REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FIELD DATA COLLECTION IN COSTA RICA FOR RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
Rainforest Alliance is seeking a consultant to submit proposals to manage and deliver data collection of certified coffee farms in Costa Rica.
SUMMARY INFORMATION
Department: MesoAmerica
Location: Costa Rica
Commitment: (list term if relevant and estimate of days required): 1 month (30 working days, 4-days training inclusive)
Desired start date and duration: March 04, 2024 – April 18, 2024
Training is expected to take place from March 4- March 8, 2024
Under direction of: Oscar Maroto, Country Director, Costa Rica
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 500 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
As a not-for-profit, stakeholder-driven, internationally recognized certification organization for the coffee sector, Rainforest Alliance aims at anchoring sustainability in coffee supply chains across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Rainforest Alliance also strives to contribute to and support companies in combating climate change, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and promoting the transition to regenerative agriculture.). With increasing awareness of the impact of global climate change, companies face new challenges in understanding the impacts of their operations and implementing measures to contribute to enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services, increasing soil healthy and mitigating climate change.
Main Objective
Rainforest Alliance seeks a firm to assist in data collection efforts on KPIs related to regenerative agriculture and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions at farm level for certified coffee farmers in Costa Rica. The data collection exercise is expected to include 197 RA certified coffee farmers across Costa Rica in all the eight coffee regions, including the provinces of San Jose, Alajuela, Puntarenas, Cartago, and Heredia. The data collectors will utilize Rainforest Alliance’s survey questionnaires via a mobile application. No analysis of the data will be required. The 197 certified coffee farms will be selected by Rainforest Alliance prior to the start of data collection. It is anticipated that one regenerative agriculture survey and one Cool Farm Tool survey can be completed per day.
Contractor Services at a minimum
Attend 4-day RA training on the data collection methodology and tools.
Collect farm-level data for regenerative KPI’s using RA’s Regen Ag survey via mobile app for 197 certified coffee farmers.
Collect farm-level data for GHG emissions data using the Cool Farm Tool methodology via RA’s mobile application.
Ensure the 197 certified coffee farmers sample size is representative of the entire RA certified coffee supply chain.
Deliverables
The assignment deliverables will be:
Field data collection plan of how the data will be collected including dates, location, # of farms per day.
Completed regenerative agriculture survey for 197 certified coffee farms via mobile application.
Completed GHG emissions survey for 197 certified coffee farms via mobile application.
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.
Rainforest Alliance will provide the farm list of 197 farmers plus buffer.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Experience in farm data collection for the coffee sector
Experience in understanding regenerative agriculture practices.
Agricultural background with familiarity of and experience in the coffee sector and supply chain
Experience in project monitoring and evaluation, including on-farm data collection and farmer interviews.
Experience in data entry and ability to work in mobile applications.
Access to android tablet or mobile device to download mobile applications
Ability to travel independently in countryside.
Ability to communicate in Spanish.
Ability to communicate in English (project coordinator or “lead” enumerator).
At least 30 working days working time availability.
Eligibility to work in Costa Rica including compliance to tax authority requirements and all labor regulations for enumerators.
Proposal Process and Format Interested parties should apply to Rainforest Alliance by sending the proposal integrated into one PDF file through this platform by February 21, 2024. IMPORTANT: Proposal submission date extended to February 23, 2024.
Proposal can be addressed to Rainforest Alliance, Costa Rica.
Proposal submission should include:
Project team (if a Consultant Firm)
Work plan/technical proposal/methodology/timeline for deliverables
Financial proposal. Options include following:
cost-reimbursable: request daily/hourly rate and estimated number of days/hours needed to complete project.
fixed price: based on deliverables outlined above.
Note: Currency is USD or Costa Rican Colon
Note: RA prefers not to define budget amount for the opportunity. Instead, we prefer to gather proposals to determine market price for activity. Stating the budget available for the consultancy can result in proposals only coming back at that cost.
List of previous engagements that addresses the above experience desired.
Current C.V.(S)
Contact details of recent references (specify number needed; always ask for email and phone number)
Finalists will be notified no later than 2 days after closing date of RFP.
Thank you for your interest in working with The Rainforest Alliance