Request for Bids (RFB) for suitably qualified consultants to train the communities on making and producing the envirornmentally friendly cooking stoves for our project Entitled “Community Led Planning and Management for Biodiversity Protection and Resilient Communities in Southern Rwanda”.

www.biocoor.rw

Tel: 0788840755

Programme: Biodiversity Conservation

Community Led Planning and Management for Biodiversity Protection and Resilient Communities in Southern Rwanda.

Assignment

To train 5 community groups in Kivu, Uwinkingi, and Buruhukiro on how to make the environmentally friendly cooking stoves

Assignment Focal person

The Executive Director of BIOCOOR

Release date

18 November, 2021

Deadline for submission of bids

30 November, 2021

Duration of the assignment

It will depend

Introduction

Bids are invited from suppliers who wish to be considered for selection as the service provider of below services and/or goods for BIOCOOR.

This RFB document deals with:

Section 2: Confidentiality
Section 3: Profile of BIOCOOR
Section 4: Scope of services required
Section 5: Content and format of bids
Section 6: General Terms and Conditions
Section 7: Conflict of Interest
Section 8:Safeguarding
Section 9: Contract Type and Period
Section 10: Intellectual Property
Section 11: Termination of Contract
Section 12: Evaluation of bids
Section 13: Submission of bids

Confidentiality

BIOCOOR will treat the content of all bids as strictly confidential and information provided in the bids will be used solely for the purpose of deciding on the award of a contract as described in this document.

Profile of BIOCOOR

Following the call for proposal sent out by JOA in 2019, Trócaire has identified Biodiversity Conservation Organization (BIOCOOR) previously named BIOCOOP as one of the potential and strategic Civil Society Organisations to partner with for the implementation of the project entitled “Community led planning and management for biodiversity protection and resilient communities in Southern Rwanda” with a focus on 3 sectors around the Nyungwe National Park. Apart from BIOCOOR, two other partners namely ICRAF and UNICOOPAGI have been identified for the same project.

The organization has started in 2012 as a social enterprise called BIOCOOP and recently in June 2020 has shifted to a local NGO current BIOCOOR but keeping the same focus. Its mission is to build a nation that is environmentally and socio-economically stable through its resources and skills.

BIOCOOR has been created mainly by young people dedicated to act and to advocate for biodiversity conservation, ecotourism promotion, community health, environmental management, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The BIOCOOR headquarters is in Nyamagabe district of the Southern Province of Rwanda. The organization geographical focus is five districts near the Nyungwe National Park. It integrates conservation projects and sustainable economic development for the communities surrounding Nyungwe National Park.

Scope of services required

BIOCOOR, in partnership with UNICOOPAGI, ICRAF, and RDB, under the financial support of JOA and Trocaire, intends to hire a competent company that will train the communities in three sectors to make the environmentally friendly cooking stoves using the local resources. After having the community who are capable to make the recommended cooking stoves, BIOCOOR will purchase 420 stoves from a community group to be distributed in our beneficiaries in Uwinkingi sector.

The needed cooking stoves must:

Be economic by using few wood
Be efficient and effective to help the community
Be made locally using the local resources
Be made according to the standards of Rwanda Standards Bureau (RSB)
Be of high quality
Be friendly in the framework of climate change mitigation and adaptation at community level

During the training, the Consultant must invite BIOCOOR staff and IPRC Kitabi to provide the technical inputs.

The assigned company will work hand in hand with implementing organizations (Trócaire, BIOCOOR and UNICOOPAGI), assisted directly by BIOCOOR to avail the needed materials.

Key beneficiaries

In every cell of operations, 20 community members will be trained on how to make the environmentally friendly cooking stoves and we will focus on people with disabilities, women, youth, and ex-poachers. The total number of trainees is 120 and the Consultant will certify the participants. These partners will be contacted for more inputs:

Key informants from RDB and African Parks in Nyungwe Office and national offices
Relevant directors in Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), and Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and
BIOCOOR and implementing partners technical and leadership teams.
Local authorities in two districts/sectors targeted by the project (from village to district level)
Rwanda Standards Bureau
Stakeholders engaged in biodiversity conservation and management around Nyungwe National Park.

Methodology

Roles and Responsibilities

BIOCOOR will be responsible for:

Providing guidance to the consultant and stakeholders throughout the training.
Provide the training plan or plan show to the consultant
Pay on time
Provide the technical advice
Avail the trainees

The external consultant will be expected to:

Develop a training module in Kinyarwanda with drawings easy to understand
Purchace the materials on-site with the community members
Be onsite on regular basis to provide the quality training
Certify the competent trainees
Provide a report to BIOCOOR with a copy to TROCAIRE

Content and Format of bids submitted

Consultants should enclose the following documents with their proposals:

Letter of interest addressed to the Executive Director of BIOCOOR.

Technical proposal that will provide the following:

Description of the consultancy company, proving the good understanding of these TOR, experience of the consulting company in producing and supplying the cooking stoves for climate protection, biodiversity management and restoration, sustainable agriculture and natural resources management.

Detailed methodology and time plan for all proposed activities.
CVs of the team members including 2 senior experts who will take the lead during implementation.

Contact details of 3 references to facilitate reference checks. Any fake references will result in immediate disqualification; and

At least 2 certificates of good completion of services for similar work with local NGOs, international organizations, donor organizations or government agencies.

A proof of the products acceptance by RSB would be an added value.

Financial proposal with detailed unit costs and total cost for each planned activity and related logistics in

RWF and clearly indicating VAT cost. VAT registration certificate issued by RRA and Company registration certificate from RDB should be presented.

General Terms and Conditions of this RFB

BIOCOOR does not bind itself to accept the lowest priced bids.
BIOCOOR does not guarantee exclusivity and reserves the right to engage other companies for the same services (if required) during the term of the contract.
BIOCOOR shall be free to:
To accept the whole, or part only, of any bid.
To accept none of the proposals tendered.
To republish this Request for Bids.
In the event of not accepting any of the bid submissions received on foot of this RFB, BIOCOOR shall be free to make such arrangements as it considers necessary in relation to the provision of theservices.
BIOCOOR will not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred in the preparation of a bid;
The Contract shall be considered as a contract made in Rwanda, according to Rwandalawand subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Rwandacourts.

Conflicts of interest

Any conflicts of interest involving an applicant must be fully disclosed to BIOCOOR.

Failure to disclose a conflict may disqualify an applicant or invalidate an award of the contract. Applicants are required to declare any current or past work which might reasonably be considered to represent a conflict of interest. It will be for BIOCOOR to decide if a material conflict of interest exists and applicants in doubt in this regard should seek the advice of BIOCOOR.

Safeguarding

BIOCOOR is committed to safeguarding Programme participants from any form of exploitation or abuse as a result of our programmes or activities. Anyone working for or on behalf of BIOCOOR must share this commitment. BIOCOOR’s Position Statement on Exploitation and Abuse and BIOCOOR’s Child Safeguarding Policy Summary document outline expectations in this regard, including a Code of Conduct. All consultants, representatives and volunteers of BIOCOOR will be expected to sign these documents along with a Declaration Form and a Self-Declaration Form.

Contract Type and Period

The consultancy contract is a fixed-term consultancy contract and will commence at a specific date to be determined by the Management Team (MT), and at the end of this date the Consultant is expected to have submitted the final versions of all scripts.

Intellectual Property

Any concept, guidelines or other material developed during the contract will be considered the property of BIOCOOR and may be used by BIOCOOR at any time.

Termination of Contract

​a) BIOCOOR reserves the right to terminate the contract at any stage on payment of reasonable and agreed costs accrued to the date of termination. The contract may be terminated by either party on giving appropriate written notice.

b) If at any stage during the contract, the goods/services delivered by the consultant is found to be unsatisfactory, the contract may be terminated by BIOCOOR. In the event of such a termination, the consultant will only be entitled to receive payment in relation to the acceptable goods/services rendered at that time.

12. Evaluation of Bids

a) The successful Consultant(s) will be the one who, in the opinion of BIOCOOR, submits the most economically advantageous proposal applying the following award criteria:

Understanding of the Terms of Reference.
Proposed methodology and planning of the assignment.

Experience of training/producing the cooking stoves for similar programmes;

A sample of other related cooking stoves done previously

Relevant qualification and experience of 2 senior consultants proposed for this assignment with a clear dedicated consultant assigned to lead engagement with BIOCOOR;
Overall quality of the proposal.

Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and RDB company registration and applying of electronic billing machine (EBM) while issuing invoices; and

The work plan must clearly outline which individual will actively lead and deliver the assignment. The senior consultant/ team leader will be responsible for the successful and timely delivery of the assignment.

The financial proposal should be inclusive of tax and in quoted in Rwanda Francs (RWF) clearly indicating the cost per day.

Demonstrable experience and Value for Money (VFM) will be key considerations in evaluating proposals submitted. Any payments to be made under this contract will be in RWF.

b) During the Bids evaluation period, clarification may be sought in writing from prospective consultants. Responses to requests for clarification may not materially change any elements of the bids submitted.

c) No unsolicited communications from prospective consultants to BIOCOOR team or partners will be accepted or entertained during or before thebid’s evaluation period. Any such unsolicited communication will result in disqualification of bids.

A shortlist of those who have submitted bids will be drawn up by the Procurement Committee and a certain number of those who have submitted bids may be invited to make a final presentation of their bids.

13. Submission of Bids

Your proposal clearly marked: “Community Led Planning and Management for Biodiversity Protection and Resilient Communities in Southern Rwanda.” should be submitted ONLY through email on determinedyouthbiocoor@gmail.com. Any queries relating to this Request for Bids should be directed by e-mail to determinedyouthbiocoor@gmail.com.

The financial proposal should be inclusive of tax and quoted in Rwandan Francs (RWF) clearly indicating the services in the subject heading. Only suitably qualified consulting firms/ will be contacted for further engagement.

The deadline for the receipt of bids is 30 November, 2021