REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT_PWDS INCLUSION IN AGRIBUSINESS

Solicitation Number:

RFP 2025-01-065

Solicitation Type:

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Individual Consultant.

Procurement Description:

Request for Proposal (RFP) to conduct an assessment of barriers and opportunities for inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in agribusiness in at least five districts of Hinga Wunguke.

Anticipated Period of Performance:

Three Months (March – May 2025)

Place of Performance:

5 Districts in the Hinga Wunguke Zone of Operations

Contracting Party:

CNFA

For: USAID

Under: 72069623CA00001

Release Date:

January 7, 2025

Point of Contact for Questions and Offers:

Name:

Title:

Address:

Email:

Aaron Gatabazi

Procurement & Operations Manager

ST. KG 28 Ave. Kimihurura

Email:hingawunguke@cnfarwanda.org

Questions:

Question Deadline: January 21, 2025

Instructions: Questions must be submitted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted. Only CNFA’s written answers will be considered official and carry weight in the solicitation and subsequent evaluation. Verbal information received from CNFA, or any other entity should not be considered an official response to any questions.

Offers:

Offer Deadline: January 30, 2025

Via:

Email: hingawunguke@cnfarwanda.org

Instructions: Reference the Solicitation Number in any response to this solicitation. Offers received after the specified time and date will be considered late and considered only at CNFA’s discretion. Offerors must strictly follow the deadlines provided in this solicitation to be considered for award.

Offer validity

Offers must remain valid for not less than 90 calendar days after the offer deadline.

Award:

Award will be made to the offeror who is determined to be the best offeror per the evaluation criteria and methodology provided herein. CNFA will not issue an award to different offerors, entities, or third-parties other than the selected offeror(s) which submits an offer in response to this solicitation. While determination will be made on a case-by-case basis, Hinga Wunguke anticipates primary use of blanket purchase agreements to the selected contractor.

Terms and Conditions:

The resultant award is subject to CNFA’s standard Terms and Conditions as stipulated in section nine.

Introduction to Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Wunguke Activity

CNFA is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. CNFA implements the Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Wunguke Activity, a five-year (January 2023- January 2028) USAID-funded initiative that increases incomes and improves nutritional outcomes by sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and strengthening domestic consumption of and markets for high-value and nutritious agricultural products in Rwanda. Hinga Wunguke utilizes a market systems development (MSD) approach, engaging and working through existing public and private market actors and structures to facilitate inclusive, locally driven and sustainable change. The program is comprised of the following four interrelated components:

Component 1: Increasing agricultural productivityComponent 2: Increasing farmers’ access to marketsComponent 3: Improve market availability of and demand for nutritious foods,Component 4: Strengthening enabling environment

In its first year of implementation, Hinga Wunguke conducted market system assessments to analyze trends, identify gaps, and guide its approach to Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI). This early groundwork informed the development of GESI strategies aimed at ensuring that women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) have access to and can benefit from Hinga Wunguke’s initiatives. Now in its second year, the program has integrated GESI principles into its interventions, aiming to increase the participation and benefits for women, youth, and PWDs. Key achievements include creating a GESI framework and developing strategies for meaningful inclusion in Rwanda’s agricultural sector. In the implementation of its activities Hinga Wunguke Program promotes inclusive agribusiness by fostering opportunities for women, youth, and PWDs. Thus, the Activity seeks to conduct an assessment to identify the barriers and opportunities specifically faced by PWDs to participate in agribusiness, helping the program to design strategies that enhance their involvement in the sector.

The purpose of this RFP is to identify and contract a qualified consultant(s) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of barriers and opportunities for the inclusion of PWDs in Rwanda's agribusiness sector. The assessment will provide insight on how to strengthen inclusion of people with disabilities in agribusiness, understand barriers associated with disability inclusion in the sector. The selected consultant(s) will engage different actors including people with disabilities to gather data on existing challenges, map opportunities for PWD inclusion in agribusiness, and provide recommendations to inform future interventions and policies.

Background and Context of the Assignment.

In Rwanda, PWDs represent a significant portion of the population with the 2020 census recording 652,791 PWDs. Disability prevalence rates slightly differ by gender, standing at 5.2% for males and 4.8% for females of the total population. Employment data on the other hand reveals that PWDs face considerable barriers in accessing formal employment opportunities, with a labor force participation rate (LFPR) of 56%, which is significantly lower than that of people without disabilities (75%). Moreover, unemployment rates among PWDs (29.2%) are more than double those of individuals without disabilities (12.9%). Despite significant barriers and challenges, employment patterns reveal that 88% of women with disabilities and 71% of men with disabilities work in agriculture. Thi…