(EOI) Supply of Machines, Tools and other Materials to a Company and Cooperative for Production of Improved Cookstoves (ICS) at SNV Rwanda: (Deadline 22 November 2021)

(EOI) Supply of Machines, Tools and other Materials to a Company and Cooperative for Production of Improved Cookstoves (ICS) at SNV Rwanda: (Deadline 22 November 2021)

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

***** ETHICAL AND BUSINESS CONDUCT REQUIREMENTS *****

SNV is committed to integrity in procurement, and only selects suppliers based on objective business criteria such as price and technical merit.

SNV does not tolerate fraud, collusion among offerors, falsified proposals/bids, bribery, or kickbacks. Any firm or individual violating these standards will be disqualified from this procurement, barred from future procurement opportunities, and may be reported to both the Office of the Inspector General.

Employees and agents of SNV are strictly prohibited from asking for or accepting any money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, the object of value or compensation from current or potential vendors or suppliers in exchange for or as a reward for a business. Employees and agents engaging in this conduct are subject to termination and will be reported to the Office of the Inspector General. In addition, SNV will inform the Office of the Inspector General of any supplier offers of money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, the object of value, or compensation to obtain business.

Bidders responding to this EOI MUST include the following as part of the proposal submission:

• Disclose any close, family, or financial relationships with SNV or project staff. For example, if an bidder’s cousin is employed by the project, the bidder must state this.
• Disclose any family or financial relationship with other bidders submitting proposals. For example, if the bidder’s father owns a company that is submitting another proposal, the bidder must state this.
• Certify that the prices in the offer have been arrived at independently, without any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other bidder or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition.
• Certify that all information in the proposal and all supporting documentation are authentic and accurate.
• Certify understanding and agreement to SNV’s prohibitions against fraud, bribery, and kickbacks.

Section 1: Background

SNV the Netherlands Development Organization is an international not-for-profit development organization working in over 30 developing countries for more than 40 years. In Rwanda, SNV has been working for more than 30 years to improve people’s livelihoods by strengthening the capacities of public and private sector organizations. SNV works in full alignment with Rwanda’s development agenda. It does so by helping to realize the national development goals in three sectors: Agriculture; Renewable energy; and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. SNV supports development in these sectors by working with the government, civil society, and private sector organizations.

Section 2: Project Overview

Energising Development (EnDev) Programme – is a multi-donor funded multi-country initiative to support sustainable access to modern energy. EnDev’s work involves building on the government’s efforts by capacity development, technical and financial support. EnDev’s component on cooking energy in Rwanda called “Reducing Climate Impact of Cooking in Rwanda through improved cooking systems” (ReCIC) is implemented by GIZ (German Development Cooperation) and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and funded by the European Union (EU) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Through this 5-year ReCIC project that started from November 2020, EnDev aims to set up a sustainable production and dissemination chain for improved cookstoves (ICS) as well as for improved or alternative fuels in Rwanda, through a threefold approach: 1) increase production capacities, 2) consumer awareness 3) increase dissemination of ICS and improved fuels. ReCIC supports for production and sales of a wide range of ICS products and fuels by giving the choice to the Rwandan users to adopt the most appropriate ICS design and fuel, according to their needs and purchasing power, through a market-based approach. In doing so, producers of both ICS and alternative fuels will be enabled to grow and professionalize their businesses, and eventually transition into a semi-industrial production, with bigger output and improved quality products, to better serve the Rwandan market. The ReCIC project is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Biomass Energy Strategy (BEST) of the government of Rwanda.

Interventions to achieve the goals of the project consist of private sector development through training and other interventions, including through a Cooking Energy Business Growth Fund (CEBGF) that provides financial and in-kind support to private companies and cooperatives on competitive basis. It also includes increasing consumer awareness through marketing activities (e.g., radio and TV advertisements), community mobilization and support in access to credit

The objective of this component implemented by SNV is to improve the demand and supply, particularly of improved cookstoves (ICS), improved cooking techniques, and more efficient use of fuels through the producers (companies and cooperatives).

Section 3: Purpose of the Bid

It is in the above context, SNV is looking for a supplier to procure the following machines, tools, and materials to be delivered as detailed below to the 2 ICS producers (company and cooperative) in Gatsibo and Gasabo Districts

Section 4: Selection Criteria

1. MUST Criteria

• Bidders MUST submit the quotation for all the items as listed above with the right Quality (specification) and Quantity. Bidders are expected to submit their proposal (EoI) by filling up the above Bill of Quantity (BoQ) tables for the 2 ICS producers. In case of bids with some items missing, the bids could be rejected.
• For quality control, the selected bidder (supplier) MUST submit product brochures, with detailed specifications, ratings, etc., User Manuals and Warranty Cards, as samples, together with the bid documents. In case of non-availability of the specified brands, other brands with similar or better quality could be proposed, for technical evaluation and approval. If found acceptable, the bidder shall still qualify for the financial evaluation. The exception is for items that have not specified the brand names and other detailed specifications above, for example, hammer and nails.
• Bidders MUST submit a copy of the RDB registration certificate, together with the proposal.
• The above documents MUST have a cover letter addressed to SNV Rwanda and signed by the chief executive of the bidder.
• Bidders MUST submit a list of relevant experience in the supply of the same or similar items, in recent times.
• The cover letter MUST state for all the points mentioned at the beginning of this EoI, certifying things like all information in the proposal and all supporting documentation are authentic and accurate.

1. Evaluation Criteria

The bidder meeting all the above Must Criteria will be subject to the final and financial evaluation. The bidders passing through the MUST criteria shall be subject the following evaluation by a panel:

Section 5: Delivery Sites and Contact Details 

The materials and tools shall be delivered to the below-mentioned ICS producers in Gatsibo and Gasabo Districts. The winning bidder (supplier) shall receive a detailed contact address for the delivery, once the contract is signed. The Delivery is to be completed, preferably within 4 weeks, from the date of contracting.

Section 6: Technical Details and Specifications: 

Any clarifications on the bid and any other technical questions and clarifications should be requested by the bidders through the email address rwandaprocurement@snv.org.

Section 7: Quality Control Mechanism and Payment Modality:

• For quality control, the product brochures, with detailed specifications, ratings, etc., and Warranty Cards, etc. submitted shall be used for evaluation and screening. For simple things like hammers and nails, there will be an exception. ‘
• At the time of delivery, two steps shall be taken to confirm the Quality.
  • One, the supplied machines, tools, and materials will be compared against the submitted and accepted technical specifications, ratings, etc. and
  • Two, the supplier MUST provide necessary and basic operation and maintenance training, to the relevant personnel of the ICS producers, following the supplied User Manuals, where applicable.

The payment will be released only after completion of the delivery with the right Quality and Quantity, confirmed by the producer and SNV. For this purpose, the producers will be asked to write to SNV saying that they received the machines, tools, and other material, in the right Quantity and Quality.

Section 8: Bid Proposal Submission

Interested bidders MUST submit a complete quotation and not less through an email to rwandaprocurement@snv.org by Monday, November 22, 2021, at 17:00 Hours, Kigali Time.