Purpose:
The purpose of this scope of work is to outline duties, deliverables, and a timeframe for the Cacao Focus Group Study for the USDA/CRS Cacao Promotion Project Kakawo bay Bourad pou Opòtinite ak Siksè (KABOS).

Background:

In early 2015, CRS implemented a baseline study of cacao growers in the Grand’Anse as a component of the IDB/CRS cacao promotion project. The Socio-Digital Research Group, led by Timothy T. Schwartz, implemented the baseline. The baseline informs this study. The baseline was based on recall data. CRS wants to take advantage of the current cacao harvest season to capture a limited amount of critical information using direct observation with the sampled growers in their cacao gardens. The desired information is average number of cacao pods per tree, harvestable this season (September-October). The information will assist the KABOS project design its training program. A major focus of the training program will be to improve per tree productivity. Accordingly, this study will begin that training by drawing growers’ attention to tree productivity (pods/tree). The KABOS project will make harvest season visits to check tree productivity a corner stone of its grower training program.

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to provide CRS and its partners with a focus-group-level understanding of the current productivity, in terms of harvestable pods per tree, of trees owned/managed by two focus groups of cacao growers. CRS recognizes that this study will not produce statistically-verifiable results.


Work to be accomplished by the consultant:

The consultant will be given one or more lists of cacao growers from one or more cacao associations/cooperatives, preferably from Moron and Abricots. The lists will indicate the amount of cacao sold to the association/cooperative and contact information for the grower. The consultant will rank the lists by quantity sold. The consultant will select two groups. One group will be those growers ranked as being in the top ten percent (in terms of cacao sold) of each association/cooperative. The second group will be those farmers ranked in the lowest ten percent of each association/cooperative. The consultant will select a sample for interviewing from these two groups. The study will seek to interview as many farmers as possible to get a statistically significant response.

The consultant will analyze the data by production-level-group from each association/cooperative. After this first analysis, the consultant will analyze the data from all high-production groups separately from all low-production groups. As a minimum, the consultancy team will do the following:
a. Motivate a discussion of the growers’ and association/cooperative leaders’ knowledge of the production per tree in their area (in terms of kabos per tree per the current season).
b. Visit each selected grower in their cacao garden. Record the GPS coordinates. Take a picture of the grower.
c. Ask their estimate of the average production in kabos per tree in their garden. Ask them to identify the most productive tree in their garden…the super tree.
d. Ask how many productive cacao trees are in the garden, and identify the most productive tree (super tree).
Ask what are other major crops grown in the garden
Ask about cacao maintenance practices: 1. pruning of cacao, 2. fertilization of cacao, 3. management of shade for the cacao.
e. Ask size of the garden.
f. Define a random sample of ten cacao trees in the garden, count the number of producing stems per “tree.”
g. Measure the diameter of the main stem of each “tree” at the height of one meter.
h. Ask the number of kabos previously harvested this season from each “tree.”
i. Count the number of kabos that remain on the “tree” and could be harvested this season.
j. Record the number of kabos previously harvested and those that could be harvested this season. Write the number of kabos and the date on a tag that you will attach to the tree.
k. Rapid assessment of cooperatives’ infrastructure
- What type of fermentation infrastructure is in place?
a. Cascading/Rohan
- Are there drying patios?
- Any separation in storage/processing (organic vs. conventional)?
- Any needs for infrastructure rehabilitation?

Deliverables:
There will be three principal deliverables from this work:
1. Report of all data collected
2. Report analyzing the data by production-level-group from each association/cooperative. Key information will be average number of harvestable pods per tree.
3. Report analyzing the data high-production groups separately from all low-production groups.
4. Report on infrastructure at the two cooperatives visited: a. describe fermentation infrastructure at the cooperative, b. describe drying infrastructure, describe cacao storage Any separation in storage/processing, any separation in storage of organic vs. conventional cacao?


Place of Performance:
Visits to cacao gardens in the Moron and Abricots areas of the Grand Anse.

Period of Performance:
September-October 2016.



Key Working Relationships:

CRS Haiti: Ludger Jean Simon, Agriculture-Value Chain Program Coordinator; Rhode Charles, MEAL Coordinator; J.D. “Zach” Lea, CRS Consultant
CRS Haiti Local Partners: TBD
CRS Regional Office: Kraig Kraft, Regional Technical Advisor for Coffee and Cacao


Participation conditions

1. Bid Submission
Proposals must offer services for the total requirements. Proposals offering only part of the requirement will be rejected. The bidder is expected to examine all the instructions, terms and specifications contained in the scope of work (SOW). Failure to comply with the (SOW) will be at the bidder’s risk and may have a negative effect on the evaluation of the proposal.

2. Clarification about the solicitation
Any prospective bidder who would need clarification about the solicitation must inform CRS by writing to: bethanie.saintlouis@crs.org CRS will respond in writing to any request for clarification of the solicitation documents that will reach up to five (5) working days before the deadline for submission of proposals. In fairness, the written copies of the response of the Organization, including an explanation of the clarification solicitation but without identifying the source of the request, will be sent to all prospective bidders that have received the Solicitation.

3. Modification of solicitation
At any time prior to the deadline for submission of the proposals, CRS may, for any reason, whether at its own initiative or in response to a request for clarification by a prospective bidder, modify the solicitation by making an amendment. All prospective bidders that have received the solicitation will be notified by writing of all amendments to the solicitation. In order to provide prospective bidders reasonable time to consider the amendments while preparing their bids, the CRS may, at its discretion, extend the date for receipt of Proposals.

4. Ownership of submissions

The proposal and related documents shall remain the exclusive property of CRS and will not be returned to the bidder.

5. Cost of proposal preparation

All costs of proposal preparation shall be supported exclusively by the bidder. The bidder shall bear the costs incurred in providing the information requested by the petitioner as a result of submitting proposals.

6. Language of the proposal
The bid prepared by the bidder and all correspondence and documents relating to the bid exchanged by the bidder and the CRS will be written in English or French.

7. Incorporation documents of the proposal and dispositions

Candidates are invited to submit a technical proposal and a financial proposal. Each proposal must be written in English or French. The proposal file shall consist of the following documents:
 Legal papers of the firm (Fiscal Quitus, and Business Permit –Patent-, etc.).
 The letter of invitation
 The letter of submission duly completed
 A document describing the firm and the employees assigned to this study
 The terms of reference of the study
 The technical proposal
 The financial proposal
These documents must be prepared in (3) copies, one being marked "original" and two (2) additional copies. In case of discrepancy between the original texts, the original will be considered.
All documents must be submitted in paper format or electronically within the time specified, mentioning Focus Group Study for USDA/CRS Cacao Promotion Project (KABOS).

The bidder must submit its proposal no later than September 12, 2016 by 4:00 p.m. Haiti at the following address:
Catholic Relief Service (CRS)
HR Department
1, Delmas 81, Autoroute de Delmas
Port-au- Prince, Haiti.
Email : Bethanie Saint Louis, CRS, Bethanie.Saintlouis@crs.org

Any bid received after this date and time will be rejected. CRS may, at its discretion extend the time by written notice to all bidders. Extension of time may eventually cause a change in the invitation letter and attached documents.

Documents and instructions listed above are required for the retention of bids for analytical purposes. In this sense the bidder is subject to any audit of the contents and requirements before proceeding to the submission. Any deviation of conformity will result in the cancellation of the bid.

9. Technical proposal

It must be presented in a concise and structured way in the following order:
 Legal identity and brief description (technical and financial) of the Firm. In the case of a group of consultants established for the circumstance, a convention indicating the team leader designed to represent the group vis-à-vis of CRS
 Description of the firm, its technical staff and skills
 Curriculum vitae initialed and signed by all team members
 Understanding of the needs and services required in relation to the terms of reference attached
 Methodological approach, activity timeline
 The number of people they deem necessary for the performance of the required service
 An estimate of the total working time to devote to the service while indicating the number of people
 Schedule of the work and achievements of delivery of outputs.
Include any assumptions as well as comments on the data, ancillary services and resources to be submitted by the sponsors. Any comments, or suggestions provided regarding the terms of reference should be reported in the technical proposal, as well as the methodological approach to answer.

10. The financial offer
The financial offer should cover all services to be rendered for the study. It must at least include:
 A submission letter duly signed and stamped
 Bank information of the Firm
 The preferred method of payment,
 The preferred payment mean (Bank transfer, Check, etc.).
 Fixed rates per person / days in the field and / or headquarters of the firm
 Per Diem and hotel to stay on the field for each team member
 Logistics costs (transportation, etc.)
 Proposed schedule of payments, which are all expressed in U.S. dollars.

CRS does not commit itself to accept the lowest or any proposal. All prices must be valid for a period of at least 60 days from the deadline for submitting the proposals.

Cliquer ici pour télécharger le dossier complet d’appel d’offres

Catholic Relief Service (CRS)
HR Department
1, Delmas 81, Autoroute de Delmas
Port-au- Prince, Haiti.
Email : Bethanie Saint Louis, CRS, bethanie.saintlouis@crs.org

CRS’ selection and recruitment procedures reflect our engagement to protecting children and vulnerable adults