Expression of Interest for Agricultural Seed Supply in Borno State at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In a disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we collaborate to put bold solutions into action, helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. In Nigeria, Mercy Corps has worked since 2012 by focusing its programming on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development, conflict mitigation, and humanitarian response.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Expression of Interest for Agricultural Seed Supply in Borno State

Locations: Maiduguri and Jere LGAs, Borno

The Expression of Interest
Mercy Corps seeks local vendors to submit Expression of Interest to be part of the Seed Smart Subsidy in Maiduguri and Jere LGAs, on specific dates and locations to subsidize the seeds through vouchers. You are eligible to submit Expression of Interest if you’re currently running a business with agricultural inputs (seeds) and have the ability to sell the seed through Mercy Corps voucher subsidy approach.

Details

• The Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity (RRA) is a 5-year USAID funded program being implemented by a consortium led by Mercy Corps with support from IFDC and Save the Children across the states of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe in North-East Nigeria (NEN). The Rural Resilience Activity will facilitate economic recovery and growth in vulnerable, conflict-affected areas by promoting systemic change in market systems. This will ensure long-term improvements to markets that will sustainably move over 540,000 individuals out of chronic poverty.
• The seed and input supply system intervention area aims at improving smallholder farmers crop productivity through access to quality, affordable and timely supply of inputs such as improved seeds of climate smart varieties that are high yielding and early maturing.
• In the context of NEN, smallholder farmers depends on the informal seed sector to meet their needs. This means include through barter, gifts among and between friends and families, purchase in the open market and most importantly through farmer saved seeds. These actions by farmers relate to the underperformance of the formal seed sector and agro input dealers to supply the last mile farmer with the appropriate inputs at the right time and place.
• The seed subsidy activity is planned to promote adoption of improved seed varieties by increasing farmers' access to improved climate smart seed varieties to IDPs and selected host community members to improve crop productivity in this wet growing season. The activity intends to reach two thousand (2000) participants in 23 selected LGAs of Borno, Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe through this seed subsidy.

Scope of Work

• The program will focus on a value voucher for livelihood activity equipment/materials for selected youth by providing a value voucher redeemable at designated locations.
• The engagement period will be a period of 3 months (May to July 2022)
• The vendor accepts the voucher from participants as part payment (50%) for seeds while the participants pays the remaining 50%.
• The vendor should not exchange any commodity with voucher except those listed on the voucher.
• The vendor should only collect genuine vouchers (sample will be shown)
• A transaction receipt should be given to participants upon completion of each voucher purchase and one copy for Mercy Corps.
• The vendor will be reimbursed only for vouchers that are accepted and confirmed by Mercy Corps staff
• Vendor must ascertain the beneficiary’s identity before releasing the item to him. Vouchers should only be redeemed by the actual beneficiary and never to anybody who claims to be representative.
• The transaction should only be done formally during market hours. (8am-4pm)
• The vendor should secure enough crop seeds to meet participants need and also personnel to allow smooth flow of participants in case of increased commodity demand.
• The vendor should display Mercy Corps sign outside the shop during the redemption
• Vendor must treat project participants with respect and provide any necessary assistance
• The vendor should sell goods at the agreed price and quality.
• Vendors should not give participants cash in any circumstance
• Vendor must attend any training or meeting organize/call by Mercy Corps.
• The vendor will be paid after completion of services followed by reconciliation with Mercy corps with proof of redemption (copy of participants’ receipt).

Essential Specifications and Requirements

Application Closing Date
5:00 PM: 14th May, 2022.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified Vendors should visit Mercy Corps Office in Maiduguri to pick up and submit their offers at:
No. 38 Kinshasa Raod,
Old GRA Maiduguri,
Borno State.

Submissions should include:

• Mercy Corps Expression of Interest Form.
• NASC Certification.
• CAC Registration
• TIN Certifcate/Tax Clearance
• Company Bank Account Information.

Note: Submit filled expresion of interest form enclosed in an evelope with all supporting documents to the address mentioned above, hard copy submissions only.