Chemonics International Inc. - Expression of Interest for Agricultural Commodity Value Chain Services

EOI Number: 01
Description: Expression of Interest for Agricultural Commodity Value Chain Services
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Due Date: 5:00 PM on February 25, 2013
For: Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprise in Targeted Sectors (MARKETS II)
Project Implementer: Chemonics International Inc.
Funded by: United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
Contract No.: AID-620-C-12-00001
Contents of EOI Package: Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: Instructions
Section 3: Categories of Technical Services and Locations

Section 1: Introduction
Chemonics International Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “Chemonlcs”), implementing the Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprise in Targeted Sectors (hereinafter referred toss MARKETS II or the Project), funded under United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Contract No. AID-620-C-12-00001, is soliciting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for agricultural development Services arid agricultural commodity value chain activities that meet the eligibility requirements defined herein and have experience working in one or more of the technical areas and locations outlined in Section 3.

The Maximizing Agriculture Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS II) Program is a five year project that will support U.S. Government goals and the Government of Nigeria’s (GON) Five Point Plan, In particular promoting agricultural development through increased private sector participation and investment in the sector, raising income, increasing employment, improving food security, and reducing poverty.

MARKETS II builds on USAID’s investments In the MARKETS project (2005 2010) and the Bridge to MARKETS II project (2011-2012). Both projects worked to address constraints along the agricultural commodity value chain, working with farmers to increase production and the quality of produce through improved agricultural practices and post-harvest handling, linking farmers to agro-processors, identifying new markets, and encouraging the adaptation of improved technology along the value chain and the production of Value4dded products MARKETS Ills designed to reach smallholder farmers with less than 5 hectares of land.

MARKETS II will directly contribute to the USAID/Nigeria’s Assistance Objective No. A02: increased Rural Incomes and Jobs in Assisted Areas and Strategic Objective No 12 Livelihoods in Selected Areas Improved The project will contribute to this objective b achieving five intermediate results 1) producers capacity development and organizations strengthened; 2) access to agricultural inputs increased; 3) technology generation and deployment expanded; 4) water and soil management strengthened and 5) access to finance increased To achieve these results MARKET II a focuses on the following key activities:

• Building the capacity of smallholder farmers and supporting the establishment of and strengthening cooperatives and producer’s associations.
• Addressing access to agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and improved seeds through a variety of actors
• Motivating a variety of development efforts to target food, beverage, and feed industries and staple food markets that offer the greatest return on investment for smallholders and agribusiness in project-focused value chains.
• Assisting with planning to rehabilitate small irrigation systems and related operational and usage issues.
• Working closely with banks and microfinance agencies to facilitate smallholders’ and agribusinesses’ access to commercial credit.

Activities will be carried Out in the focus states of Sokoto, Taraba, Kwara, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Kano, Jigswa, Kaduna, Oyo, Benue, Kogi, Rivers and Cross River, Niger, Abuja and Ondo, on five (5) main commodities namely; Sorghum, Cassava, Rice, Aquaculture and Cocoa and two sub-value chains soy and maize. Activities in the targeted states may spread to nearby states.

Interested parties are invited to submit their response in accordance with Section 2 (Instructions). A submittal of a response serves as notice to Chemonics International of the Party’s general Interest In potential agricultural commodity value chain projects that may be developed by MARKETS II. Responses will be used to confirm eligibility for distribution of Notices, including published Invitations for Prequalification, Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposal, regarding the MARKETS II’s future activities. However, a submittal of a response does not guarantee that the Interested Party will be contacted to submit a proposal for services or perform any services. Activities that are listed in Section 3 are Illustrative only; Chemonics may or may not conduct similar activities under the Project.

Section 2: Instructions
2.1 Submittal /Closing Date
Expressions of interest should be received by mall or submitted in person no later than 5:00 PM local time on February 25, 2013. Late submittals will be considered at the discretion of the Project,

2.2 Protocol for Submission of Submittals and Required Documents
Respondents are responsible for ensuring that their submittals are received in accordance with the instructions stated herein.

All submittals must be prepared in the English language. The EOI must be submitted in sealed envelopes. Each submittal must be clearly marked with the EOI number 01, the complete legal name and contact information of the responder’s organization, and the delivery address found below.

All documents must be submitted in person, by email to saf@nigeriamarkets.org or by mail to the following address:
USAID/MARKETS II
23 Ona Crescent
Off Lake Chad Crescent, Maitama
Abuja, Nigeria

Attention: Ricardo Diaz, Director of Finance and Administration

Upon delivery, respondent will be issued a stamped receipt confirming submission.
Each respondent may submit only one EOI per technical area, either individually or as a partner in a joint venture or consortium. A respondent who submits or participates in more than one EOI per technical areas shall cause all EOIs in that area with that respondent’s participation to be disqualified.

2.2 Questions and Clarifications
All questions and/or clarifications regarding this EOI must be submitted via email to: saf@nigeriamarkets.org no later than 5:00 PM local time on February 18, 2013. All correspondence and/or inquiries regarding this solicitation must reference the EOI number in the subject line of your email. No phone calls or in-person inquiries will be entertained; all questions and inquiries must be in writing.

2.3 Technical Interest and Capability
Interested Parties should describe in detail their proposed qualifications for the technical categories and locations, listed in Section 3, for which they would like to be considered. The following documents must be included in the response:

• Legal Status, Contact Information, Office Locations and Addresses
• Summary of General Experience: Summary of general history and experience.
• Specific Technical Area Capability and Qualifications: Summary of general technical experience and capability statements related to the specific technical areas of interest. Summary of local and regional experience in each identified location for the chosen technical area(s) over the past three years.
• Personnel Capabilities: Summary of entity leadership team and key technical staff, including description of management structure and entity ownership, years of professional experience in agriculture for staff listed and highest degree completed for listed staff.
• Financial Capabilities: Summary of administrative and financial abilities to implement donor-funded projects, including internal systems and procedures for monitoring and evaluation, ability to track spending, produce invoices, and manage cash flow.
• Organization Chart

2.4 Eligibility
In order to be considered eligible under any future Invitation to Prequalify, Request for Bids, or Requests for Proposals, Interested Parties must meet the following criteria and submit certifications of compliance as required. The Technical Interest and Capability response must include statements from the Interested Party that it:

• Is not debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment, by the US Government or who proposes to do business with firms or firms’ principals who are debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment by the US Government, in the performance of the requirement of this activity.
• Is legally registered and recognized under the laws of Nigeria and is in compliance with all applicable civil, fiscal, and other applicable regulations. Such a company or organization could include a private firm, non-profit, civil society organization, or university.
• Maintains a physical location in Nigeria.
• Agree to work under U.S. Government and USAID regulations applicable to future Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposals.
• Must be a legally registered Nigerian firm, thereby qualifying under the authorized USAID geographic code for the Project, which is Code 937. All commodities and services supplied for any work awarded under future Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposals must meet this geographic code in accordance with the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 22 CFR 8228.

2.5 Geographic Code
The following applies to this EOI, all related correspondence, and any resulting subcontract:

A. Application: The source and nationality of all goods and services provided to the Project must meet the USAID geographic code 937 requirements in accordance with 22 CFR 5228.

B. No items, items with components from, or related services may be offered from the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Myanmar (Burma), and North Sudan. Related services include incidental services pertaining to any/all aspects of this Work to be performed under a resulting subcontract (Including transportation fuel lodging meals, and communications expenses).

All goods and services provided lathe Project must comply with geographic code 937. Section 3: Categories of Technical Services and Locations

3.1 Objective
Chemonics implementing the MARKETS II project anticipates that it may develop activities in the technical areas outlined in Section 3.2 and in the project locations listed in Section 3.3. These lists are illustrative only and do not represent the total possible work areas or locations, nor does this list commit Chemonics to issuing future Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposal for any related work Based on the projects intention to increase private sector participation and investment in the agricultural sector, raise income, increase employment, and attain food security whilst reducing poverty, Chemonics is seeking Expressions of Interest from eligible parties to provide services which address constraints along various agricultural commodity value chains. Interested Parties should provide evidence of capability and experience in one or more of the below Technical Areas and Work Locations.

3.2 Technical Areas of Work
The respondents shall specify one or more of the following Technical Service Categories for which they are qualified and would like to be considered:

1. Addressing constraints and implementing Sorghum value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer- level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on site selection, land preparation, seeding rates, fertilizer application, variety selection, integrated pest management, improved harvesting methods and post-harvest handling, and experience linking farmers to commercial buyers such as agribusiness firms. Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping, and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.
2. Addressing constraints and implementing Rice value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer-level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on site selection, land preparation, seeding rates, fertilizer application, variety selection, integrated pest management, improved harvesting methods and post-harvest handling, and experience linking farmers to commercial buyers such as agribusiness firms. Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping, and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.
3. Addressing constraints and implementing Maize value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer-level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on site selection, lend preparation, seeding rates, fertilizer application, variety selection, integrated pest management, improved harvesting methods and post-harvest handling, and experience linking farmers to commercial buyers such as agribusiness firms. Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.
4. Addressing constraints and implementing Soy value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer-level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on site selection, land preparation, seeding rates, fertilizer application, variety selection, integrated pest management, improved harvesting methods and post-harvest handling, and experience linking farmers to commercial buyers such as agribusiness firms. Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping, and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.
5.  Addressing constraints and implementing Cassava value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer-level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on site selection, land preparation, seeding rates, fertilizer application, variety selection, integrated pest management, improved harvesting methods end post-harvest handling, and experience linking farmers to commercial buyers such as agribusiness firms. Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping, and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.
6. Addressing constraints and implementing Aquaculture value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer-level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on Pond (earthen. concrete, plastic) construction and maintenance, catfish and/or tilapia production including broodstock production and improvement, pond management, fish feed production and quality, harvesting and post harvest handling, value addition such as smoking and experience linking farmers to commercial buyers such as agribusiness firms. Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping, and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.
7. Addressing constraints and implementing Cocoa value chain activities. Respondents should describe farmer-level training experience and/or experience providing training to extension agents. Respondents should describe their experience providing training on site selection, land preparation, seeding rates, fertilizer application, variety selection, integrated pest management, improved harvesting methods end post-harvest handling, certification (UTZ, Rainforest Alliance eta) Firms should also describe experience in group formation and training, training in basic business skills and record keeping, and experience mainstreaming gender and youth in activities.

All respondents should describe their relevant experience in the following areas:

• Building capacity of poor smallholders and supporting the establishment of cooperatives and producer’s associations.
• Strengthening the capacity of producers in application and use of improved technologies (e.g. improved seed varieties, tools and processing equipment) and best practices (e.g. soil and water management techniques, innovative harvesting and post-harvest handling, and strategies (integrated pest management techniques, marketing strategies).
• Addressing access to basic farm inputs such as fertilizer, improved seed, manual and mechanical equipment and irrigation systems and in the case of aquaculture, fish feed.
• Expanding commercial seed production by smallholders, strengthen distribution systems, expand commercial seed markets, and improve farmer access to quality seeds and knowledge of best usage.
• Disseminating improved varieties (e.g. disease and pest resistant, high yielding, drought tolerant, varieties with agroprocessors and market-preferred quality traits) of target crops; implementing sustainable soil and water management practices (e.g. drip irrigation, improved fellows, and application of inorganic and organic fertilizer, integrated peal management techniques, small irrigation technologies and management).
• Rehabilitation of small irrigation systems; training farmers in operation and maintenance of the systems; supporting the formation of irrigation user associations, supporting the diversification process by encouraging cereal crop production by smallholders; and promoting the adoption of sustainable water and soil management techniques and stress tolerant plant varieties.
• Facilitating smallholders and agribusinesses’ access to commercial credit, enhancing the capacity of lending institutions to extend or increase lending to the sector, and providing technical assistance to borrowers to improve access, and manage commercial credit.
• Use of ICT in agriculture

3.3 Locations of Work
The respondents must indicate where they are eligible to work and their experience in the selected technical areas for each of the following States: Sokoto, Taraba, Kwars, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Oyo, Benue, Kogi. Rivers and Cross River, Niger, Abuja, and Ondo, Work which falls into the technical categories in Section 3.2 which has been conducted in neighboring states will be considered relevant.