Request for Proposals (RFP) JN/0001/2025 The International Center for Tropical Agriculture

(Hereafter referred to as CIAT)

Procurement of Group Medical Insurance

for CIAT Employees in Rwanda

Organization Overview 

CIAT is an international not-for-profit organization that is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership uniting organization engaged in research for a food secure Future.  CIAT mandate is to reduce hunger and poverty, improve human nutrition in the tropics through research aimed at increasing eco-efficiency of agriculture.

CIAT has different projects across Africa, with its main regional office for Africa based in Nairobi, Kenya with Sub Regions office in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, and Zambia.

1. Purpose and Eligibility

1.1. Purpose

The Purpose of this RFP is to invite prospective Offerors to submit separate proposals for Group Medical Insurance for Approximately 29 Employees plus up to Four (4) Dependents for each employee in 2025.

The Provider must be established in Rwanda and able to prove that it has sufficient capacity to extend services to the locations referenced in the RFP. The Medical Coverage proposed should be define and include the type of coverage for both in/outpatient for individual and family: The type of coverage for maternity, pre-existing conditions and including the preexisting chronic diseases, vision, dental and any other services that the company offers.

1.2. Eligibility 

The procurement is open to offers from Organization incorporated or legally registered under the laws of the Republic of Rwanda.

2. General Information

2.1. Original RFP Document

CIAT shall retain the RFP, and all related terms and conditions exhibits and other attachments, in original form in an archival copy. Any modification of these, in the offeror’s submission or subsequent contract, is ground for immediate disqualification.

2.2. RFP Provisions 

1. All information provided in this RFP is offered in good faith. CIAT makes no certification that any item is without error. CIAT is not responsible or liable for any use of information or for any claims asserted there from.
2. This RFP under any circumstances does not Commit CIAT to pay any cost incurred by the offeror in the submission of a proposals. This is the Offeror's responsibility.
3. All Materials Submitted in response to this RFP shall become the property of CIAT upon delivery to CIAT.
4. Additional documentation may be required prior selection.
5. All proposals in response to this RFP and other communications related must be in English.

2.3. Schedule of Events 

The Following Schedule applies to this RFP but may change in accordance with CIAT needs or unforeseen Circumstances. Any changes made to the stated timeline will be announced as a formal modification to RFP.

Any proposal received after the deadline for submission of the proposal, pursuant to the close deadline for the submission of the proposal, will be rejected.

 3. Proposal Submission and Selection. 

3.1. Offeror’s Understanding of the RFP 

In responding to this RFP, the offeror fully understands the RFP in its entirety and in details, including making any inquiries to CIAT as necessary to gain such understanding. Clarification questions must be submitted by potential offerors-in-writing-by the date and time designated above in line B of the chart in section 2.3.

Response will be done via email in writing and shared to all the offerors. CIAT reserves the right to disqualify at its sole discretion any offeror who submits a proposal that is not responsive or that demonstrates less than such understanding. Such disqualification and/or cancellation shall be at no fault, cost, or liability whatsoever to CIAT.

3.2. Communication

Verbal Communication shall not be effective. In no case shall verbal; communication govern over the written communications.

Offerors’ inquiries, questions, and request for clarification related to this RFP are to be directed to in writing in English by the date and time designated in line B of the chart 2.3 to:

International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Attention to: Procurement Unit

Email: a.umugwaneza@cgiar.org CC; “r.habimana@cgiar.org”, “v.delahaye@cgiar.org” “,”esther.kariuki@cgiar.org”

Email Subject: Question regarding RFP No: JN/0001/2025

3.3. Proposal Submission

Proposals must be provided on the offerors’ letterhead or stationery and sent via email to the above emails mentioned.

Proposals must have the subject line of “Proposal in response to RFP NO JN/0001/2025 and must include the number of email (for example email 1 of 2, email 2 of 2, etc.) in the subject line. The proposal itself must include all the documents required by the RFP in word, Excel or PDF and those documents must be attached to the same email message: all the attachments must be clearly labeled and must be numbered sequentially for CIAT to review the proposal. If the proposal is sent in more than one email message the offeror must send all the emails with the proposal submission on the same day and time the sending of the emails as closely as practicable.

It is the responsibility of the offeror to ensure timely delivery of the proposal by the date and time specified above.

3.4. Eligibility of the proposals

3.4.1. Complete Proposals

Offerors must submit all components required by this RFP, including its annexes, in order for their proposal to be complete. Before evaluating proposals, CIAT will determine which proposals include the components required by the RFP to be considered complete proposals. Please note that although CIAT will determine certain proposals to be considered complete, this determination does not signify that an award will be made to one or any other offerors with complete proposals. Only Complete proposals will be evaluated and considered for an award.

3.4.2. Past performance

Offerors may be disqualified if a check of past performance demonstrates that the offeror has not been able to deliver similar services on time and in a satisfactory manner.

3.5. Evaluation Criteria. 

CIAT shall evaluate all eligible proposals based on price. To be considered eligible, offerors must meet and demonstrate the following minimum requirements:

Technical Evaluation/Requirement

Note: Offeror Failing to meet the score of 70 will be rendered nonresponsive and will not be considered for the financial evaluation.

Cost/ Financial Evaluation

The Financial proposal for the different categories of issuances should clearly identify as a separate amount the fees, levies and other impositions imposed under the applicable law, on the service providers, in relation to the assignment.

The offerors shall use an appropriate price template, Annex C. An example of which is contained in the solicitation document, the prices of services it proposes to supply under the contract.  All Rates, Premiums and Prices shall be quoted in Rwandan Francs (RWF).

3.6. Selection 

CIAT may award a contract without discussions with Offerors.  As such, Offerors are strongly encouraged to submit their best Proposals with their original submissions. CIAT reserves the right to site visits and/or to conduct discussions, which may result in revisions to Proposals, with one or more than one or all Offeror(s) if CIAT determines, at its sole discretion, discussions to be necessary. Discussions may include oral presentations provided by the Offeror.

4. Technical Specifications and Requirements

4.1. Specifications

The insurance plan offered must meet the “menu” of coverage choices and include at a minimum, the following coverage categories:

1. Membership Eligibility (married employees, single employees, single parent employees)
2. Manner of availment (e.g. clinic-based, hospital-based)
3. Pre-existing conditions coverage
4. Pre-existing chronic diseases
5. Room and Board (per day): open private or semi-private
6. Maximum Benefit Limit (MBL): per year per person (for principal and dependent(s))
7. Annual Check-up Benefit (itemized)
8. Preventive Care
9. Out-Patient Benefits
10. In-Patient Benefits
11. Special Procedures and Modalities
12. Maternity Benefits
13. Emergency Care
14. Dental Services
15. Optics services
16. Covid19 diagnosis and treatment and regional coverage
17. Last expense (Member and dependents).
18. Counselling
19. Psychiatric Treatment and rehabilitation services
20. Maternity complications
21. Antenatal and Postnatal check-up, and ultrasound
22. 1^stEmergency Caesarean Section
23. Post Hospitalization
24. Emergency Treatment outside Rwanda
25. Overseas Referral for treatment not available locally.
26. STD’s
27. Lodger fees.
28. Travel Insurance.
29. Hepatitis B vaccine.
30. Wellness programs

Kindly note that ALL benefits are to be activated from day one upon payment of premium.

Please see Annex B for detailed Technical Specifications.

CIAT Rwanda has approximately 29 employees. The required coverage period will be for 14 months so as to run from 1^st March 2025 to 30^th April 2026.  Offerors should provide complete details of their “medical provider networks” (including options for seeing doctors both inside and outside those networks). Offerors should also provide details on the processes for reimbursement of expenses and/or patient co-payment terms to medical providers. All proposed plan options should include coverage for the employee and dependents (up to four (4) dependents).

The Offeror should have a countrywide network of coverage in Rwanda and in the region including hospital linkages, customer care, and services. Offerors are required to provide the project with their established terms and conditions for payment and reimbursement. The Offeror are encouraged to include the name and contact information of their hospital linkages and pharmacies.

4.1.2. Delivery Schedule and Location.

The Proposal must be based on the following delivery schedule, considering the delivery location specified below.

4. Proposals Requirements 

4.1. General Requirements

Offeror must submit:

1. A Detailed technical proposal explaining the services the Offeror proposes to meet the requirements of CIAT as described in Section 4. The Proposals must include all the necessary technical information specified in Annex B.
2. A Price Proposal for the Medical including the maximum limits
3. A detailed policy regarding the insurance the Offeror intends to provide CIAT in response to this RFP.
4. The forms and certifications specified in Section 7.
5. A completed proposal checklist specified in Annex D.
6. If applicable, a price adjustment plan to match the employee number increase is preferred.

4.2. Price Proposal Requirements

The price proposal must indicate the coverage of the technical specifications in Section 4. The Proposals must follow the format provided in Annex C. The Price Proposal must be in Rwandan Francs (RWF). All Offerors must provide a price guarantee that the Proposal price remains valid for 90 days from the date of the Proposals.

5. Contract Type and Payment

One or more contracts may be awarded in response to this RFP.  The payment schedule for any resultant task order under the contract is anticipated to be as follows:

The anticipated contract terms and conditions for any resultant contract are provided in Annex E. CIAT        reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to revise the contract terms and conditions before issuance of a   contract.

6. Organization Overview and Offeror Certification

6.1. Organization Overview and Certification. 

For the proposal to be considered, the offeror must complete and submit the proof of their business registration, valid license issued by the National Bank of Rwanda and Up to date Tax Certificate as an attachment to this RFP.

Dr. Eliud Abucheli Birachi

Rwanda CIAT Country Representative