Summary Information

·       Department: MERL, Global Programs

·       Location(s ): Vietnam (Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, and Gia Lai province)

·       Commitment: 64 – 98 working days (April – November)

·       Desired start date and duration: 8 April 2024 – 30 November 2024

·       Under direction of: Supply Chain and Project M&E, Senior Associate

Consultancy Summary

About the Rainforest Alliance

Rainforest Alliance, a New York-based 501(c)3, and UTZ, an Amsterdam-based foundation, merged in 2018. Together, the new Rainforest Alliance is now a $70 million per year organization with offices in 17 countries (and growing) and over 5000 staff. The merged organization has two main offices—one in Amsterdam and one in New York City.

The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities.

We work towards making responsible business the new normal through our certification program, tailored supply chain services, landscape and community work and advocacy.

Overview

Rainforest Alliance and Nescafe (Nestle) collaborate in 15 global coffee origins to conduct monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in coffee supply chains. In Vietnam, Nescafe implements sustainable coffee project focus on best agricultural practices, farm economics, regenerative agriculture, agripreneurship/recordkeeping, and carbon footprint supporting approximately 17,418 Nescafe farmers in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, and Lam Dong province.

Therefore, Rainforest Alliance is looking for a local partner to conduct monitoring and evaluation of key project indicators on a sample of coffee farmers in the project locations. The samples are selected using square root method and proportional random sampling method in each group (prepared by Rainforest Alliance). The total number of samples is approximately 717 farmers (Nescafe and vendor farmers), including the buffer samples.

The monitoring and evaluation surveys contains questions based on these project focus, in addition to basic questions about farm conditions, household demographics, farmer household income, greenhouse gas footprint/Cool Farm Tool (CFT), coffee regenerative, and qualitative. The survey questionnaires are prepared in English (from Rainforest Alliance) and Vietnamese (translated by the M&E partner to be used in field), and the modules have been used in 15 coffee-producing countries. The monitoring and evaluation survey will use a digital data collection tool (Koltitrace application) developed by Koltiva and paper-based survey questionnaire (only for Cool Farm Tool survey). Minor modifications should be made to adjust survey questions based on the Vietnam project activities and coffee cultivation context.

The monitoring and evaluation partner will coordinate the work plan and implementation progress with Supply Chain and Project M&E, Senior Associate and Nescafe agri-service team (based in Dak Lak).

Main Objectives

The monitoring and evaluation partner supports Rainforest Alliance in implementing the M&E data collection activities (Farmer Connect and Vendors) in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, and Lam Dong province, including data entry, data quality control, and evidence collection at the field level. In addition, the M&E local partner also provides inputs for the preparation of M&E reports and findings based on the field observation.

Contractor Services at a minimum, must include:

The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) partner will perform the following:

1. Campaign preparation

• Translate the survey into Vietnamese as needed.

• Prepare compatible and sufficient devices for the data collection (must follow the device requirements provided by Koltiva).

• The enumerator lead must distribute the training materials and guidance (printout and softcopy) to avoid the possibility that enumerators do not read them carefully and utilize them optimally.

• Enumerator lead/ supervisor must play role as Co-Trainer during the M&E training and perform data quality control role (data review before submission to RA and Nescafe).

• Enumerator lead joins the Training of Training led by Rainforest Alliance (3 days – online) one month or three weeks before the M&E training date.

• The M&E partner (enumerator lead) must attend the KoltiTrace app usage training provided by the Koltiva team (2 days). The enumerator lead can also invite all enumerators to join the KoltiTrace app usage training.

• The M&E partner lead must conduct the Koltitrace application testing at least one month before the training date to become familiar with the application before the training date and submit the survey app testing report to Rainforest Alliance. 

• The enumerator lead must train all enumerators about the KoltiTrace app usage and ensure that all enumerators understand the KoltiTrace app usage before the training date.

• Participate in a on site 6-days training with Rainforest Alliance and Nescafe, including coffee farm visit. During training, all parties can review any translation and make any necessary modifications for specific language, dialect, and interview techniques to communicate with coffee farmers most effectively.

1. Data collection

• M&E partner lead must prepare a farm visitation schedule for the data collection period, maintain a “field log” detailing farms visited each day and report the data collection progress to Rainforest Alliance weekly. Rainforest Alliance will train monitoring and evaluation partner on how to maintain this field log. Nescafe team will assist on introduction to farm groups and farmers.

• Conduct interviews with approximately 717 farmers. The Rainforest Alliance recommends the partner to create a team of around 10 enumerators who can travel independently. The team should be led by a project supervisor or “lead enumerator.” Each farm survey takes about 3-4 hours (data collection), and 3-4 hours (data review and input), so one enumerator can complete around 1-2 surveys per day (depending on travel distances, weather, and other factors). A team of 10 enumerators would then need about 36 - 72 working days to complete the data collection and data input. Below are the details of the sample size based on the FC unit and vendor unit.

• Data collection will be conducted on a digital application (Koltitrace mobile application). Upon completion of data collection, the enumerator lead must review the raw data from enumerators for errors and inconsistencies for quality checks to ensure accuracy at least once a week before submitted to Rainforest Alliance.

• During the data collection, the enumerator lead/supervisor must be able to accompany and assist the enumerators to report the technical problem independently to Koltiva (helpdesk service) regularly.

• Upon the data collection, review, and completion, the partner (enumerator lead and all enumerators) must be able to have a weekly regular catch-up with Rainforest Alliance and Nescafe to update the progress.

• Upon completion and internal review of data, the enumerators have to submit the completed data to Rainforest Alliance and be available to make any needed corrections directly on the Koltitrace application. The enumerator is responsible to ensure that the data corrections and synchronization on the Koltitrace application are done properly by the enumerator lead. 

• Enumerators must collect the field evidence based on the list provided by Rainforest Alliance and share it with Rainforest Alliance. The enumerator lead is responsible to organize the field evidence in the online cloud (SharePoint).

1. Reporting

Enumerator lead must submit a report of findings based on the general field observations. Rainforest Alliance will conduct all data analysis, but the enumerator lead must be available for providing basic clarification and observation.

Provide inputs for the preparation of any other monitoring and evaluation report and /or findings presentations.

Deliverables

General terms and conditions for Request for proposal

• Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by The Rainforest Alliance. Incomplete proposals may be rejected by RA at its discretion.

• The Rainforest Alliance reserves the right to request additional information at any time during the procurement process.

• RA is at liberty to make multiple or no selections as part of the proposal process. RA also reserves the right to cancel the procurement.

• All proposal costs shall be borne by the applicant and will not be reimbursed by RA.

Selection Criteria

Following the requirements for Enumerator Lead and Enumerators:

Enumerator Lead (1 -2 personnel)

• Experience in project monitoring and evaluation, including farmer interviews more than five years.

• Experience with the coffee sector or at least has agriculture/forestry background.

• Excellent English and Vietnamese language skill.

• Strong project management and leadership skills.

• Experience with farmer survey, data entry, and digital data collection tools (preferred)

• 64 - 98 working days working time availability (April – November 2024)

Enumerators (10 personnel)

• Experience in farmer survey, data entry, and digital data collection tools (preferred)

• Experience with the coffee sector or at least has agriculture/forestry background.

• Ability to travel independently in the countryside

• Ability to communicate in local languages (Vietnamese)

• 59 - 93 working days working time availability (April - November 2024)

Proposal Process and Format

Please send the following documentation no later than 28 March 2024. Interested parties should apply to Rainforest Alliance sdewi@ra.org and include the following:

• Letter of introduction describing experience in farm data collection, time availability, and method of organization and supervision

• CVs of each team member

• Budget proposal (including the cost for logistics and venue (in-class training) for M&E survey training in BMT)

Thank you for your interest in working with The Rainforest Alliance