Study on Palm Oil Supply Chain to Develop a Shared-Vision for Palm Oil Commodity in Ketapang
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Study on Palm Oil Supply Chain to Develop a Shared-Vision for Palm Oil Commodity in Ketapang District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
(as a Basis for the Preparation of RAD KSB Ketapang District)
Summary Information
Department : APAC Impact Programs - Palm Oil Program
Location(s) : Ketapang district, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Commitment : Approximately 180 workdays
Desired start date and duration : 1 Oktober 2025 and finish no later than 29 Maret 2026
Under direction of : Team Manager, Palm Oil
About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance (RA) is an international nonprofit organization working at the intersection of business, agriculture, and forests to make responsible business the new normal. We are building an alliance to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promote their human rights, and help them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. We envision a world where people and nature thrive in harmony.
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.
For more information, please visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/about.
Overview
Palm oil is a strategic commodity in Ketapang district, West Kalimantan province, contributing significantly to regional economic growth and community livelihoods. The district hosts extensive palm oil plantations, managed by both private companies and independent smallholders. Despite its importance, the sector continues to face critical challenges, including limited traceability of raw materials, cultivation practices that are not yet fully aligned with sustainability principles, and the insufficient integration of independent smallholders into formal supply chains.
At the national level, the Government of Indonesia is in the process of formulating the updated National Action Plan on Sustainable Palm Oil (RAN KSB) as a continuation of the previous framework. The revised RAN KSB will serve as a guideline and strategic reference for local governments in strengthening sectoral governance and ensuring sustainability. In alignment with this, local governments are expected to develop District Action Plan on SPO (RAD KSB) that reflect national priorities while addressing local contexts and jurisdictional realities.
To support this process, a comprehensive study of the palm oil supply chain in Ketapang district is required. This study will analyze the supply chain structure, identify key actors, assess challenges and opportunities, and provide actionable recommendations for improved governance. The findings will serve as the foundation for developing a shared vision for sustainable palm oil management in Ketapang district.
Consultancy Scope of Work
Main Objectives
Developing a comprehensive overview of the palm oil supply chain in Ketapang District as a basis for establishing a shared vision for sustainable palm oil management at the landscape level, with specific objectives:
1. Identify key actors in palm oil supply chain in Ketapang district, including the roles of the government, companies, cooperatives, mills, and independent smallholders.
2. Map the supply chain from upstream to downstream and identify critical points that affect sustainability.
3. Analyze challenges and opportunities in improving transparency, traceability, and sustainability of the supply chain.
4. Develop strategic recommendations that support the development of a vision for sustainable palm oil commodities in Ketapang district.
5. Provide technical and substantive input for the preparation of RAD KSB Ketapang District.
Activities
The study covers several areas as follows:
1. Literature Study and Secondary Data Collection
a) Collection of production data, plantation area maps, palm oil mill capacity, and regulations related to sustainable palm oil.
b) Review of relevant national and regional policy documents, including the process of drafting the latest RAN KSB.
2. Actor Mapping and Stakeholder Engagement
a) Identification of key actors in the palm oil supply chain.
b) In-depth interviews with key stakeholders.
c) Multi-stakeholder Focus Group Discussions (FGD) at the district level.
3. Supply Chain Analysis
a) Mapping of the supply chain flow from upstream to downstream.
b) Analysis of critical points (bottlenecks) and sustainability risks.
4. Analysis of Challenges and Opportunities
a) Review of economic, social, environmental, and governance aspects.
b) Identification of opportunities to improve supply chain traceability and transparency.
5. Formulation of a Vision for Sustainable Palm Oil in Ketapang District
a) Formulation of a shared vision based on stakeholder input.
b) Alignment with regional development priorities and national policies.
6. Policy Recommendations and Priority Actions
a) Formulation of recommendations to support of the RAD KSB
b) Determination of priority actions that can be implemented at the district level.
c) Synchronization of the RAD/RAN KSB with the Regional Government Information System (SIPD) of Ketapang district.
Duration & Stages
The study is planned to be conducted over a period of six (6) months and will consist of the following stages:
1. Collection of secondary data, mapping of actors, planning of field surveys.
2. Field surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and supply chain analysis.
3. Report writing, validation of results, and formulation of recommendations.
Methodology
The study methodology uses a mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative) with the following steps:
1. Literature Study and Secondary Data Analysis - Using official documents, statistical data, and reports from relevant institutions.
2. Interviews and Field Survey - Involving key actors such as local government, companies, cooperatives, farmer associations, and the community.
3. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) - multi-stakeholder consultation to explore perspectives and agree on study results.
4. Value Chain Analysis - To identify relationships between actors, product flows, and added value.
5. Results Validation - Through multi-stakeholder workshops at the district level.
Main Output(s)
Document on Palm Oil Supply Chain of Ketapang District, containing:
1. Palm oil supply chain map and analysis.
2. Ketapang District’s vision for sustainable palm oil.
3. Strategic recommendations for the preparation of RAD KSB Ketapang District.
Deliverables
General Terms and Conditions for Request for Proposal
· Applicants must provide all requisite information under this RFP and clearly and concisely respond to all points set out in this RFP. Any proposal, which does not fully and comprehensively address this RFP, may be rejected.
· Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by RA.
· Incomplete proposals may be rejected by RA at its discretion.
· RA 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.
· It is the responsibility of every bidder to identify any information of a confidential or proprietary nature contained in its proposal so that it may be handled accordingly. However, RA cannot guarantee confidentiality.
Selection Criteria and qualifications
The consultant or consultant firm should comply with the following qualifications:
1. The consultant or consulting firm that can legally work in Indonesia.
2. The consultant consisted of one team leader and several team members with relevant experience and expertise such as supply chain, traceability, smallholder inclusion, multi-stakeholder processes, spatial analysis, and regulatory & standards framework for palm oil sector.
3. Proven track record of good writing skills and ability to produce reports and maps.
4. Working experience in West Kalimantan province, Indonesia.
Selection of the consultant or consultant firm is based on the following criteria:
Proposal Process and Format
Interested consultants or consultant firms should submit their proposal including the following:
1. Statutory Requirements
Upon request, the consultant should supply all required legal documents as may be required by RA and/or local law, e.g. work permit, bank details, registration details, tax documents etc. When opportunity is restricted to a specific location, only candidates authorized to work in the location will be considered.
2. Technical proposal requirements
a) Name(s) of consultant or project team (if a consulting firm).
b) Current CVs.
c) A proposal that includes a technical proposal, at least with a workplan, timeline, approach and methodology for deliverables, as well as financial proposal.
d) List of previous engagements that address the above experience desired.
e) Contact details of recent references (email and phone number).
3. Financial proposal requirements
a) A detailed budget complying with the following requirements:
b) The budget specifies daily rates and total time specified for each expert.
c) All required amounts must be stated in IDR rupiah, including all taxes applicable.
All proposals must be submitted through this platform as an integrated PDF document (only one file). If you experience problems loading information on the platform, try opening it with different browsers. Proposals received after the deadline stated above will not be evaluated.
Contact person for questions
Deadline for submission of proposals September 18, 2025
Thank you for your interest in working with the Rainforest Alliance