 202-991-0943.

Terms and Conditions: This Solicitation is subject to CNFA’s standard terms and conditions. Any resultant award will be governed by these terms and conditions; a copy of the full terms and conditions is available upon request. Please note the following terms and conditions will apply:

• CNFA’s standard payment terms are 30 calendar days after receipt and acceptance of any commodities or deliverables. Payment will only be issued to the entity submitting the offer in response to this Solicitation and identified in the resulting award; payment will not be issued to a third party.
• No commodities or servicesmay be supplied that are manufactured or assembled in, shipped from, transported through, or otherwise involving any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria.
• Any international air or ocean transportation or shipping carried out under any award resulting from this Solicitation must take place on U.S.-flag carriers/vessels unless otherwise approved by CNFA.
• United States law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. The selected offeror under any award resulting from this Solicitation must ensure compliance with these laws.
• United States law prohibits engaging in any activities related to Trafficking in Persons. The selected offeror under any award resulting from this Solicitation must ensure compliance with these laws.
• The title to any goods supplied under any award resulting from this Solicitation shall pass to CNFA following delivery and acceptance of the goods by CNFA. Risk of loss, injury, or destruction of the goods shall be borne by the offeror until title passes to CNFA.
• The offeror is prohibited from providing certain telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as a critical technology as part of any system, produced by the following covered companies, and their subsidiaries and affiliates, in the performance of any resulting award: Huawei Technologies Company; ZTE Corporation; Hytera Communications Corporation; Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company; Dahua Technology Company; and any other company as determined by the United States Government. The offeror certifies it will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to CNFA in performance of the resulting award. If covered telecommunications equipment or services are offered, the offeror must disclose it.

Disclaimers: This is a Solicitation only. Issuance of this Solicitation does not in any way obligate CNFA, its project(s), or its Client(s) to make an award or pay for costs incurred by potential offerors in the preparation and submission of an offer. In addition:

• Offerors are responsible for ensuring their offers are received by CNFA in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this Solicitation; failure to adhere to instructions may lead to disqualification
• CNFA may cancel the Solicitation and not award at any time
• CNFA may reject any or all responses received
• Issuance of the Solicitation does not constitute award commitment by CNFA
• CNFA reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on offeror failure to follow the Solicitation instructions
• CNFA will not compensate offerors for response to the Solicitation
• CNFA reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion
• CNFA may negotiate with offerors for their best and final offer and/or request clarifications from any offeror prior to award
• CNFA reserves the right to increase or decrease its order for quantities or units with the selected offeror
• CNFA may reissue the Solicitation or issue formal amendments revising the original Solicitation specifications and evaluation criteria before or after receipt of proposals
• CNFA may modify the specifications without issuing a formal notice to all offerors when the revisions are immaterial to the scope of the Solicitation
• CNFA may choose to award only part of the activities in the Solicitation, or issue multiple awards, if in the best interest of CNFA
• CNFA reserves the right to waive minor offer deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition
• Offerors understand that CNFA’s Client(s) is not a party to this Solicitation and the offeror agrees that any protest hereunder must be presented – in writing with full explanations – to CNFA for consideration. CNFA’s Client(s) will not consider protests regarding procurements carried out by CNFA. CNFA, at its sole discretion, will make a final decision on any protest for this procurement.

Annex 1 – Offer Template

The following cover letter must be placed on letterhead – if applicable – and completed/signed/stamped by a representative authorized to sign on behalf of the offeror:

PART 1 – COVER LETTER

To: CNFA USDA Food for Progress Rwanda Procurement Team

1828 L Street NW, Suite 710, Washington DC 20036

Reference: Solicitation no. RFP- FFPr-Rwanda-2024-FHFSS

To Whom It May Concern:

We, the undersigned, hereby provide the attached offer to perform all work required to complete the activities and requirements as described in the above-referenced Solicitation. Please find our offer attached.

We hereby acknowledge and agree to all terms, conditions, special provisions, and instructions included in the above-referenced Solicitation. We further certify that the below-named organization—as well as the organization’s principal officers and all commodities and services offered in response to this Solicitation—are eligible to participate in this procurement under the terms of this solicitation and under the applicable regulations.

Furthermore, we hereby certify that, to the best of our knowledge and belief:

• We have no close, familial, or financial relationships with any CNFA, its project staff members, or its Client (as applicable);
• We have no close, familial, or financial relationships with any other offerors submitting proposals in response to the above-referenced Solicitation;
• We and our principal offerors are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise considered ineligible for receiving US Government funds. We understand that CNFA will not make any award to an entity that is debarred, suspended, or considered ineligible by the US Government;
• The prices in our offer have been arrived at independently, without any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other offeror or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition;
• All information in our proposal and all supporting documentation is authentic and accurate;
• We understand and agree to CNFA’s prohibitions against fraud, bribery, and kickbacks;
• We understand and agree to CNFA’s prohibitions against funding or associating with individuals or organizations engaged in terrorism or trafficking in persons activities.

We hereby certify that the enclosed representations, certifications, and other statements are accurate, current, and complete:

PART 2 – OFFER

Offerors are instructed to complete this form and place it on the Offeror’s letterhead. Once completed, this form serves as the binding proposal in response to this solicitation and is valid for the period identified on the cover page of this Solicitation. Failure to submit the information required herein may lead to disqualification of the offer.

Technical Proposal

Evaluation Criteria 1 – Firm qualifications

Provide an overview of your firm’s experience and capabilities related to the proposed SOW. Describe your success performing a similar survey and delivering a similar report in a sector related to food safety, agriculture, or food systems. Preference will be given to firms with experience collecting data on food safety and hygiene practices.

Evaluation Criteria 2 – Experience conducting similar work in Rwanda

Provide an overview of your firm’s experience conducting similar work in Rwanda or the East Africa Region in the last five years. Include information about regional experience and target value chains, as relevant.

 Evaluation Criteria 3 – Qualifications of proposed team members

Provide a brief description of the proposed team members, including educational background, familiarity with Rwanda, and professional experience conducting similar work.

Evaluation Criteria 4 – Proposed Work Plan

Clearly outline how the SOW described in Section 2 will be completed and propose a timeline for completing the deliverables within the period of performance. Please be sure to answer the following questions:

• If the firm considers enumerators necessary for primary data collection to complete study objectives, please note this in the application. USDA Rwanda FFPr will hire enumerators if there is compelling justification.
• For international applicants, please specify the number of in-country days (and number of staff) and the number of days for remote work. Please do not include the cost of international travel in your application.

Evaluation Criteria 5 – References

Please provide the contact information for three client references within the last five years of similar work performed under consultancies or contracts in a development context.

Cost Proposal

Budget

Offerors are instructed to complete boxes highlighted in gray. Pricing must be presented in USD or Rwandan Francs. The cost proposal must match the degree of sophistication of the technical proposal. CNFA reserves the right to negotiate the proposed budget or request clarification at its discretion.

 Deliverables and Payment Schedule

Offerors are instructed to complete boxes highlighted in gray:

Deliverables will be paid upon approval by the Chief of Party or designee.

Tax Considerations

Offerors are made aware of CNFA’s tax status in Rwanda. CNFA is tax exempt but Offerors are required to submit both prices before tax and with taxes. Offers submitted must comply with these tax considerations.

Bank Account

Offerors are instructed to complete boxes highlighted in gray:

References

Offerors are instructed to complete the boxes highlighted in gray: