Background

Feed the Future Bangladesh Aquaculture Activity (BAA) is a five-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), implemented by 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 engaged in the aquaculture value chain in Feed the Future Zone of Influence (ZOI) and Zone of Resilience (ZoR).

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

Many fish farmers and other aquaculture market actors lack awareness of where and how to seek information. The aquaculture market actors typically are in need of information, mainly regarding inputs, feed, seed, remedies for fish diseases, credit, and markets where they can sell fish. Farmers mainly rely on personal experience and informal networks, which can be inadequate and unreliable for solving their problems cost effectively. The absence of reliable and prompt access to information often leads to lower productivity and higher production costs for many fish farmers, nurseries and hatcheries. This has a direct impact on their income and livelihood.

To address the gap in information service provision in aquaculture, the Activity is interested to develop and promote a “One-stop Service Center” business model that could provide authentic, reliable and timely information and services to ensure optimum aquaculture production and increase profitability of the farmers and other value chain actors.

Objective

The Activity invites applications from relevant private organizations, aqua-input companies, aquaculture advisory firms, or technology firms that provide information and advisory solutions who could develop and deliver the proposed “One-stop Service Center” model. The proposed business model will create access to essential information and services, aqua inputs, improve farmers’ knowledge on quality inputs and their judicious usage, strengthen the market linkages and thus help fish farmers increase their productivity and income. The organization selected for this sub-grant will implement the model with selected dealers, sub-dealers, or distribution agents (e.g. Local Service Providers) in the Feed the Future ZOI and ZOR areas.

Scope of Work

The selected organization is expected to undertake the following activities (but not limited to) to roll out the “One-stop Service Center” model.

  • Conduct need assessment to identify service requirements, service landscape and potential service providers or entrepreneurs in aquaculture.
  • Develop a detail business plan for the “One-stop Service Center”.
  • Establish physical outlets of the “One-stop Service Center” to create access to aquaculture information and services for the fish farmers, nurseries, hatcheries and other relevant market actors.
  • Train the selected service providers, owners, or franchisees of the “One-stop Service Center” on aquaculture information and service and business management, alongside a clear plan to maintain ongoing training support for the Service Centers.
  • Conduct branding, marketing and business linkage activities for the “One-stop Service Centers”.

Key Deliverables

  • A detailed business plan of the proposed “One-stop Service Center” model with the number of centers to be developed, established and operationalized.
  • A detail marketing and stakeholder outreach plan.
  • Roll out an agreed minimum number of service centers in selected locations, building on local knowledge of need and the presence of suitable micro-entrepreneurs to be on-boarded in the initiative.
  • Reports (technical and financial) in the Activity approved templates.

Expected Results

  • A functional “One-Stop Service Center” disseminating aquaculture information, products and services.
  • Service providers are trained and well connected with the fish farmers, hatcheries, nurseries and other market actors.
  • Farmers, hatcheries and nurseries are receiving services as per the market need.

BAA Offers

BAA will provide both technical and financial support to execute the proposed and agreed upon business models/ideas:

  • Financial support to leverage the companies’ investment. If short-listed, the final agreement will be negotiated with selected, qualified companies.
  • Facilitation and co-development of the proposed business models or strategic plans.
  • Technical support as needed for successful implementation of the proposed models/initiatives.
  • Facilitation of identifying or developing business linkages with other market actors.

BAA Fund Is Not For

  • Working capital (e.g. day to day operational costs, salaries of regular staff, rent of buildings, office, warehouse, storage houses, regular purchases)
  • Direct payments/subsidies to producers/aquaculture farmers
  • Common IT and fixed assets (e.g. computers, cameras, projectors, vehicles, machineries and equipment)
  • Common physical assets (e.g. buildings, warehouses, storage rooms)

Eligibility Criteria

  • Have an experience and proven success on similar intervention
  • Have commercial and profit interest and incentives in the capacity development of aquaculture stakeholders.
  • Proposed business models/concepts which satisfy and support one or more of the following will be given preference (i) new and innovative business models, (ii) expansion of successful business models into new and underserved geographic markets and (iii) expansion of the business models targeting underserved customers in the rural areas, such as youth and women
  • Proposed business models must demonstrate continuity and sustainability.
  • Cost-share amount must be verifiable and it should not come from other USAID assisted projects or programs.
  • An active 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 bank account (providing the name and address of such an account);
  • The consulting firm must bear all annual income tax (AIT).
  • Percentage of VAT and total amount of VAT should be mentioned in the proposal.
  • Other valid papers (provided by government institutions).

GRANTS AWARD PROCESS

grant awarad process

EVALUATION 

evaluation

SUBMISSION DETAILS 

Interested parties should submit application by using the attached application form and budget template on or before 31 January 2022 to: wfbanaproject@cgiar.org mentioning the title of solicitation or Request for Application (RFA) in the subject line.