CONSULTANCY TO DETERMINING THE OPPORTUNITY AND FEASIBILITY OF INNOVATIVE CLIMATE-SMART RICE PRODUCTION USING SRI METHOD AND THE INTEGRATION OF CLIMATE-SMART RICE CULTIVATION INTO CLIMATE POLICIES IN GRAND BASSA.

RFP REF NO: RFP-SR-004436

Concern Worldwide, an international humanitarian organization dedicated to reducing suffering and ending extreme poverty, with current interventions in Grand Bassa and Rivercess Counties, is offering:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR CV FOR CLIMATE-SMART RICE PRODUCTION STUDY.

Submission Deadline

Proposal or CV must be delivered to the Concern Worldwide Liberia Office in Monrovia by hard-copy or through email: procurement.liberia@concern.net before Tuesday 5th of August 2025 latest 17:00GMT. Late proposal or CV submission including those that will not be in sealed envelopes or incomplete submission, will be rejected. Concern Worldwide will take no responsibility for any CV or proposal not delivered directly to Concern’s Office.

For further inquiries, please contact the HR & Admin Department at liberia.hr@concern.net

Terms of Reference

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Research Consultancy

July 29, 2025

Research Study: Determining the opportunity and feasibility of innovative climate-smart rice production using SRI method and the integration of climate-smart rice cultivation into climate policies in Grand Bassa

Background:

Rice, Liberia’s staple food and a cornerstone of food security, poverty alleviation, and economic stability is significant to Liberia’s sustainable peace and security. It is the primary source of daily diet for most Liberians and takes a significant portion of their household spending. Despite its importance, Liberia relies heavily on importation mainly from Countries in Asia to meet its rice demand. Liberia currently imports over 60% of rice which is approximately 300,000 metric tons of rice, costing the country around $200 million annually.

In the past years, the Government of Liberia has developed several strategies with the goal to increase local rice production to achieve self-sufficiency and improve food security. Currently, the Government has developed and is working with the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) which aims at revolutionizing Liberia’s food security and sparking a wider reform in global food systems, set forth a comprehensive strategy to implement climate-smart agriculture and build sustainable food systems not just in Liberia, but across Africa and beyond.

Overview of the I-FaNSI Project

To support Government’s efforts, Concern Worldwide Liberia programme is implementing phase 4 of a Latter-Day Saints Charity-funded (LDSC) ‘Improving Food and Nutrition Security through Sustainable Agricultural Interventions (I-FaNSI)’ project in 48 communities Buchanan city, Grand Bassa County. The focus of the project is to reduce malnutrition in children under the age of five, improve agriculture in peri-urban areas, strengthen livelihoods through community savings and loans programs, and enhance WASH by constructing water pumps, dish racks, and clotheslines. This partnership between Concern and LDSC is exemplified by the successful implementation of the initial 3 phases of the project which has directly impacted the lives of over 7,000 vulnerable people across 46 communities in Buchanan and Grand Bassa through increased access to finance and livelihood support.

Specifically, the project aims to improve the food and nutrition security of 3,750 poor and vulnerable individuals and reach 12,750 people indirectly in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County, Liberia. To promote community ownership, the project will transform the existing Community Savings and Loan Associations (CSLAs), supported under I-FaNSI Years 1-3, into a cooperative. This transition will help improve production and enhance the cooperatives’ bargaining power as they present the bulk of their farm products for sale within and outside Buchanan City. The project aims to create a lasting positive impact on its participants and their communities while promoting socio-economic and environmental sustainability through climate-smart agricultural techniques, market systems development, and gender mainstreaming to improve women’s leadership, enhance household unity, and improve use of productive resources in communities. The project is working toward achieving four key objectives:

Objective 1: Improved Diversified Food Production.

Objective 2: Strengthened Innovative Financing Schemes for Farming Groups.

Objective 3: Improved Maternal, Infant, and Child Nutrition Practices.

Objective 4: Strengthened Partnerships, Linkages, and Coordination among Local Actors

Overview of the Research

Despite the various government interventions in Liberia’s rice sector, there are still persistent challenges. These include, but are not limited to, low productivity at the farm level, fragmented and informal market systems, poor milling and processing infrastructure, and lack of irrigation and climate resilience.

As part of measures to address some of these challenges, Concern Worldwide Liberia (CWL) is commissioning research to do a comprehensive analysis of the cost and viability of rice production across different ecological zones in Liberia using climate-smart agricultural practices. The research will be conducted in Lofa and Grand Bassa Counties and aims to support the determination of the Economics of Production (EOP) and investment decisions related to rice value chains and climate-smart agriculture, farming activity economic profiling, strategic planning, and policy formulation.

Concern Worldwide Liberia is therefore inviting proposals from qualified individual consultants or consulting firms to undertake this research.

Scope of Work

The Consultant is expected to

• Conduct a literature and policy review on rice production and CSA in Liberia.
• Design and implement field surveys and key informant interviews in Lofa and Grand Bassa. • Assess farm-level production costs (inputs, labor, land use, etc.) and revenues. • Compare CSA-based and conventional rice production systems.
• Analyze market trends, value chain actors, and price volatility.
• Profile the economics of different types of farming activities (smallholder, cooperative, semi commercial).
• Prepare a comprehensive final report including findings, conclusions, and clear actionable recommendations.

Objectives of the Research:

The objectives of the research are to:

• Determine the cost structure and viability of rice production in Lofa and Grand Bassa, representing distinct ecological zones.
• Assess the economics of climate-smart agricultural practices compared to traditional rice farming. • Conduct farming activity economic profiling to understand returns, investment needs, and profitability across different farm sizes and practices.
• Provide actionable recommendations for farmers, policymakers, and development partners.

Expected result & deliverables:

The consultant/firm will be expected to deliver the following:

1. Inception Report – Including methodology, tools, and work plan
2. Survey and Interview Instruments – For field data collection
3. Draft Report – Including preliminary analysis and key findings
4. Final Report – Including:
5. Cost and return analysis
6. Comparative viability of CSA vs. conventional rice farming
7. Zone-specific EOP profiles (Lofa and Grand Bassa)
8. Economic profiling of farming activities
9. Strategic and policy recommendations
10. Presentation – Slide deck summarizing key findings and recommendations
11. Required Components of the Proposal:

All proposals must include the following:

1. Executive Summary – Brief overview of your understanding, proposed approach, and competencies. b. Technical Proposal – Detailed methodology and data collection approach, analysis plan, work plan and timeline.
2. Financial Proposal – Detailed, itemized budget and a proposed payment schedule. d. Team Composition – Names, roles, and qualifications of proposed personnel (CVs should be annexed).
3. Experience – Summary of similar assignments conducted, sample of related work, and client references (minimum two).
4. Legal Documentation – Company registration/license and tax information
5. Duration and Timeline

The assignment is expected to last 18 days, commencing 11th August 2025, and concluding by 3rd September 2025. **A more detailed timeline can be agreed upon during final negotiations.

8. Requirement for Lead Consultant
9. Education

A Master’s degree (or higher) in any of the following, Agronomy/Agricultural Science, Environmental Science/Climate Change, Agricultural Economics, Environmental Policy. A combination of these disciplines will be an advantage.

1. Required Competencies and Experience

Technical Expertise

• Proven knowledge and field experience with System of Rice Intensification (SRI) or other sustainable rice cultivation methods.
• Strong understanding of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) frameworks, tools, and indicators. • Ability to conduct feasibility studies, including environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Policy and Institutional Knowledge
• Familiarity with national and sub-national climate policy frameworks in Liberia or similar contexts. • Experience in integrating technical findings into policy and strategic planning documents. Analytical and Communication Skills
• Ability to synthesize complex information and present it clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong report-writing skills in English.
• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills, especially with farming communities and local government.

Additional Assets

• Knowledge of Liberia’s rice production systems, especially in Grand Bassa, is a strong advantage. • Experience working with international development agencies, NGOs, or agricultural research institutions.
• Fluency in local languages (an asset but not required).

9. Evaluation Criteria

All submitted proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

Criteria Weight

Understanding of assignment 15%

Technical approach &

methodology 30%

Relevant experience 25%

Team qualifications 15%

Cost-effectiveness 15%

10. Submission Guidelines

All proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format to procurement.

procurement.liberia@concern.net

and deadline for submission is 5pm on 5th August 2025.

***Late submissions will not be considered***

11. Point of Contact for Clarifications – All inquiries related to this RFP should be directed in writing to procurement. procurement.liberia@concern.net
12. Ethical Standards and Confidentiality

All information collected during the assignment must remain confidential and be used solely for the purposes of this study. The final outputs will become the property of Concern Worldwide Liberia. The consultant is expected to uphold ethical standards in engaging with participants and reporting findings.

13. Disclaimer

Concern Worldwide Liberia reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, cancel the solicitation process, and modify the scope of work or timeline as needed.

Important information: