Request for Proposal at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

Posted by Future on Tue 21st Sep, 2021 - nigeriantenders.com

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) invites competent and interested companies to indicate interest by submitting request for proposal documents to tender for the following works:

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people.

At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious and safe food. We work to understand and deliver specific solutions to the daily challenge of food insecurity faced by poor people. By understanding that there is no "one-size-fits-all" model, we develop alliances and build tailored programmes, using a variety of flexible models and approaches. We build alliances between governments, local and global businesses, and civil society to deliver sustainable improvements at scale.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Request for Proposal for the Development of a Catalogue and Nutrient Profiles of Biofortified Processed Foods

Preamble

Biofortified varieties of various crops, such as wheat, pearl millet, maize, cassava, beans, and rice are potential vehicles for increasing zinc, iron, and vitamin A intake, that could significantly reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies around the world. The current assumptions related to the micronutrient profile of biofortified foods and food products are based on evidence under controlled settings and with biofortified foods that have undergone minimal processing.

Some methods of storage and processing may result in significant depletion of the much needed vitamin A, iron and zinc. In addition, the absence of adherence or knowledge of the strict regulatory framework/guidelines, manufacturers may not be labeling their food correctly. Several recipes have been developed and thousands of processors trained to produce products/foods that use biofortified grains, stems and other parts of the crops as an ingredient. To date, there is limited consolidation of the range of recipes and packaged foods made from such biofortified food ingredients available to consumers across different crop types and geographies.

Therefore, GAIN and HarvestPlus seek to engage the services of a Service Provider to carry out an assessment to develop a catalogue and nutrient profiles of food made from biofortified grains and/or stems in the six countries where the CBC program is being implemented. The results of this assessment will be a key input into the refinement of country strategies under the GAIN and HarvestPlus partnership. GAIN will be the administrative lead organisation for this RFP.

Scope of Work

The successful applicant shall provide the following services:

Develop a study protocol including (background, detailed methodology and justification, food sample collection and analysis protocols, sampling plan (where applicable), data analysis plan, and data collection tools) for review and approval by GAIN and HarvestPlus. Multiple food samples (including control samples of unprocessed products) for analysis per product will be expected with a justification for the proposed number in the analysis plan.
Obtain relevant access and data collection permissions as appropriate, e.g., government.
Carry out all aspects of primary data collection, quality assurance, and data entry, cleaning, management and analyses.
Ensure that food samples are properly collected, labelled, transported, and analysed for nutrient content by accredited laboratories using recognized analytical methods as specified in the study protocol. It is recommended to utilize laboratories in the country where feasible as exporting food samples is timely and often requires costly export permits.
For any primary data collected, provide GAIN and Harvest-plus with raw and clean datasets, accompanying code-books, and syntax and output of all data analyses.
Develop outlines for a final report and catalogue of food products (include nutrient profiles for the selected processed foods) for review and approval by GAIN and HarvestPlus.
Draft full report (including literature review, methods, data collection activities, results, and conclusions) and a catalogue of food products with their nutritional profiles.
Revise and finalize report and catalogue of food products based on inputs from GAIN and HarvestPlus.

Application Closing Date

6:00pm, 27th September, 2021.

Submission of Documents

All complete documents and proposals should be submitted via email to: rfp@gainhealth.org with the subject line "Catalogue and Nutrient Profiles of Biofortified Foods.

Note

The following proposals will automatically not be considered or accepted:
Proposals that are received after the RFP deadline.
Proposals received by fax or post.
Incomplete proposals.
Proposals that are not signed.

Completion

Proposals must be submitted on official letterhead of the lead organisation or firm and must be signed by a principal or authorising signatory of the lead firm or organisation.
In case of errors in calculating overall costs, the unit costs will govern.
It is the applicant's responsibility to understand the requirements and instructions specified by GAIN. In the event that clarification is necessary, applicants are advised to contact GAIN at: rfp@gainhealth.org prior to making their submission before the deadline specified in the timeline above.
While GAIN and HarvestPlus have used considerable efforts to ensure an accurate representation in this RFP, the information contained in this RFP is supplied solely as a guideline. The information is not warranted to be accurate by GAIN and Harvest Plus. Nothing in this RFP is intended to relieve applicants from forming their own opinions and conclusions with respect to the matters addressed in this RFP.
By responding to this RFP, the applicant confirms its understanding that failing to comply with any of the RFP conditions may result in the disqualification of their submission.

For more clarifications on this RFP document, please Click here (PDF).