Introduction

The “Sustainable forestry and efficient renewable energy for improved livelihood” (SFERE) project aims to strengthen the resilience of forest landscapes and dependent communities to climate change. The specific objective is to improve livelihoods by increasing sustainable biomass production for cooking, utilizing improved cookstoves, and strengthening value chains.  

The project is structured along three key result areas:  

The interventions will be structured in three areas. For each of these areas, a result has been formulated as follows:

• Result 1: restoration and SFM plantations for sustainable biomass production through community engagement in PFMUs. The intention is to increase the area of productive and well-managed tree plantations for biomass production.

• Result 2: increase of the use of improved cookstoves and of sustainable biomass in urban and peri urban areas. The aim is to apply a push and pull approach in the clean cooking fuel and ICS value chains to catalyze the supply and demand side, respectively.

• Result 3: increase and diversification of income, as well as better connection to value chains, of smallholder farmers in and around PFMUs. The ambition is to increase and diversify the incomes of smallholder farmers to accompany the transition to sustainable biomass production.

As part of the implementation of its activities in the western province (Rutsiro and Rubavu Districts), the “Sustainable Forestry and Efficient Renewable Energy (SFERE)” seeks to recruit an economic operator or a consortium to develop and pilot climate smart agriculture models.

Objective and expected results of the tender

The main objective is to design, implement, and evaluate Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) pilot models that demonstrate improved resilience, productivity, and income for smallholder farmers in communities surrounding PFMUs in Rubavu and Rutsiro Districts.

Expected results of this contract are the following 

Assessment and planning:

• Conduct a participatory baseline assessment of climate risks, existing agricultural practices, and farmer priorities.
• Select CSA practices relevant to each district, focusing on adaptation and productivity.
• Develop a CSA implementation strategy, selecting pilot sites and farmer groups.

Piloting CSA models:

• Establish 10 CSA pilot sites (5 in Rubavu, 5 in Rutsiro), each with at least 200 farmers
• Supply essential inputs: tree seedlings, organic fertilizer kits, mulch materials, conservation tools
• Organize farmer field schools and demo plots for real-time practice and observation.

Capacity building:

• Develop CSA training curriculum and visual tools tailored to local literacy and gender needs.
• Deliver Training-of-Trainers (ToT) for extension agents and community facilitators.
• Facilitate continuous learning and mentoring for participating farmers.

Monitoring & Reporting:

• Design a simple, participatory M&E framework with indicators such as yield change, soil health, farmer perception, income levels.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits and update reports
• Document lessons learned and best practices with stories and photos.

Reporting and Scale-Up

• Facilitate district-level CSA learning exchanges or dissemination events.
• Produce a final technical report with cost-benefit analysis, policy recommendations, and a roadmap for scaling CSA models.

Eligibility and Requirements

Interested and eligible candidates are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) confirming their willingness and availability to participate. Submissions must include the application form duly completed and the supporting documentation demonstrating compliance with the selection criteria below:

a) Legal status:

• Copy of valid company/NGO registration certificate.
• Copy of valid tax clearance certificate.

b) Financial capacity:

• Copies of audited financial statements for the last three years, demonstrating an average annual turnover of at least EUR 180,000.

c) Technical capacity:

• Evidence of at least three (3) contracts or donor-funded assignments successfully completed since 2020, of comparable nature and complexity.
• References or completion certificates should be attached.

Submission modalities of expression of interest

Interested partners are invited to apply by completing the EOI Application Form, available as an annex below (click the link to download).

Once downloaded and duly completed, your Expression of Interest (EOI) should include the following documents:

• A filled and signed EOI Application Form
• A copy of a valid company/NGO registration certificate (for all companies/NGOs in a consortium)
• A copy of a valid tax clearance certificate (for all companies/NGOs in a consortium)
• Audited financial statements for the last three (3) years (for all companies/NGOs in a consortium)
• At least three (3) references or completion certificates for similar assignments (for all companies/NGOs in a consortium)

The complete EOI dossier must be submitted by email to the following address: Jitendra.sinha@luxdev.lu, copy to procurement.rwanda@luxdev.lu no later than 30/10/2025 at 17.00 PM (Kigali time).

A Shortlist Selection Committee will meet to analyse the expressions of interest received on the basis of the documentation provided and draw up the list of candidates who will take place in the restricted consultation.

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a full offer