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Request for proposals for Grant Assistance for a Specific Activity or Approach Contributing to the Usda Food for Progress Haranira Ubuziranenge Project Objectives Location: Kigali Deadline: Wednesday, 25/06/2025 17:00 Section 1 General Information Solicitation Type: Request for Applications (RFA) Description: Grant assistance for a specific activity or approach contributing to the USDA Food for Progress Haranira Ubuziranenge Project objectives. RFA Number: RFA-RWA-HU-001 Grant Purpose/ Title: Improve food hygiene and safety in the horticulture sector in Rwanda including through improved post-harvest handling and storage Granting Party: CNFA For: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food for Progress Under: USDA Food for Progress Rwanda Haranira Ubuziranenge Project Release Date: April 29, 2025 Point of Contact for Question and Application Submission: Email: grantsHU@cnfa-rwanda.org Questions: Question Deadline: June 13, 2025 Instructions: Questions must be submitted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted. Only CNFAs written answers will be considered official and carry weight in the solicitation and subsequent evaluation. Verbal information received from CNFA or any other entity should not be considered an official response to any questions. Application Workshop: Workshop Information: District Location Date Length Bugesera District La Palisse Hotel, Nyamata June 6, 2025 1 day Rwamagana & Kayonza Districts Dereva Hotel, Rwamagana June 10, 2025 1 day Rubavu, Nyabihu & Musanze Districts Fatima Hotel, Musanze June 12, 2025 1 day Instructions: Application workshop(s) allow interested applicants to ask questions and receive guidance on how to complete Attachment A, Grant Application or other clarification. Interested applicants are requested to RSVP no later than the date indicated above. Application Deadline: June 25, 2025 Applications received after the specified deadline will be considered late and will be considered only at the discretion of CNFA. Via: Email Hard copy Email or Hard copy Language: Applications will be accepted in English. Instructions: Applications will only be accepted in the format provided in this solicitation. Applicants are additionally instructed to: Include the RFA number in the email subject line. Request a confirmation of receipt to ensure the submission was received. Terms and Conditions: Applicants understand by submitting a response to this RFA that submission does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of CNFA, the Haranira Ubuziranenge project, or USDA. USDA is not party to this solicitation. Any and all communications regarding this solicitation will be conducted with CNFA, not USDA. CNFA will not pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. CNFA reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications received and/or issue amendments revising RFA terms before or after application receipt. Applicants will be informed in writing of the decision made regarding their application. Language: Responses to this RFA will be accepted in English. Attachments: The following Attachments are included and hereby incorporated as part of this RFA: Attachment A Grant Application Form Attachment B Budget Template in Excel Attachment C Grant Application Checklist Section 2 Program Description 2.1. Introduction: The Haranira Ubuziranenge project is a five-year activity funded by USDA in Rwanda and implemented by CNFA. CNFA is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. The overall objective of Haranira Ubuziranenge is to increase productivity and food security through improving supply chains by increasing farmer adoption of good agricultural technologies and practices that contribute to improved food safety. The Project will increase agricultural trade through supporting the Government of Rwanda to integrate international food safety standards and support farmers, cooperatives, and other private sector actors to adhere to these standards and increase the value of target commodities. 2.2. Grant Program Purpose: Haranira Ubuziranenge is implementing its Co-Investment Fund (CIF) to improve food safety outcomes in the horticulture sector. The CIF will provide grants to mitigate high-risk areas of the horticulture value chain identified by a food hygiene and safety survey. The grants will support cooperatives (including those investing in cold chain), agribusinesses, Farm Service Centers (FSC), associations, agrodealers, and larger farmers who aggregate smallholder production with grants to procure equipment to mitigate food safety risks or improve post-harvest handling (e.g., solar driers), storage, and cold chain, as well as related food safety training. 2.3. RFA Purpose: This RFA seeks grant applicants to improve overall food hygiene and safety in Rwanda. Illustrative activities eligible for funding under this RFA include: To expand its customer base in Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a tomato exporter needs to ensure the safety and quality of product sourced from smallholder farmers prior to processing. The exporter partners with Haranira Ubuziranenge to train 200 new smallholder farmers on food safety and post harvesting handling practices to meet the regulatory import requirements. The exporter will expand its cold storage capacity to properly store the additional produce purchased from the new smallholder farmers. Thanks to this partnership, each new farmers would earn an additional 700,000 RWF/year in revenues and the exporter anticipates an additional 400 million RWF/year in exports in Year 2 of the grant. A processor wishes to meet export standards to reach EU markets. To meet these standards, the processor will need to invest in quality processing equipment, upgrade the facility food safety program and train its staff on the appropriate food safety and hygiene practices. The processor expects that this investment and training would generate an additional 20 million RWF/year in mango sales. Under this partnership, Haranira Ubuziranenge would co-invest with the processor to procure high-quality equipment and identify and train 10 staff members. A macadamia nut processor would like to expand its market to the United States with its macadamia nut spreads. To attract more U.S. buyers, the company would like to obtain ISO 9000 certification. Haranira Ubuziranenge would provide technical assistance to ensure that all production and processing processes were standardized prior to audit. The processor has already identified potential buyers in the United States of the macadamia nut spread. The processor would also participate in a food festival in New York to promote its product to more potential buyers. Once ISO 9000 certification is obtained, the company forecasts to export 200 million RWF/year to U.S. buyers. An FSC would like to expand food hygiene and safety training to 300 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the horticulture value chain. The FSC would train participants in food safety and post-harvest handling practices as well as introduce new packaging and package produce effectively to increase sales. Under the partnership, Haranira Ubuziranenge would partially support costs associated with the training program. A cooperative would like to increase its sales of carrots to a local wholesaler supplying high-end hotels. The hotel requires the carrots to meet certain quality and food safety standards. To meet these standards the cooperative would like to co-invest with Haranira Ubuziranenge to train its farmer members on food safety and hygiene practices to increase the productivity and safety of its carrots. The cooperative would also like to provide seeds and other inputs on credit to its members. Though the CIF, the cooperative is able to share the costs of the training and inputs with the project and increase its sales by 5 million RWF per year. A producer or exporter requires co-investment to change production methods to meet regulatory requirements of the importing country. Grants awarded under this partnership are expected to contribute to the following Haranira Ubuziranange indicators : Value of annual sales of farms and firms receiving USDA assistance Volume of commodities sold by farms and firms receiving USDA assistance Number of jobs attributed to USDA assistance Number of individuals participating in USDA food security programs (People reached through training, technical assistance and grants) Yield of targeted agricultural commodities among program participants with USG assistance Number of hectares under improved management practices or technologies with USDA assistance Number of farmers using cold storage infrastructure as a result of USDA assistance Number of farmers reflecting mastery of material presented on productivity-enhanced CSA and loss-reducing practices as a result of USDA assistance Number of firms and cooperatives providing improved services to suppliers for adoption of food safety and hygiene practices as result of USDA assistance Number of farmers receiving improved market information via extension as a result of USDA assistance Value of new USD commitments and new public and private sector investment leveraged by USDA to support food security and nutrition (USD) Value of product meeting food safety standards sold by firms as result of USDA assistance (USD) Number of firms and cooperatives that achieved a reduced rate of loss targeted agricultural products as result of USDA assistance Number of farmers and market actors applying new practices to meet food safety standards a Tender Link : https://www.jobinrwanda.com/job/request-applications-rfa-grant-assistance-specific-activity-or-approach-contributing-usda-food
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