Request for Expressions of Interest to partner with the Feed the Future Bangladesh Cereal Systems Initiatives for South Asia Mechanization Extension Activity (CSISA MEA) in the Feed the Future Zone of Influence

The Feed the Future Bangladesh Cereal Systems Initiatives for South Asia Mechanization Extension Activity (CSISA MEA) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from private companies engaged in agricultural mechanization, agricultural inputs, or manufacturing of agricultural machinery and equipment to partner with the project in the Feed the Future Zone of Influence. The project anticipates signing agreements with one or more successful partner(s), subject to alignment with CSISA MEA and USAID’s priorities, due diligence, and agreement on terms.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

CSISA-MEA is a five-year project, funded by USAID and implemented by CIMMYT and its partners: iDE and Georgia Institute of Technology (GT). The project aims to support the growth and expansion of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh so that smallholder farmers can affordably access cost and resource-saving sowing, irrigation, harvesting, and other types of machinery. CSISA-MEA supports market actors along the entire value chain including machinery manufacturers, ag machinery importers and retailers, dealers, mechanics, spare parts vendors, and machinery “local service providers” who provide services directly to farmers.

SCOPE OF WORK AND PRIORITY AREAS OF INTEREST

CSISA-MEA is looking to work with agricultural machinery, inputs companies, financial institutions and agricultural businesses who are currently operating in, or looking to expand the business, in one or more of the 20 districts in the USAID Feed the Future Zone of Influence.  CSISA-MEA is inviting companies/firms which are interested in designing new and innovative business models and activities targeting the farmers of the working area. All concepts are expected to focus on the overarching areas of:

• Establishing/ expanding/ improving / innovating business models to support 1) more underserved market actors in the rural  areas (e.g. women, youth) so that they can set up machinery service businesses that also improve their crop and input sales and 2) new and underserved  geographic markets in the FtF zone.
• Innovative business ideas that target and benefit underserved farmers, local service providers (LSPs), women and youth in the working area and can be scaled up beyond project support.
• Address a specific market challenge that may not be resolved without the intervention.
• Ability to scale up the concept beyond the project support. 
• Address food security issues.

The scope of work has three different categories targeted to organizations:
Category 1: Improve the agricultural competitiveness and efficiency of domestic agricultural machinery manufacturing, assembly, use, and servicing, input and output delivery channels, as well as enhancing the capacity of the youth workforce. Relevant for Lead machinery firms, ABLE SMEs.
Category 2: Improve access to financial services to enable agricultural-based light engineering (ABLE) MSMEs to obtain financing for investments in new agricultural machinery manufacturing and/or machine purchases and make ABLE MSMEs ready for financing. Relevant for bank and non-bank financial institutions, MFIs.
Category 3: Developing new/ innovative channels to improve manufacturing capacity to ABLE MSMEs and capacity building on agricultural solution models for local machinery service providers. Relevant for startups or businesses with innovative business models.

Working Area: The areas include Barisal division, Khulna division,  Bogura in Rajshahi division, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Faridpur, and Rajbari districts in the Dhaka division and Cox’s Bazar District.

Application and Submission Information:

• Please see the details of the EoI and scope of work through the following Google Doc link.
• All applications must be submitted following the template and instruction provided in Annex for the EOI application form, technical and financial proposal.
• Application Format: Applications must be submitted in English and using 11 point font size.
• All costs associated with responding to this solicitation shall be the sole responsibility of each applicant. 
• CSISA-MEA reserves the right not to make any award from this solicitation.
• Legal documents: This should include documents mentioned in the eligibility section and any other documents that relate to your functioning in Bangladesh.

Please submit your application to bangladesh.procurement@ideglobal.org with the subject line ‘CSISA-MEA Feed the Future Expression of Interest’. The applications will be assessed on a first received first assessed basis starting from 25th January, 2022. Only shortlisted firms will be contacted for the next round of the selection process. For any queries regarding the EOI and application process, please contact Ahmed Shihab Zaman, Intervention Manager, by email: aszaman@ideglobal.org.