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Feed the Future Bangladesh Aquaculture and Nutrition Activity is a five-year investment by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to WorldFish to sustain positive aquaculture sector growth through an inclusive market systems approach. The Activity aims to improve the sustainable livelihoods for a large number of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders linked to aquaculture value chains in USAID’s Feed the Future Zone of Influence (ZOI) and Zone of Resilience (ZoR) [1].

The Activity will stimulate aquaculture sector growth, increase employment and income, and improve food and nutrition security for households. It will serve a facilitating role by coordinating linkages among the value chain actors in the private, public and civil society sector of Bangladesh.

Background

BAA is aiming to reach 400,000 individuals over five years’ time span of the project. The main aim of the digital platform would be to enhance the collaboration between end-users and producers to transact with each other engaged in aquaculture market. The platform expected to enable users to share different information like new products and services and connect the platform’s ecosystem and at the same time, the service providers as well as partners could also share information on modern aquaculture technologies, fish and fish products, feed and other inputs. Creating a robust network for increasing value is also made possible by this technology.

Objectives

BAA is seeking for a qualified digital/ tech organization, companies, and social enterprise to submit a proposal that can help farmers and interested individuals to acquire information and access on inputs e.g fish seeds, fish feeds, and small-scale aquaculture (SSA) technology, as well as get information on improved human nutrition including effective nutrition behavior messages. Additionally, the aim is for value chain actors (e.g. farmers, hatchery owners, nursery owners, processors, etc.) to link together to efficiently communicate information that increases productivity, income and improved nutrition.

The qualified digital/ tech organization, companies, and social enterprise can provide a proposal based on below modality/ties.

A. Creation of a new mobile friendly platform

  • Creation of mobile friendly, web-based, applications that support farmers, fish seed producers, hatchery owners, women, etc. to access inputs and information on SSA technology and human nutrition messages
  • Designing of web/mobile information based on the content provided by BAA team/Implementing partners
  • Setting up of farmers’ monitoring “tab” or equivalent that can support farmers’ and BAA project team track pond productivity (e.g. Feed Conversion Ratio calculator, fish size, etc.)
  • Pilot testing of the application among selected farmers, etc. before roll-out
  • Training of BAA and NGO partners field staff to ensure wide used of applications among farmers, etc.
  • Designing of interactive activities (e.g. quiz, games) online or other approaches to have strong engagement among target audience beyond the project areas
  • Demonstrate the sustainability of the application when BAA project contract ends

 B. Utilizing an existing mobile friendly platform

  • Providing a chatbot or similar that can support farmers to access inputs and information on aquaculture technology, access to inputs and human nutrition messages as mentioned above
  • Designing of web/mobile information based on the content provided by BAA team
  • Setting up of farmers’ monitoring “tab” or equivalent that can support farmers’ and BAA project team track pond productivity (e.g. Feed Conversion Ratio calculator, fish size, etc.)
  • Pilot testing of the application among selected farmers, etc. before roll-out
  • Training of BAA and implementing partners field staff to ensure wide used of applications among farmers, etc.
  • Creation of interactive activities (e.g. quiz, games) online or other approaches to have strong engagement among target audience beyond the project areas
  • Demonstrate the sustainability of the application when BAA project contract ends

C.Incorporating Human nutrition messages in existing mobile friendly platform

  • Designing of web/mobile information based on the content provided by BAA team
  • Pilot testing of the application among selected farmers, etc. before roll-out
  • Training of BAA and NGO partners field staff to ensure wide used of applications among farmers, etc.
  • Creation of interactive activities (e.g. quiz, games) online or other approaches to have strong engagement among target audience beyond the project areas
  • Demonstrate the sustainability of the application when BAA project contract ends

Scope of work

  • Develop new digital application
  • Integrate elements in the existing application
  • Create access to application in Google Play Store
  • Upload all capacity building materials in Content Management System (CMS)
  • Provide 2-day long online training to WorldFish and IPs staff on how to use this app

Key Deliverables:

  • Developing following modules/components in the app
    • Module 1 – basic module + Feed optimization for Carp, Tilapia and Catfish
    • Module 2 – Trainings and message module
    • Module 3 – Find suppliers module, to Link farmers to the nearest suppliers, like hatcheries, feed mills, agro shops and veterinarians
    • Module 4 – Fish Farm management module
    • Module 5- Text messaging
  • Conducted training to staff of WorldFish
  • Minor revisions in app based on feedback farmers
  • Brief report on performance of Application

Who can apply?

Only qualified applicants should apply. "Qualified" means an established company with a track record in similar kind of work/projects. You must have a strong information technology unit or partner to implement this activity listed in your proposal.

Selection Criteria

  • The consultant company's planned approach, methodology and timeline (40 points);
  • Detailed financial proposal (20 points);
  • A description of the multi-disciplinary team, including their expertise and experience in conducting similar work (20 points)
  • Previous and similar type of work- written sample(s) of Digital application or research project, from the team or from some of the key researchers (20 points)

Required documentation

If selected for the grant, the partner will be required to show:

  • A certificate of incorporation (for individual companies, a trade license);
  • Joint-stock registration certificate (if applicable);
  • An organizational organogram of key personnel, inclusive of the names of such personnel;
  • Tax Identification Number (TIN);
  • VAT registration number;
  • Proof of a segregated account (providing the name and address of such an account);
  • Other valid papers (provided by government institutions).
  • The consulting firm must bear all annual income tax (AIT).
  • The percentage of VAT and the total amount of VAT should be mentioned in the proposal.

DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

Initial work for this Service Contract is for 3 months. Based on the evaluation, the contract can be extended for a year when budget allows.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Interested parties should submit a full technical and budget proposal not later than July 16, 2021 to procurement.wfbd@worldfishcenter.org mentioning the title of the call for proposal in the subject line.

 

[1] The Feed the Future ZOI includes 21 southern districts in Barisal Division (Barisal, Bhola, Jhalokati, Pirojpur, Barguna and Patuakhali), Dhaka Division (Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Shariatpur) and Khulna Division (Jashore, Jhenaidah, Magura, Narail, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira, Chuadanga, Meherpur and Khustia). The Resilience Focus Area (RFA) includes two districts in Chattogram Division (Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban).