(CLOSED) Request for Proposal – Traceability and Transparency Tools Comparison

Introduction & Background

The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) is an international multi-stakeholder, voluntary membership initiative seeking to lead improvements in the socioeconomic and environmental performance of the natural rubber value chain. Development of GPSNR was initiated by the CEOs of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Tire Industry Project (TIP) in 2019. Members of the platform include tire manufacturers, rubber suppliers and processors, vehicle makers and NGOs. Representatives from each of these stakeholder groups have contributed to the development of the Singapore-based platform and the wide-reaching set of priorities that define GPSNR strategy and objectives.

The GPSNR Secretariat and the GPSNR Capacity Building Working Group, through the GPSNR Knowledge Sharing Platform Task Force, are jointly overseeing the development and eventual operations and maintenance of a digital GPSNR Knowledge Sharing Platform.

This digital platform is envisaged to be an easily accessible, multi-lingual and expandable knowledge platform for smallholders and other actors based on quality-controlled information. Besides providing technical information on the latest sustainability best practices and Good Agricultural Practices, it will provide access to live market conditions on natural rubber such as prices on key exchanges, projected supply, and demand shifts, as well as overall global market developments. The digital platform will also incorporate communication functions such as live chat and forum with built-in translation tools to allow smallholders to share and communicate seamlessly across different countries. Another crucial aspect will be to safeguard data security and ownership.

GPSNR is seeking proposals to build the above digital platform in mobile application form, and to maintain the application for GPSNR for a trial period of 3-6 months. Details are provided below. 

Key Requirements for the Digital Platform

GPSNR has completed an initial Assessment of Status Quo and Evaluation of Knowledge Sharing Platforms for Rubber Smallholders. This included an extensive needs review of smallholders and other key players in the natural rubber value chain with regard to digital applications. Interested bidders can approach the GPSNR Secretariat for a copy of the Report.

The main target user of the platform are natural rubber smallholders and other players in the natural rubber value chain globally.

GPSNR is open to proposals based on the following:

• Adopting and adapting an existing platform that is already on the market and accessible to natural rubber smallholders in whatever capacity
  • In this option, the service provider of the existing platform should provide a template that can be adaptable to suit GPSNR’s stated requirements

• Developing a customised platform specifically for GPSNR and its requirements
  • The custom solution can be hosted and operated either on GPSNR’s IT infrastructure or by the app provider (i.e., delivered as a Software as a Service).

Based on the initial Status Quo Assessment Report, the Platform should have the following key characteristics:

1. Be an (expandable)multi-lingual open information exchange platform with the following language options:
   • Minimum from the start: Bahasa Indonesia, English
   • Ideally including: French, Thai
   • Expandable in the future: Khmer, Vietnamese, Sinhalese, Burmese, Spanish, Portuguese, Tamil
2. Host quality-controlled technical information on natural rubber issues that will be first reviewed and endorsed by GPSNR members
3. Be free-to-use and respecting users’ data privacy
4. Allow for easy access by smallholders using simple or commonly available tools such as smartphones
5. Data security and privacy to be safeguarded at all times
6.  The platform should be built such that it can be expanded or further customisable to incorporate more features in the future
7. System architecture and infrastructure: it should be possible to use the app via the iOS and Android app system

Building on the above, the Platform should be able to host, at minimum, the following content and functions (multi-lingual):

1. Daily natural rubber prices, automated to reflect live updates based on local, regional and global prices
2. Information on local or global sustainability best practices, in the most accessible digital formats (pdf, video, ppt, text, etc.)
3. Information on Good Agricultural Practices, in the most accessible digital formats (pdf, video, ppt, text, etc.)
4. Marketplace (for natural rubber products / agricultural products)
5. Forum / chat / helpline for smallholders to discuss news or other issues and exchange experiences and best practices

Platform developers are welcomed to recommend other essential features or functions based on their technical and user experience expertise.

Deliverables

By the end of the project, the consultant should have completed the following:

Phase 1: Preparatory Recommendations

1. Recommend detailed technical requirements for the digital platform or application, including requirements for data security, ownership, back-office administration, documentation, support, maintenance and performance criteria
2. Prepare screen designs prior to software development
3. Engage with preliminary pilot calls with smallholders to gather further feedback and inputs
4. The above to be reviewed in discussions with the GPSNR Capacity Building Working Group

Phase 2: Software Development

1. Build the digital platform in line with the stated requirements, either by adopting an existing digital platform, or developing a customised platform or application for GPSNR
2. Continuous review with the GPSNR Capacity Building Working Group

Minimum viable product (MVP)

• A final graphic design and user interface is apparent.
• The core functions can be used and demonstrated.
• Initial content has been input.

• Final graphic design and user interface have been applied.
• All functions can be used.
• All content has been input.

Phase 3: Platform Pilot Period

1. Maintain the platform for a trial period of 3-6 months
   • exact costs and timeframe to be proposed, considering manpower, technical, licensing etc. needs
2. Work with GPSNR to engage in continuous user and quality assurance tests and feedback to further refine the digital platform or application as required

Submission Guidelines & Requirements

The following submission guidelines & requirements apply to this Request for Proposal:

1. A detailed technical proposal must be provided. This technical proposal must provide an overview of the proposed methodology for the three Phases of the project. In addition, the technical proposal should provide a proposed schedule and milestones, as applicable.         
2. A detailed price proposal must be provided. This price proposal should indicate the overall fixed price or expected price range for each Phase of the project, including daily rates and an estimated total number of days for each Phase of the project.        
3. Proposals will only be accepted from individuals or firms with experience relevant to this project. Examples of previous relevant work should be provided, as well as resumes of all key personnel performing the work.
4. Proposals must be signed by a representative that is authorised to commit the bidder’s company.

Project Timelines

Budget

The Platform is anticipating a total budget of up to 140,000 EUR for all three Phases of the project.

This figure could be adjusted based on bidders’ expert recommendations on costs and timeline, and reviewed based on the outcomes put forth following each Phase of the project.

Payment terms shall be:

• 60% at the signing of the contract
• 5% upon completion of Phase 1: Preparatory Recommendations
• 20% upon completion of Phase 2: Software Development
• 15% upon completion of Phase 3: Platform Pilot

Evaluation Factors

GPSNR will rate proposals based on the following factors:

1. Responsiveness to the requirements set forth in this RFP
2. Methodology for completing all three Phases of the project
3. Costs and expected timeline for all three Phases of the project
4. Technical expertise/experience, including team composition, past performance/experience

When evaluating bids, GPSNR may request for more information as part of a full due diligence to understand bidders’ technical and commercial background, assess potential conflicts of interests and independence vis-à-vis natural rubber smallholders and the wider agricultural sector, and level of competence for the project.

GPSNR reserves the right to award to the bidder that presents the best value to GPSNR as determined solely by GPSNR in its absolute discretion.

Digital Guidelines and Considerations

The consultant should commit to follow the guidelines specified in the Principles for Digital Development.

The principles of data protection legislation must be taken into account when processing personal data:

• The data must be processed lawfully (lawfulness)
• Data must only be processed if this is required and reasonable (fairness).
• The data must be processed transparently (transparency).
• The data must be processed for defined (time-limited), clear and legitimate purposes (earmarking).
• Only as much data as is required may be processed (data minimisation).
• Accuracy and currency must be ensured (data accuracy).
• The principle of integrity and confidentiality must be guaranteed through an appropriate level of protection (data security).

Introduction & Background

The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) is an international, multi-stakeholder, voluntary membership initiative seeking to lead improvements in the socioeconomic and environmental performance of the natural rubber value chain. Members of the platform include tire manufacturers, rubber suppliers and processors, vehicle makers and NGOs.

The Risk Subgroup of GPSNR is seeking a consultant/field team to identify, test, evaluate and report on what effort may be required for a rubber processor to map their supply shed (i.e., all the farms that they are sourcing from) in complex supply chains such as in Indonesia and Thailand. 

Objectives

The goal of the pilot is to investigate what effort (i.e., time, effort, cost, labour) may be required for a rubber processor to map their supply chain in complex supply chains such as Indonesia and Thailand.

The goal of this pilot is to map at least 300 small holder farmers supplying one processing mill each in Indonesia. The subgroup is open to negotiation on the total number of small holder farms mapped based on the service provider’s experience and estimation.

The service provider should work with the GPSNR Risk Subgroup and the participating processors from Indonesia and their dealers to:

1. Keep track of time and costs of all mapping related activities throughout the study, calculate time and cost of mapping each farm, and provide them to their GPSNR Point of Contact at the end of the survey.
2. Register and map farmers using field-based mapping or in combination with remote sensing that is crossed checked with field-based mapping samples. The service provider is welcomed to use their own method.
   1. Collect and provide the shapefiles from the mapping at the end of the project to the point of contact and the participating processor.
3. Ask farmers to answer the RubberWay questionnaire.
4. Ask farmers to answer the HCVRN Nature Positive Farming questionnaire.
5. Unless automatically uploaded, submit farmers’ responses to the respective databases and the GPSNR point of contact at the end of each day for compilation.
6. Record the effort required to convince 300 farmers per processing mill to complete all 3 tools.
   1. Number of dealers and farmers contacted to identify 300 farmers willing to participate in study.
   2. Total person hours required to identify 300 willing suppliers.
   3. Details of incidental (not staff time) expenses required to identify 300 willing farmers.
7. Record the effort required/difficulty to convince the super dealers/suppliers to participate in the study, based on the supplier tiers & on the pilot sample goal.
   1. Skip Tier 1 farms
   2. Not more than 100 responses from Tier 2
   3. 200 responses from Tier 3 and 4 suppliers

Scope of Work

• Field data collection has to be completed by the second month from the starting date of the project.
  • Ideally, field teams are experienced in 2 or more of the above tools (RubberWay questionnaire, HCVRN Nature Positive Farming questionnaire and field-based or remote sensing-based mapping), else training will be provided. Please indicate which tools your team is experienced in using we will provide the necessary training.
    • If remote-sensing based is preferred by the service provider, please respond with the process and note that the data has to be cross-checked with field-based samples.
  • Field teams have to be able to speak the local language at each survey location(i.e., Bahasa Indonesia).
• GPSNR estimates the necessary activities per farm and the time required to conduct them to be as follows:

1. Explain purpose of visit (~15 mins)
2. Get permission for personal data collection to ensure data protection (~5mins)
3. Map farm via mapping based on the mapping method chosen by the service provider (e.g., field-based mapping or remote sensing cross-checked with field samples) (~90mins).
   1. Mapping for farms <4 hectares:
      1. Polygon mapping or GPS mapping is up to the discretion of the service provider.
   2. Polygon mapping for farms above 4 hectares:
      1. This is based on the EU regulation (see Annex A) that a polygon would be required for farmers over 4 hectares.
      2. At least 10% (~30 of the 300 farms must be polygon mapped)
   3. Fill in RubberWay questionnaire (~30mins)
   4. Fill in HCVRN Nature Positive Farming questionnaire (~30mins – 1 hour)
   5. Verify data before departure (~10mins)

• GPSNR assumes:
  • Total time required: ~approximately 180 mins/3 hours per farm per field assistant.
  • Farms likely to be covered per day: 2 farms.
  • Total number of field assistant days required assuming 2 farms per day: 450 days
  • Total weeks required for 1 field assistant assuming 5 work days per week: 90 weeks
  • Total weeks required for two processors assuming 10 field assistants working simultaneously in one country: 9 weeks
  • This is an estimation of the time taken, we look forward to a comparison with the final recorded timings.
• If you have other ideas on how to achieve the above objectives, please provide details about how you would design the study

Expected Deliverables

Specifically, GPSNR expects the consultant to:

 1. Map at least 300 farmers supplying to the participating processor in Indonesia and provide the shapefiles to the processor and the GPSNR point of contact.

a.      There should at least be 10% (~30 farms out of 300 farms) that are polygon mapped, based on the requirements mentioned above and in Annex A.

 2. We would like a detailed account of the time and resources spent on 1. travelling to the farm, 2. On the farm and 3. Data analysis

a.      We would like to see a breakdown of the total time spent in each component. E.g., Total reported time spent on 1 farm + 1 analysis = 8hours, within that 2 hour (time taken to travel to farm), 0.5 hours (convincing the farmer), 0.5 hours (communicating to farmer about the tool), 20 mins (Mapping the farms), 30 mins (HCVN questionnaire), 30 mins (Rubberway questionnaire)

 3. An evaluation of the merits and limitations of each tool

a.      E.g., 3/11 farmers surveyed were more apprehensive about the mapping tool due to fear of exposing their location.

 4. A recommendation of the scalability of this pilot

a.      Can the same estimated cost/time/labour be replicated in other regions/jurisdictions within the same country?

b.     E.g., $X/farm is calculated but is not scalable due to what reason(s).

Proposal Format and Contents

The proposal should include the following:

1. A workplan that outlines the key activities towards the deliverables outlined in Expected Deliverables above

2. The timeline and key stages of operations based on Project Timeline below

3. Budget, including detailed breakdown of expected manpower, logistics, and costs based on Budget below

4. Description of past work and technical expertise that is relevant to this RFP

A list of project team members with their roles in the project and associated qualifications.

Submission Guidelines & Requirements

The following submission guidelines & requirements apply to this Request for Proposal:

1. Proposals will only be accepted from individuals or firms with experience relevant to this project.
2. Examples of previous relevant work should be provided.
3. A technical proposal must be provided that is not more than 4 pages. This technical proposal must provide an overview of the proposed solution as well as resumes of all key personnel performing the work. In addition, the technical proposal should provide a proposed schedule and milestones, as applicable.
4. A price proposal must be provided that is not more than 1 pages. This price proposal should indicate the overall fixed price for the project as well as hourly rates and an estimated total number of days.
5. Proposals must be signed by a representative that is authorized to commit bidder’s company.
6. Proposals must be received prior to the 10 March 2023 to be considered. Proposals should be submitted to stefano.savi@gpsnr.org and cheryl@gpsnr.org for consideration.
7. GPSNR reserves the right to amend the scope and budget of this RFP in order to get the most suitable consultant for each topic.

Project Timelines

Budget

The Platform is anticipating that a total budget of no more than €25,000 be allocated to this engagement.

Payment terms shall be:

·        20% at the signing of the contract

·        30% at the midpoint date to be agreed upon and memorialized in the contract based on the submitted work plan.

·        50% on delivery of the final report

The allocation of the payment shall be based on the net amount after travel
expenses, if deemed necessary by both the consultant and Secretariat, are
incurred and documented.

Evaluation Factors

 GPSNR will rate proposals based on the following factors, with cost being the most important factor:

1.        Responsiveness to the requirements set forth in this Request for Proposal

2.      Relevant past performance/ experience

3.      Samples of work

4.     Cost, including an assessment of total cost of ownership.

5.      Technical expertise/experience of bidder and bidder’s staff

GPSNR reserves the right to award to the bidder that presents the best value to GPSNR as determined solely by GPSNR in its absolute discretion.

Annex

Annex A: EU Deforestation Regulation

‘geolocation’ means the geographical location of a plot of land described by means of latitude and longitude coordinates corresponding to at least one latitude and longitude point and using at least six decimal digits. For relevant commodities other than cattle, for plots of land of more than 4 hectares, the geographical location shall be provided using polygons, meaning sufficient latitude and longitude points to describe the perimeter of each plot of land.

Text obtained from Article 2: Definitions, point (29) of the Deforestation Regulation consolidated text dated 20/12/22Deforestation Regulation consolidated text 20-12-22

View RFP Document here