(Closed) Request For Proposal – GPSNR-RFP-A02-028-Field Trials for HCSA Smallholders Toolkit and HCVN Nature Positive Farming programme for Natural Rubber Smallholders in Indonesia

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Introduction

GPSNR

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.

As of October 2022, GPSNR has 157 smallholder members from 10 countries.

HCSA

Established in 2014, the HCSA sets the standard approach for implementing no deforestation commitments on the ground for any commercial crop grown in moist tropical forest landscapes (for example, of palm oil, wood pulp or cocoa). It is underpinned not only by a commitment to no deforestation, but also by a commitment to respect the rights and livelihoods of local people.

To this end, the HCSA has developed a Toolkit that provides practical guidance to help companies, local communities, and other stakeholders to agree on which lands should be used for commercial agriculture or forestry, what activities will take place on community lands, which areas of forests should be conserved, and how lands should be managed and monitored. 

HCVN

The Network is a member-based organization that promotes the High Conservation Value (HCV) Approach, a three-step methodology to identify and protect ecosystems, biodiversity, and the needs of local communities and indigenous groups where development takes place.

Over several years the HCV Network has developed smallholder adapted HCV procedures, tailored to certification schemes, including for RSPO, Better Cotton Initiative and Fairtrade. More recently, The HCV Network have developed Nature Positive Farming, a tool to scale up engagement with smallholder producers who are not certified, and support them transition towards no-conversion and HCV protection production.

Project Summary

GPSNR is working with a Partnerships for Forest (P4F) grant to create mechanisms and systems to support and sustain long-term participation of smallholder members on the platform.

Under the P4F grant, a collaborative effort between GPSNR and HCSA was proposed due to the timely development of the HCSA Smallholder Approach which required further trials towards the development of a global, cross commodity framework and practical guidance for smallholders. 

A joint Task Force comprising of GPSNR and HCSA members is seeking proposals to conduct field trials for the HCSA Smallholder Approach for natural rubber smallholders in Indonesia.

Depending on logistical and cost efficiencies proposed by bidders, the project could also include concurrent field trials for the High Conservation Value (HCVN) Nature Positive Farming programme for natural rubber smallholders.

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Proposals should include a timeline and budget for either project option:

Option 1

Field trials only for the HCSA Smallholder Approach

 Option 2

Concurrent field trials for the HCSA Smallholder Approach and the HCVN Nature Positive Farming Programme

Key Project Details

Smallholder farms utilise approximately 12% of global agricultural land and smallholder farms are estimated to support a population of more than 2 billion people directly and indirectly[1]. Smallholder farms therefore play a critical role in food security, poverty reduction and sustainable development for a very large proportion of rural populations, globally. This being said, it is also important to identify the role of smallholder farmers in sustainable commodities production and trade.  

HCSA Smallholder Approach

The HCSA Smallholder Approach is being developed with the aim to provide a framework and practical guidance for smallholder groups to identify and manage forests and other conservation values in their administrative areas. It is designed to provide simple, clear steps to formulate and implement an initial plan to manage these forests and other conservation values sustainably. The HCSA Smallholder Approach was developed and tested in the Indonesian context and for smallholder farmers that produce palm oil in mixed production landscapes, i.e., in combination with other commodities including rubber, agroforestry systems, home gardens, and that manage forest areas as part of shifting cultivation regimes
or as customary forests.

Upon Request:

The project Task Force will provide interested bidders with the HCS Smallholder Approach toolkit to allow bidders to build their proposals in line with the requirements put forth in this tender. 

HCVN Nature Positive Farming

The Nature Positive Farming programme is an early engagement programme for companies and landscape initiatives to support non-certified smallholder farmers protect High Conservation Values and natural ecosystems as part of responsible sourcing commitments.

It is built around facilitated, structured dialogue with smallholders and their communities. It aims for conservation and support agreements between smallholders and project partners, for maintaining and enhancing environmental and social conservation values on and around their farms. The first field trial was conducted with smallholder producer communities in the Siak Pelalawan Landscape, Riau, Indonesia.

Upon Request:

The project Task Force will provide interested bidders with the HCVN Nature Positive Farming toolkit to allow bidders to build their proposals in line with the requirements put forth in this tender.    

[1] Lowder et al. 2016; Goldman et al. 2016

Deliverables

Proposals should provide a timeline and plan that covers the four project phases set out below. 

Proposals should include a timeline and budget for either project option:

Option 1
Field trials only for the HCSA Smallholder Approach

Option 2
Concurrent field trials for the HCSA Smallholder Approach and the HCVN Nature Positive Farming Programme

 Phase 1: Project Preparations

a.   Dialogue with key Task Force members, including understanding GPSNR’s (in-development) risk assessment approach

b. Assessment and proposal of suitable field trial locations for natural rubber smallholders in the following regions in Indonesia:

a.    North Sumatra, and/or

b.    Jambi, and/or

c.    South Sumatra

d.    Bidders may also propose other regions with reasons and justifications

c.    Initial networking with key actors on-site in Indonesia

 Phase 2: Outreach and Training

a.    Develop training systems and materials for implementing actors for the HCSA (and HCVN) toolkits, including training sessions for field staff

b. Plan for actively involving locally embedded actors in pilot activities and engagement with smallholders

Phase 3: Field Trials

a.    Plan to implement 1-2 field trials for the HCSA (and HCVN) toolkits with natural rubber smallholders, communities, or cooperatives in the proposed locations of Jambi and/or South Sumatra

b.    Plan should include:

§ Target total number of smallholders or farms involved in the trials

§ Level of actor engaged (e.g., village; cooperatives; individual smallholders) engaged for the field trials

§ Targets such as gender, minority, and youth representation

§ Description of the proposed relevant Areas(s) of Interest (ideally village-level trials, but project is open to trials with independent smallholder cooperatives)

o  In case areas under control by cooperatives or individual farmers deviate (significantly) from official village administrative areas, an outlook on how this will be considered during field trials and post-trial review

§ Description of field trial methods including an outlook whether different methods are going to be tested during field trials (in relation to verification of maps, assessment of vegetation strata, land use zoning, etc.) 

Noting ideal requirements for smallholder representatives or community-leads: adequate level of reading and writing ability

 The consultants would be responsible as well for providing technical guidance to smallholders throughout the trials

Phase 4: Post-Trial Review

a.    Analyse strengths and weaknesses of each toolkit from the perspective of natural rubber smallholders

b.    Provide recommendations (e.g. contexts on when/how to use the tools, areas of toolkit improvement, how the toolkits support delivering on the GPSNR systems i.e. risk assessment, risk mitigation, assurance framework, reporting framework and shared responsibility mechanism)

c.    Contribute to developing a strategy to upscale pilot activities in the project areas, or to other project areas

  Intended project outputs and outcomes

Through the field trials, the Task Force aims to develop a strong understanding of the feasibility of the HCSA (and HCVN) toolkits for the following:

1. Mapping: Areas for development / conservation areas / mixed, multi-layered production areas, e.g., community use areas including shifting cultivation, agroforestry, home gardens, others as applicable  

2.    Conservation: Toolkit that can be passed on to GPSNR smallholder communities to
effectively map and manage areas for conservation; to understand their land and
land-use plans; showcase their commitment to no-deforestation 

 3. Integration with GPSNR Risk-based Approach: Toolkits as a risk mitigation tool that GPSNR member companies can use to identify and address land-use risks, and to channel funding and other related commitments accordingly 

i.     Analysing the extent to which the toolkits can be a mitigation tool for specific/multiple policy commitments in the GPSNR Policy Framework and
other systems 

 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


The Request for Proposal timeline is as
follows:

Request for Proposal Issuance

31 October 2022

Proposal submitted by consultant to yeo.siyuan@gpsnr.org

28 November 2022

Selection of consultant /
Notification to Unsuccessful Bidders

5 December 2022

Completion of
Phase 1: Project Preparations

January 2022

Completion of
Phase 2: Outreach and Training

To be
proposed by the bidder

Completion of
Phase 3: Field Trials

To be
proposed by the bidder

Completion of
Phase 4: Post-Trials Review

To be
proposed by the bidder; latest May 2023.
 

The overall project should conclude no later than May 2023.

The above timeline may be further adjusted by GPSNR, or based on discussions with the
consultant and GPSNR’s ongoing key milestones.

Budget

The Platform is anticipating a total budget of up to 92,000 GBP for the project.

Payment terms shall be:

·      30% at the signing of the contract

·      10% upon completion of Phase 1: Project Preparations

·      10% upon completion of Phase 2: Outreach and Training

·      20% upon completion of Phase 3: Field Trials and Analysis

·      30% upon completion of the entire project

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).

View RFP Document here

More To Explore

Request For Proposal – GPSNR-RFP-C03-034-Polygon Mapping Malaysia

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 Manufacturer’s Subgroup (SG) consists of GPSNR members who are rubber product manufacturers only.  The SG is seeking a consultant/field to map their supply shed (i.e., all the farms that they are sourcing from) focusing on polygon mapping techniques in complex supply chains such as in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand – each with a separate RFP, and report on the price and time required for each polygon mapped.

Objectives

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

The consultant is to map small holder farmers in selected regions within Malaysia. Manufacturers will specify the regions to be mapped at a later date. 

The service provider should work with the Manufacturer’s Subgroup and the participating processors from Malaysia and their dealers to:

 

  1. Keep track of the time and costs of all mapping related activities throughout the study, calculate time and cost of mapping each polygon, and provide them to their GPSNR Point of Contact at the end of the survey.

  2. Register farmers using a provided data logger application. The service provider is welcomed to use their own data logger application. 

 

Scope of Work/Expected Deliverables

Specifically, GPSNR expects the consultant to:

  1. Map regions of rubber producers supplying to the participating processor in Malaysia via polygon mapping. 

    1. Single GPS coordinates should not be utilised irrespective of the size of the plantation. 

    2. Geo mapping to include coordinates up to 6 decimal places in geoJSON format 

    1. Store/transfer geo location polygons mapped, to a 3rd party database as designated. 

    2. Bi-weekly progress reports 

    3. Ensure compliance to applicable local and global data privacy norms and regulations such as but not limited to GDPR, PDPA, etc.

  1. We would like a detailed account of the resources: 

    1. Price per polygon mapped – Cost per unit (per Farmer/Plot/Polygon) 

    2. Timeline to map Polygons per day (eg 18 months to map X polygons)

  1. A recommendation of the scalability of this pilot

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

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

  2. Interested parties should submit the quote for the following – 

    1. For mapping polygons (cost per Ha)

    2. For mapping polygons + completing set of questionnaires as a part of risk assessment

  3. Comply with applicable data privacy norms and regulations (including but not limited to GDPR and PDPA).

  4. An optional activity that service providers could provide is the ability to integrate a transactional traceability function (own or 3rd party as designated)

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 as mentioned above

  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 25th of September to be considered. Proposals should be submitted to stefano.savi@gpsnr.org and 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. 

Project Timelines

 

RFP Published

4 Sep 2023

Proposal Submission Deadline

25 Sep 2023

Contract Awarded

9 Oct 2023

Initial methodology presentation and Q&A with subgroup

23 Oct 2023

Bi-weekly progress updates

23 Oct till project conclusion

Other milestones to be agreed upon during initial Q&A

  

 

Budget

The Platform is anticipating that a total budget of no more than 20USD/ha be allocated to this engagement and more competitive quotations will be favoured. 

 

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% to be agreed based on mutually agreed milestones

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.


View RFP Document here

GPSNR Secretariat September 6, 2023
Tender

(CLOSED) Request for Proposal – GPSNR Baseline reporting requirements pilot

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 2018. 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 GPSNR strategy and objectives.

GPSNR’s Policy Toolbox Working Group is developing for approval two key documents that will form GPSNR member requirements. First is a set of Policy Components, which outlines specific commitments that GPSNR company members should include in their sustainable natural rubber policies. Second are the Baseline Reporting Requirements, which indicates qualitative and quantitative sustainability data to be reported to the GPSNR Secretariat for year 1 (2020). To finalize these Baseline Reporting Requirements, the Working Group is conducting a pilot test with volunteer companies. The aim of the pilot is to understand any constraints companies may have in obtaining or sharing certain information, with the goal to refine and finalize the Baseline Reporting Requirements based on company feedback.

In order to achieve this, GPSNR is seeking a fixed term consultancy firm who will be responsible for gathering the responses from pilot participants, ensuring data security and confidentiality, and providing a short aggregated summary of data, including recommendations to GPSNR to inform the revision of the reporting requirements and questionnaire.

Scope of Engagement

The consultancy firm shall provide:

A system to collect data that must:

  1. Provide a secure and unique login for pilot participants to access data submission form  
  2. Ensure data security during transmission and storage of data (as some data will have commercial sensitivity)
  3. Possess, at minimum, the following:
    Ability to export data collected into CSV, XML or PDF formats for data analysis
    Salesforce integration
    Ability to accept file attachments
  4. Allow pilot participants to identify the preferred type of disclosure for each data point, according to the following categories:
    Public Disclosure
    Disclose only to GPSNR Secretariat
    Disclose only to consultant (for aggregate reporting)
    Not for disclosure

A review of all data received, including:

  1. A summary of aggregate data as reported, with highlights of any major anomalies in answers
  2. A short report for internal GPSNR use (Secretariat and members), aimed at informing GPSNR in the revision of the questionnaire/ process

The consultancy firm might be required to conduct limited interviews with pilot participants (if necessary) around the sensitive data (to be quoted separately as addendum based on hourly cost).

GPSNR Secretariat will be able to assist in certain areas of the project, including development of an online submission form, if necessary. For a detailed list of the support from GPSNR, see page 6.

Submission Guidelines & Requirements

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

  1. Proposals will only be accepted from firms or organisations 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 3 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 26 June to be considered. Proposals should be submitted to stefano.savi@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.

20200618-WG1-Pilot-third-party-RFPDownload

GPSNR Staff June 22, 2020

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