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. 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 will define strategy and objectives.

In 2023, the GPSNR’s Risk assessment subgroup commissioned Assurance Services International (ASI) to create a risk tool that would allow GPSNR to classify risk across different geographies and scales. ASI has completed the tool and it is available at this link (not for wider distribution, only provided as a reference for this RFP). The role of this consultancy will be to fill in this tool using the most relevant and up-to-date information.

The risks that are assessed by the tool are Child Labour, Forced Labour, Freedom of Association, Health and Safety, Working Hours, Wages, Land and Community Rights, Deforestation, HCV, Fire, and Peat. The tool also includes the different risk criteria to be assessed and sources of information.

The Engagement

The GPSNR Secretariat is seeking a consultant to utilize the risk tool and complete risk assessments for 20 countries across all 11 risks. The consultant will be expected to complete the tool template at the country level for each of the 20 countries. Assessments at the regional or farm level are not required. The risk assessment scope should be limited to the natural rubber supply chain. The consultant is not required to propose mitigation measures for this exercise and risks should be assessed as-is (without factoring in any mitigating actions).

The consultant should list any additional sources of evidence and also include justification for each risk’s classification. The consultant should reference existing studies where possible and is strongly encouraged to consider previously commissioned GPSNR studies (such as the Environmental Risk Study and Social Risk Study both of which provide risk information pertaining to the Natural Rubber Supply Chain).

We require risk assessments to be conducted for:

1. Brazil
2. Cambodia
3. Cameroon
4. China
5. Colombia
6. Ghana
7. Guinea
8. Guatemala
9. India
10. Indonesia
11. Ivory Coast
12. Liberia
13. Malaysia
14. Mexico
15. Myanmar
16. Nigeria
17. Philippines
18. Sri Lanka
19. Thailand
20. Vietnam

While this is intended to be a desk-based exercise, consultants who are able to consider the perspectives of indigenous peoples and local communities will be looked upon favourably for this tender.

Consultants may propose focusing on a subset of countries from this list for risk assessment. In this scenario, consultants should specify which countries they would be covering. 

After the first drafts are available, the platform will conduct a 30-day consultation with members. This consultation with members will be facilitated by the Secretariat. Consultants should factor in the need to review and respond to members feedback after the consultation period and provide the Secretariat with a complete list of feedback, together with the consultant’s response to each piece of feedback received.  At the same time, the consultants should also review the first draft based on the feedback review.

The second version of risk assessment will be considered final, and acceptance of this version will mark the conclusion of this engagement.

Proposal Format and Contents

The proposal should include the following:

1. Workplan that outlines a timeline and key stages of work, with a focus on the amount of time needed for the initial drafting phase and for the review of and response to members’ feedback. Consultants should ensure that there is sufficient time allocated for reviewing and responding to feedback.
2. Budget with a breakdown of costs
3. Description of past work and technical expertise that is relevant to this RFP
4. List of project team members with their roles in the project and associated qualifications and expertise.
5. (If applicable) A list of IPLC groups that the consultant is familiar with and would engage for this project if selected.

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 as well.
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 and may include a breakdown of costs if consultants consider it relevant.
5. Proposals must be signed by a representative that is authorized to commit bidder’s company.
6. Proposals must be received prior to the 9th of May to be considered. Proposals should be submitted to aidan@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.
8. Bidders must ensure that all external personnel involved in preparing and executing this proposal are under exclusive agreements specific to this RFP. These agreements must obligate the external personnel to exclusively dedicate their services to the bidder’s proposal, prohibiting their engagement in any other proposals for the same RFP. This measure is to maintain the integrity of the bidding process and prevent conflicts of interest.
9. Award of this project is subject to confirmation of financing from GPSNR members.

Project Timelines

Budget

The Platform invites consultants to submit a competitive price proposal, the proposed budget will be factored into selection of the consultant.

Payment terms shall be:

• 20% at the signing of the contract
• 30% at the delivery and acceptance by the Secretariat of the first risk assessment
• 50% on delivery and acceptance by the Secretariat of the finalized risk assessment and compiled responses to members’ feedback.

Evaluation Factors

GPSNR will rate proposals based on the following factors, in no particular order:

1. Responsiveness to the requirements set forth in this Request for Proposal
2. Relevant experience with risk assessment, including samples of work
3. Relevant experience with the natural rubber supply chain including the countries relevant to this RFP
4. Cost
5. Technical expertise/experience of bidder and bidder’s staff
6. The proposed timeline of work completion

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.

Note: The award of this contract will only be considered complete upon securing full funding and completion of the contract signing.

View RFP Document here

Through a process led by the Strategy and Objectives Working Group the Platform has developed stated goals with a strong focus on developing a framework that supports and sustains responsible supply chain . Important among the information needed to undergo these developments of is a better understanding of the social risks including (but not limiting to) Human Rights and Labour Rights in the Natural Rubber value chains, globally.

Each country has its own governance and social structure which contributes to different social risks from country to country. While these risks are associated to the wider population, there are specific characteristics of social risks that are particularly associated to agricultural production. For the countries where law enforcement is weak, there is a risk that the workers are exposed to poor work conditions without any access to a fair complaint mechanism.

Although the initial focus of this project is on human rights and labour rights (including migrant workers), the consultant is expected to elaborate how human and labour rights are associated to other social risks (i.e. land acquisition, community health, safety and security, etc.) in order to recommend risk mitigation methods to the Strategy and Objectives Working Group.

The consultant is expected to develop generic risk profile at a global level, and specific risk profile at a regional level. The tentative regions for specific risks study are proposed as following:

• – Production Unit and Rubber Block Processing Unit- Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam), Africa (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana) and Latin America (Brazil, Guatemala);
• – Tyre Manufacturing Unit – China, Southeast Asia, Europe and US.

The list of regions above is tentative and can be adjusted upon the discussion between the consultant and the Strategy and Objectives Working Group members. After the risk profiles are developed, the consultant is expected to come up with recommendations for risk mitigation strategies for each region.

The consultant will collect the information via desktop study, interviewing of GPSNR members, research institutes, social NGOs, governmental organizations, etc. A primary list of stakeholders will be provided by the Secretariat together with the Strategy and Objectives Working Group members. A complementary list will be developed by the consultant. Regular contact and updating to the Strategy and Objective Working Group together with the Secretariat will be required. It is estimated that there will be the need for a series of face to face meetings in South East Asia over the course of the project. Travel plans shall be made by the consultant

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 as well.
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 10th January 2020 to be considered. Proposals should be submitted to stefano.savi@gpsnr.org for consideration.
7. GPSNR anticipates shortlisting at least two individuals or firms to have more in-depth discussions with, and will make an award to one of these “down-selected” individuals or firms

Download full Request for Proposal here