[Consultancy] Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) Supply of agricultural equipment - small and medium-sized artisanal enterprises (Ghana, Guinea and Ivory Coast)

*** Pour la version en francais, veuillez la consulter et postuler ici sur le site de la Fondation Sephis ***

Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI)

Supply of agricultural equipment - small and medium-sized artisanal enterprises (Ghana, Guinea and Ivory Coast)

I. ABOUT THE SEPHIS FOUNDATION

The SEPHIS Foundation is an organization committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurship in West Africa. It focuses its actions on strengthening the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with particular attention to the economic empowerment of women and young people.

Through its programs, SEPHIS supports local economic actors by facilitating access to financing, offering training adapted to the realities on the ground and contributing to the development of sustainable value chains, particularly in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors.

Since its inception, the Foundation has supported over 5,000 women entrepreneurs. In 15 years of operation, SEPHIS has established itself as a leading player in supporting the growth of women-led SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an integrated approach combining market access and financing, it actively contributes to the creation of sustainable value on the continent.

Present in Ivory Coast, Senegal and Togo, SEPHIS has supported more than 5,000 SMEs and mobilized nearly 10 million euros, enabling more than 1,000 women-owned businesses to access structuring financing.

Within the framework of the nature-based climate adaptation project in the forests of Guinea in West Africa ( NbS Guinean Forests), the SEPHIS Foundation provides operational management of the "Business Exchange" component, thus contributing to strengthening the viability and growth of the local beneficiary companies.

II. CONTEXT

The Nature-Based Climate Adaptation in Guinean Forests of West Africa ( NbS Guinean Forests) project aims to strengthen the local and regional capacities of communities living in the Guinean forest zone in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Guinea, in nature-based climate adaptation solutions, while promoting transformational leadership of women.

It is implemented by a consortium composed of World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) in partnership with national and international partner organizations. It is funded by Global Affairs Canada under the Partnership for Climate Action and aims for three main objectives:

• strengthen women's leadership in climate adaptation planning processes;
• increase the restoration of degraded forests and key habitats with benefits for biodiversity;
• to promote inclusive and gender-sensitive investments that generate sustainable income for women.

III. CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (AMI)

As part of the implementation of the "Business Exchange" component of the NbS Guinean Forests project, the SEPHIS Foundation is launching this Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) in order to establish a database of qualified suppliers for the provision of equipment and materials adapted to the needs of small and medium-sized artisanal enterprises, particularly in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors.

This call is addressed to companies, distributors, manufacturers and other commercial structures capable of supplying, in quantity and within reasonable timeframes, quality equipment to Ghana, Guinea and Ivory Coast, or to at least one of these countries.

Candidates selected following this call for expressions of interest will be listed in the SEPHIS Foundation's supplier directory. This listing is a prerequisite for participating in restricted tenders that will be launched later for equipment acquisitions for the benefit of Business Grant recipients.

It is important to note that selection under this call for expressions of interest does not constitute a contract award. It aims solely to prequalify suppliers who meet the technical, administrative, and operational requirements of the project.

Interested suppliers are invited to express their interest in supplying small equipment, particularly in the following categories (indicative and non-exhaustive list):

Category

Equipment type

1. Agricultural tools

• Irrigation kits and watering equipment;
• portable tractors ;
• mechanized weeders ;
• threshers (mechanized, portable, etc.);
• seed drills ;
• tillers ;
• shredders ;
• dabas ;
• machetes ;
• sickles and scythes;
• fertilizer spreaders ;
• solar generators.

1. Storage and transport

• Food dehydrators ;
• drying chimneys ;
• grain dryers ;
• mini -silos;
• storage nets ;
• motorized tricycles.

1. agricultural transformation

• Multifunctional shredders;
• briquette production machines ;
• animal feed pellet manufacturing machines ;
• heat presses ;
• food processing machines (biscuits, sweets, etc.)
• soap manufacturing equipment ;
• pottery machines ;
• ointment manufacturing and mixing equipment.

1. Protection

• Personal protective equipment adapted to agricultural and processing activities.

IV. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Candidates wishing to respond to this Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) are required to submit a complete application including the elements listed below. Any incomplete application or one that does not meet the requirements may be rejected.

1. General information about the company

• The full company name;
• A summary presentation (profile) of the company including: history, areas of intervention, organization, main activities and markets covered;
• The presentation file must not exceed five (5) pages, including brochures.

2. Administrative and legal documents

• A copy of the company's registration certificate or any equivalent document (trade register, articles of incorporation, etc.), in accordance with the legislation of the country of registration;
• A valid copy of the tax identification certificate (or equivalent);
• A valid tax compliance certificate or any equivalent document required in the country of origin.

3. Coordinates and geographical presence

• The full physical address of the company's headquarters;
• GPS coordinates (if available);
• The addresses of the offices or representations in the country or countries concerned by the AMI;
• A working phone number and a valid email address.

4. Experience and technical skills

• A description of the company's experience in supplying equipment similar to that mentioned in this AMI;
• Proof of at least three (3) years of relevant experience in the country or countries concerned;
• Evidence demonstrating the company's ability to deliver equipment in the required quantity and within the required timeframe (contract references, purchase orders, invoices, certificates of satisfactory performance, etc.);
• A description of logistical capabilities (storage, transport, after-sales service, geographical coverage, etc.).

5. Professional References

• At least three (3) letters of recommendation or client references, ideally from the country in which the candidate wishes to work;
• For applications covering multiple countries, three (3) separate references per country are required;
• References should include customer contact details for possible verification.

6. Compliance, ethics and litigation

• A declaration on honor attesting that the company is in compliance with legal and tax obligations;
• A statement regarding the absence of fraudulent practices, corruption or conflicts of interest;
• A list of all ongoing or past litigation within the last five (5) years, specifying the parties involved and the status of the case.

7. Additional information (if applicable)

• Any relevant certification (quality, technical standards, approvals, etc.);
• Any additional information deemed useful to demonstrate the company's technical and financial capacity.

Important notes:

• All documents must be submitted in French, English or accompanied by a certified translation;
• The SEPHIS Foundation reserves the right to request additional information or supporting documents;
• The information provided may be subject to verification with the relevant authorities or the references indicated.

V. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Expressions of interest received under this Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) will be evaluated by the SEPHIS Foundation according to a structured, transparent process based on pre-established qualification criteria.

The evaluation is solely for the prequalification of suppliers for inclusion in the SEPHIS Foundation database. It does not constitute a contract award.

1. Administrative compliance (Elimination criterion)

Applications will be reviewed first and foremost based on their compliance with the submission requirements. Any incomplete application or one that does not meet the minimum requirements will be deemed ineligible.

2. Professional Experience and References

• Demonstrated experience of at least three (3) years in the supply of similar equipment;
• Quality and relevance of the customer references provided;
• Work experience in the countries covered by the project (Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast);
• Ability to deliver comparable equipment in terms of volume and complexity.

3. Technical and operational capacity

• Availability and diversity of equipment offered in relation to the project's needs;
• Production, supply and delivery capacity within the required timeframes;
• Presence or logistical capacity in the countries of intervention;
• Availability of after-sales services, maintenance or technical support, where applicable.

4. Financial capacity

• Overall financial strength of the company;
• Ability to execute large volume orders without operational risk;
• Stability of activities and continuity of operations over the last three years (if applicable).

5. Geographic Coverage

• Ability to intervene in one or more countries of the project (Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast);
• Local presence or partnerships enabling efficient delivery in targeted areas.

6. Ethical compliance and integrity

• Absence of major disputes or convictions related to fraudulent practices, corruption or non-compliance;
• Compliance with tax and social obligations;
• Commitment to respecting the principles of ethics and integrity of the project.

Evaluation methodology

• The evaluation will be carried out according to a qualification system (pass/fail) for administrative and compliance criteria;
• The technical and operational criteria will be used to establish a list of qualified suppliers ;
• Only candidates meeting the minimum requirements will be registered in the SEPHIS Foundation's supplier database;
• The final selection for specific markets will be made later through competitive tenders.

VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND DISCLAIMER CLAUSES

1. Nature of the AMI

This Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) is published for the purpose of prequalifying suppliers . It does not constitute a contractual commitment or a promise of contract award by the SEPHIS Foundation or its partners.

Participation in this call for expressions of interest does not confer any automatic right to the conclusion of future contracts.

2. Information verification

The SEPHIS Foundation reserves the right to carry out any verification of the information and documents provided by candidates, directly or through authorized third parties.

Any false, incomplete, misleading or intentionally erroneous information will result in the immediate elimination of the candidate, without prejudice to any further action.

3. Registration in the supplier database

Registration in the SEPHIS Foundation's supplier database:

• does not constitute a guarantee of selection for future contracts;
• does not imply any minimum volume or financial commitment;
• may be reviewed, suspended or withdrawn at any time based on performance, compliance or ethical criteria.

4. Confidentiality and Ownership of Information

All information submitted in connection with this call for expressions of interest will be treated confidentially by the SEPHIS Foundation and its partners.

However, by submitting their application, candidates agree that this information may be shared with the project's technical and financial partners strictly for the purpose of evaluating and implementing the program.

5. Fraud, corruption and integrity

Any attempt at fraud, corruption, collusion or unethical practice will result in the immediate exclusion of the candidate and may lead to prosecution in accordance with applicable laws and the policies of financial partners, including Global Affairs Canada.

6. Responsibility of Bidders

Candidates are solely responsible for:

• the accuracy and completeness of the information provided;
• the conformity of their file to the requirements of this call for expressions of interest;
• covering all costs related to the preparation and submission of their application.

The SEPHIS Foundation cannot under any circumstances be held responsible for the costs incurred by candidates in the context of this process.

7. Applicable Law

This call for proposals is governed by the internal rules and procedures of the SEPHIS Foundation as well as the requirements of the project's financial partners. Any interpretation or dispute relating to this call for proposals will be handled in accordance with the applicable contractual frameworks.

VII. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

Companies and organizations interested in this Call for Expressions of Interest (AMI) are invited to submit their complete application exclusively electronically.

1. Submission Method

Applications must be sent by email to the following address: alan.akpa@fondationsephis.org

No physical submissions will be accepted.

2. Subject of the email

Candidates must specify the following subject:

NbS Business Exchange Program "

Any application that does not comply with this instruction may not be considered.

3. File contents

The application file must be sent in a single email , including:

• The required documents are attached;
• A consolidated file in PDF format (if possible);
• Clearly named files (see section below).

4. Document format

• Documents must be submitted in PDF format only (except in exceptional circumstances);
• The files must be readable, complete, and not password protected;
• Attachments must be organized in a clear and consistent manner.

5. Submission deadline

The submission deadline is: 20 MAY 2026.
Any submission received after this deadline will not be considered.

VIII. RECOMMENDED EMAIL FILE FORMAT

To facilitate the processing of applications, applicants are asked to structure their email as follows:

Subject: Expression of Interest – Supply of Agricultural Equipment –
NbS Business Exchange Program

Message body:

• Company Name
• Country of submission
• Contact person (name, position, telephone, email)
• Brief statement of interest (2–3 lines)

Attachments:

1. 01_Company_Profile.pdf
2. 02_Fiscal_Registration.pdf
3. 03_Certificate_Register_Commerce.pdf
4. 04_References_Clients.pdf
5. 05_Experience_Projects.pdf
6. 06_Declaration_Litiges.pdf (if applicable)
7. Complete consolidated file.pdf

IX. FINAL SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

Before submitting, candidates must ensure that their application includes:

A. Administrative documents

• ☐ Company Profile (max. 5 pages)
• ☐ Certificate of registration / trade register
• ☐ Tax certificate or equivalent
• ☐ Tax compliance certificate (if applicable)

B. Operational Information

• ☐ Full physical address
• ☐ GPS coordinates (if available)
• ☐ Working phone number and email
• ☐ Geographic areas covered (countries concerned)

C. Experience and skills

• ☐ Description of relevant experience (≥ 3 years)
• ☐ Evidence of similar transactions or contracts
• ☐ Description of logistical and technical capabilities

D. References

• ☐ Minimum 3 letters of recommendation (per country if applicable)
• ☐ Verifiable contact information for references

E. Compliance and Integrity

• ☐ Declaration of disputes (past or ongoing)
• ☐ Declaration of integrity (implicit or explicit)
• ☐ Commitment to tax and legal compliance

X. IMPORTANT REMARKS

• Any incomplete application may be rejected without notice;
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted;
• The SEPHIS Foundation reserves the right to request additional information at any time during the process.

Please apply here on Fondation Sephis website