Aflatoxins, are highly toxic compounds produced by Aspergillus fungi, frequently contaminates crops especially maize, groundnut, and sorghum. Aflatoxins are a major food safety concern for consumers worldwide. People are exposed to the toxins when they consume contaminated grains or foods prepared with such grains or through consumption of milk or meat of livestock that have been fed with contaminated feeds. The toxins suppress the immune system, retard growth, cause liver cancer, and may cause death in both humans and domestic animals. Aflatoxins are a barrier to trade, limits access to premium grain markets, leading to loss of income for the farmer & traders, disrupting food & industrial raw material supply systems.
In response to the challenges posed by aflatoxins, USDA-ARS developed an innovative biocontrol solution containing non-toxin producing (atoxigenic) Aspergillus flavus strains. This breakthrough innovation reduces aflatoxin contamination during crop growth and post-harvest storage, and throughout the value chain. In Africa, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in partnership with USDA-ARS and national research organizations, has so far successfully adapted this technology for use in Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, and Malawi, using native atoxigenic A. flavus strains commonly found in these countries. This has led to the development of biocontrol products branded as Aflasafe. Field testing of Aflasafe across countries has produced extremely positive results. When appropriately used, the products consistently reduce aflatoxin contamination of maize and groundnut by more than 80% and even as high as 100%, compared to crops from neighboring untreated fields. Adopting and applying Aflasafe in farmer fields to address aflatoxin contamination in Africa could dramatically improve the health and livelihoods of millions of families while reducing food losses due to contamination as well as improved incomes of farmer. The challenge is to get Aflasafe into the hands of farmers across sub-Saharan Africa.
IITA and partners through the Aflasafe Technology Transfer and Commercialization (ATTC) initiative have laid the foundation for mechanisms that allow scaling the production and distribution of Aflasafe to users across Africa. The approach involves developing country-specific commercialization strategies, competitively selecting investment partners, and supporting those investors to scale out the production, distribution, and use of Aflasafe in the country. The Aflasafe Commercialization Strategy for Malawi was developed and validated in 2020 with support from GIZ.
As part of the open process of competitively selecting investment partners, IITA would like to organize a forum for potential investors to present the business opportunity related to commercializing Aflasafe in Malawi. In a broad sense, this opportunity entails Aflasafe manufacturing, distribution, and marketing. At the end of the forum, interested investors will be invited to officially express their interest and begin 1-on-1 conversations with IITA. Therefore, IITA is seeking applications from competent and experienced organizations to assist to organize and execute the Aflasafe Investors’ Forum in Malawi in September 2021.
IITA is seeking applications from competent and experienced organizations to assist organize and execute the Aflasafe Investors’ Forum in Malawi in September 2021. The applicant will assist IITA to organize and execute a successful forum for potential investors for Aflasafe manufacturing, distribution, and marketing in Malawi. Organizing and executing the forum will entail.
- Developing a comprehensive list of potential event participants. In addition to potential investors identified in the current strategy document, prospect for additional investors and strategic stakeholders including representatives from development partners, regulators, government, key value chain players (i.e. farmer organizations, traders, processors, etc.)
- Reach out and engage with the potential investors identified above, to stir their interest and tease out additional information they may require on the opportunity at hand.
- Work with IITA to design, dispatch and follow up on event invitation letters.
- Keenly follow up confirmations from high-level participants i.e. potential investors and representatives from ministries, regulators & development partners.
- Synthesize the Aflasafe Commercialization Strategy for Malawi into a two-page document with the key messages and present the opportunity available for potential investors.
- Upon approval by IITA, share the two-pager strategy summary, with the potential participants seven (7) days before the investor forum and rally their participation in the forum.
- In consultation with IITA, identify a venue for the in-person event, compliant to COVID-19 protocols,
- Prepare media brief and organize for free-media coverage for the event.
- Manage the attendance register, and hotel-based services needed for a successful event including facilitation for online attendance, audio-visual equipment, etc.
- As the Master of Ceremony, execute the event with support from IITA.
- Record event proceedings and prepare a comprehensive report 7 days after the event, including a list of interested investors.
During the forum, IITA will present the product Aflasafe; the business opportunity arising from commercializing Aflasafe, and the process of engagement. At the end of the forum, interested investors will be invited to officially express their interest and begin 1-on-1 conversations with IITA.
The following are the deliverables of this assignment
- A comprehensive list of potential event participants including potential investors and strategic stakeholders including representatives from development partners, regulators, government, key value chain players i.e. farmer organizations, traders, processors etc.
- Timely release of invitation letters.
- Weekly brief on attendance confirmed.
- A report on additional information requested.
- Two-pager summary of the Aflasafe Commercialization Strategy for Malawi with the key messages and presenting the opportunity available for potential investors.
- Identify and handle all the logistics for the venue for the in-person meeting.
- Facilitate online attendance/ participation.
- Media brief prepared and disseminated to media houses.
- Submit attendance register.
- Execution of the event.
- Submit a comprehensive report on the Investors’ Forum within 7 days after event, including a list of interested investors.
Application
Proposals must be prepared in English, formatted on A4 size paper, single-spaced, and font size 11. The technical proposal should contain the following sections.
Cover Letter
A cover letter on the organization’s letterhead expressing the interest and stating the name, designation, and address of the key contact person (organization’s legally authorized negotiator), the organization’s full address, location, telephone, and email address.
Corporate Capabilities, Experience and Past Performance
Applicants shall include a brief narrative summarizing the resources (human, financial, equipment, IT hardware and software, etc.) at their disposal and describe their capability to perform the work. Each applicant must submit its complete name, address, contact information, and precise location of the main office. The applicant must also present a profile of the company, with appropriate reference to any parent company and subsidiaries.
The narrative should demonstrate an understanding of the requirements associated with the implementation of the SoW, illustrate the applicant’s technical experience implementing similar activities, meeting tight deadlines, experience coordinating and working with local stakeholders including government and development partners. Applicants must confirm the availability of qualified and competent human resources to perform the assignment including quality control checks, anticipated risks, and mitigation strategies. In addition, each applicant should include a description of how it plans to manage the work included in this ToR in addition to its other ongoing and anticipated projects.
Technical Approach and Detailed Work Plan
The successful applicant should provide a detailed description of how they plan to implement activities including the action plan, with the timeframe and schedule for the realization of each planned activity and sub-activity, with the division of responsibilities for proposed team members.
Required Certifications and Audited Accounts
Applicants shall include the registration certificate of the organization or company to undertake this assignment alongside the last two years’ audited financial accounts.
Presentation of Key Proposed Staff
Including their qualification, experience, areas of expertise and location.
Budget
The applicant must submit a detailed budget and budget summary in an Excel sheet along with narrative and explanatory notes.
Submission
Proposals should be submitted as follows: Sent to Ms. Doreen Munthali via email D.Munthali@cgiar.org copied to J.W.Kamau@cgiar.org and J.Atehnkeng@cgiar.org By 25th July 2021
Validity of Proposal
Proposals should have a 30-day validity period from the proposal submission date. Within the proposal’s validity term, IITA reserves the right to i) accept the Offeror’s proposal in full or in part, ii) conduct negotiations and/or request clarifications prior to award, and iii) re-open or cancel the whole procurement procedure for this consultancy opportunity.
Conflict of Interest
Offerors and their proposed personnel shall disclose any factors that could limit the organization’s ability to independently perform the services such as relationship with counterpart employees, past employment, or any other material reason.
This opportunity is open to pre-selected Offerors that are deemed capable of implementing the scope of work, that have a solid record of integrity and business ethics, and that meet the eligibility requirements stated in this Section. All Offerors must certify that the organization or firm, and the firms’ principals, are not debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment. IITA will not award a subcontract to any firm that is debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment, or who proposes to do business with firms or firms’ principals who are debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment, in the performance of the requirement of this activity.
General requirements
Offerors that submit proposals in response to this consultancy opportunity must meet the following requirements:
- Good understanding of the wide-ranging stakeholders in the maize, groundnut, and sorghum value chains in Malawi.
- Experience in organizing and executing similar events in the recent past, with notable presence and appeal as event organizers.
- Has the right mix of expertise and adequate personnel to undertake the assignment
- Has the necessary financial capacity, i.e. positive account balance in the previous year.
Specific requirements
The applicant must have a minimum of three similar contracts executed in the last two years related to organizing events of a technical / business nature. The applicant must prove this past experience by submitting at least three relevant references of previous work with contact information for verification purposes. Contact information should include, at a minimum: name of contact person and organization, address, email, and phone number.
IITA will make award(s) to an eligible, responsive (one that complies with all the terms and conditions in the ToR without material deviation) and responsible Offeror(s) that presents the best value (as determined by the technical/cost trade-off analysis) to IITA. Offerors may not modify non-responsive offers after the proposal deadline in order to make them responsive. However, IITA may request an Offeror to clarify its offer as long as no material deviation exists.
IITA will evaluate proposals in accordance with the following criteria:
- Qualifications, and expertise of key personnel to be involved in this activity.
- Experience in similar works.
- Clarity of documentation and clear plans to achieve the desired results.
Questions & Clarifications
Applicants are advised to send questions or clarifications regarding this assignment not later than 19 July 2021 via email to J.W.Kamau@cgiar.org and copied to J.Atehnkeng@cgiar.org
