Calls for expressions of interest

CONTRACT NOTICE ISSUED BY COLEAD

In the context of the implementation of its programmes, COLEAD has developed a large network of experts rigorously selected through tendering procedures. COLEAD regularly publishes contract notices requesting service providers to express their interest in the form of an online application file. Service providers are advised to regularly consult this page to check current Calls for Expression of Interest (CEI).

OPENED CALLS FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

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AO 231269 – Support to the COLEAD team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEAD programme activities in Ethiopia – (post date 07/03/2023)

COLEAD is launching a new call for tenders concerning the provision of “Support to the COLEAD team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEAD programme activities in Ethiopia”
ref: COLEAD/AO/231269

You will find below all information related to this service procurement notice, including the terms of reference (paragraph 8. Market description).

Please note that only successful candidates in this first phase will be invited for the tender which will follow. It is therefore imperative to respond to this call for expressions of interest by sending your application (paragraph 14) if you wish to have the opportunity to appear on the short list.

The deadline to receive the applications for this tender is Thursday 06th of April 2023, 23:59 Brussels time (CEST).

Tip: to avoid any problems with transmission, time zones, computer bugs or connection problems, applicants are strongly advised to complete their applications well in advance. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected.

Terms of References

Application form

AO 231280 – Support to the COLEAD team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEAD programme activities in Ghana – (post date 07/03/2023)

COLEAD is launching a new call for tenders concerning the provision of “Support to the COLEAD team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEAD programme activities in Ghana”
ref: COLEAD/AO/231280

You will find below all information related to this service procurement notice, including the terms of reference (paragraph 8. Market description).

Please note that only successful candidates in this first phase will be invited for the tender which will follow. It is therefore imperative to respond to this call for expressions of interest by sending your application (paragraph 14) if you wish to have the opportunity to appear on the short list.

The deadline to receive the applications for this tender is Thursday 06th of April 2023, 23:59 Brussels time (CEST).

Tip: to avoid any problems with transmission, time zones, computer bugs or connection problems, applicants are strongly advised to complete their applications well in advance. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected.

Terms of references

Application form

AO 231264 – Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEAD and its programmes - Production of information and communication material Videos and/or audio-visual animations – (post date 07/03/2023)

COLEAD is launching a new call for tenders concerning the provision of “Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEAD and its programmes – Production of information and communication material Videos and/or audio-visual animations”
ref: COLEAD/AO/231264

You will find below all information related to this service procurement notice, including the terms of reference (paragraph 8. Market description).

Please note that only successful candidates in this first phase will be invited for the tender which will follow. It is therefore imperative to respond to this call for expressions of interest by sending your application (paragraph 14) if you wish to have the opportunity to appear on the short list.

The deadline to receive the applications for this tender is Thursday 06th of April 2023, 23:59 Brussels time (CEST).

Tip: to avoid any problems with transmission, time zones, computer bugs or connection problems, applicants are strongly advised to complete their applications well in advance. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected.

Terms of References

Application form

None yet.

CALLS FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST UNDER REVIEW

AO 231274 – Support to strengthen the competitiveness of the agri-food sector (with an emphasis on ACP horticultural sector) and compliance with the regulatory and private requirements of national, regional and international markets through training and technical assistance in the areas of business management, and sustainable commercial and social practices – (post date 01/02/2023) – (Shortlist 15/03/2023)

Shortlist

AO 231258 – Pedagogical support services in the development and digitalisation of COLEAD’s training offer and its programmes – (post date 10/01/2023) – (Shortlist 20/02/2023)

Shortlist

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PAST CALLS FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

List of past CEI

  • AO 221265 – Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEACP and its programmes – Graphic design – NOTIFIED
  • AO 221266 – Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEACP and its programmes – Editing, proofreading and production of written communications – NOTIFIED
  • AO 221270 – Support the COLEACP Team in the provision of technical information on new EU policies, regulatory and non-regulatory measures and their implications for developing and emerging countries – NOTIFIED
  • AO 221268 – Support to the COLEACP Team to evaluate the impact of EU policies, regulatory and non-regulatory initiatives on developing and emerging countries – NOTIFIED
  • AO 221261 – Support to COLEACP and its partner-beneficiaries to strengthen the competitiveness of the agri-food sector in national, regional and international markets (with a specific emphasis on the EU27/UK) through market intelligence services) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 221241 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in the Caribbean Region (except Dominican Republic) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211223 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Pacific Island Countries – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211222 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Guinea-Bissau – NOTIFIED
  • AO211218 – Support to strengthen the competitiveness and compliance of the ACP horticultural industry to regulatory and/or private requirements of domestic, regional, and international markets through training and technical assistance in the areas of food safety and plant health – NOTIFIED
  • AO211217 – Support to strengthen the competitiveness and compliance of ACP horticultural sectors with the regulatory and private requirements of national, regional and international markets through training and technical assistance in the areas of agricultural production/processing and environmental management) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211205 – Communication support services for COLEACP and its programmes – Simultaneous interpretation/translation, on-site and remote – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211196 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Rwanda (post date 13/04/2021) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211195 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Dominican Republic (post date 13/04/2021) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211194 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Zimbabwe (post date 13/04/2021) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211193 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Nigeria (post date 13/04/2021) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 211181 – Support to COLEACP and its beneficiary partners to strengthen the competitiveness of the ACP agri-food sector in national, regional and international (with a specific emphasis on the EU27/UK) markets through business/market intelligence and enhanced up-to-date information and communication (post date 16/02/2021) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201176 – Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEACP’s programmes – Graphic design and production of information and communication materials (post date 24/11/2020) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201175 – Support to strengthen the competitiveness of the ACP horticulture sector and compliance with the regulatory and private requirements of national, regional and international markets through training and technical assistance in the areas of business management, and sustainable commercial and social practices (post date 09/11/2020) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201173 – Support to strengthen the competitiveness of the ACP horticulture sector and compliance with the regulatory and private requirements of national, regional and international markets through training and technical assistance in the areas of SPS, agricultural production/processing, and environmental management (post date 10/11/2020) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201170 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Tanzania – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201169 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Ethiopia – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201168 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Pacific Island Countries – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201167 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Dominican Republic – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201166 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Uganda – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201164 – Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEACP’s programmes and the association’s members and partners: Development, support, and front-end and/or back-end maintenance of websites and platforms – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201153 – Support for the development of training and monitoring tools in areas related to sanitary and phytosanitary quality, sustainable production systems and responsible social practices – NOTIFIED
  • AO 201147 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Ghana – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191135 – Communication support services and visibility of COLEACP and its programmes – Production of Information and Communication material Photos and/or Videos and/or Audio-visual animations – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191134 – Analytical and technical information support services in crop production and crop protection to facilitate compliance of the ACP horticultural industry with the requirements of domestic and international markets – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191132 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Guinea (Conakry) – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191131 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Madagascar – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191130 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Sierra Leone – CANCELLED (Post date 05/11/2019 – unsuccessful procedure)
  • AO 191129 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Benin and Togo – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191128 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Côte d’Ivoire – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191127 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Suriname – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191126 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Brukina Faso and Mali – NOTIFIED
  • AO 191125 – Support to the COLEACP team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEACP programme activities in Cameroon – NOTIFIED
Terms of Reference - CEI 231269

1. Title of contract

Support to the COLEAD team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEAD programme activities in Ethiopia.

Ref: COLEAD/AO/231269

2. Location

The required interventions will necessitate travel within the country/region for which the service provider is responsible, to other ACP countries and possibly to COLEAD offices (Brussels, Rungis, Nairobi, etc).

3. Main object (CPV code)

Agri-food sectors

4. General address of the contracting authority

COLEAD
5 rue de la Corderie
CENTRA 342
94586 RUNGIS Cedex
France

5. Publication of detailed Contract Notice

Internet address of the contracting authority:
https://www.colead.link

6. Procedure

The publication of this Contract Notice launches the first phase of the procedure and is intended to allow candidates to express their interest in bidding. An initial evaluation based on an analysis of the expressions of interest will result in the establishment of a shortlist of candidates deemed suitable to submit tenders.

Stages of the procedure:

Phase 1

  1. Publication of the Contract Notice and submission by candidates of their expression of interest
  2. Establishment of the longlist
  3. Pre-selection based on the application file
  4. Establishment of the shortlist

Phase 2

  1. Launching of the call for tenders (sending of tender documents to short-listed candidates)
  2. Selection based on the files provided by those tendering
  3. Establishment of framework contract with the selected tenderer

The service providers selected following the consultation will be offered a simple framework contract, specifying a maximum daily remuneration rate per proposed expert. This rate of remuneration may differ from the financial proposal made by the tenderer.

In general, the services of the successful tenderer may start from the day of the signature of the framework contract. The interventions of the successful tenderers may extend until the full consumption of the budget allocated.

7. Background information

COLEAD

COLEAD is a non-profit interprofessional association created in 1973. Its purpose is to facilitate and implement all actions allowing, directly and/or indirectly, to increase the contribution of the agricultural sector, and horticulture in particular, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

From an operational perspective, COLEAD is organised into several departments corresponding to COLEAD’s internal areas of expertise: Technical Assistance, Training, Research and Innovation Brokerage, Market Insights, Information and Communication, Regulation and Standards, Access to Finance, and Networking and Alliances.

Policy context and regulatory developments

The international operational and regulatory environment has undergone a series of major changes over the past two years. The European Commission (EC) is currently assessing a new medium-term direction for EU trade policy in response to a variety of new global challenges and taking into account the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. EU trade policy has established global, regional and bilateral agreements with many partner countries and regions. Trade between the EU and OACPS member countries has historically been important in many sectors, including agri-food. This trade has created millions of jobs on both sides, generating growth and income for value chain actors, with a direct impact on smallholders, women and youth (as agents of change). The EU’s future trade strategy aims to ensure that the EU remains open to trade and investment while being able to adapt to growing geopolitical, economic, social and environmental challenges. In normal times, and even more so in the post-Covid-19 context, the challenge for the EU and OACPS member countries is to stimulate job creation, generate sustainable growth and investment.

In addition to the disruptions associated with COVID-19, new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) compliance challenges continue to face the horticultural industry in OACPS member countries, in particular, (i) the tightening of EU phytosanitary rules (i.e. the new EU Regulation 2016/2031), which imposes increased requirements on inspection services and National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) in ACP States and (ii) developments under Regulation (EC) 1107/2009, which governs the placing on the market of plant protection products (PPPs). The revision process of 1107/2009 is leading to the effective loss of PPPs, affecting the viability and competitiveness of some ACP exports, while exacerbating phytosanitary problems and leading to non-compliance with EU maximum residue limits (EU 396/2005). Finally, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/625 of 6 May 2020 amended Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on the temporary reinforcement of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries.

Capacity building in the area of SPS measures and market requirements also contributes to private sector development objectives, as outlined in the Joint ACP-EU Cooperation Framework for Private Sector Development (PSD).

Business standards, demanded by global buyers, are also changing. Previously, the focus was on food safety, then social responsibility, due to regulatory changes in key markets and the need to manage reputational risk in the face of growing consumer awareness and concern. Today, standards are expanding to address the environment and sustainable production in a much more comprehensive way. In addition, global buyers and standards bodies have imposed additional measures and requirements along supply chains in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, COVID-19-related requirements were added to audits for food safety risk assessments, health and safety measures, accident and emergency procedures, and subcontractor and visitor policies. The pandemic has also created new challenges for social requirements and audits. Additional requirements in social audits cover (for example) contracts, wages, child labour, hours of work and access to grievance mechanisms to deal with specific issues related to COVID-19.

These trends require producers, exporters and public sector quality and regulatory infrastructure institutions in OACPS member countries to be increasingly flexible and dynamic in responding to what is a very diverse market, meeting SPS challenges in a cost-effective manner and raising quality standards, among other adaptations.

SPS requirements and market demands can be seen as both a constraint and an opportunity, as they contribute to modernising agricultural processes and increasing international and intra/interregional trade, while ensuring food security in domestic markets. But the lack of intra/interregional harmonisation of SPS standards creates constraints to intra/interregional trade, increasing transaction costs and affecting the competitiveness of products of regional origin. Food insecurity is also increasingly attributed to the inability to transport food from surplus to deficit areas, as the pandemic has shown.

In parallel, the EU published in June 2018 a new Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products. This was to apply from January 2021, but following a request from stakeholders to take into account the overly complex situation resulting from the COVID-19 situation, the implementation of this new regulation has been postponed to January 2022. The draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on controls and other measures ensuring traceability and compliance in organic production is still under discussion.

Organic production and trade essentially comply with a number of principles set out in the EU’s Farm to Table strategy. The EC is expected to propose a policy framework supporting sustainable food systems by the end of 2023. This policy framework should integrate sustainability into all food-related policies while addressing the responsibilities of all actors in the food system. Combined with certification and labelling of the sustainability performance of food products and targeted incentives, the framework will enable operators to benefit from sustainable practices and gradually raise sustainability standards to become the norm for all food products placed on the EU market.

Last but not least, the UK’s exit from the EU customs union and single market will also significantly change the trade dynamics between the EU27/UK/OACPS member countries in the coming months and years. In 2019, OACPS member countries exported £640 million of fruit, £162 million of vegetables and £77 million of cut flowers directly to the UK market, with a further large triangular trade in fruit, vegetables and cut flowers indirectly serving the UK market via initial landing points in EU27 Member States (estimated at over £500 million additional), which is particularly important for small-scale exporters of short shelf-life horticultural products.

The horticultural exporters from OACPS member countries most severely affected are likely to be Commonwealth countries, given their close trading links with the UK market. Indeed, many African and Caribbean Commonwealth fruit, vegetable and cut flower exporting countries are overly dependent on the UK market in their current trading relationship with the EU28. This makes them particularly vulnerable to sudden changes in UK tariffs and border clearance arrangements. The future relationship between the EU and the UK should be as close and frictionless as possible in order to preserve well-established trade routes and minimise trade disruption that could adversely affect UK, EU and ACP operators.

Support to private and public sector agri-food operators in OACPS member countries to improve the business environment and exploit opportunities in national, regional and international markets is more critical than ever due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes continuous capacity building of MSMEs, farmers’ groups and organisations, business members’ organisations, service providers, relevant authorities, research centres, training institutes, civil society actors and more, and improving product quality and standardisation to facilitate access to national, regional and international markets.

FFM Plus programme

Fit For Market Plus: Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the ACP horticultural sector

In November 2021, the EC and COLEAD signed a five-year grant contract, “Fit For Market Plus: Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the ACP horticultural sector”, with a total budget of EUR 25 million financed by the 11th EDF.

FFM+ is part of the intra-ACP cooperation programme between the EU and the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), formerly ACP Group of States. It is part of European support for medium- and long-term policies aimed at strengthening productive capacities, stimulating innovation, and improving the sustainability and competitiveness of the ACP private sector.

The overall objective of FFM+ is to contribute to poverty reduction and improved food security and nutrition, by supporting the building of a fairer, safer and sustainable agri-food sector in member countries of the OACPS. Despite a disruptive landscape, the first specific objective is to support smallholders, farmer groups and MSMEs to maintain and improve access to national, regional, and international horticultural markets while adapting to changes in the operating environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, in a context of accelerated changes and paradigm shift, the second specific objective is to enable smallholders, farmer groups and MSMEs of the horticultural sector to seize new market opportunities through the development and adoption of safe and sustainable practices, skills and technologies.

In the continuity of the previous programmes, the intervention logic of FFM+is based on the expression of requests from ACP enterprises or producer groups, but also from intermediary support structures – be they public or private – that are actively involved in the process of compliance of the ACP sectors concerned (service providers, professional organisations, training centres, competent authorities, research institutes,  etc.). It also adopts the following modalities and principles of action that have contributed to previous COLEAD programmes success:

  • Local ownership;
  • No substitution of local stakeholders;
  • Investment in local expertise and human resources;
  • Pooling of problems / economies of scale/intra-inter regional approach favoured;
  • Demand-driven approach;
  • A participatory approach and cost sharing;
  • South-South cooperation;
  • Technical, scientific and financial partnerships to avoid duplication, optimise synergies and upscale impact;
  • A cross-cutting framework on youth and women.

Other programmes managed and implemented by COLEAD (at the time of launching this contract)

As part of the diversification of its funding sources, COLEAD is implementing other national or multinational programmes funded by different donors. Thus, in addition to the FFM Plus programme, COLEAD is also currently involved in the implementation of several technical assistance programmes/projects in line with the association’s mission:

  • FFM-SPS (closing phase) “Fit For Market – Strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary systems of the ACP horticultural sector”, funded by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of the ACP States (OACPS) through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The overall objective of this programme is to contribute to poverty reduction, improve food security and safety, and ensure inclusive and sustainable growth by strengthening the ACP agri-food export sector. The specific objective of the programme is to ensure that small ACP producers, farmers’ groups and organisations and MSMEs have access to international and domestic fruit and vegetable markets within a sustainable framework, by helping them to take account of the requirements of these markets, particularly in terms of food safety.
  • “Strengthening the Phytosanitary Control and Certification System in Guinea (STDF/PG/498) funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (FANDC – STDF).
  • “NExT Kenya: Enhancing Kenyan Horticultural Export” (CRIS 414-898) funded by the EU aims to increase the contribution of the Kenyan horticultural sector to household incomes and improve food security, food safety and nutrition by strengthening the resilience, integration and sustainability of the country’s horticultural value chains.
  • “AGRINFO – Towards a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system: addressing compliance with EU regulatory and non-regulatory measures” (FOOD 2021/427-777), funded by the EC for a total budget of EUR 7 million. The AGRINFO programme focuses on identifying and monitoring EU policies, regulatory and non-regulatory measures, standards and market trends that have a potential impact on competitiveness, market access and trade dynamics on national, regional, international levels for agricultural operators in partner countries and in the EU.
  • “DEFIA: Support for the agro-ecological transition of the pineapple sector through the implementation of the Programme for the Development of Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Sectors” This programme, financed by ENABEL, aims to enable operators in the pineapple value chain in Benin to begin a gradual transition to agro-ecology, while meeting the requirements of local, regional and international markets.

The list of other programmes/projects is not exhaustive. Indeed, COLEAD is involved in the implementation of several national and regional technical assistance programmes/projects, in partnership with donors working towards inclusive and sustainable agri-food production and trade. Please refer to the COLEAD website to learn more about its interventions.

Problems to be solved – contract justification

COLEAD programmes are demand-driven: partner-beneficiaries have to take the initiative to write requests and once their development projects are validated, invest themselves in the implementation of the actions identified.

However, COLEAD’s past experience has shown that some operators, need close support to:

  • be informed of the programmes and how to access support;
  • structure their requests (presentation of their activities, problems encountered in terms of food safety, etc.)
  • monitor the implementation of development projects.

Moreover, the use of national relays makes it possible to complete the local anchoring of COLEAD which already exists through the Nairobi and Cotonou/Lomé offices.

In addition, in order to respond appropriately to the needs of the agri-food sector, key information such as needs, challenges, evolution of the sector, etc. must be captured continuously at the national level.

This is why it is necessary for the COLEAD team to be supported by “National Facilitators” in the beneficiary countries for the implementation of the programmes, especially for those targeting interventions with more complex structures such as public services or in countries with more complex environments due to, for example, particular political situations or poor communication means.

8. Market description

Type of contract

The successful tenderer will be offered a simple framework contract.

Overall objective of the contract

The objective of this tender is to facilitate information to partners, the signing of development projects, effective implementation, smooth running and monitoring of the activities of the COLEAD programmes, and more specifically of the FFM+ programme, in the beneficiary country/region for which this service contract has been issued.

The services provided by the contractor will contribute to :

  1. Facilitate relations with the various stakeholders in the public and private sectors, particularly at the decision-making level (supervisory authorities, professional organisations, directorates general of the various ministries involved, public/private dialogue platform);
  2. Assist the COLEAD team in ensuring the coherence of the actions of the Association’s programmes with other projects and programmes implemented by other organisations whose objectives or part of the objectives touch the same fields of action, namely the reinforcement of the competitiveness of the ACP horticultural sectors on the local, regional and international markets;
  3. Facilitate the processes of sending requests for assistance, building and validating the resulting development projects by liaising with the contact person within partner beneficiary structures;
  4. Support the COLEAD team in the evaluation of development projects;
  5. To support the preparation and organisation of the COLEAD team’s missions: making and organising appointments, logistical support, contact with the stakeholders necessary for the success of the missions. ;
  6. Promote COLEAD programmes at events
  7. Support the organisation and implementation of other activities related to the implementation of COLEAD programmes.

Within the framework of their mission, the service provider undertakes to defend the interests of COLEAD and never to harm it, the interest of partners-beneficiaries in the country and the donors of the programmes associated with this mission. All materials produced in the framework of the assignments under the framework contract shall belong to COLEAD.

Description of the interventions

The services to be provided under this call for tenders will cover one or more of the following activities:

  1. Facilitation of relations with different stakeholders:

This activity aims to facilitate relations with stakeholders involved in strengthening the competitiveness of their respective fruit and vegetable sectors, and more particularly those responsible for setting up sanitary and phytosanitary safety systems within the beneficiary countries. The service provider must have a good knowledge of the key interlocutors, their respective positions within their institutions and have privileged access to these persons. The service provider should be able to intervene with stakeholders to achieve the set objectives, speed up decision-making (such as the signing of a framework agreement), collect any complaints and pass them on to the COLEAD team, etc.

In general, the level of responsibility of the stakeholders targeted in this activity will be high: for example, the Secretary General of a ministry or even the Minister or a member of their cabinet, a Director of a department of a ministry, the President or Director of a professional organisation, the head of a public/private platform, etc:

  • Trustee authorities ;
  • Representatives of the European Union (EC Delegation) ;
  • Competent authorities;
  • Professional organisations ;
  • Public/private platforms ;
  • Consumer organisations ;
  • Other Programmes.
  1. Promotion of COLEAD programmes

Sectoral, national and regional meetings, symposia and fairs are regularly organised in ACP countries. It may be of interest to COLEAD to publicise the possibilities of support through ongoing programmes to potential partner-beneficiaries.

To do this, the service provider will be able to :

  • to give an overview of COLEAD Programmes based on presentations prepared by the COLEAD team;
  • distribute documentation ;
  • collect and forward contact details of potential partner-beneficiaries;
  • take any other steps that would improve the visibility of the support available through COLEAD programmes.

The provider may also identify opportunities to promote the programmes and share them with COLEAD. It may alert COLEAD to opportunities identified, whether or not they are known to the association.

  1. Coherence with other ongoing programmes/projects in the beneficiary countries

Many programmes financed by the European Union or other donors have similar components and fields of action to those of the programmes implemented by COLEAD in ACP countries. In order to maximise complementarities and synergies between these interventions and to avoid any risk of duplication, the service provider will be responsible for regularly informing the different donors about their respective activities and for feeding back the information to the COLEAD team. They will facilitate the contacts between those programmes/projects and COLEAD offices.

  1. Facilitate the process of sending requests for intervention, construction and validation of development projects (DEVP)

The follow-up required of the service provider here is administrative, organisational and technical support. The service required for this activity will consist of :

  • To support the beneficiary-partners in formalising and sending their requests for intervention with no substitution to these structures;
  • Participate in the technical analysis of requests for intervention received by COLEAD and in the construction of action plans/budgets
  • Ensure that the development project is validated (and signed) within a reasonable timeframe;
  • Ensure that the actions programmed are carried out as explained in the development project (and in particular in relation to the respect of the commitments made by the beneficiary structure);
  • Gather any complaints about the progress of development project activities and feed them back to the COLEAD team.
  1. Evaluation of development projects

The activities carried out in the implementation of COLEAD programmes should be assessed through internal control procedures. These internal controls will be carried out either by the COLEAD team in the framework of monitoring and reporting activities (and in particular for the deployment of the COLEAD self-assessment tool), or by independent experts specialised in this exercise. The service provider will be asked to support the COLEAD team and these evaluators in the successful completion of this task.

  1. Preparation, organisation of COLEAD team missions

Many missions are and will be scheduled. These missions are usually of short duration. The service provider will therefore have the task of organising the appointments according to the indications given by the COLEAD team and, if deemed useful, of accompanying the mission.

  1. To support the persons designated by the partner-beneficiaries

In each country, COLEAD builds long-term relationships with the structures that benefit from its programme interventions. Within these structures, a person is usually designated as the focal point for relations with COLEAD. The service provider ‘s role will be to assist and advise these designated persons in carrying out the tasks assigned to them.

  1. Present COLEAD resource center

The service provider could be mobilised to guide the partner-beneficiaries through COLEAD’s resource center, in particular: digital resources (library, e-learning, monitoring of regulations, statistics), self-assessment tools, the network, news and online events.

  1. Other activities

COLEAD may call upon the service provider for any other assignment related to the implementation of the programmes for which it is responsible.

Resources Required

The technical skills required will depend on the type of assignment and will be defined on a case-by-case basis. In general, the service provider must demonstrate, in whole or in part :

  • excellent knowledge of the horticultural sector in the country/region concerned by this call for tenders;
  • specific knowledge in one or more of the fields of intervention described (see paragraph – Description of the interventions);
  • professional experience in the implementation of support programmes for the development of agri-food chains financed by international donors in ACP countries;
  • a good knowledge of the public institutions and private organisations in the country/region involved in the establishment of sanitary and phytosanitary safety systems;
  • a good practice in advising and/or intervening in the governance and management of multi-partner projects;
  • recognised and proven expertise in sustainable production and national and international SPS regulations/standards applicable to ACP companies producing and marketing fruit and vegetables;
  • The location of the provider in the country/region concerned is required;
  • the service provider must have a good command (both oral and written) of one or more of the following languages: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch.
  • Knowledge of other languages spoken in ACP countries is considered an asset and should be highlighted;
  • Knowledge of COLEAD intervention methodologies and previous activities under intra-ACP programmes is an asset. Information sessions on these subjects could be organised by COLEAD.

9. Budget

The maximum value of this Contract Notice is € 25,000.

10. Provisional timetable

Date of publication of this Contract Notice: 07/03/2023

Deadline for receipt of applications (expressions of interest): 06/04/2023

Deadline for publication of the shortlist: 20/04/2023

Expected date for sending invitations to tenders: 21/04/2023

Deadline for submission of tenders: 22/05/2023

Date of notification to the successful bidders: 27/06/2023

Expected start date of the contract: (from) from the date of signature by the 2 contracting parties

The final schedule will be included in the tender documents.

11. Eligibility

Participation is open, under equal conditions, to all natural persons and legal entities (participating individually or in a consortium of bidders) who are nationals of the ACP and EU States and/or listed in Annex 1 to this document. A consortium may be a permanent group with legal status or an informal group created for the purpose of a specific call for tenders. All the members of a consortium (i.e. the lead partner and all other partners) are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.

A check will be carried out to ensure that none of the candidate bidders appears on any of the Financial Sanctions Lists (lists designating persons, groups or entities subject to financial sanctions by the United Nations, the EU and France).

The participation of an ineligible natural person or legal entity will result in the automatic exclusion of the application concerned. If this ineligible person is part of a consortium, the application of the entire consortium will be excluded.

12. Prohibition on pre-selected candidates forming groups

Any tenders received from tenderers allied with firms other than those mentioned in the shortlisted application forms will be excluded from the tender procedure. Shortlisted candidates may neither associate nor conclude mutual subcontracting agreements in the context of the contract in question. No more associations will be allowed after the shortlist has been established.

13. Criteria for selecting applications

Selection criteria relating to the technical and professional capacity of the bidder will be applied to candidates. In the case of an application submitted by a consortium, these criteria will apply to the whole consortium.

These criteria ensure that the candidate (or the consortium as a whole) has sufficient skills and experience to perform the contract.

The correct observance of the instructions for sending the application file will also be considered in the evaluation.

14. Application form

The bidder should indicate an interest in participating in the call for tenders by applying. If the candidate is pre-selected, the name of the structure indicated on the application file will be used in the shortlist. No further changes (name, consortium or other) will be allowed.

The form is available in English and should therefore be completed in that language.

It includes the following data:

  1. General information on the applicant
  2. The application file:
  • 1 brief description of one or more recent assignments (within the previous 3 years) related to the means required to illustrate your competence in one or more areas of expertise described in the terms of reference (4000 characters maximum, spaces included).
  • the names of up to 3 experts who technically meet the expertise requirements and a brief description of their respective skills and experience.
  • at least one professional reference with an email address.

The application must be received by COLEAD no later than Thursday, April 06th, 2023.

15. Communication with COLEAD

If you have any questions regarding this Contract Notice or your application, please email expert@colead.link

Be sure to include Contract Notice reference COLEAD/AO/231269 in the title of your email when communicating with COLEAD.

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Terms of Reference - CEI 231280

1. Title of contract

Support to the COLEAD team for the implementation and monitoring of COLEAD programme activities in Ghana.
Ref: COLEAD/AO/231280

2. Location

The required interventions will necessitate travel within the country/region for which the service provider is responsible, to other ACP countries and possibly to COLEAD offices (Brussels, Rungis, Nairobi, etc).

3. Main object (CPV code)

Agri-food sectors

4. General address of the contracting authority

COLEAD
5 rue de la Corderie
CENTRA 342
94586 RUNGIS Cedex
France

5. Publication of detailed Contract Notice

Internet address of the contracting authority:
https://www.colead.link

6. Procedure

The publication of this Contract Notice launches the first phase of the procedure and is intended to allow candidates to express their interest in bidding. An initial evaluation based on an analysis of the expressions of interest will result in the establishment of a shortlist of candidates deemed suitable to submit tenders.

Stages of the procedure:

Phase 1

  1. Publication of the Contract Notice and submission by candidates of their expression of interest
  2. Establishment of the longlist
  3. Pre-selection based on the application file
  4. Establishment of the shortlist

Phase 2

  1. Launching of the call for tenders (sending of tender documents to short-listed candidates)
  2. Selection based on the files provided by those tendering
  3. Establishment of framework contract with the selected tenderer

The service providers selected following the consultation will be offered a simple framework contract, specifying a maximum daily remuneration rate per proposed expert. This rate of remuneration may differ from the financial proposal made by the tenderer.

In general, the services of the successful tenderer may start from the day of the signature of the framework contract. The interventions of the successful tenderers may extend until the full consumption of the budget allocated.

7. Background information

COLEAD

COLEAD is a non-profit interprofessional association created in 1973. Its purpose is to facilitate and implement all actions allowing, directly and/or indirectly, to increase the contribution of the agricultural sector, and horticulture in particular, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

From an operational perspective, COLEAD is organised into several departments corresponding to COLEAD’s internal areas of expertise: Technical Assistance, Training, Research and Innovation Brokerage, Market Insights, Information and Communication, Regulation and Standards, Access to Finance, and Networking and Alliances.

Policy context and regulatory developments

The international operational and regulatory environment has undergone a series of major changes over the past two years. The European Commission (EC) is currently assessing a new medium-term direction for EU trade policy in response to a variety of new global challenges and taking into account the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. EU trade policy has established global, regional and bilateral agreements with many partner countries and regions. Trade between the EU and OACPS member countries has historically been important in many sectors, including agri-food. This trade has created millions of jobs on both sides, generating growth and income for value chain actors, with a direct impact on smallholders, women and youth (as agents of change). The EU’s future trade strategy aims to ensure that the EU remains open to trade and investment while being able to adapt to growing geopolitical, economic, social and environmental challenges. In normal times, and even more so in the post-Covid-19 context, the challenge for the EU and OACPS member countries is to stimulate job creation, generate sustainable growth and investment.

In addition to the disruptions associated with COVID-19, new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) compliance challenges continue to face the horticultural industry in OACPS member countries, in particular, (i) the tightening of EU phytosanitary rules (i.e. the new EU Regulation 2016/2031), which imposes increased requirements on inspection services and National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) in ACP States and (ii) developments under Regulation (EC) 1107/2009, which governs the placing on the market of plant protection products (PPPs). The revision process of 1107/2009 is leading to the effective loss of PPPs, affecting the viability and competitiveness of some ACP exports, while exacerbating phytosanitary problems and leading to non-compliance with EU maximum residue limits (EU 396/2005). Finally, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/625 of 6 May 2020 amended Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on the temporary reinforcement of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries.

Capacity building in the area of SPS measures and market requirements also contributes to private sector development objectives, as outlined in the Joint ACP-EU Cooperation Framework for Private Sector Development (PSD).

Business standards, demanded by global buyers, are also changing. Previously, the focus was on food safety, then social responsibility, due to regulatory changes in key markets and the need to manage reputational risk in the face of growing consumer awareness and concern. Today, standards are expanding to address the environment and sustainable production in a much more comprehensive way. In addition, global buyers and standards bodies have imposed additional measures and requirements along supply chains in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, COVID-19-related requirements were added to audits for food safety risk assessments, health and safety measures, accident and emergency procedures, and subcontractor and visitor policies. The pandemic has also created new challenges for social requirements and audits. Additional requirements in social audits cover (for example) contracts, wages, child labour, hours of work and access to grievance mechanisms to deal with specific issues related to COVID-19.

These trends require producers, exporters and public sector quality and regulatory infrastructure institutions in OACPS member countries to be increasingly flexible and dynamic in responding to what is a very diverse market, meeting SPS challenges in a cost-effective manner and raising quality standards, among other adaptations.

SPS requirements and market demands can be seen as both a constraint and an opportunity, as they contribute to modernising agricultural processes and increasing international and intra/interregional trade, while ensuring food security in domestic markets. But the lack of intra/interregional harmonisation of SPS standards creates constraints to intra/interregional trade, increasing transaction costs and affecting the competitiveness of products of regional origin. Food insecurity is also increasingly attributed to the inability to transport food from surplus to deficit areas, as the pandemic has shown.

In parallel, the EU published in June 2018 a new Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products. This was to apply from January 2021, but following a request from stakeholders to take into account the overly complex situation resulting from the COVID-19 situation, the implementation of this new regulation has been postponed to January 2022. The draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on controls and other measures ensuring traceability and compliance in organic production is still under discussion.

Organic production and trade essentially comply with a number of principles set out in the EU’s Farm to Table strategy. The EC is expected to propose a policy framework supporting sustainable food systems by the end of 2023. This policy framework should integrate sustainability into all food-related policies while addressing the responsibilities of all actors in the food system. Combined with certification and labelling of the sustainability performance of food products and targeted incentives, the framework will enable operators to benefit from sustainable practices and gradually raise sustainability standards to become the norm for all food products placed on the EU market.

Last but not least, the UK’s exit from the EU customs union and single market will also significantly change the trade dynamics between the EU27/UK/OACPS member countries in the coming months and years. In 2019, OACPS member countries exported £640 million of fruit, £162 million of vegetables and £77 million of cut flowers directly to the UK market, with a further large triangular trade in fruit, vegetables and cut flowers indirectly serving the UK market via initial landing points in EU27 Member States (estimated at over £500 million additional), which is particularly important for small-scale exporters of short shelf-life horticultural products.

The horticultural exporters from OACPS member countries most severely affected are likely to be Commonwealth countries, given their close trading links with the UK market. Indeed, many African and Caribbean Commonwealth fruit, vegetable and cut flower exporting countries are overly dependent on the UK market in their current trading relationship with the EU28. This makes them particularly vulnerable to sudden changes in UK tariffs and border clearance arrangements. The future relationship between the EU and the UK should be as close and frictionless as possible in order to preserve well-established trade routes and minimise trade disruption that could adversely affect UK, EU and ACP operators.

Support to private and public sector agri-food operators in OACPS member countries to improve the business environment and exploit opportunities in national, regional and international markets is more critical than ever due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes continuous capacity building of MSMEs, farmers’ groups and organisations, business members’ organisations, service providers, relevant authorities, research centres, training institutes, civil society actors and more, and improving product quality and standardisation to facilitate access to national, regional and international markets.

FFM Plus programme

Fit For Market Plus: Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the ACP horticultural sector

In November 2021, the EC and COLEAD signed a five-year grant contract, “Fit For Market Plus: Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the ACP horticultural sector”, with a total budget of EUR 25 million financed by the 11th EDF.

FFM+ is part of the intra-ACP cooperation programme between the EU and the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), formerly ACP Group of States. It is part of European support for medium- and long-term policies aimed at strengthening productive capacities, stimulating innovation, and improving the sustainability and competitiveness of the ACP private sector.

The overall objective of FFM+ is to contribute to poverty reduction and improved food security and nutrition, by supporting the building of a fairer, safer and sustainable agri-food sector in member countries of the OACPS. Despite a disruptive landscape, the first specific objective is to support smallholders, farmer groups and MSMEs to maintain and improve access to national, regional, and international horticultural markets while adapting to changes in the operating environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, in a context of accelerated changes and paradigm shift, the second specific objective is to enable smallholders, farmer groups and MSMEs of the horticultural sector to seize new market opportunities through the development and adoption of safe and sustainable practices, skills and technologies.

In the continuity of the previous programmes, the intervention logic of FFM+is based on the expression of requests from ACP enterprises or producer groups, but also from intermediary support structures – be they public or private – that are actively involved in the process of compliance of the ACP sectors concerned (service providers, professional organisations, training centres, competent authorities, research institutes,  etc.). It also adopts the following modalities and principles of action that have contributed to previous COLEAD programmes success:

  • Local ownership;
  • No substitution of local stakeholders;
  • Investment in local expertise and human resources;
  • Pooling of problems / economies of scale/intra-inter regional approach favoured;
  • Demand-driven approach;
  • A participatory approach and cost sharing;
  • South-South cooperation;
  • Technical, scientific and financial partnerships to avoid duplication, optimise synergies and upscale impact;
  • A cross-cutting framework on youth and women.

Other programmes managed and implemented by COLEAD (at the time of launching this contract)

As part of the diversification of its funding sources, COLEAD is implementing other national or multinational programmes funded by different donors. Thus, in addition to the FFM Plus programme, COLEAD is also currently involved in the implementation of several technical assistance programmes/projects in line with the association’s mission:

  • FFM-SPS (closing phase) “Fit For Market – Strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary systems of the ACP horticultural sector”, funded by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of the ACP States (OACPS) through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The overall objective of this programme is to contribute to poverty reduction, improve food security and safety, and ensure inclusive and sustainable growth by strengthening the ACP agri-food export sector. The specific objective of the programme is to ensure that small ACP producers, farmers’ groups and organisations and MSMEs have access to international and domestic fruit and vegetable markets within a sustainable framework, by helping them to take account of the requirements of these markets, particularly in terms of food safety.
  • “Strengthening the Phytosanitary Control and Certification System in Guinea (STDF/PG/498) funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (FANDC – STDF).
  • “NExT Kenya: Enhancing Kenyan Horticultural Export” (CRIS 414-898) funded by the EU aims to increase the contribution of the Kenyan horticultural sector to household incomes and improve food security, food safety and nutrition by strengthening the resilience, integration and sustainability of the country’s horticultural value chains.
  • “AGRINFO – Towards a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system: addressing compliance with EU regulatory and non-regulatory measures” (FOOD 2021/427-777), funded by the EC for a total budget of EUR 7 million. The AGRINFO programme focuses on identifying and monitoring EU policies, regulatory and non-regulatory measures, standards and market trends that have a potential impact on competitiveness, market access and trade dynamics on national, regional, international levels for agricultural operators in partner countries and in the EU.
  • “DEFIA: Support for the agro-ecological transition of the pineapple sector through the implementation of the Programme for the Development of Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Sectors” This programme, financed by ENABEL, aims to enable operators in the pineapple value chain in Benin to begin a gradual transition to agro-ecology, while meeting the requirements of local, regional and international markets.

The list of other programmes/projects is not exhaustive. Indeed, COLEAD is involved in the implementation of several national and regional technical assistance programmes/projects, in partnership with donors working towards inclusive and sustainable agri-food production and trade. Please refer to the COLEAD website to learn more about its interventions.

Problems to be solved – contract justification

COLEAD programmes are demand-driven: partner-beneficiaries have to take the initiative to write requests and once their development projects are validated, invest themselves in the implementation of the actions identified.

However, COLEAD’s past experience has shown that some operators, need close support to:

  • be informed of the programmes and how to access support;
  • structure their requests (presentation of their activities, problems encountered in terms of food safety, etc.)
  • monitor the implementation of development projects.

Moreover, the use of national relays makes it possible to complete the local anchoring of COLEAD which already exists through the Nairobi and Cotonou/Lomé offices.

In addition, in order to respond appropriately to the needs of the agri-food sector, key information such as needs, challenges, evolution of the sector, etc. must be captured continuously at the national level.

This is why it is necessary for the COLEAD team to be supported by “National Facilitators” in the beneficiary countries for the implementation of the programmes, especially for those targeting interventions with more complex structures such as public services or in countries with more complex environments due to, for example, particular political situations or poor communication means.

8. Market description

Type of contract

The successful tenderer will be offered a simple framework contract.

Overall objective of the contract

The objective of this tender is to facilitate information to partners, the signing of development projects, effective implementation, smooth running and monitoring of the activities of the COLEAD programmes, and more specifically of the FFM+ programme, in the beneficiary country/region for which this service contract has been issued.

The services provided by the contractor will contribute to :

  1. Facilitate relations with the various stakeholders in the public and private sectors, particularly at the decision-making level (supervisory authorities, professional organisations, directorates general of the various ministries involved, public/private dialogue platform);
  2. Assist the COLEAD team in ensuring the coherence of the actions of the Association’s programmes with other projects and programmes implemented by other organisations whose objectives or part of the objectives touch the same fields of action, namely the reinforcement of the competitiveness of the ACP horticultural sectors on the local, regional and international markets;
  3. Facilitate the processes of sending requests for assistance, building and validating the resulting development projects by liaising with the contact person within partner beneficiary structures;
  4. Support the COLEAD team in the evaluation of development projects;
  5. To support the preparation and organisation of the COLEAD team’s missions: making and organising appointments, logistical support, contact with the stakeholders necessary for the success of the missions. ;
  6. Promote COLEAD programmes at events
  7. Support the organisation and implementation of other activities related to the implementation of COLEAD programmes.

Within the framework of their mission, the service provider undertakes to defend the interests of COLEAD and never to harm it, the interest of partners-beneficiaries in the country and the donors of the programmes associated with this mission. All materials produced in the framework of the assignments under the framework contract shall belong to COLEAD.

Description of the interventions

The services to be provided under this call for tenders will cover one or more of the following activities:

  1. Facilitation of relations with different stakeholders:

This activity aims to facilitate relations with stakeholders involved in strengthening the competitiveness of their respective fruit and vegetable sectors, and more particularly those responsible for setting up sanitary and phytosanitary safety systems within the beneficiary countries. The service provider must have a good knowledge of the key interlocutors, their respective positions within their institutions and have privileged access to these persons. The service provider should be able to intervene with stakeholders to achieve the set objectives, speed up decision-making (such as the signing of a framework agreement), collect any complaints and pass them on to the COLEAD team, etc.

In general, the level of responsibility of the stakeholders targeted in this activity will be high: for example, the Secretary General of a ministry or even the Minister or a member of their cabinet, a Director of a department of a ministry, the President or Director of a professional organisation, the head of a public/private platform, etc:

  • Trustee authorities ;
  • Representatives of the European Union (EC Delegation) ;
  • Competent authorities;
  • Professional organisations ;
  • Public/private platforms ;
  • Consumer organisations ;
  • Other Programmes.
  1. Promotion of COLEAD programmes

Sectoral, national and regional meetings, symposia and fairs are regularly organised in ACP countries. It may be of interest to COLEAD to publicise the possibilities of support through ongoing programmes to potential partner-beneficiaries.

To do this, the service provider will be able to :

  • to give an overview of COLEAD Programmes based on presentations prepared by the COLEAD team;
  • distribute documentation ;
  • collect and forward contact details of potential partner-beneficiaries;
  • take any other steps that would improve the visibility of the support available through COLEAD programmes.

The provider may also identify opportunities to promote the programmes and share them with COLEAD. It may alert COLEAD to opportunities identified, whether or not they are known to the association.

  1. Coherence with other ongoing programmes/projects in the beneficiary countries

Many programmes financed by the European Union or other donors have similar components and fields of action to those of the programmes implemented by COLEAD in ACP countries. In order to maximise complementarities and synergies between these interventions and to avoid any risk of duplication, the service provider will be responsible for regularly informing the different donors about their respective activities and for feeding back the information to the COLEAD team. They will facilitate the contacts between those programmes/projects and COLEAD offices.

  1. Facilitate the process of sending requests for intervention, construction and validation of development projects (DEVP)

The follow-up required of the service provider here is administrative, organisational and technical support. The service required for this activity will consist of :

  • To support the beneficiary-partners in formalising and sending their requests for intervention with no substitution to these structures;
  • Participate in the technical analysis of requests for intervention received by COLEAD and in the construction of action plans/budgets
  • Ensure that the development project is validated (and signed) within a reasonable timeframe;
  • Ensure that the actions programmed are carried out as explained in the development project (and in particular in relation to the respect of the commitments made by the beneficiary structure);
  • Gather any complaints about the progress of development project activities and feed them back to the COLEAD team.
  1. Evaluation of development projects

The activities carried out in the implementation of COLEAD programmes should be assessed through internal control procedures. These internal controls will be carried out either by the COLEAD team in the framework of monitoring and reporting activities (and in particular for the deployment of the COLEAD self-assessment tool), or by independent experts specialised in this exercise. The service provider will be asked to support the COLEAD team and these evaluators in the successful completion of this task.

  1. Preparation, organisation of COLEAD team missions

Many missions are and will be scheduled. These missions are usually of short duration. The service provider will therefore have the task of organising the appointments according to the indications given by the COLEAD team and, if deemed useful, of accompanying the mission.

  1. To support the persons designated by the partner-beneficiaries

In each country, COLEAD builds long-term relationships with the structures that benefit from its programme interventions. Within these structures, a person is usually designated as the focal point for relations with COLEAD. The service provider ‘s role will be to assist and advise these designated persons in carrying out the tasks assigned to them.

  1. Present COLEAD resource center

The service provider could be mobilised to guide the partner-beneficiaries through COLEAD’s resource center, in particular: digital resources (library, e-learning, monitoring of regulations, statistics), self-assessment tools, the network, news and online events.

  1. Other activities

COLEAD may call upon the service provider for any other assignment related to the implementation of the programmes for which it is responsible.

Resources Required

The technical skills required will depend on the type of assignment and will be defined on a case-by-case basis. In general, the service provider must demonstrate, in whole or in part :

  • excellent knowledge of the horticultural sector in the country/region concerned by this call for tenders;
  • specific knowledge in one or more of the fields of intervention described (see paragraph – Description of the interventions);
  • professional experience in the implementation of support programmes for the development of agri-food chains financed by international donors in ACP countries;
  • a good knowledge of the public institutions and private organisations in the country/region involved in the establishment of sanitary and phytosanitary safety systems;
  • a good practice in advising and/or intervening in the governance and management of multi-partner projects;
  • recognised and proven expertise in sustainable production and national and international SPS regulations/standards applicable to ACP companies producing and marketing fruit and vegetables;
  • The location of the provider in the country/region concerned is required;
  • the service provider must have a good command (both oral and written) of one or more of the following languages: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch.
  • Knowledge of other languages spoken in ACP countries is considered an asset and should be highlighted;
  • Knowledge of COLEAD intervention methodologies and previous activities under intra-ACP programmes is an asset. Information sessions on these subjects could be organised by COLEAD.

9. Budget

The maximum value of this Contract Notice is € 25,000.

10. Provisional timetable

Date of publication of this Contract Notice: 07/03/2023

Deadline for receipt of applications (expressions of interest): 06/04/2023

Deadline for publication of the shortlist: 20/04/2023

Expected date for sending invitations to tenders: 21/04/2023

Deadline for submission of tenders: 22/05/2023

Date of notification to the successful bidders: 27/06/2023

Expected start date of the contract: (from) from the date of signature by the 2 contracting parties

The final schedule will be included in the tender documents.

11. Eligibility

Participation is open, under equal conditions, to all natural persons and legal entities (participating individually or in a consortium of bidders) who are nationals of the ACP and EU States and/or listed in Annex 1 to this document. A consortium may be a permanent group with legal status or an informal group created for the purpose of a specific call for tenders. All the members of a consortium (i.e. the lead partner and all other partners) are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.

A check will be carried out to ensure that none of the candidate bidders appears on any of the Financial Sanctions Lists (lists designating persons, groups or entities subject to financial sanctions by the United Nations, the EU and France).

The participation of an ineligible natural person or legal entity will result in the automatic exclusion of the application concerned. If this ineligible person is part of a consortium, the application of the entire consortium will be excluded.

12. Prohibition on pre-selected candidates forming groups

Any tenders received from tenderers allied with firms other than those mentioned in the shortlisted application forms will be excluded from the tender procedure. Shortlisted candidates may neither associate nor conclude mutual subcontracting agreements in the context of the contract in question. No more associations will be allowed after the shortlist has been established.

13. Criteria for selecting applications

Selection criteria relating to the technical and professional capacity of the bidder will be applied to candidates. In the case of an application submitted by a consortium, these criteria will apply to the whole consortium.

These criteria ensure that the candidate (or the consortium as a whole) has sufficient skills and experience to perform the contract.

The correct observance of the instructions for sending the application file will also be considered in the evaluation.

14. Application form

The bidder should indicate an interest in participating in the call for tenders by applying. If the candidate is pre-selected, the name of the structure indicated on the application file will be used in the shortlist. No further changes (name, consortium or other) will be allowed.

The form is available in English and should therefore be completed in that language.

It includes the following data:

  1. General information on the applicant
  2. The application file:
  • 1 brief description of one or more recent assignments (within the previous 3 years) related to the means required to illustrate your competence in one or more areas of expertise described in the terms of reference (4000 characters maximum, spaces included).
  • the names of up to 3 experts who technically meet the expertise requirements and a brief description of their respective skills and experience.
  • at least one professional reference with an email address.

The application must be received by COLEAD no later than Thursday, April 06th, 2023.

15. Communication with COLEAD

If you have any questions regarding this Contract Notice or your application, please email expert@colead.link

Be sure to include Contract Notice reference COLEAD/AO/231280 in the title of your email when communicating with COLEAD.

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Terms of Reference AO 231264

1. Title of contract

Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEAD and its programmes – Production of information and communication material Videos and/or audio-visual animations.

Ref: COLEAD/AO/231264

2. Location

The necessary interventions may require the provider to travel to countries in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and the European Union.

3. Main object (CPV code)

Agri-food sectors

4. General address of the contracting authority

COLEAD
5 rue de la Corderie
CENTRA 342
94586 RUNGIS Cedex
France

5. Publication of detailed Contract Notice

Internet address of the contracting authority:
https://www.colead.link

6. Procedure

The publication of this Contract Notice launches the first phase of the procedure and is intended to allow candidates to express their interest in bidding. An initial evaluation based on an analysis of the expressions of interest will result in the establishment of a shortlist of candidates deemed suitable to submit tenders.

Stages of the procedure:

Phase 1

  1. Publication of the Contract Notice and submission by candidates of their expression of interest
  2. Establishment of the longlist
  3. Pre-selection based on the application file
  4. Establishment of the shortlist

Phase 2

  1. Launching of the call for tenders (sending of tender documents to short-listed candidates)
  2. Selection based on the files provided by those tendering
  3. Establishment of framework contracts with the selected tenderers

The service providers selected following the consultation will be offered a framework contract, specifying a maximum daily remuneration rate per proposed expert. This rate of remuneration may differ from the financial proposal made by the tenderer.

In general, the services of the successful tenderers may start from the day of the signature of the framework contract. The interventions of the successful tenderers may extend until the full consumption of the budget allocated.

7. Background information

COLEAD

COLEAD is a non-profit interprofessional association created in 1973. Its purpose is to facilitate and implement all actions allowing, directly and/or indirectly, to increase the contribution of the agricultural sector, and horticulture in particular, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

From an operational perspective, COLEAD is organised into several departments corresponding to COLEAD’s internal areas of expertise: Technical Assistance, Training, Research and Innovation Brokerage, Market Insights, Information and Communication, Regulation and Standards, Access to Finance, and Networking and Alliances.

FFM SPS and FFM Plus programmes

Fit For Market SPS: Strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary systems of the ACP horticultural sector

In December 2018, the EC and COLEAD signed a four-year grant contract, “Fit For Market – Strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary systems of the ACP horticultural sector” (FFM SPS), with a total budget of EUR 15 million funded by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of the ACP States (OACPS) through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). It is part of the European support to medium and long-term policies aimed at strengthening productive capacities, stimulating innovation and improving the sustainability and competitiveness of the ACP private sector.

The overall objective of this programme is to contribute to poverty reduction, improve food security and safety, and ensure inclusive and sustainable growth by strengthening the ACP agri-food export sector. The specific objective of the programme is to ensure that small ACP producers, farmers’ groups and organisations and MSMEs have access to international and domestic fruit and vegetable markets within a sustainable framework, by helping them to take account of the requirements of these markets, particularly in terms of food safety.

The implementation of this programme aims to build capacity in horticultural safety and plant health both at the level of private sector actors (small producers, farmer groups and organisations, MSMEs, etc.) and at the level of the competent authorities. To this end, COLEAD assists programme beneficiaries in meeting (regulatory) market requirements, including those related to food safety. In addition, COLEAD studies the destination markets for ACP fruit and vegetables, in particular local and regional ACP markets, with a view to gaining a better understanding of their quality and quantity.

Fit For Market Plus: Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the ACP horticultural sector

In November 2021, the EC and COLEAD signed a five-year grant contract, “Fit For Market Plus: Mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the ACP horticultural sector”, with a total budget of EUR 25 million financed by the 11th EDF.

Both FFM SPS and FFM+ are part of the intra-ACP cooperation programme between the EU and the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), formerly ACP Group of States. It is part of European support for medium- and long-term policies aimed at strengthening productive capacities, stimulating innovation, and improving the sustainability and competitiveness of the ACP private sector.

The overall objective of FFM+ is to contribute to poverty reduction and improved food security and nutrition, by supporting the building of a fairer, safer and sustainable agri-food sector in member countries of the OACPS. Despite a disruptive landscape, the first specific objective is to support smallholders, farmer groups and MSMEs to maintain and improve access to national, regional, and international horticultural markets while adapting to changes in the operating environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, in a context of accelerated changes and paradigm shift, the second specific objective is to enable smallholders, farmer groups and MSMEs of the horticultural sector to seize new market opportunities through the development and adoption of safe and sustainable practices, skills and technologies.

The expected results of FFM SPS and FFM+ are complementary and integrated into an overall COLEAD implementation framework aimed at building and strengthening capacity at national and regional levels to ensure that effective and efficient national SPS systems are in place for the ACP horticultural industry.

Other programmes managed and implemented by COLEAD (at the time of launching this contract)

As part of the diversification of its funding sources, COLEAD is implementing other national or multinational programmes funded by different donors. Thus, in addition to the FFM Plus and FFM SPS programmes, COLEAD is also currently involved in the implementation of several technical assistance programmes in line with the association’s mission:

  • “Strengthening the Phytosanitary Control and Certification System in Guinea (STDF/PG/498) funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (FANDC – STDF).
  • “NExT Kenya: Enhancing Kenyan Horticultural Export” (CRIS 414-898) funded by the EU aims to increase the contribution of the Kenyan horticultural sector to household incomes and improve food security, food safety and nutrition by strengthening the resilience, integration and sustainability of the country’s horticultural value chains.
  • “AGRINFO – Towards a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system: addressing compliance with EU regulatory and non-regulatory measures” (FOOD 2021/427-777), funded by the EC for a total budget of EUR 7 million. The AGRINFO programme focuses on identifying and monitoring EU policies, regulatory and non-regulatory measures, standards and market trends that have a potential impact on competitiveness, market access and trade dynamics on national, regional, international levels for agricultural operators in partner countries and in the EU.
  • “DEFIA: Support for the agro-ecological transition of the pineapple sector through the implementation of the Programme for the Development of Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Sectors” This programme, financed by ENABEL, aims to enable operators in the pineapple value chain in Benin to begin a gradual transition to agro-ecology, while meeting the requirements of local, regional and international markets.

The list of other programmes/projects is not exhaustive. Indeed, COLEAD is involved in the implementation of several national and regional technical assistance programmes/projects, in partnership with donors working towards inclusive and sustainable agri-food production and trade. Please refer to the COLEAD website to learn more about its interventions.

The Information and Communication Service of COLEAD and its programmes

COLEAD’s expertise in this field lies in global, event, editorial and media communication and in the production of technical supports. In this way, we design, edit and disseminate news, knowledge and know-how. Each medium or action is adapted to the target groups of the organisation and its programmes (private or public sector beneficiaries, members of the association, development practitioners, partners, employees, etc.).

For this purpose, we produce and use videos and audio-visual animations In addition, due to the increasing power and intensity of the visibility of COLEAD and its programmes via social media, and the growing need of the beneficiary partners of COLEAD’s programmes in the audio-visual field, the need for the production and use of specific communication materials in this field has emerged.

Given the diversity and intensity of existing and future needs, our current internal resources are insufficient to meet them. Hence the launch of this call for tenders, which will result in the contracting of service providers specialising in one, several or all of these areas.

8. Market description

Type of contract

This contract concerns the provision of support services for the technical implementation of all of COLEAD’s current and future programmes.

All successful tenderers will be offered a framework contract, which will specify the financial terms.

The objective of this call for tenders is to create a pool of service providers with the required expertise, as described in the “Description of interventions“, who can be mobilised by the COLEAD technical team. The services will therefore be requested on an as-needed basis and through ordering letters specifying the terms of the services.

As a result of the above-mentioned, it is important to note that within this tender, although signing a framework contract is a pre-requisite to work with COLEAD, it does not guarantee that all service providers will be asked to carry out an assignment.

Overall market objective

This call for tenders is part of the “Support services for the communication and visibility of COLEAD and its programmes”. The overall objective is to provide services for the production of VIDEOS and/or AUDIO-VISUAL ANIMATIONS for information, communication and training.

Within the framework of their mission, the service provider undertakes to defend and never harm the interests of COLEAD and the beneficiaries of its action as well as the funders of the programmes associated with this mission. All materials produced in the context of the assignments arising from the framework contract shall belong to COLEAD.

Description of the interventions

Videos

The services to be provided under this contract include :

  • From pre-production :
    • Conceptualisation, storyboarding, scripting
    • Organisation, exchanges, making appointments for filming purposes
  • From the production :
    • Practiotioners’ coaching
    • Conducting interviews and filming in the European Union or in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
  • From post-production :
    • Unwrapping
    • Cleaning of sequences (image and sound)
    • Video editing with text animations, computer graphics, effects, transitions, soundtrack and more according to the developed script
    • Subtitles
    • Delivery of video files to COLEAD in ad hoc formats
  • Capacity building in interviewing, filming and editing for ACP beneficiaries or partners.
  • Coaching to COLEAD’s Information and Communication Department and its programmes in this area.

All this is based on a briefing and according to the specific demands and needs of COLEAD and its programmes.

Audio-visual animations

The services to be provided under this contract include :

  • From pre-production :
    • Conceptualisation, storyboarding, scripting
  • From post-production :
    • Design and development of motion design animations with text animations, effects, transitions, soundtrack and more according to the developed script
    • Subtitles
    • Delivery of video files to COLEAD in ad hoc formats
  • Capacity building in the design and development of motion design animations for ACP beneficiaries or partners.
  • Coaching to COLEAD’s Information and Communication Department and its programmes in this area.

All this is based on a briefing and according to the specific demands and needs of COLEAD and its programmes.

Deliverables

The service provider will be required to work on software compatible with that used by COLEAD in order to ensure optimal transmission of projects to the in-house team.

The service provider shall be required to check the quality of the files as well as the proper organisation of the assembly file before delivery so that they can be used by COLEAD and its programmes without any difficulty or concern for rendering according to the media envisaged.

All source files related to the service can be used as deliverables.

COLEAD is the owner of the deliverables produced as part of the services related to this contract. Copyright will be discussed on a case-by-case basis depending on the project.

Means Required

The purpose of this consultation is to select contractors on the basis of their skills and references. Candidates must have the professional experience necessary to perform the tasks specified in the previous point and demonstrate these qualifications by means of the usual references (professional references and/or complete portfolio justifying the quality of the candidates’ deliverables).

Please note that training or coaching references will not be a criterion for the selection of candidates.

9. Budget

The maximum value of this Contract Notice is € 150,000.

10. Provisional timetable

Date of publication of this Contract Notice: 07/03/2023

Deadline for receipt of applications (expressions of interest): 06/04/2023

Deadline for publication of the shortlist: 20/04/2023

Expected date for sending invitations to tenders: 21/04/2023

Deadline for submission of tenders: 22/05/2023

Date of notification to the successful bidders: 27/06/2023

Expected start date of the contract: (from) from the date of signature by the 2 contracting parties

The final schedule will be included in the tender documents.

11. Eligibility

Participation is open, under equal conditions, to all natural persons and legal entities (participating individually or in a consortium of bidders) who are nationals of the ACP and EU States and/or listed in Annex 1 to this document. A consortium may be a permanent group with legal status or an informal group created for the purpose of a specific call for tenders. All the members of a consortium (i.e. the lead partner and all other partners) are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.

A check will be carried out to ensure that none of the candidate bidders appears on any of the Financial Sanctions Lists (lists designating persons, groups or entities subject to financial sanctions by the United Nations, the EU and France).

The participation of an ineligible natural person or legal entity will result in the automatic exclusion of the application concerned. If this ineligible person is part of a consortium, the application of the entire consortium will be excluded.

12. Prohibition on pre-selected candidates forming groups

Any tenders received from tenderers allied with firms other than those mentioned in the shortlisted application forms will be excluded from the tender procedure. Shortlisted candidates may neither associate nor conclude mutual subcontracting agreements in the context of the contract in question. No more associations will be allowed after the shortlist has been established.

13. Criteria for selecting applications

Selection criteria relating to the technical and professional capacity of the bidder will be applied to candidates. In the case of an application submitted by a consortium, these criteria will apply to the whole consortium.

These criteria ensure that the candidate (or the consortium as a whole) has sufficient skills and experience to perform the contract.

The correct observance of the instructions for sending the application file will also be considered in the evaluation.

14. Application form

The bidder should indicate an interest in participating in the call for tenders by applying. If the candidate is pre-selected, the name of the structure indicated on the application file will be used in the shortlist. No further changes (name, consortium or other) will be allowed.

The form is available in English and French and should be completed in one of these languages.

It includes the following data:

  1. General information on the applicant
  2. The application file:
    • portfolios in the form of hyperlinks illustrating work and experiences in videos and/or audiovisual animations
    • 1 brief description of the ability to meet the terms of reference of the call for tenders
    • 1 brief description of one or more recent and relevant assignments related to the required means (4000 characters, including spaces)
    • the names of a maximum of 3 professionals who technically meet the expertise requirements and a brief description of their respective skills and experience in relation to the terms of reference
    • One or more coaching or training references in your field of expertise (videos and/or audio-visual animations)

The application must be received by COLEAD no later than Thursday, April 06th, 2023.

15. Communication with COLEAD

If you have any questions regarding this Contract Notice or your application, please email expert@colead.link

Be sure to include Contract Notice reference COLEAD/AO/231264 in the title of your email when communicating with COLEAD.

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