INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyze action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Adapting to impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for livelihoods, food security, water supply, health, security, and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate related threats. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam.

The GCA’s ambitious 2020-2025 business plan and strategy have three pillars:

• Programs: Food Security; Using Nature for more resilient infrastructure; Water for Urban Growth and Resilience; Climate Finance; Youth Leadership.
• Knowledge: Building adaptation knowledge globally through cutting edge products such as the State and Trends in Adaptation Report and the Adaptation Knowledge Portal.
• Advocacy and Awareness: Formulating policy messages to move the global, regional, and local adaptation agendas forward.

Program Information
As part of the implementation of this business plan, GCA (through its Food Security Program) is supporting the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Nigeria Value Chain Program in the North (VCN) Project. The project’s main objective is to promote nutrition-sensitive, socially inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chain development as an enabler for rural transformation in Northern Nigeria. The project plans to foster climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive production through the promotion of sustainable agricultural systems, improved technology and climate-resilient agricultural practices; promotion of nutrition and gender awareness and practices; improvement of access to finance, and scaling of access to digital financing solutions.
 
GCA is supporting the project to integrate digitalization in both components (1 and 2) of the project through: 1) digital agriculture and adaptation profiles of key project areas 2) support for integration digitalization to manage agricultural production in fragile environments and to manage post-harvest losses. The details of these activities are in the following section.

Purpose of this Assignment
Within this context, GCA is seeking a qualified firm/organization (hereby referred to as Service Provider or Bidder) to provide support for the development of knowledge analytics and research for the integration of digitalization into the VCN project to enhance climate adaptation and foster digital solutions for managing post-harvest losses and improving agricultural productivity in fragile environments.

The expected services to be provided under this assignment include 1) digital agriculture and adaptation profiles of key project areas 2) support for integration digitalization to manage agricultural production in fragile environments and to manage post-harvest losses. The detailed Terms of Reference and Deliverables for this assignment are presented in Annex 3.

The total duration of this assignment is estimated at up to 12 months.
Bidders shall respond to the strategic requirements of GCA with a strong emphasis on responsiveness to GCA technical requirements and performance, substantive progress reports, achievement of tasks and activities to match the Scope of Services/Terms of Reference and the production of the deliverables on time, to highest applicable standards. For further information See Annex 3 – Terms of Reference.

Submission of the Proposal
If you are interested in participating in this Request for Proposal, you are requested to submit your proposal in PDF format to the link: GCA-PR-24-596 – Technical Assistance to Nigeria VCN Project no later than  27 December 2024, 16:00:00 hours (04:00:00 p.m. o’clock), Central European Time (CET) (hereinafter referred to as “the closing date and time”).

Bidders are cautioned that the timing of submission is based on when the proposal is received by the GCA, not when a proposal is submitted by a bidder. As transmission can be delayed due to file transfer size, transmission speed or other technical factors, bidders should plan to submit proposals well in advance of the Submission Deadline to avoid submitting late due to technical issues. Bidders submitting near the Submission Deadline do so at their own risk.

Proposals received after the closing date and time will be rejected. GCA will confirm receipt of proposals within 24 hours from the closing date and time. Bidders that do not receive this confirmation must contact GCA within 48 hours from the closing date and time. After 48 hours from the closing date and time, GCA shall not respond to any queries related to whether a bidder’s proposal was received.