Country: Senegal
Closing date: 12 Sep 2017
Request for Proposals
Monetization Services
Organization: Shelter For Life International (SFL)
Project: LIFFT-Cashew (Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau)
Location: Senegal
Date of RFP: August 28, 2017
Due date: September 12, 2017 – 5:00pm Eastern time
1 Introduction and Background
Shelter For Life (SFL) is an international Christian humanitarian organization enabling poor and suffering people affected by conflict and disaster to rebuild their communities and restore their lives through appropriate shelter and community development programs. Based in Minneapolis, MN, SFL enables people devastated by conflict and disaster to become part of the solution. SFL will implement a USDA-funded Food for Progress (FFPr) program to address the cashew value chain in Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. Funding for the project will be from donated commodities which will be monetized in the project country.
SFL is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to monetize the selected commodity in Senegal. The selected monetization agent will manage the entire process to monetize 33,500 Metric Tons (MT) of Crude Degummed Soybean Oil (CDSO). The proceeds will fund the implementation of the LIFFT-Cashew program. The sale of commodity will be conducted in multiple tranches over five years.
2 Purpose and Scope of Work
The purpose of the monetization agent is to oversee the monetization process on behalf of and in close consultation with SFL.
2.1 Deliverables
The following deliverables are expected as part of the Scope of Work.
• Review and update the monetization plan– SFL’s preliminary monetization plan has been approved by USDA. The selected agent will review and make suggestions for improvement or change if necessary. In particular, the agent will seek to maximize the proceeds on behalf of the project. SFL will approve the final monetization plan which will be submitted to USDA.
• Engage USDA– throughout the contract, and in close consultation with SFL, the agent will be expected to engage USDA on all aspects of the monetization.
• For each sale:
Prepare public tender in Senegal for the sale of commodity– the process will include identification of buyers, bid selection, and purchase-contract signing.
Prepare and coordinate logistics and freight– secure commodities from USDA; advertise, tender, and select freight forwarder in accordance with USDA regulations; prepare all contracts and necessary documentation; and arrange for transport to country of sale
Complete sale and transfer of funds– ensure funds are deposited to SFL bank account as specified in the contract. Final buyer needs to be able to open an irrevocable letter of credit for payment.
• Progress and final reports– the monetization agent shall submit to SFL a brief summary report following the completed sale of each tranche of commodity. The agent shall also submit a summary final report following the completion of all commodity sale.
• Cooperation with market evaluation– SFL intends to conduct an evaluation of the impact of the commodity sale on the local market. The monetization agent will be expected to cooperate with this assessment and provide all relevant information, as required.
2.2 Time Table
The selected agent will sign a contract with SFL, with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2017. The contract will be for a period of approximately five years, or until all donated commodities are sold and proceeds are transferred to SFL. The sale of the first tranche of commodities should be completed as soon as possible, and no later than February 2018. SFL will prioritize agents who are able to complete the first sale within the first four to six months.
2.3 Conditions of the Contract
The following conditions will apply to this contract.
• Sale of commodities must comply with USDA regulations 7 CFR 1499
• Compensation for the monetization agent will be a percentage of the sale, which will cover all of the agent’s expenses. SFL will not pay additional expenses or costs. The proposed rate will be valid for the entire contract.
• The contract will be subject to SFL’s internal procurement policy and controls.
• Proposals must be submitted by the date indicated below. Proposals received after that date will be rejected.
• SFL reserves the right to negotiate a contract with any or none of the agents who submit a proposal. SFL reserves the right to cancel the RFP at any time and will not be liable to any firm or individual for canceling the process or rejecting any proposal.
3 Selection Criteria
SFL will carefully evaluate all submitted proposals and select a monetization agent based on the following criteria. All proposals should provide information on these criteria.
• Quality of technical proposal – 40%
o Approach for identifying and selecting buyers
o Time table which is suitable for SFL’s needs
o Recommendations to maximize proceeds
o Identification of risks and recommended contingencies
• Past performance – 30%
o Experience and familiarity with USDA’s monetization regulations
o Knowledge and experience of the Senegal market
o Previous success, particularly in challenging circumstances
• Cost competitiveness and value for money – 30%
How to apply:
4 Submission Guidelines
Interested applicants should submit a proposal for the work described above to info@shelter.org with the subject “Senegal Monetization”. The proposal must be in English and should include the following:
• Detailed technical proposal which includes the following:
o Description of the applicant, including legal registration and structure
o Proposed approach to monetization of commodity in Senegal
o Suggested time table for completion of all commodity sale
o Identification of risks and recommended contingencies
o Past performance in monetization, and within the Senegal market
o Contact information to facilitate communication
• Financial proposal – should include the fee for service, in US Dollars. It should also detail the requested terms and conditions of payment.
• References from applicable organizations or companies (prefer at least two references)
Proposals must be submitted by September 12, 2017 at 5:00pm Eastern Daylight Time, as outlined above. SFL will notify the selected agent in writing. Other applicants will be informed of the decision by email.
If you have any questions about this RFP, you may direct them to the email address listed above.