Request for proposals for Partnership to Strengthen the High Iron Bean (Hib) Value Chain in the Western Province of Rwanda Location: Kigali Deadline: Sunday, 01/02/2026 23:59 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - SERVICES PARTNERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN THE HIGH IRON BEAN (HIB) VALUE CHAIN IN THE WESTERN PROVINCE OF RWANDA Issued by The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) RWANDA TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 2 II. BACKGROUND & TIMESCALES 2 III. THE OPPORTUNITY 3 IV. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS 7 V. TERMS & CONDITIONS 10 VI. OFFER OF SERVICES 13 GAINs procurement is conducted based on our procurement principles, including a focus on ethical and sustainable procurement which requires us to take note of our legal and ethical commitments in our procurement and supplier management. We require all our partners, suppliers and service providers to familiarise themselves with our Code of Conduct (Code) and to adhere to either our Code or to their own equivalent code or set of behaviours. This is addition to any relevant clauses and provisions in our contractual terms. We also expect our partners, suppliers, and service providers to proactively inform GAIN, via the mechanisms detailed in the Code, of any breaches, potential or perceived breaches of its provisions. Any supplier or service provider found to be in violation of these principles will be excluded from this process and may be barred from responding to future opportunities. I. INTRODUCTION The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people. At GAIN, we believe that everyone in the world should have access to nutritious and safe food. We work to understand and deliver specific solutions to the daily challenge of food insecurity faced by poor people. By understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all model, we develop alliances and build tailored programmes, using a variety of flexible models and approaches. We build alliances between governments, local and global businesses, and civil society to deliver sustainable improvements at scale. We are part of a global network of partners working together to create sustainable solutions to malnutrition. Through alliances, we provide technical, financial and policy support to key participants in the food system. We use specific learning, evidence of impact, and results of projects and programmes to shape and influence the actions of others. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, GAIN has representative offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We currently have a presence and conduct programming activities in Bangladesh, Benin, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. II. BACKGROUND & TIMESCALES Nutrition is a national priority in Rwandas development agenda. Our Combatting Malnutrition through Sustainable Food Systems (CMRFS) program supports this by strengthening supply chains for nutritious foods like beans. The purpose of this RFP is to engage the services of a qualified organisation in Rwanda to implement a market-based system that increases high iron bean (HIB) production by smallholder farmers and farmer cooperatives in Western Province. This includes, but is not limited to, increasing the acceptability/uptake of improved HIB seeds obtained by farmers through the formal seed system, and strengthening the formal seed system supply chain to ensure consistent farmers access to these improved seeds. The opportunity for this partnership will Work with 50 farmer cooperatives to increase adoption of HIB seeds and see the ROI from increased yields Establish and strengthen local multiplication of HIB seeds Improve last-mile availability of HIB seed varieties. Build farmer capacity on best farming practices for HIB seed varieties to improve yields Ultimately increase the supply and affordability of HIB seeds within Western Province. Set out below is the proposed timescale for this procurement. It is a guide, and whilst the GAIN does not intend to depart from the timetable, it reserves the right to do so at any stage. Timescales end at 23:59 hours Rwanda time (GMT+2). RFP issue date January 20, 2026 Deadline for Bidders to submit questions January 28, 2026 Deadline for GAIN to respond to clarifications January 30, 2026 RFP closes - deadline for submission February 1, 2026 GAIN clarifications, evaluation & governance February 10, 2026 Contract award - subject to negotiation & due diligence checks February 20, 2026 Planned contract signature date February 28, 2026 Date by which all work is to be completed December 31, 2027 III. THE OPPORTUNITY Nutrition has taken an important place in Rwandas NST 2, aiming to reduce stunting from 33% to 15% and achieve a 3% annual reduction. Embedding nutrition into both national and sectoral strategies ensures that interventions across production, value chains, consumption and health are aligned, thereby reinforcing the countrys broader development agenda. Data from the Financial Flows to Food Systems show that between 2018 and 2024, MINECOFIN allocated USD 330 million (16.2%) to nutrition and health, mainly supporting the education sector, including school feeding (47.4%), and health interventions to improve diet quality (13.9%). Under PSTA5, MINAGRI plans to dedicate 11.6% of its budget (RWF 741bn) to improve food security and nutrition, marking a significant shift toward integrating nutrition as a core component of Rwandas food systems transformation. To address malnutrition in partnership with the Government of Rwanda, GAIN has been implementing a 6-year (2025 2030) flagship programme, Combating Malnutrition in Rwanda through Sustainable Food Systems (CMRFS) programme since January 2025. The programme is tackling the underlying factors driving higher malnutrition rates in the Western Province, with a focus on Rutsiro, Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Karongi and Nyabihu. The programme rests on three strategic objectives: improving community consumption (Micro), supporting the enabling environment for nutrition outcomes (Macro), and strengthening the supply chain for nutritious foods (Meso). All strategic pillars are interconnected. The CMRFS Meso component aims to strengthen key value chains in Western Province and at the national level. By focusing on eggs, high-iron beans (HIB), fruits, and fortified staples (LSFF), the programme seeks to enhance the production and market systems for these nutritious foods to benefit vulnerable communities. The partner will work within the Meso-level objective of CMRFS, strengthening the supply chain for nutritious foodsspecifically HIBthrough an integrated HIB production and market access model. This strategic objective will contribute to PSTA5s impact level indicator on food and nutrition security, specifically through PSTA5s strategic pillars. On Strategic Pillar 1, the programme will contribute to 1.1. Modernized Crop Production and 1.2. Modernised Animal Production; on Strategic Pillar 2, the programme will contribute to 2.2 Market Linkages and Post-Production and 2.3 Promoting Food Security and Nutrition; on Strategic Pillar 3, the programme will contribute to 3.3 De-risking Agriculture Finance and Insurance, 3.4 Upgrading Public Capacity to Facilitate Transformation. The recently completed HIB supply chain analysis across the five districts identified gaps in HIB production systems. Many farmers prefer producing traditional beans where they rely on planting their own saved seeds (bean grains) obtained from an informal seed system (market, saved bean grains , donations, etc.) instead of improved seeds generated through a formal seed system (RAB then seed multipliers). The main reason behind this practice is their perception of improved seed prices without analysing the value for money. Insufficient demand for HIB seeds results in an unstructured and inefficient HIB seed market system (limited number of HIB seed traders) in the Western province. Seed suppliers (Agrodealers & seed multipliers) dont have incentives to invest in HIB seed production without an assured market for HIB seeds. Henceforth, the programme seeks a partnership to address the underlying problem of low HIB production by working with 50 farmer cooperatives in Food Basket Sites (FOBASI) across the five target Western Districts. Below is the list of project sectors per district. It is important to note that the interventions in this RFP can be implemented in non-project sectors but primarily serve vulnerable people in project sectors. Karongi (Rugabano, Ruganda, Gashali) Nyamasheke (Rangiro, Bushekeri, Karengera, Kirimbi, Karambi) Rusizi (Muganza, Bugarama, Bweyeye, Rwimbogo, Giheke) Nyabihu (Jenda, Bigogwo, Muringa, Rambura, Shyira, Rugera) Rutsiro (Rusebeya, Mukura, Manihira, Musasa, Murunda) DELIVERABLES & TIMESCALES The main objective is to increase the capacity of bean-producing farmers to adopt HIB seed varieties and establish localised input systems that consistently provide HIB seed to farmers in the Western Province. The partner is expected to work heavily with the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB). Specific objectives: Improve the capacity of bean producers to adopt improved HIB seeds Identification and profiling of farmer cooperatives and small farms within the food basket sites Training and follow-up of farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) adapted to improved HIB seeds production to optimise HIB yield potential. Support in formalising and professionalising small and medium enterprises, farmer cooperatives in recor Tender Link : https://www.jobinrwanda.com/job/request-proposals-partnership-strengthen-high-iron-bean-hib-value-chain-western-province-rwanda
